Posted By: Ann Johnson
The last few Okemos school board meetings I have attended have been disturbing to say the least. After watching all the presentations and comments, I still have a couple of questions. First, why does the board believe it is exempt from living within a budget? In 2000, a bond that we are still paying for was passed. This bond promised to save our schools and provide the cutting edge education Okemos promotes.
This leads to my 2nd question. Why, after the last bond, are our schools still on the verge of entering the Age of Dinosaurs? I think we all concur that technology is a depreciable resource. I think at one time, the board stated a need to save $300,000/year for updates and/or replacements for technology. I'm not sure about previous budget years since they aren't on the web, but the budget for capital outlay for 05-06 is only $35,000. What appears to have happened is that the board decided not to save for the future of Okemos Public Schools. It is not easy to live within a budget, and it certainly isn't fun, but it is the job of elected board members representing the entire community to do this. We are 2nd only to Waverly in our foundation allowance for each student, and it averages $1000 higher per student than the other districts in the Lansing area. The board has made choices how to spend, rather than save money that should have been set aside for the children. It was difficult to have Edgewood, a neighborhood school, close but balancing and living within a budget was, for the community, a greater good.
However, living within a budget never happened. Now, all the things for Edgewood that previously, the budget couldn't support, including a new roof, new carpet and a new gym floor, are being done for a school that currently requires more staff for fewer students - half of which live out of our district and bring in less money. The board has hired assistant superintendent consultants and other kinds of consultants to tell us how best to run our district. I could go on with ways the board has spent district money, but the bottom line is that the Board of Education is responsible for our financial situation, and they are responsible for the consequences of forced budget cuts. It is not appropriate for the community to bail them out once again with another bond. It teaches our children that living beyond our means has no repercussions, and as we have learned from the last bond, financial woes that have no impact fail to teach responsible spending. It is always easier to say yes rather than no. We as parents want to give our children the world, but the reality is we can't. Neither can OPS. School of choice is not a long or short term solution because as we gain a student another district w/ the same financial constraints loses a student. That doesn't make me feel very good, and I can't imagine that the board member who works for the Lansing School District feels good about it either. Until the district is "right sized" and we make it desirable and necessary to live where you want your children to attend school, we will continue to have financial problems and issues such a declining resident enrollment that affect the taxpayers of Okemos. The decisions the board needs to make to be fiscally responsible are difficult, and people will be upset. The board can spend our money on salaries, magnet schools and the like, that is its choice. Special interest groups will always want support for their causes. However, the needs of the district as a whole are where the board ought to focus its attention to maintain the reputation of Okemos.
I addressed the board on 4/23 with these comments and after listening to the entire meeting, I have these additional comments:
Mary Graham believes in order to live within your means you need to pay cash for everything. Since very few people do this i.e. cash for cars, homes etc. and because most carry consumer debt, no one lives within their means and we should not hold the board to this high standard. A vote for Mary means we may never live within a budget.
The board is looking at cutting lots of things that are near and dear to a lot of people... please take a look and let them know where you think the cuts should be made. I have a feeling this creative bunch may come up with a few ideas that aren't on the list!
Sincerely,
Ann Johnson