Martin,

Also, don't forget, those who voted yes can still pay the district the taxes they would have paid if the levy passed. Just because the levy didn't pass, doesn't mean you can't pay it anyway. You can make a donation to the district and probably even write it off when you file taxes.

So, How does this go? As a CPA I would beg to differ on that redicious point! Maybe you should stick to facts you know about... if there are any??

Seriously,

We do have a PI in place that generates $647,000 a year.

That's it.

Nothing more.

They appropriated $25,000,000 and the children get $647,000.

Amazing.

Good thing it was for the children.

Martin Fleming

I DONT THINK THEY CAN LEGALLY CUT BUSING BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE SIDEWALKS FOR THE KIDS TO WALK ON. THIS IS WHY MANTUA / SHALERSVILLE HAD TO BRING BACK BUSING.

Has anyone had a chance to read this article?

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4706864

Also, don't forget, those who voted yes can still pay the district the taxes they would have paid if the levy passed. Just because the levy didn't pass, doesn't mean you can't pay it anyway. You can make a donation to the district and probably even write it off when you file taxes.

Martin Fleming

On a further note, the only time you see the meeting room packed is on two occasions.

One is when just before the introduction of a levy and the other is just after the levy. Many people show up and it goes for two months before the poll, and it goes two or three months after the poll IF a levy fails. Then it is back down to maybe 5 community members in between that time.

The second is when they give out awards to students. The room is packed and just after they get their awards, most all leave and never stay for the business part of the meeting.

And don't judge me, I have contributed to this district and that is all documented by the district themselves. I have given to our district. You may not know that for you wouldn't have posted what you did if you knew it.

I also give a large part of my time to the community without compensation or recognition. I also give a large part of my services in my profession to the community without compensation. I work hard behind the scenes and I work hard to make sure no one knew it was me that did it. I am not in this for myself, but I am in it to serve my fellow man and woman.

If the bussing is terminated, it will be on the shoulders of the Adminstration (who do not want to give up anything for the district as stated by the Superintendent), and the BOE. They are the ones you need to point the finger at.

They are there as our representatives and the guardians of the children. It is time our community shows up in mass to let them know bussing is a safety factor and should never be considered in their judgement as to what to cut.

Martin Fleming

carioc42,

If you really do care about the children of this district, and you really did want this levy to pass, then how about you and all those others who voted yes, and those who also voted no, attend the next board meeting and show your support for the continuance of bussing.

We are the ones in control of this district and it's funding and it about time we all band together and show the Adminsitration and Board that we will not tolerate the termination of bussing.

We all have been going at this the wrong way. We are to be supporting the children and both sides have not given to the district by not attending these meetings.

We should not tolerate or permit the BOE to terminate bussing in any way,shape or form. These are all our children and their safety, whether it be at the school or on the bus, should never be used as tool or threat to force the community into a decision that may decimate the communty.

I look forward to seeing you at the meeting on Thursday to help fight for the children of our community.

Martin Fleming

carioca42,

I have lived in this community for over 50 years. I have always voted for levies to support the schools.

It was 7 years ago that I found security was extremely lax in this district concerning the children. I was livid when I found this out.

I then began to pay closer attention to what was going on and where the money was being spent. I soon realized that money was not being spent for materials, building maintenance and items need by the students.

The safety of the students became my primary concern and how they were being educated. From the information I began to collect, I also found over 85% of the funding was going to salaries and benefits.

Even now there is quite a bit the Administration and BOE can do to reduce their funding waste and prevent the loss of transportation for the students.

During the pass 7 years I have attended every business board meeting and some special meetings. What I didn't see happening in this district were parents and other community members attending these meetings. Most meeting have no more than 5 or 6 community members attending.

Our problem in this district is the lack of interest of community members attending and finding out what is going on in the district. If you do not attend these meetings regulary, how can you judge another who does?

We need participation in this community so that everyone can help guide our district, administration and BOE to provide for the students.

Since many have not attended, funding has been soley at the discretion of the BOE and Administration. Since no one has complained about the funding they have gone beyond providing for the students and began to favor the wishes of the Administration and the Staff. You can see this in the Teachers Union contract and it can also be seen in the cost to the district by the Administration Salaries and Benefits.

Have you personally been to every board meeting for the last 7 years. And I mean every one? Have you obtained a report showing the Administrations Salaries and Benefits? Have you obtained a copy of the teachers contracts?

It will be the boards decision to cut bussing not mine. Is it your fault there are people starving around the world and in your community because you have not given enough to feed them? Is it your fault many children will not get their shots at the County Health department since that levy didn't pass? Is your fault that many go hungry in our own community if your don't contribute? Is it your fault that many cannot afford cloths but have to have them donated to them or shop in consignment stores or the goodwill since you cannot provide for them also? Are you aware there are approximately 690 children in this district that have free or reduced lunches?

Do not put this blame on me. My mission was to keep people from losing their homes, giving up medication and not having enough to eat. My mission was to keep that number of free and reduced lunches from growing because I not only care about the education of the children in our district, but the families and community as a whole.

Yes I do have problems sleeping for I worry about the safety of the children in our community, I worry about the families in our community that to struggle to make ends meet.

At your next glorius meal, think about those who little or nothing to eat that night. There are children in this district whose only wholesome meal is the meal they receive while at school. When you sit down to a Thanksgiving meal, be thankful that you at least have one while your pray for others to even get one.

Times are hard, the economy is still in a downturn, 190,000 more people lost their jobs in October and there is the possiblity that unemployment may reach 11% by mid 2010. Were you aware of that?

To get to 11% do you realize the number of people that will have to be unemployed to reach that figure?

If this occurs, where will the district get the money to operate? So many homes will be lost and the tax base is dependent on people owning these homes.

There are many cuts that district can make that will not involve the childrens safety or transportation. Were you aware of the Marketing firm they hired to promote the district? Were you aware the district pays the Administrations "Employees" contribution to their retirement totalling $88,000?

You and the rest of this community really need to attend every board meeting, inquire to the BOE why we pay so much for Salaries and Benefits and really force them to give you honest and true answers without their normal gibberish the do feed the public.

If the students lose their transportation, it will be those who have not attended meetings for the past 7 years and have sat idly by and let your Administration and BOE use our funds without accountablity for the children and community.

I hope you sleep easy knowing what you know now.

Martin Fleming

Dear Mr. Fleming:

I hope you will sleep easy in your bed when children get hit by cars on State Route 303 walking home from school because they live less than two miles from school and have to walk home as their parents work and they have no other way to get home.

My personal opinion is, if people in Streetsboro do not want to support the schools, MOVE!!!!! I have lived in this town 26 years and have supported the schools no matter what the issue. I understand there are a lot of older people here who do not want their taxes raised and I can understand and sympathize with that. But someone voted levies through to support the schools when their children were there!

It's sad that it's the children that are going to suffer. We can all sit around and talk about the administration and the teachers, but ultimately it's the kids who lose. The High School is overcrowded. My son says there aren't enough places to sit in the lunchroom because the room is packed and he's had to sit on the floor to eat.

Our school is the laughingstock of Portage County. I said it earlier and I will say it again, if you don't feel you can support our children, their future and our schools, move somewhere else. Give our kids a chance!

We have a PI levy that was apportioned that allows the district to transfer funds from one to another without voter approval.

If the district was going to use the money for children, they could use the conditions of the past 2007 to transfer funds from the General fund to the PI fund to provide the needs of the students. The last levy generated approximately 3.6 million a year.

That is how this levy could have been portrayed by the district to help it pass. They did not think of that.

However, in I would have to see a written guarantee that would hold them to their word and it would have to show it could not be rescinded by the district at a later date.

The last levy included within it per ORC, the ability to move the funds either way if the need or desire was to surface.

Thus, leaving only 15% of that levy for the services you described would eliminate the ability of them transferring the funds from the General Fund (again per the conditions of the 2007 levy), to Permanent Improvement.

Martin Fleming

Martin,

Just to clarify, when you say 85% of levy monies will go for salaries and benefits, that means for all the employees in the district. This included the wages for the maintenance, custodians, groundskeepers, bus drivers, monitors, cooks, teachers, principals, and central office people.

You indicated that only 15% was left for everyone but the teachers and admins., which is technically incorrect. The other 15% covers items such as operating costs and supplies. It includes electric and gas bills, diesel fuel for the buses, purchased services, maintenance/grounds supplies, custodial supplies, copy paper, office supplies, and the like.

If you guys have a Permanent Improvement levy in place, those monies are used to purchase textbooks, computers, buses, windows, doors, equipment, and other items that are expected to last for at least five years. These funds cannot be used for salaries/benefits, unless there is specific wording allowing such.

Once again, not criticizing, just clarifying from my inside experiences.

Thanks