WCBOE Public Information Officer to Receive 33% Pay Raise

How big a raise did you get this year?  That is the question that all Wicomico County taxpayers should be asking themselves as the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) prepares to award their “Public Information Liaison” a whopping pay increase of 33%!

While hardly a bargain for Wicomico taxpayers, we know that this is a steal for Supt. John Fredericksen.  As most of you probably know, the WCBOE’s “Public Information Liaison” happens to be the wife of Erick Sahler, managing editor of the Daily Times.  One of the perks of such an “arrangement” is that no unflattering coverage of the BOE appears within the pages of our local rag.

While we regularly read about the problems of the Somerset BOE, the fights between the Worcester County Commissioners and their BOE, and teacher pay issues in several Sussex County school districts (Delaware has independent school districts), coverage of the Wicomico County schools is primarily limited to puff pieces of children receiving awards.  Note that NO coverage was given to the WCBOE’s recent decision to increase retiree healthcare benefits.  Note that explanation of the WCBOE’s “dollar swap” as budget cut was afforded the same type of explanation as the Daily Times usually reserves for Barrie Tilghman’s transgressions; in other words, shine sunshine up people’s backsides.  As far as the WCBOE is concerned, increasing Mrs. Sahler’s salary from around $40,000 to over $54,000 is the sale of the century.  Most school districts couldn’t buy this kind of coverage (or lack thereof);  the Daily Times has sold it pretty cheap.

Wicomico Budget Vote Tuesday – Another Pig in a Poke

As the Wicomico County Council prepares to approve another budget, taxpayers will again be buying a pig in a poke.  No, this is not a criticism of the council, but concern that Wicomico elected officials will be appropriating most of the county’s tax dollars to a proverbial black hole – the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE).

So far, the county government has no idea as to how tax dollars at WCBOE will be spent.  While I am sure that we would hear protestations from the likes of Supt. John Fredericksen and councilman Bill McCain, the facts are simple;  we don’t know how much the WCBOE’s employees will be paid next year.  Given that a disporportionate percentage of the BOE’s budget goes to salaries, how can we know how much the BOE is spending next year.  How can the county council or County Executive Rick Pollitt?

The answer is simple.  They can’t.  As county employees dodged the furlough bullet, expect to see WCBOE employees either receive raises, an increase in benefits through the now infamous “Rate Stabilization” slush fund, or both.

Expect Pollitt to continue to whine about the revenue cap.  Expect the teachers’ union (or probably all four WCBOE unions) to start organizing for the cap’s repeal.  Expect to hear that “It’s for the Children!“.

When bad teachers can be fired and the majority of BOE members start treating the taxpayer with something better than contempt, MAYBE it will be time to start having that discussion.  Of course, if the cap is ever repealed I’m sure Rick Pollitt has a huge wish list.

Wicomico BOE Swaps Dollars Rather Tighten Belt

Yesterday, in what was probably the most important work session of Wicomico County Council’s FY 2010 budget deliberations, the Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) showed even more disdain for Maryland and Wicomico taxpayers.  To meet a $2 million shortfall the WCBOE proposed a multi-million dollar bait and switch that would land Supt. John Fredericksen and his crew in prison if we were talking about a private company rather than a government bureaucracy.

Here are the basics of the “grand scheme”:

• Last year, Wicomico County funded the WCBOE with $700,000 ABOVE the state mandated maintenance of effort (MOE).  The WCBOE proposes to transfer that money BACK to Wicomico County and then have the county transfer the funds back to WCBOE.

• A few years ago the county passed legislation enabling the WCBOE to establish a “School Construction Savings Plan” (SCSP).  Any surplus left at the WCBOE is supposed to go into the SCSP.  The WCBOE proposes that $1.3 million be taken from this fund, transfered BACK to the county, and then transferred back to the WCBOE.

Only in government would such a scheme be considered “savings”.
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Wicomico Board of Ed and Daily Times Attempt to Scam the Taxpayers … AGAIN

Never fear.  The government is here to help you.  In today’s case, it is the good folk at the Wicomico Board of Education (WCBOE) who are colluding with our own local version of Pravda to pick the pocket of the average, hard working citizen of Wicomico County.

The folks over at the WCBOE are going to scrimp and save to help fix a problem of their own making – a $2 million shortfall in the county budget which the board and Supt. John Fredericksen exacerbated by fighting the county’s request of a waiver of the state momentum of effort (MOE) rules.  The Daily Times wants us to somehow believe that the WCBOE are the champions of our children.

It’s interesting.  Just last week the WCBOE voted to increase the taxpayer paid portion of retiree healthcare benefits from 55% to 70%.  Only board president Robin Holloway dissented.  Yet, the $357,000 of taxpayer money to be spent on yet another juicy benefit for government workers and retirees would amount to almost 18% of the $2 million budget hole.  The county’s budget will have been adopted before the public even gets a chance to find out whether Wicomico County teachers and staff will receive a pay increase next year, and how much.
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Wicomico MOE Waiver Denied – State Gives Finger to Wicomico Citizens

The Maryland State Board of Education has denied Wicomico County’s request for a waiver of the state’s Momentum of Effort rule.  County Executive Rick Pollitt, along with the Wicomico County Council will now be forced to come up with approximately $2 million in additional cuts to the county’s budget.

Council Joe Holloway (R-5) responded to the state’s decision:

I’m disappointed.  I was hoping that as a county, the Board, Rick Pollitt and the County Council could work as a team to solve our current fiscal dillemma.  Unfortunately, Dr. Fredericksen’s efforts seem to have derailed our attempts to weather the county’s current financial situation.

Councilwoman Gail Bartkovich believes that the WCBOE should find a solution within their own budget:

I think that the board of education needs to find those cuts in their own budget.  Our county departments can’t make any more cuts this year.  While county employees are receiving no pay increase this year, and we’re even talking about furlough days, the board is able to increase benefits for their retirees.

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Education in Wicomico County – Is It Really “For the Children”?

The next time you hear a public official, any public official, claim that we need to spend more on education in Wicomico County, grab your wallet and run in the opposite direction.  The Wicomico County Board of Education is worried about catering to its four unions, not about providing a quality education to our children.

Tuesday night I attended my first Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) meeting.  After witnessing the complete disdain in which Wicomico taxpayers are regarded by this merry little band, it won’t be my last.

The reason I chose to attend the meeting was twofold:

• To comment on my extreme disappoint with Superintendent John Fredericksen’s decision to use taxpayer dollars in opposition to County Executive Rick Pollitt’s decision to request a waiver from the state’s Momemtum of Effort (MOE) rule.

• To state my oppositon to the Board’s proposal to increase the taxpayer share of retiree health benefits from 55% to 70%

While there may not appear to be a link between the two issues, in fact there is a very strong tie.  The majority of the WCBOE seem to be far more concerned with appeasing their “bargaining units” (government jargon for the teachers’ union, administrators union, classified employees’ union, and maintenance / custodial union) than in ensuring a quality education for our children or being faithful stewards of our tax dollars.

According to the board’s self-proclaimed fiscal conservative – Brian Kilgore – this proposal isn’t going to cost the taxpayers any money.  This is only one area where Kilgore and I differ on this subject.  Approximately $357,000 (of the estimated $430,000 that this benefit will cost NEXT year) is to come from “savings” that are to come from merging the Salisbury, Wicomico County, and WCBOE plans.  These “savings” are the taxpayers’ money.
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Somerset BOE Stands Firm, Educations More Important Than Sports

The Somerset Board of Education has stood firm and kept its current policy of requiring student to hold a minimum 2.0 GPA to participate in school sports.  The BOE should be commended for its strength of character.  This is in particular contrast to the Wicomico and Worcester Boards who allow a much lower GPA.

At least someone gets it.  School is for learning.

Somerset NAACP on Participation in Sports

Kudos to the Somerset County branch of the NAACP for demanding that students be required to keep a 2.0 average in order to participate in sports.  These folks obviously have their priorities in order.

Unfortunately for the Wicomico and Worcester Boards of Education this raises a serious question.  Why do they seemingly place a higher priority on sports participation than academic achievement?

Wicomico only requires students to maintain a 1.6 GPA.  Worcester? 1.75  As we approach budget time, the two boards should be asked some hard questions.  Bad teachers can’t be fired.  Money is wasted on often meaningless bureaucratic programs.  But … we need to make sure that kids who can’t get at least a C in all of their classes should be able to play football or basketball.

I’m dying to hear a response to this one.

Morning Line – February 23, 2009

Delaware -

Redevelopment in Wilmington.  Perhaps Salisbury, MD can learn a lesson or two.

With a government takeover of the nation’s financial system firmly moving forward, ACORN is now helping the Dems socialize medicine (using your tax dollars of course).

Would abolishing the “prevailing wage” law in Delaware save money?  Tens of millions of dollars.  Just don’t expect any action until the DE GOP manages to elect a few more conservatives.

You may find this funny.  It may just piss you off.  Unfortunately, our friends over at DelawareLiberal actually have more than a grain of truth in this one.

Maryland -

The Baltimore Reporter nails Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on right to carry.  O’Malley’s proud that the “Not So Free State” is now only the 8th most violent state in the nation?

Hospital non-profit status starting to come under microscope.  With many “non-profit” hospitals in the business of everything from real estate development to gyms, it’s about time.

This isn’t political, but since you’re reading this from a computer you should definitely pay attention to what the Delusional Duck has to say about internet based bank fraud.
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Worcester BOE Gives County Commissioners the Finger!

While all other county departments are expected to trim their budgets for the coming fiscal year, the Worcester County Board of Education has told the Worcester County Commissioners that they just can’t trim a dime.  In true “IT’S FOR THE CHILDREN” fashion, the BOE claims that it will be students that suffer.

Sure they will.  While enrollment has actually declined in the past six years, the BOE has ADDED 111 new teacher positions and 81 staff positions.  Could the BOE cut some of those administrative jobs?  Of course not.  They’ll probably be whining about not giving them raises.

The true agenda unfolds.  Adding to the public payroll is far more important than educating kids.  I only hope that the Worcester Commissions possess the moral courage to knock the bureaucrats down a peg or two.

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