SCHENECTADY School board seats in demand All contenders agree on one thing: Dump Ely BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter
Running for school board has become an exercise in being heard over the crowd. With weeks left to go before the filing deadline, six candidates have already surfaced with the same position: Get rid of Superintendent Eric Ely. There may be far more by the April 28 deadline. Board President Maxine Brisport says she will run for re-election, while board members Jeff Janiszewski and Linda Bellick have not yet announced their plans. Other newcomers could also turn in petitions. Challengers who have announced their candidacy say it’s clear that only those who want to fire Ely will get elected. And so far, all of the challengers want him gone. But only four candidates can win. So it may come down to secondary positions and which candidates can get those messages across. “You don’t have a normal format of us versus them,” said political expert Gary McCarthy, who is City Council president and has offered to help some school board candidates get elected. He acknowledges that most of the candidates would be worthy board members — even the ones he’s not helping. “There are other people who are running whose motives are, I believe, genuine,” he said. His advice: those with the most detailed plans on improving education will win; those who just talk about firing the leadership will be lost in the crowd. “We’ve got graduation rates that are just dismal,” McCarthy said. “We need people who articulate a clear message of change.” Or they could win over the public with specific plans to fire the leadership, said Michael Brockbank, one of the most wellknown Republican leaders left in the city. He’s focusing on this race because his 22-year-old son is trying to win it. He advised Matthew Brockbank to study Ely’s contract and figure out what duties Ely failed to perform, setting up the argument for termination. His son picked up the contract at once. But Matthew Brockbank’s goal is to differentiate himself by emphasizing his age. “That obviously puts me in a different category than the rest,” he said. He graduated from college not quite a year ago; he is just five years removed from Schenectady High School. He argued that youthfulness makes him somewhat immune to insider politics. “I’m not afraid of anybody. I don’t have children, I don’t have a wife. I’ve heard of the bullying that goes on,” he said. Board President Maxine Brisport has said she’s worried that making public statements about Ely would affect her children’s fi - nancial future, possibly implying that she fears being sued by Ely. “She’s terrified,” Brockbank said. “And she has children, so yeah, I understand. I have nothing to lose.” ...............>>>>..............>>>>..............http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01104&AppName=1
He, and others should get dumped. And don't stop with the school board.....change the entire city's political landscape!
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
Suspension with pay best option for superintendent
Yes, a majority of Schenectadians want Eric Ely out as superintendent of Schenectady schools. There are three methods of disposing of Mr. Ely. I am open to all three, however I do favor one of them a little more than the other two. 1) A buyout will cost taxpayers approximately $400,000, which does seem like a lot of money considering Mr. Ely makes $186,000 a year. The benefit is that he will immediately disappear into the sunset, but he gets away with his current pay. 2) Termination would probably be the least expensive and easiest way of removal, but a termination needs “just cause,” and the current board has not addressed the “just cause” issue. 3) Suspension with pay seems to me like the only reasonable solution at this moment. This would allow us to pay Mr. Ely over time instead of a lump sum and would be less expensive than a “buyout.” The faster Mr. Ely is out of the picture, the better. He is not trusted or respected any longer. The distraction of his presence interferes with school matters, continues to embarrass city residents, and overshadows our students. We must start the healing process now!
ROBERT BARNES Schenectady The writer is a candidate for Schenectady school board.
He should be immediately terminated for alerting the Mad Bomber of an ongoing police investigation. This is enough cause. We can also cite the complete fiasco of last years budget-where he proposed higher budgets after every NO vote. This is what we should offer-NOTHING.
The best option is let him take another position. Mr Barnes is great at identifying problems {that everyone knows} but weak at offering solutions. Nobody want to state the obvious that we can no longer support this administration or budget.
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer Last updated: 3:51 p.m., Monday, April 19, 2010
SCHENECTADY -- The city school board will vote tonight on whether to hire its own attorney to discuss Superintendent Eric Ely's employment with the district.
Board members have been discussing behind closed doors what to do about Ely, whose reputation has taken a major hit after former facility supervisor Steven Raucci's trial. Raucci was convicted April 1 on charges of vandalizing and leaving explosive devices at the homes of his enemies. E-mails revealed at trial showed Ely appeared to have a friendly relationship with Raucci -- even alerting Raucci to the criminal investigation being held against him. Ely was a recent finalist for three other superintendent jobs around the country, but he wasn't selected amid continued reports from the trial.
Board members would have to find cause to terminate Ely's contract without paying him. Or, they could try to negotiate a settlement for his departure. His contract calls for a minimum one-year buyout, which cost the district at least $200,000. .............>>>>..............>>>>.................Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=923044#ixzz0lbGJUrfe
It appears that it will become unanimous on not 'if' but exactly 'how' to dump Ely. If things go as they usually do in schenectady, Ely will be offered a great retirement package and a good chunk of change just to get rid of him. Instead of being fired/let go for his lack of leadership and his 'raucci cover-up', he will be rewarded with taxpayer's dollars to walk away.
He should walk away now while he has the chance cause I don't think this issue is going to go away any too soon. IMHO
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
No one wants Ely now, but that doesn’t mean Sch’dy must keep him
Re April 8 article, “Ely loses out on job in Pa. after two other denials”: Landlords can appreciate the dilemma of having a bad tenant they want to get rid of, then getting a phone call from an unsuspecting landlord looking for a reference on the tenant. You want to tell them (just as you hope they would for you) that the tenant is not someone they want in their building, but you end up trying to find some middle ground because you really want to “help” this tenant move on — the sooner the better. I couldn’t help having similar feelings regarding [Superintendent] Eric Ely and his recent failed attempts to find another unsuspecting school district to take him as their superintendent. Then I learned Mr. Ely was actively seeking employment elsewhere, that he had made the short list in districts in Montana, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Imagine my horror when I realized that one of the districts, Arlington, Mass., is where my younger brother has children attending public schools. My wife and I decided we would [try] to help them avoid making the same mistake Schenectady had. I sent my brother and his wife newspaper articles and editorials, provided links to Web sites, etc. in an effort to make sure they had Mr. Ely’s “full resume.” My sister-in-law went to their school board armed with information good old Eric had forgotten to include in his resume package. I bet we were not the only folks from Schenectady who did this, and sure enough, one by one, Arlington and the other two school districts dropped him. So now it looks like, in trying to do the right thing, we may have ended up shooting ourselves in the foot and will be stuck with this “bad tenant” for a while longer. That is unless the new school board decides to serve Mr. Ely his “eviction papers.”
Ely defends his record in statement Embattled Schenectady schools chief cites accomplishments as board looks for cause to fire him
By LAUREN STANFORTH, Staff writer First published in print: Thursday, April 22, 2010
SCHENECTADY -- Superintendent Eric Ely e-mailed a statement to the city school district staff Tuesday saying his positive work has been "largely ignored in favor of inflammatory rhetoric and political posturing," in the wake of the Steven Raucci scandal, and that by talking about his past he hopes the public will get to know him.
Ely's six-page statement, which was also posted on the district's website, came a day after the Board of Education voted to hire its own attorney to discuss if it can find cause to fire Ely or if the board can negotiate with Ely to end his two-year contract. "I have been maligned and attacked repeatedly, both personally and professionally, and that continues," Ely writes.
Much of Ely's statement is a repeat of a presentation he made on Monday night before giving his most recent budget to the school board. That presentation was a detailed account of what Ely said were his administration's accomplishments -- everything from third- to eighth-grade math score improvements since he became superintendent in 2005 to discipline rates that he says are improving.
School board candidate Ann Reilly, who attended the meeting Monday along with other candidates running in the May 18 election, said Ely's presentation felt like "he's applying for a job," she said.
Another disgrace for the dysfunctional Schenectady School District. After hours of arguing they could only find $250,000 in cuts in a pork filled $161 MILLION budget. They decided to raise record City taxes 5.8% more. Bored members did not have calculators. Totally unprepared to make any real cuts.
Bravo to Diane Herman who proposed significant cuts that found no support. Maxine Brisport {running again this year?} made a complete fool out of herself saying she against so called cuts and raising taxes. So what's your solution Maxine? Right do nothing and demand more State aid. Thankfully several business leaders/members of the Business Advisory Committee have stepped up to replace these clueless bored members.
This school system will have no choice but to beg for state aid. It's a huge school system in an area of many welfare recipients who either rent or if they do own a home are almost 'over taxed out of it'. Second that with landlords who's taxes are already ripping at the seams and renters who can't afford to pay higher rent due to inflated taxes.
There is no more money to be found in the city!!!!! The people are drained dry!
Could they cut more spending? Perhaps. Perhaps there are many patronage jobs that could be cut right off the top. Not to mention that the teacher's union is also killing them.
Charter schools should be encouraged in the city. No union!!! People that teach at these charter schools are there because they 'want to teach'. No for the life long, tax sucking benefits!!!
Bottom line.....there is no more money to be found from the residents of the city!!!! It is another sh!thole!
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
Right and it must be remembered that Elys and Tonko closed the only Schenectady charter. It wasn't up to Elys standards-lol.
They can beg all they want the State has a $9 BILLION deficit and the well is dry. There is no getting around that they must cut the huge administration, cut busing and return to neighborhood schools. This budget is DOA-nobody will support another huge tax increase. Cut, increase class sizes, get back to basics and slash administration.
they will not cut crap! I predict there will be higher school taxes and the city will enforce new fees or taxes on something. Just watch? And when they do, it will be interesting to see what the residents do. Probably NOTHING!......as usual!
Attend a school board meeting...how many people are there with their pitch forks? Attend a city council meeting....how many people are there with their pitchforks.
Most of the people are down to the dss building getting their monthly 'vacation check'. The rest are employed by the city socialist government!
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
After reading the infamous, recently released Rissetto report on Steven Raucci, it is my opinion that the moneystrapped Schenectady school district opened a window at the district’s offi ces and threw $13,000 of taxpayer money into the breeze. When board member Jeff Janiszewski grandly announced that the board would conduct its own “investigation,” and that “all” would be invited to contact the board’s chosen investigator if they had knowledge of misconduct or mistreatment by Steve Raucci, was it any wonder that only a select number of people were interviewed? Many of them indicated that they, indeed, were intimidated, belittled and threatened, but did not report this to the administration. What of the people who did not come forward? I contend they did not because many had already “learned their lesson” by previously trying to “tell,” hoping against hope for help. After all, [Superintendent] Eric Ely, [Assistant Superintendent for Business] Michael San Angelo, and [Human Resources Director] Michael Stricos were or are still sitting at their desks — protected by a weak, misguided and misinformed board influenced by Janiszewski. If the cowardly school board ever hopes to rebuild the school district’s reputation and regain any respect or confidence in the community they supposedly serve, they need to stop making lame excuses and take responsibility for their failure to provide a safe, honest and dignified environment for their employees. A good first step to that goal would be to fire (not buy out his contract, but fire) Eric Ely. Why? Because it would be the courageous, “right thing to do.”
If they address the 'just cause' for terminating Ely....I think there will be more fires to put out and a bunch of raised skirts......who will be left???
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Logged
He should be immediately terminated for alerting the Mad Bomber of an ongoing police investigation. This is enough cause. We can also cite the complete fiasco of last years budget-where he proposed higher budgets after every NO vote. This is what we should offer-NOTHING. 
