Duke Snider to Lara Baker: Hazel Sidaway's $350 beach bar bill and then some

Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Subject: Fw: 010406 Baker Resp, Re Curtis To Baker, Re Hazel Sideway

Dear Lara Baker,

My wife and I are STRS retirees. We have been following the strange happenings of the STRS board etc. App. three years ago I spoke to the board (the public could speek for 3 minutes), and I asked who was the STRS board member who turned in a beach bar bill? Of course no answer. The next person who spoke said, "Do you see the woman in the yellow dress? That's Hazel Sidaway. She turned in a $350 beach bar bill."

After the STRS board meeting, we (STRS retirees) found out the board supposedly had a $4000+ retirement party for her. Ms Baker, no teacher to my knowledge ever had a $4000 retirement party and no teacher ever received tens of thousands dollars bonuses while teaching such as some of the STRS employees have received.

It's time people such as this woman when found guilty not only pays restitution, but an extremely stiff penalty be imposed. You really need to talk to Dr. Dennis Leone, now on the STRS board, because he and Mr. John Lazares (also a STRS board member) have found pages of supposedly inappropriate spending and ethics conducted by some former and present board members and STRS employees.

STRS retirees should not have to suffer due to what has been happening. It's strange that two highly elected officials were on the STRS board and they did NOTHING. Petro and Montgomery. I wonder how many votes they will receive from STRS retirees? 1 or 2 ( that's not my wife or me).

Sorry about taking so much of your time, but I had to get in my two cents worth. I understand your position and the peoples' rights must NOT be taken away including criminals and innocent people. But, a slap on the wrist is not deserved for many of the people in "high up" positions including our elected officials. Sometimes they just use fancy words to try to justify a wrong. A wrong is a wrong.

Thank you very much for taking the time to listen. Too many times people forget the little person.

Have a great year.

Respectfully,
Duke and Jane Snider
Sardinia, Ohio