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This just in — the Wilkes-Barre Area School District has serious money problems. I’m guessing you didn’t see that coming since the district is still planning to spend $100 million on a new school and additional classrooms.
In other breaking news, it appears WBA and the city council have something in common — Lou Elmy.
There he was Wednesday morning pictured on the front page of the Times Leader — in living color. Board president Elmy, who’s running for a seat on the city council, looked rather dour. That’s understandable. No candidate a few weeks before the general election wants to be the subject of a headline: “WBA email used for political invite.”
The TL reported district employee Jim Post sent an email seemingly from a district computer to publicize a fundraiser for the city council candidate, who also happens to be Post’s brother-in-law.
Superintendent Bernard Prevuznak said, “We have an acceptable use policy for technology. It was a violation of that.” Apparently, acceptable uses do not include trying to get your brother-in-law elected to the city council via school district property.
Prevuznak also said, “Be it a mistake or not, it was a violation.” How could it be a mistake? Did Post pen the fundraiser notice and then erroneously hit the send button? The superintendent also said he would contact the district’s information technology department to see whether Post used his district email.
Work email used
If you saw the story in the newspaper, you could see the notice was sent from Post’s work email. The email identifies the sender as Jim Post, Purchasing Director, Wilkes-Barre Area School District, along with his contact information. It reads, “The Committee to Elect Louis Elmy for District B Wilkes-Barre City Council will hold a fundraiser on October 8th 2015 at Jones’s Pizza & Pub…”
Elmy’s opponent, Republican candidate Tony Brooks, clearly is at a disadvantage unless he, too, has a brother-in-law working for the school district.
Considering Elmy also has relatives working at the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center, someone might want to check emails coming out of that place, too. Maybe there’s one circulating that reads, “Vote for Lou For City Council.”
Emails are proving to be an occupational hazard, not only for Elmy but possibly for state law enforcement officials and judges who have been the subject of emails linking them to salacious pornographic sites. Let’s not forget Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose deleted emails while serving as Secretary of State may cost her the presidency in 2016. If we’re lucky.
As for the school district’s money woes, they came into full focus Monday night when the board met in its tiny board room and concerned citizens were forced to spill into the hallway.
It’s so bad, the district is considering purchasing modular classrooms or trailers and installing them at Solomon Plains Elementary/Junior High School in Plains Township, according to a published report.
Oh, the stories the Class of 2016 will be able to tell their grandkids one day. They could say things like — we expected to graduate from a real high school like other area seniors, but because the district was in debt, we completed our studies in modular units.
Board asking for help
To the surprise of many, the board announced Monday it has asked the state Department of Education for help getting a handle on its grave financial problems. It also said it may hire a financial planner. Hopefully, it won’t engage a team of financial planners akin to the team of architects it hired to conduct a feasibility study of the district’s facilities.
”This board believes in transparency and honesty, which is why we are saying we contacted the PA Department of Education for assistance. And as always, we are willing to listen to any recommendations from others,” Superintendent Prevuznak said.
Well, maybe not “any.” Dr. Robert Paullin, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, offered free professional advice. Paullin has conducted research targeted at improving the cost/quality ratio of educational facilities at all levels, according to his resume. He offered to come here and help the board, asking only that his expenses be covered. District officials didn’t get back to him.
Rev. Shawn Walker, a board member, does plan to call Paullin.
In an interview last week, Walker said he is extremely concerned to learn how critical the district’s funding crisis is. He did say the board was aware of the $8 million deficit the district faces going into the next budget session.
The big challenge ahead, he said, is borrowing for a new school. “We need to right that ship.” He also said district officials are considering saving money by offering eligible employees early retirement plans.
Walker and Christine Katsock were the only two directors who voted against building a new school at the Coughlin site and merging students who currently attend Meyers High School into it.
Walker said he’s also very concerned about “the societal impact” of this planned merger of two schools.
Prevuznak said there was no “discussion on any racial impact,” regarding the district’s consolidation plan.
“It simply isn’t an issue. The decisions that were made were strictly for economic purposes,” Prevuznak added
Time will tell whether building a new high school that leaves out GAR students, among the district’s largest concentration of minorities, is not an issue.
