Or more accurately, the roof. That was the main topic of discussion at our regularly scheduled board meeting this evening, along with the usual approval of the fiscal report, the conferences attended by employees, and accepting some wonderful grants for early childhood education, etc.
The roof at the Shuer Center (sometimes referred to as the Challenger Center, since that is where, among other entities, the Challenger Learning Center is housed) is in dire need of repair. There are numerous options, but one course of action is clear: we must do something. Hard numbers will be gathered by our treasurer and alternatives explored, but we need to act rather quickly in some capacity, even if it is just doing the work that can be done to stave off the inevitable for one more year. To this end, we are having a special meeting next Tuesday at 5 PM to look at the data gathered and work toward the best decision possible for those who work, learn and pay for the Shuer Center. Check the blog next week for an update of what happens at the meeting on 8/19/08.
In other news, we are waiting for Pace Career Central to respond to the notice we sent them to suspend operations. Their doors are closed, they are not receiving any funding, and they have five business days to respond to us. We are waiting for the response. Again, check here for an update as soon as one arrives.
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9 comments:
The administration has known for years that the roof of the Shuer Center has needed attention. That is why several years ago, money was set aside for that specific purpose. If I recall correctly, I believe the initial set-aside was $10,000.00. I reminded the administration of that a year or two ago.
At last night's Governing Boardmeeting, did the superintendent, Sandra Frisch, inform the Governing Board and the public that the question of Joan Kuchinski, member of the LCESC Governing Board, receiving wages through the LCESC for professional services rendered has been referred to the Lucas County Prosecutor's office?
Quite frankly, I am becoming increasingly disappointed in what appears to me as the apparent decreasing openness, forthrightness, and transparency of the LCESC administration as well as what seems to be a decrease and decline in services to the community while there appears to have been an expanded increase in the size of an already bloated administration.
It also appears to me that people associated with the LCESC do not wish the public to be aware of any less-than-satisfactory issues and in fact try to hide such matters in order to avoid embarrassment and/or negative publicity.
What ever happened to public accountability?
Roland, last night there was no mention made of the situation with Joan Kuchcinski - in fact, I have not heard of the referral to the prosecutor's office. Unfortunately, I can't even pretend to cover everything at the meetings in my blog - let alone be objective, although I try - (hence the disclaimer at the top of the blog), but I do try to touch on some items which may be of interest to the public, in hopes that some members of the public will become further engaged. I've missed you at the meetings... will you be joining us again soon??
Angela,
Yesterday, I was in the middle of the starting process of repairing my asphalt driveway when I realized that the Board meeting was to begin within the next half hour. Hence, my absence.
I was at the June meeting that you were unable to attend as a result of Board President Karen Krauss requesting a change of meeting dates.
I realize you cannot cover everything in your blog and am cognizant of the blog disclaimer. I just wish the LCESC administration and that each and every one of the five members of the LCESC Governing Board were as diligent as you in the areas of public acountability, responsibility, and resposiveness, as well as sincerity and honesty of purpose. My wife, Judy, is fortunate to have someone such as yourself join her on the Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board.
I thoroughly enjoy Judy. I've learned a lot from her in the few months I have served (does that make it sound like a prison sentence?). Yes, I missed the last meeting because it was re-scheduled. I wrote all of the meetings on my calendar back in January to make sure that I could be there (unless ill, of course), because like many of us I work on a tight schedule. When the meeting was changed, I could not attend. I understand that it worked for the rest of the board and I am glad for that, but at the organizational meeting next January I will point out what happened and ask that, to the best of our ability as a board, we don't let that happen again.
The only person who could not make the original July meeting date was Karen Krauss herself. She goes up to the cottage the first two weeks of July every year and has been doing so for years and years and years.
Judy has attempted in the past to have your peers on the Board to set specific calendar dates rather than just have regularly scheduled meetings on "the second Tuesday" which by the way had been the third Tuesday for a few years and before that had been the fourth Tuesday for many years. For years at its annual January organizational meeting, the Washington Local School Board sets specific dates for the regular meetings for the rest of the calendar year with individual Board members checking their calendars and projecting any conflicts that may occur such as the annual state and national conference dates, holidays, etc.
Also, LCESC administration (in collusion with a member or two of the board) has continuously claimed that meetings at the beginning of the month are difficult because it does not provide enough time to prepare monthly financial reports. I find that to be a lame excuse; the Toledo Board of Education, the Oregon Board of Education, and others have never had a problem with meetings toward the beginning of the month.
Another and more recent sorry state of affairs is the new starting time for the LCESC Governing Board meetings.
Starting regular monthly meetings at 5:00 or 5:30 may be very convenient for the administrative staff and for some members of the board who are retired or do not work "office hours" as is starting special meetings in the morning hourss or early afternoon hours, but what about making meeting times convenient for members of the public to attend????
I think we will need to address the specific dates issue in January - it would help all of us, and then we could post it on the website.
I agree that the 5 and/or 5:30 meeting time is not the most conducive to reaching out to the public. I wonder, too, about "taking the meetings on the road" as the Lucas County commissioners frequently do, in order to generate more public participation. What do you think of that idea? By the way, I am very consciously keeping this dialogue public so that anyone else reading could chime in - and I know from my blog hits that others are reading...oftentimes, while two heads are better than one, three heads (or more) are better than two... :)
"I wonder, too, about "taking the meetings on the road" ... in order to generate more public participation. What do you think of that idea?"
Angela, I think that is a great idea! As a matter of fact, in the twelve years that I was on the Board, we did exactly that. We would meet throughout the year in each of the four districts of Anthony Wayne, Ottawa Hills, Springfield, and Washington Local, as well as in locations such as One Government Center and Central Union Plaza in Toledo and in Shuer School in Oregon. We also had special events/programs in Rossford, Perrysburg, and Maumee.
I wasn't aware that you did that... why did it stop happening??
I do not know why the Board stopped having meetings throughout the area. It stopped after I did not seek re-election and left the Board at the end of the calendar year 1997.
Incidentally, on two different occasions after I left the Board, there were mid-term vacancies on the Board. I did apply for appointment to the unexpired term both times, but the Board decided not to appoint me. I was told that Sandy Isenberg, a Lucas County Commissioner at the time, would retaliate against the Board if I received the appointment, that I was too politically controversial, and that it would be a conflict of interest for me to be appointed.
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