Old Guard's BoE: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!

Reader ddavid was somewhat incredulous yesterday at the notion that the Old Guard's BoE could actually have hired then fired 118 people in a single year (after which they collected paychecks in the amount of $6 MILLION) as GA wrote yesterday.

"...Insane, if true" wrote ddavid.

ddavid, honey.  Exactly.  Insane.

It's the "if true" part of your comment that concerns me.

Because until the public wraps it's collective head around the scope of thievery that went on at the BoE a few short years ago UNDER OUR NOSES and UNDER the management of some CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS who seek to grab control AGAIN aided by FORMER 'Old Guard' BOARD MEMBERS who are rumored to be running again, then history may repeat itself.

Have we learned these people have no shame?

So ddavid, here you go. On page 40. The audit found that in the Old Guard's BoE:

• 1,050 people did not have a primary job title, job description or location within the system
•  215 had no hire date
• 139 did not have FIRST NAMES, LAST NAMES, ADDRESSES & SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS
• 230 did not have a BIRTH DATE within the system

 Now, do you get it?

How many cats and dogs were on the BoE payroll? How many people were on there 2, 3, 4 times?  Was someone's granny getting a paycheck, too?

NOW do you see WHY they are CLAWING to get their snouts back in our $59 million dollar school budget?

Now do you see why they'll do ANYTHING to defile the reputation of Kids First, who have brought sunlight, transparency, ethics, fairness and have STOPPED the STEALING from our kids?

Props to Theresa Minutillo, the lone BoE member on that panel, the Kids First pioneer, who fought for ethics and rule and order in such an enviroment.  GA found this letter on Ed Mecka, written in 2006:

It was incredible and appalling, as I watched Board of Ed. President Jim Farina rushing to vote on his "Resolution" to appoint a former board member (who was defeated in last April's Election) to fill the vacancy of current board member Jack Raslowsky (who had just presented his letter of resignation) prior to that meeting.

When President Farina yielded the floor to Theresa Minutillo she noted that the New Jersey School Board Association (NJSBA) supports an "Open Process" – she proceeded to read her "Resolution" which suggested to the board to establish a more fair and "Open Process" that would allow all the citizens of Hoboken the opportunity to interview for the position at an open public forum. Therefore, allowing everyone to participate in the process of filling this vacancy – by the way – is not effective until August 28th.

Well, President Farina and all other (rubber-stamped) board member had an urgency that they could not explain; they all talked around in circle – and in essence, said nothing: President Farina reacted in a very hostile manner shouting at Theresa Minutillo "my resolution takes priority over yours because I am the President." My question to President Farina and all the other irresponsible board members who voted "yes" on this illegal out of order "Resolution" without considering the very hostile manner in which it was presented, since when does a president's suggestion trumps all other board member's suggestion in a democratic society? What happened to your fiduciary obligation to the children and the citizens who voted for you; entrusting that you would do the right thing?

Well, folks Minutillo tried.

I have a new respect for her after reading this audit, seeing how awful it really was; I don't know that my spirit would have survived that kind of beating, enough to keep plugging away. Minutillo is a true pioneer.

Well, thanks to new leadership we are in a different world now.  Our money goes to our schools and not into the pockets of  Old Guard 'friends'.

Believe it or not, there's plenty more in that audit to make you throw up.

So come back soon for a good barf.

Read it and weep: 2005-1006 BoE audit, page 40