The message at the March 21, 2012 school board meeting was that the district does not have the money to fund all of the current educational programs. There are possible staff cuts and the reclassifying of full time teachers to part time.
Typically, board and the administration point the finger at the state for the financial problems. They claim the state does not properly fund education.
The truth of the matter lies in how the board wastes millions in non-academic pursuits.
The board spent $2,500,000 on an athletic complex. They incurred legal fees of $500,000 defending the non-payment to a middle school contractor.
The contractor not only received the $1,400,000 due, but with fines and interest the court awarded Amthor Steel another million.
Most recently, the district approved another refinancing scheme in order to hide the $6,000,000 buy out of an interest rate swaption. The board thought they could predict interest rates over a period of time and they lost.
The new arrangement tucks the $6,000,000 into debt, but leaves the prospect of another buy out nightmare in the next few years. They used another interest rate swaption to finance the swaption that went sour.
If school directors and the administration managed taxpayer funds in a judicious manner, they would not be facing the prospect of eliminating educational programs.
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311 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 311 of 311Wow! I didn't realize teachers were exempt from all of those basic costs that affect all others. That must be another one of the wonderful perks teachers are blessed with.
Thought? - Maybe this is why they didn't like the proposal, these perks, which they obviously had, were excluded.
Taxes go up so that teachers get more money, while families try to survive with the same or less and still have to pay more taxes. Teachers need a taste of the real world rather than their lala land.
It is my understanding the inflation index for the 2013-2014 budget is 1.2%.
Yet, the contract offer on the Oley Valley School District site offers over 3% increases in contract negotiations.
A state controlled 1.2% increase in millage and a 3% offer cannot co-exist.
Does anyone know why Dr. Younkins husband has made himself a permanent fixture in the business office? Is he now on the payroll too? If the current business manager cannot handle the workload maybe they should find someone that actually knows what they are doing, instead of letting random people have access to the financial books of the district. Where is the leadership? Not in Oley!
Maybe its because he is a business manager who offered to help fix Financial problems for no cost to the taxpayers? Daniel Boone is paying him big money for the same work Oley gets for free.
Wow how clueless are you...
You really hate shank don't you?
The war zone between the administration/school board vs. the teachers is infuriating! Why can't they get their act together and stop putting the community in the middle. Things were not like this before. Both sides are at fault. Grow up!
Actually if you the past blogs this is no different. Just different names and faces.
How is the school board at fault? Their offer was fair and even generous. The union leaders want it their way or no way and the gullible teachers go right along with them like sheep.
It's amazing how much Cindy Smith knows. I would love to see the emails between her and Shank.
"Maybe its because he is a business manager who offered to help fix Financial problems for no cost to the taxpayers? Daniel Boone is paying him big money for the same work Oley gets for free."
Sounds like the business office is cleaning up the mess from the past superintendent.
Isnt it interesting that cindy smith's ten year obsession with what was really going on and her right to know requests for documents makes this shanks fault?
By the way, the release of the latest test scores shows OVSD as lowest 9% in the state of PA when it comes to academic growth. Say what you want about test scores, but all 624 districts listed were judged the same. Those who argue against recent changes in curriculum and programs need to look at the data and thank the current admin for these changes. Don't believe me? Check the public PVAAS site and do a district search.
Hey "3:06 PM, October 01, 2013",
citizens that spend time asking questions on district matters should be congratulated rather than attacked.
Teachers want to be treated like "human beings" ? Why dont they try working in the real world. They wouldnt be whining all the time and quit using my child to get more money and then wonder why you do not have a job .
October 29th
School Board Candidate Forum
Oley Valley School District
The Truth Revealed
What is "The Truth"?
Where and what time is the forum? Who is sponsoring it?
The Truth is that some people are trying to take the district for a ride back to the pa$t.
Who knows? Let's see who shows. I predict that only 3 candidates show, and maybe 5 people from the community.
The "community" never shows up for anything where they might actually learn something.
That's not the way of the "Valley".
For some odd reason, the "Valley" needs a "King" to tell them what to do and what not to do. But alas the King is no longer, and the "Valley" has lost its way.
How can anyone show when no one knows where and when it is? Is this a joke? If it is, it's as funny as the people running for school board. Now THAT'S a joke!!
Sponsored by The Oley Valley Business Association. The only flyer I saw was at Christman's.
Tuesday night at the middle school, meet the candidates at 7:00 and forum at 7:30.
Again, if it doesn't have to do with soccer, hockey or football, no one shows.
Says something about this quaint little town, doesn't it?
Looks like one of the candidates for the school board has been concealing some facts - there was an article in the paper today.
Her passport was not in the name of Zackon? She uses the name Zackon saying it was common law marriage....why would Dr Zackon not marry her and make it legitimate?
It all seems so shady....
By the way, did the Zackon's, Zackon and friend or whatever they were claim the free trip on the backs of the children with the IRS as is the LAW?
This would be the same free trip that they took every year for about 15 years to Germany or Spain - which according to the School Code is a NO-NO!
Check out the way these trips are organized - the organizer can make up to approximately $20,000 cash and gifts from the companies that run these trips - Was this money claimed by the teacher on their income tax? Did they get a 1099 like they were supposed to?
What is the woman who is running for school and suing the district for $309,000 going to say to children when they either lose a teacher or programs are cut to pay for her?
Isn't running for the school board AND suing the school district a HUGE conflict of interest?
She filed the suit back in May, yet did not give full disclosure on the lawsuit to the public?
NOT the type of person we need making decisions for our school district!!
Why cant you people leave the Woman alone.
Are you serious? It's knuckle draggers like you who put up with anything and everything in the Oley Valley. That "Woman" has scammed the district and the taxpayers for decades. Both she and her late husband lied to the people of the Oley Valley. In fact, their whole life was a lie. Now this deceitful individual is going to be making decisions that will affect students, taxpayers and everyone else. Well, my friend, it sounds as if you and all the other apologists for wrong doing deserve the representation that you will surely get from a fraud like her.
Leave her alone? She is the one running for an elected position, which puts her character up for public judgement. If she were not running, it would not have come out in this manner.
Is putting a person on your health insurance policy and having them receive benefits insurance fraud?
Then adding insult to injury, having the the taxpayers of this district pay for it is an abomination!
On Tuesday, vote for people who do not sue the school district.
Richard Ewing Hannum Zackon are the new school board.
Zackon, you need to step down.
Congratulations Ralph Richard, not only for being elected but keeping Mary Lou Perry off the board. Now please!! Take over president of the board from Heckman!!
For all of you who think Jeff Zackon was such a great superintendent please read the article in this morning's Reading Eagle. He was a self-serving fake.
Also, Heckman should not only step down from the presidency but from the board altogether. He should take the board solicitor along out the door with him. The overpaying of Stubits is directly the fault of those two.
For board members to claim ignorance is absurd. More investigations need to be done by the district attorney ,the Pennsylvania Attorney General and the Pennsylvania Auditor General.
If any further violations are discovered that has cost the district money, each board member, past and present should be held financially liable.
Enough is enough.
Shouldn't Dawn Zackon's election to the school board be invalidated because she ran under a fictitious name? Neither her passport or the death certificate had her name as Zackon. Why hasn't anyone challenged this? You can't run under a name that is not legally yours.
The common law marriage gives her tbe right to use Dr Zackon's good name for whatever she wants.
"Dr. Zackon's good name"? Now THAT'S funny!!
A 6.5 million dollar loss in a bond swap fiasco against the advice of the board's finance committee chairman. At the least Bob Heckman, board president, should resign immediately.
The superintendent says the loss isn't like writing a check for 6.5 million. Of course it is! They lost 6.5 million that could have been used for all kinds of things including lower taxes. Worse yet, they turn right around and do it again. Heads need to roll!!
The latest OVSD financial debacle was predicted by some citizens when they opposed the swaption in 2004.
This is not the case of 'we told you so" it is a case of the board ignoring the obvious,the risk and complexity of a swaption.
Despite repeated attempts to get the board to meet district needs using traditional financing, board members choose to speculate. Tax dollars are not for speculation. They are for education.
Common sense would dictate having been burned to the tune of $6,500,000, that the district would not make the same decision again.
Unfortunately, history repeats itself, with the same citizens protesting against such folly,only to be ignored a second time.
$6,500,000 is approximately 8.575 mills of additional taxes.
These figures are estimations because the second swaption has the same possible lose at the time of maturity.
Act 1 does not cover school boards inability to manage its finances.
The burden passes to the taxpayers or the district must make cuts or a combination of both.
The swapi is the same 2004 bond. If you read the report it was extended and only part of money was moved to fix rate bonds.
I think it should be known who was on the board at the time this decision was made and, more importantly, who voted in favor of it. (Just find it interesting that it was approved, despite the supposed objection from the Finance Chair as suggested in the "Eagle" article.)
While Mr. Richard may have voted "No", back then when there was a conflict of interest between the voting board member and the issue voted on, the vote actually should have been "abstain with conflict", because Ralph Richard, Finance Chair, is the person who brought the swaption people to the district. They were from his place of employment.
So the "No" vote really was not because he wasn't for the swaption, it was because he legally should not have voted on this particular issue. An "abstain with conflict" allows the public to know that there is a conflict of interest between the voter and the issue, and this was a huge issue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
See the link below:
http://www.oleyvalleysd.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/School-Board-Meeting-09.15.04.pdf
I can't get the above link to work. How did you get it? I would like to read it. Is there a list of board members who voted for it?
Go to the Oley Valley School District site, click the administration tab, then click the school board tab. The school board tab will bring up the minutes and then go to the bottom to archived minutes and go to 9/15/04 school board minutes. Make sure when you hit school board that you do not go to the right and use any of those options, just double click on school board. All the minutes are there from 2003 on.
Thanks!
The people who voted for this swap had no idea what they were voting for. Other than Mr. Richard, only Bob Moore (an attorney)voted against it. The two people who voted for this who are still on the board are Cappa and Heckman. They should resign at the next meeting.
Letter to editor wants a forensic audit of district. Does not sound good at all.
Let's see how many "concerned citizens" are at the next board meeting in December demanding answers and accountability. My guess is, not many.
Only two schools in Berks County failed to meet the state benchmarks. Guess who? And these teachers believe they are entitled to a raise? They should be glad they even have a job!
The state just dumbed down standards for grading school districts. Scores give as much credit for "progress" as they do for results. If a school can't pass even these lower goals, they are stealing the children's future.
Why does the taxpayer have to pay more for failure !?
I heard that the school district is set to take a big loss in 2014 from another bond swap fiasco. Have a merry Christmas, everyone and let's hope that rumor is untrue. Otherwise, it won't be a happy new year.
Well thats a swap rumor thats not true.
If you read the minutes from the 2004 swap extension in 2012 the swap is not even up for discussion until 2017.
Thanks for the good news! Oley is the "Valley of Rumors". Now, rising taxes aside, we can all have a happy new year.
"I heard that the school district is set to take a big loss in 2014 from another bond swap fiasco"
It is not the swaption it is paying for the outrageous teachers pensions.
STAY TUNED - The insults to the taxpayers aren't finished yet!
What do you mean by more insults to the tax payers?
Come to the next board meeting and find out.
"Insults"...raising taxes, again. Increasing taxes in a lousy economy makes no sense.
Last night at the Board meeting it was brought up that once again
THE OLEY TAXPAYERS were fleeced by the school board to the tune of approximately $12,000 to pay for the memorial service for Dr. Zackon that was held in the Middle School. Apparently the total bill was closer to $18,000, however, someone kicked in $5,000 and a few other people contributed about $1,000.
Since when it is the taxpayers who have to pay for a private memorial service? Taxpayer monies are to be spent on EDUCATION, not memorial services.
Once again, OLEY STUDENTS LOSE!
On top of this gross misuse of taxpayer funds, it never came before the board for a vote, or ratification. It was just hidden in the monthly bills.
HOW MANY DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS ARE THERE IN THIS DISTRICT?
Code for "We do it for the kids" is the fleecing of the taxpayers. Fleecing is an appropriate term since most people are like sheep being lead to the poorhouse by government.
"On top of this gross misuse of taxpayer funds, it never came before the board for a vote, or ratification. It was just hidden in the monthly bills. "
How many times has the board hid spending from the public ?
Outrageous.
Pottstown Mercury
By Lynn A. Gladieux, For 21st Century Media
Posted: 01/21/14, 12:34 PM EST
"Oley Valley School District admits spending $20,000 on memorial for former superintendent"
The school board arrogance brings disgrace to our district.
Link:
http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140121/oley-valley-school-district-admits-spending-20000-on-memorial-for-former-superintendent#comments
It was said at the board meeting that the district spent around 10,000 the rest was donated. The mineybwas approved in the bills.
OH, only $ 10,000... Well, that makes it OK then. What's a measly 10 grand after losing millions in swaps and Amthor steel litigations.
Why doesn't Dr Zackon's wife pay the district back for what they spent on his funeral service? She is a board member and could use the money from her lawsuit against the district. iIf she hadnt run for the school board all the secret bills for food gifts hotels funerals etc would never have been brought out. Thank you for running for the board so the taxpayers now know why their taxes keep going up.
With education funding being cut every year, then how could the Oley school district possibly spend this money on a memorial service.
This district had no moral or financial compass. Is it even legal for a school district to pay for a memorial service that was supposed to be spent on EDUCATION?
Was this your idea, Bob Heckman?
"This district had no moral or financial compass. Is it even legal for a school district to pay for a memorial service that was supposed to be spent on EDUCATION? "
Are more families going to be forced from their homes to pay for extravagant district memorials?
Apparently Oley is only for the SPECIAL FAMILIES. If there is one thing that the parents of the children in this school district should do, it is explain to them that THERE IS LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE OLEY VALLEY AND IT WOULD BEHOOVE THEIR CHILDREN TO VISIT OTHER PLACES, AND EXPOSE THEM TO THE "CONFORMITY TO WHICH THEY ARE DOOMED" IN THIS COMMUNITY.
There is nothing wrong with community and people coming together, but not at everyone else's expense, which defeats the purpose of community. In other words, no one is ENTITLED in this community.
Everyone in Oley must be hibernating again.
Nothing new on the newly elected school board member suing the Oley Valley School District for Workmen's Compensation Death benefits for the death of Dr. Zackon.
Perhaps it's time for Dawn Zackon to GET A JOB!
You would think that in this economy nobody would be raising taxes. Think again.
A small vocal group want to raise taxes to fund a new library in Oley!?
Never mind there are libraries nearby or that the internet is available.
There are more urgent local uses for tax dollars rather than paying for the convenience of a few.
The referendum on the May ballot to raise a special tax in addition to existing taxes should be defeated.
Read both articles in the Boyertown Times - in the March article it states they need $5.00 per capita, so logically one would think we're getting another per capita tax. Do the special few, get to use special math? In the second article from 4/22, it's now on the referendum, by 2/3 supervisors, and the 1/2 who voted should have abstained with conflict(Robert's Rules) because his wife is on the library board, and now it's a property tax and the amount you pay is 9.52/100,000 of property value. If we don't pay our per capita tax, we get sent to a collection agency. If the library fee is attached to our home, does that mean we lose our home for nonpayment of that tax?
I thought a property tax on homes to pay for a library was a rumor. Are they insane ?
This referendum will pass. There are plenty of low information voters in Oley to get it done. Just say it's "for the children" and it will be approved overwhelmingly.
The children have a school library and the internet. There is something else going on here that smacks of special interest trying feed off tax dollars in the name of the "children".
Just vote no to boondoggles.
ATTENTION OLEY VALLY RESIDENTS
Please vote NO on the Oley Valley Community Library.
The special interest groups are now trying to attach the "new library" to your property taxes.
If you vote for the library, you are voting to add a new property tax attached to your HOME to the tune of $9.52 per 100,000 of assessed value.
This is not a PER CAPITA TAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you want to lose your home to a library?
A Tax for an Oley library:
No - 324
Yes -305
Common sense prevails.
This vote should have never been on the ballot.
Where is the leadership?
Finally Oley gets it right!!!!!!!!!!
Got my school tax bill.
Sticker Shock!
The gouging never stops. Golden Parachute pensions and outrageous salaries.
Greed......
Why were the last three or four comments deleted?
RIP, Oley Concerned Citizens.
Wishful thinking by the tax and spenders. We get your bill every year.
"The Gravy Train":
Teachers paid a full year's wage for nine months work.
Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS):
"In short, the tests showed U.S. fourth-graders performing poorly, middle school students worse. and high school students are unable to compete"
...and the teachers want pay increases !?
How about putting some of the blame on the parents who would rather watch "Dancing With The Stars" or some other garbage than monitor and get involved with their child's education? No, it's just so much easier to bash and blame the teachers.
Who in their right mind would vote for a candidate that wants to raise taxes !?
Sheeple who want "free stuff". They seem to be the majority these days.
Raising taxes is going to create jobs !!??
Get ready for a lot higher property taxes. Wolf does not support tax reform, just the opposite.
You get what you vote for.
Does anyone know if there is going to be another property tax increase?
We are trying to stay in our home.
The Gruber voters elected Obama and he wants to raise taxes. The Gruber voters elected Wolf and he wants to raise taxes. Gruber voters elected our school board.....
I was told by my son that there is a board member who feels that the kids should not have their new weight room, and feels that it was money misspent. I believe this is the same board member who is suing the district to workmen's comp death benefits for the former Superintendent's death in the amount of $134,500 a year.
It seems like she's got a major conflict of interest. First we get ripped by the former superintendent, and how his school board member "wife"!
I agree, it is money misspent. She is right on this issue.
The school board member had plenty of time to complain about the spending of money every meeting.
Why didn't she do something then instead of waiting until after the weight room was built?
How do you hide a weight room !?
Isn't it time to tear down this site?
What is the matter....is the truth too hard to take ?
I would love to see some "truth" here. In fact, I would love to see anything here. This used to be the site to go to when a person wanted to know what was going on with the school district and the board. Now, comments are few and far between and news is non-existent.
I'm on your side, homeowner, but I would like to see a more active, interesting, informative site.
For instance, is there a school board election in Oley next month? How many are running? Who is running? Do we care? These are issues that this site used to address and keep us informed.
There are six people running for five open seats.
Darrell Markley (retired principal from OVSD)
Bob Heckman (board member forever)
Carl Kubitz
Mary Lou Parry (retired OVSD teacher)
Stephen Burns
David Pollock, Jr.
School boards are archaic. They no longer serve a purpose. It is time to set up a system where professionals run education and they are held accountable for results.
Since that is not going to happen we have to deal with what is, not what should be. The union's strategy is to put as many pro-union people (especially ex-educators) on the board as possible. It seems to be working well in the OVSD.
In the response to homeowner post about archaic school boards, the alternative is hiring the private sector to run a school district.
There are parts of school systems already being outsourced and it saves money while improving service.
There is no reason to believe that hiring experts to teach will also improve the educational performance and experience.
looks like the voters have spoken
Many years ago, I was a teacher at South Eastern before Dr. Shank was hired. Two years into my position, upon her hire, chaos broke out in the same manner has it is happening with your district. We went through 3 principles and 1 superintendent that we were told was not doing his job. Prior to this our school ran well, with happy teachers, good PD days, a great administration, who ran a tight ship, but all in the good of educating the students. Then teachers were being let go because "our district didn't need them." I worked 3 more years of hell in this district "all in the name of Dr. Shank." With each year that she was there, taxes were needed to go up and the community was in an upheaval blaming the school board and the teachers. I have read the beginning of this blog and I was reminded of exactly the same thing happening in South Eastern School District.
Dear Anonymous teacher at South Eastern School District,
Typical teacher spew. If you have read the beginning of this blog, you apparently didn't catch the fact that Jeffrey Zackon was the superintendent. The Oley school district was in total disarray prior to the arrival of Dr. Shank. The Oley School district was a financial mess that she had to clean up. The whiny teachers in this district were under assault by the then superintendent, Jeffrey Zackon, who was under the impression that he didn't have to abide by current laws. How better to control your herd than let them do want they want, as long as it doesn't go too far. There were so many issues that even the school board rats began to desert the ship. Perhaps you need to get your FACTS straight before you come on this blog. Are you angry because she made you DO YOUR JOB???
Dear 7:12, July 25
I have read from the beginning of this blog and the chaos seems to be more of a mess within the last four years with spending money on a track, library, weight room etc.... The same thing happened years ago at South Eastern (just saying) and it's a coincidence that the same person is the captain of this sinking ship.
And about teachers, I hear so much hatred about this position. It is not a 9 to 5 job or is it a 9 month position. Teachers continue to work after school, many times for hours. I get about 5 hours of sleep a night because of my work schedule. Also, the school year ends near the end of June for teachers and teachers need to go back for professional development days, getting their rooms ready, and getting organised for the beginning of a new school year which typically begins in August.
Teachers do not get into this profession to make a lot of money, but because they have a love for learning and sharing this information with students. An average teacher's salary is $37,000 a year and that is after spending money to get a BA degree. Then we have to continue our education on a non-stop basis according to the no child left behind policy. How many professions require you to work full-time and over time (without pay) while always continuing your education?
It's not the teachers in the district that is the problem. I feel sorry that you hate teachers so much and don't understand the job that goes into this profession. Teachers are losing the battle in education because they are missing support from administrators and the community.
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