School Board Split Over New Position

by Steve Yablonski | November 19, 2008 12:20 am

OSWEGO, NY – By a 5-2 vote Tuesday night the Oswego school board appointed Linda Doty to the recently created position of director of grants and partnerships.

The former Fitzhugh Park principal will earn $65,000 in her new position, which was effective today (Nov. 18).

Board President Dave White, Vice President Sean Madden, and members Dan Hoefer, Sam Tripp and John Dunsmoor voted in favor of the appointment.

Board members Fred Maxon and Jim Tschudy voted no.

The appointment also faced some opposition during the public comment segment of the meeting.

Former board president Maggie Tiballi railed against the resolution saying she didn’t understand how the board could create a new administration position in light of “the very, very deep state aid cuts” Gov. David Paterson assured were coming next year.

“I’m wondering what teachers, what aides, what programs, what sports will have to be cut next year so that the district can afford to pay for this person who is being hired to a position that was created specifically for this person,” she said.

“The position you created is unnecessary,” former teacher and board member Mike Goldych told the board.

Tiballi always sees things from the dark side, White said after the meeting.

“I respect her right to disagree, but I can’t recall the last time she said anything was a good idea,” he said. “We’re just trying something here. Hopefully it will work. If it doesn’t, Mrs. Tiballi can come back and say, ‘I told you so.'”

Goldych suggested the district utilize teachers on sabbaticals to help write grants.

The district could also partner with the city’s director of community development and the college.

Maxon called Doty “a wonderful person” and said he has nothing against her.

“But, this is not what the district needs. This is not the time for us to be adding an administrative position to the school district for whatever reason. That’s all I’ve got to say,” he continued.

The position was “ridiculous,” he said agreeing with Goldych that “the district is right down the hill from SUNY Oswego.” There is at least one teacher in the district teaching others how to write grants, he added.

An administrator in the district told him they didn’t have enough time to write all of the grants available to the district, Dunsmoor countered. “They don’t have the time to address it properly,” he said.

“In order for this to be successful, you would have to draw in at least $100,000 in grants in the first year,” according to Tschudy.

With the current economic outlook, that doesn’t seem likely, he added.

Adding another administrator to the district is contrary to the message taxpayers sent the district when they twice voted down the budget, he pointed out.

“The budget was defeated for many reasons,” Tripp said.

“I feel that a grant writer will make us money,” Hoefer said.

“I know we’re spending more money, but, my vision is that we’re going to collect a heck of a lot more than $65,000 with the person giving this their full-time attention,” Dunsmoor said.

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