District 150 exclusive

Information has been provided to this columnist that indicates some District 150 board members may have been relying on a secret resource for making decisions regarding school closures. At least one board member has inferred the decision to close Woodruff was based on recommendations from a “community resource.” The board member refused to identify the “community resource.”

Further, the elected official suggested a second high school could be closed in the near future based on the recommendation of the “community resource.” Reportedly, he said, “Changes need to be made because school enrollments are down and there are too many small classes. This is the best time to close a high school.” Since this story has surfaced, there has been a lot of speculation about who is the “community resource,” or should I say, who are the members?

TIME FOR LEADERSHIP

If there was ever a time for leadership in District 150, it’s now. The 4-3 narrow vote to close Woodruff High School will have devastating short and long-term effects. Reasons given by the four who supported closure can easily be refuted by people who’re better informed and more experienced. Repeatedly, small classes have been argued as a reason to close Woodruff. A retired educator responds, “If our high schools have small classes it’s because the district hasn’t been cutting staff as enrollment declined.” He added, “A high school doesn’t have to be closed to raise class size and/or to cut staff. Blame it on administration for failing to reduce faculty using a Master (Class) Schedule.” He went on to say, “I doubt the district is even using a Master Schedule today.” My source stated, “If there are too many small classes, it might be wise to drop certain subjects. For advanced students it would be cheaper to send them to Bradley or ICC for that special class.” He explained, “A Master Schedule enables the district to eliminate classes and reduce teachers periodically based on enrollments not with one sweeping decision to close a school. Besides, what do you do if the city and thus the district would experience an increase in population; build a new high school?”

The educator said, “It used to be a practice among districts not to close a school unless one of three conditions existed. One is the school is in total disrepair and secondly, there are not enough students for a viable program. The third condition is if the school is located in a dangerous area such as a chemical plant, heavy traffic, or a crime-infested neighborhood.” He emphasized none of Peoria’s high schools, including Woodruff, meet any of the three conditions.

Another board member claimed closing Woodruff now would create a better environment in the search for a new superintendent. So who we searching for? A wimp? Don’t we want an experienced problem-solver? That same faulty reasoning was used by Debbie Wolfmeyer in ignoring promotion from within for an interim superintendent. She said, “Our search firm said it would make it more difficult to hire someone if they knew an ‘insider’ was working as the interim superintendent.” Is this the same search firm that recommended Kay Royster?

FOOLISH ECONOMICS

It’s a fact. District 150 has financial problems. So does everyone from Peoria to Washington D.C. But no one on the district board is sharpening their pencils. Instead of promoting someone currently in administration as the interim superintendent, thereby saving time and money for orientation, the district hired an outsider who is paid an enormous amount of money to receive on-the-job orientation. Does that make economic sense? And the guy, who’s a pleasant, well-educated person, already holds two other jobs.

I remember when Methodist Medical Center fired its President and CEO and managed to function quite well with its administrative board of vice presidents until a new CEO was hired. I think the budget and administrative responsibilities for a hospital are just as complex as running District 150. The big difference is the board of a hospital consists of a diverse variety of experienced and successful businessmen and women.

Did you notice how Peoria County officials handled the budget deficit they faced? It was close to $4 million. They managed to develop a balanced budget for next year by reducing capital spending, implementing wage freezes and furlough days and offering early retirement. The county budget for 2010 is $120 million. That’s $12 million under this year’s operating budget. Wow! And District 150 is closing one of its largest high schools to save an alleged $1.5 million. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to conclude the decision is plain wrong.

WHAT A LEGACY!

Just think what District 150 board members Wolfmeyer, Petelle, Butler and Gorenz can claim as their political legacy while serving on the board… “We closed Woodruff High School!” What angers many in the community was the vote by newcomer Petelle. She was on the board for less than one month and has lived in Peoria for less than five years.

Petelle has no connection to Woodruff, its history, its students, families or faculty. She never went to a basketball game at the north side school, or sat in an all school assembly, or went to a Warrior baseball game. She probably doesn’t know anything about Averyville, Water Works Park or Morton Square.

In a recent meeting with two leading community leaders she claimed if someone could tell her how to save $1.5 million to keep Woodruff open she would reconsider. Was that somewhat disingenuous? Suggestions have been made such as ending the $850,000 Edison program and selling school-owned properties on Prospect Road, and Petelle knows it. How about ending the $219,000 Johns Hopkins program at Manual? She was told by a retired school administrator to reorganize the office on North Street, to stabilize class sizes, and to re-examine the food contract. How about selling Blaine-Sumner? Add those suggestions together and it comes to over $2 million. Unfortunately, the two community leaders came away unimpressed with her response.

WHAT’S NEXT? COSTLY LAWSUITS?

Due to the narrow vote and the failure of the board to reconsider its decision to fully examine other options, options that were never provided by administration, it appears the next battle will be in the courts. Three separate local groups are seriously considering filing lawsuits to keep Woodruff open. As reported in this column, Rockford’s school board has been in the courts for decades piling up costly legal bills for closing schools. The courts there ordered the reopening of four schools.

Lawyers representing taxpayers in Rockford have reportedly been contacted by at least one of the local groups and a second group is talking to a Chicago law firm. If Debbie Wolfmeyer is concerned about trying to hire a new superintendent with an “insider” as the interim boss man wait until applicants learn the district is facing legal battles.

WOAM IS BACK

As noted in last month’s column and in Steve Tarter’s PJS Sunday column, WOAM-AM, 1350, is back on the air to the delight of many. I hear it all over town in offices and homes. It’s great to once again hear Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, the Carpenters and so many others missing from the AM and FM dial. WOAM’s sister station, WPMJ-FM, has been sold to a Catholic radio network so chalk that frequency up to another religious station for our area. Let’s hope a local group can purchase WOAM and bring back “good music,” sorely missed by a large segment of the radio listening market.

STRAIGHT COMMENTS

Week-TV sure pulled off a major media coup by hiring weatherman Chuck Early, er, I mean Chuck Collins. This long-time broadcast veteran joins another TV weather pro, Lee Ranson on Channel 25. After struggling with that weekend weather mess coming out of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, WEEK came out smelling like a rose by recruiting Collins.

Chuck must have been one unhappy guy at Channel 31 to make such a jump after years on North University .

Bradley’s basketball team is supposed to finish 6th in the Missouri Valley this basketball season. Not so according to astute Bradley fan Dr. Gene Sidler. Dr. Sidler regularly attends Bradley games home and away and knows his basketball. You can read some inside stories at his informative internet site, BradleyFans.com

Matt George is another sports junkie. He’s back in the magazine publishing business.

Look for his new bi-monthly magazine, Sports Plus to hit the streets in January. I’ve seen his first cover and as Jack Buck used to say, “It’s a winner!” That first edition will feature exclusive interviews with Bruce Weber of Illinois and Jim Les of Bradley. The cover alone will be a keepsake for basketball fans.

Hamilton Boulevard around Methodist Medical Center has more dips than a roller coaster at Six Flags. The street engineers on that project must’ve been drinking when they did the design.

Unreasonable! There’s no other word to describe the City of Peoria’s decision to make Trinity Lutheran Church renovate a two story apartment building at the top of Hamilton Blvd. It’s a dump. It’s a pathetic eyesore. The church bought it for the purpose of demolishing it. They did the city a big favor, but a pious city bureaucrat is demanding the church fix the building for an office. No wonder people are flocking to Tazewell and Woodford counties. Wake up Peoria!

Free beer for a year! Free money every hour! Those two radio station promotions can mean only one thing. It’s Fall radio survey time. High ratings provide bragging rights and some stations go all out to bribe people to listen. Just think …free beer for a year. I expect next year it’ll be free sex. Don’t laugh. Anything is possible by radio promoters.

Congratulations to Virginia White and those who organized the 13th annual neighborhood Leadership Awards Banquet, October 22 at the Civic Center. Winners of the special awards were Mark Hanley, Tyson and Angie Pokarney, Sharon Draper, Jonathan Grimes, Hansen Industrial and Altamont Park, N.A. Humorist and popular actor Mike Dentino was the featured speaker. The event was well-attended by everyone except the media.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“The secret of life isn’t what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.” —Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!