Editorial: More defiance from Sch'dy school district Tuesday, June 23, 2009
In the last month, voters in Schenectady have shown what they think of how the school board and Superintendent Eric Ely operate. It’s fairly clear, by their election of two new, independent board members and the outrage they expressed at being disrespected and bullied in the recent budget fiasco, that current members’ days on the board are numbered. So what do school leaders do? Change their ways? Show a little contrition? Hardly. They once again show their total contempt for the public by preparing to extend the contracts of the very people least deserving of a vote of confidence: Ely and Human Resources Director Michael Stricos, two officials who might well be replaced as more new board members are elected and the Janiszewski board loses its grip on power. And power, as we have seen ever since former buildings and grounds director Steve Raucci was arrested in February for setting explosives, is what it’s all about with this crew. They use it, and misuse it, and won’t give it up easily. Before more new board members can be elected — even before the two just elected, Diane Herrmann and Joyce Wachala, can be seated — they want to take care of their people and lock them in. Not just Ely and Stricos, but school attorney Shari Greenleaf and technology director Lawrence Murphy. What has Ely, who is now two years into a four-year contract, done to deserve a contract extension, ensuring that he remains here at least until June 30, 2012? He turned a blind eye to Raucci’s intimidation tactics and mishandled the district’s response to a spate of suicides. Then, after voters shot down the district’s first budget, he bludgeoned them into approving an even higher, revised one by threatening them with an outrageously and unnecessarily high contingency budget based on enrollment projections that he himself didn’t believe.............>>>>.............>>>>..............http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jun/23/0623_edit1/
SCHENECTADY Board to consider contract extensions Incoming members say vote is premature BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
The Board of Education tonight will consider extending the contracts of Superintendent Eric Ely and other top administrators — a move the two incoming board members see as premature until the investigation into alleged terrorist Steven Raucci’s workplace misconduct is completed. The board is also scheduled to vote tonight at 8 p.m. at Mont Pleasant Middle School on a resolution to appoint Rinardo Insognia, currently the director of facilities management at The Sage Colleges, to the position of supervisor of building and grounds at an annual salary of $87,500. This position has been vacant since Raucci retired in March following his arrest. Raucci has since been indicted on 26 counts of arson, terrorism and other charges alleging that he planted explosive devices at the homes of his enemies. In addition, Raucci allegedly sexually harassed and demeaned colleagues. If approved, Ely’s contract would be extended by one more year to June 30, 2012. Also proposed for extensions to June 2011 are William Roberts, assistant superintendent for operations; Associate Superintendent and High School Principal Gary Comley; Human Resources Director Michael Stricos; Chief Technology Offi cer Lawrence Murphy; and school attorney Shari Greenleaf. Incoming board member Joyce.................>>>>..................>>>>.............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....2&Continuation=1
Carl Strock THE VIEW FROM HERE School board rewards Ely, five others
Citizens of Schenectady, if you liked getting hornswoggled into passing a school budget that will raise your taxes only 6 percent as opposed to 16 percent, you will like this even better: Tonight the school board plans to reward the author of that hornswoggle, Superintendent Eric Ely, with an extra year on his contract, protecting him until June 30, 2012, so that even if outsiders win a majority on the board next year, he will still be there, untouchable. If you wanted to get rid of him, you’d have to buy him out. And not just Ely. The board is also planning to give one-year contract extensions to five other top administrators, to protect them until June 30, 2011. The other five are: Michael Stricos, director of human resources. Shari Greenleaf, school attorney. Lawrence Murphy, chief technology officer. Gary Comley, associate superintendent. William Roberts, assistant superintendent for operations. The whole team! Locked in for two or three more years regardless of who gets voted off the school board and who gets voted in! To be accomplished in the fi nal meeting of the school year, just one week before two independent people, newly elected, take their seats. And to be accomplished through what the board calls its “consent agenda,” that is, a list of non-controversial housekeeping measures that are voted on as a package without debate. There are 42 “consent” items on the agenda for tonight’s meeting (7 p.m. at Mont Pleasant Middle School), and six of them are those contract extensions. So now it appears that “personnel evaluations” really might have been part of last week’s secret meeting, at which the board privately reviewed a report into the doings of its notorious former chief maintenance guy, Steve Raucci. That might have been part of what they were doing behind closed doors — conspiring to protect their management team in the face of embarassing discoveries. I don’t know. Nobody knows but the seven members of the board. But in case there has been any doubt in your mind about the character of the Schenectady school board, consider what we know about Superintendent Ely: According to recently filed legal papers, he and board president Jeff Janiszewski were personally informed of retaliatory vandalism by Raucci against subordinates and did nothing about it. When told about one of Raucci’s alleged rampages Ely told the complainer to go to the police and took no internal disciplinary action. Can you imagine rewarding such a superintendent with an extra year on his contract when he still has two years to go anyway? (You can imagine it if you recall the board president’s own role.) And of course we also know that Ely inflated the district’s so-called contingency budget by using an enrollment projection he did not believe and had not included in his original budget, thereby achieving a scary tax increase. Can you imagine rewarding him for that stunt? As for Michael Stricos, we know that he too was allegedly apprised of Steve Raucci’s acts of retaliatory vandalism and did nothing about it but on the contrary presented Raucci with a photograph of Marlon Brando as the Godfather to hang in his office. We also know that in his capacity as director of human resources he would have overseen the assignment of job titles to Raucci, to Raucci’s “messenger,” and to Janiszewski’s wife, enabling those people to avoid Civil Service tests. ...........>>>>.........................>>>>..........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....0&Continuation=1
Sham? Concern for the Taxpayers? Listen? lol. There is no bottom to this. Never ending scandal. When is the DA's grand jury gonna hand down some indictments? By Christmas?
They ALL knew. They ALL looked the other way. This consent agenda (with needless administration contract extensions) will pass 7-0. The Schenectady School Board is evil. With 2 reformers they will continue raping the City taxpayers {sheeple} by a 5-2 vote.
I have never heard of anything so ridiculous! Everyone should be keeping notes cause this will make for a great book turned movie! People would actually think it is fiction!
The parents of the kids should be screaming foul! They should be sitting outside of the school with signs. They should boycott the graduation with protests demanding Ely's resignation!!!!
We can only hope that Raucci sings like a bird!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Raucci is still calling all the shots-along with his gang that can't shoot straight. All of these people should be immediately terminated and add pathetic "mouthpiece" Ms. Corona.
Parents? The taxpayers should be storming the administrative office in rage. Too many have thrown up their hands or just home throwing up. Who speaks for the oppressed students in the horrible City system?
"The only thing necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to say nothing". Martin Luther King
Many peeps-check out the Gazette. Stop blaming people that have yet to be seated for this horrible scandal. You advised re-electing Linda Bellick? What happened? Same as any other incumbent who dares to run again.
Many peeps-check out the Gazette. Stop blaming people that have yet to be seated for this horrible scandal. You advised re-electing Linda Bellick? What happened? Same as any other incumbent who dares to run again.
I didn't "blame" anyone - I mearly asked if they'd commented on it. I haven't seen anything, all I get is an anonymous PM telling me to read someone's column in the gazette. You yourself advocated boycotting the "gazetto" ... which is it gonna be?
Another question, Mr Salami, why aren't the two candidates coming into this, or the Schenectady forums, to reply - give their 2cents? Why are you doing their bidding? They were quite vocal BEFORE the election (well, their campaign staff was vocal) - at least they commented on the issues prior to the election. What or who is holding them back now?
The board election is over. It wasn't close. All candidates associated with the corrupt status quo were embarrassed. Hopefully we can put petty issues aside and focus on moving forward. For the kids.
There should be no extensions to ANYONE'S contract until Raucci is sentenced and the investigation is over!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Logged
Sham? Concern for the Taxpayers? Listen? lol. There is no bottom to this. Never ending scandal. When is the DA's grand jury gonna hand down some indictments? By Christmas?
The board election is over. It wasn't close. All candidates associated with the corrupt status quo were embarrassed. Hopefully we can put petty issues aside and focus on moving forward. For the kids. 
