foster-care-4-6-2015.pdf

After years of decline, Foster care placement climbs in Luzerne County

Letter to the Editor: Demonstrators in Scranton benefited from skewed TV news coverage

If anyone who has followed the shameful saga of the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board needs any further assurance that this group has rid itself of the last semblance of taxpayer accountability, he or she need look no further than its most recent egregious actions.First, there was the disgraceful reduction in public-citizen input, from seven to three minutes, a blatant attempt on the board&#8217;s part to stifle public opinion instead of encourage it. What in God&#8217;s name does the Elmy/Susek/Galella/Quinn faction fear the most? That someone like me might offer a viable solution on how to cut the board&#8217;s reckless spending habits and thereby save precious taxpayer dollars?What about the Thomas (see no evil)/Evans (speak no evil)/Caffrey (hear no evil) faction? The Rev. Shawn Walker and Christine Katsock at least got it right this time, but these two in general are really no friends of the taxpayers. The adoption of the rule is not only tantamount to an attack on free speech, but combined with the nagging issue of lack of transparency regarding many of its decisions, it seems that this board is rapidly deteriorating into a cabal.Then there was the premature commitment to the maximum tax increase for the next fiscal year. I say &#8220;premature&#8221; because this board has once again shown that it has no desire or sense of urgency to find the necessary cuts in wasteful spending or sinful, inflated salaries and benefits. In addition, this decision didn&#8217;t have to be decided until May. Have the board members who voted for this tax increase and kingpin solicitor Ray &#8220;195K per year&#8221; Wendolowski lost all sense of empathy with the taxpayers of this district who are on fixed incomes, who are struggling to make ends meet or perhaps even to prevent foreclosure?Furthermore, how can this board morally justify a recent salary bump for all administrators, many of whom are already earning in excess of $100,000 per year when the median wage in this area is $23,000?Then there is the most disturbing and confusing issue of all: The New School(s) &#8211; To Build or Not to Build?The board wasted more than $440,000 on a recent engineering analysis of the three area high schools to provide data that it pretty much was already aware of concerning the structural conditions of these schools. No surprise here, as this board with a different cast of characters contracted out similar studies several years ago and completely ignored them (which, I suppose, accounts for a more desperate situation now). Even though it claims it is still seeking input to resolve this issue, recent actions such as retaining a bond counsel suggest that a decisions to build at least one new school has already been made (thus rendering the formation of committees moot).And in a related issue, the board is now poised to waste a few more million dollars for the renovation of Mackin School.These board members just don&#8217;t get it. We taxpayers have had enough of their antics and by no means can we afford the exorbitant price tag ($160 million) for any new buildings.Get with the program and remember to whom you&#8217;re supposed to be accountable. Or, better yet, resign!Sam TroyCandidateWilkes-Barre Area School Board

Letter to the Editor: Wilkes-Barre Area School Board candidate claims current members turned backs on taxpayers