Dennis Leone and Rich DeColibus: responses to Tom Curtis' Commentary

From Dennis Leone, June 13, 2009
Subject: Commentary, Just An Idea For Stakeholders To Review
See Tom Curtis: "Commentary, Just An Idea For Stakeholders To Review," (6/12/09) immediately below this post
The key is who such a consultant might be. I have seen "staffing analyses" at STRS that merely supported what the staff wanted to hear. I have said frequently in recent public RTA meetings that irrespective of what STRS thinks that staff size should be to provide the best customer service, it is simply not logical to think that staff cuts cannot occur for any organization that has lost 30% - 40% of everything it has in less than 2 years. I often point out that ODE conducts staffing analyses of school districts that having financial trouble.
The bottom line, however, is the districts' taxpayers (by voting no) are telling the districts that it doesn't matter if ODE says the districts are not overstaffed. When the voters say there will not be additional money (or when there is less money) districts have to demonstrate staff cuts in order to survive. This not the thinking at STRS however. There is a significant conflict between the board majority and me on this topic, as well as between the staff and me.
I feel like history is repeating itself at STRS. The staff and board majority think they possess some special intuition and can tell the membership what is in their best interests....as well as what meaning should apply to 3307.15.
Dennis Leone

From Rich DeColibus, June 13, 2009
Subject: Fwd: 061209 Commentary, Just An Idea For Stakeholders To Review
Not only is this a good idea, it ought to be a bipartisan panel, House and Senate members, Dems and Repubs evenly split. Clearly STRS isn't going to heal itself.
Rich DeColibus