  Bongman Member Username: Bongman Post Number: 1054 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 198.111.56.128 |
http://macombdaily.com/stories /032506/loc_recall%20flap001.s html Interesting local story developing here, with repurcussions far beyond St. Clair Shores. The recall election is tomorrow. If this is allowed to stand, expect other local School Districts to eventually fall in line, and privatize their janitorial, cleaning, and other services. Is this form of union busting a necessary step to make our area competitive ? Do we still feel an obligation to pay inflated wages for non-skilled work ? Should someone in this line of work make enough to support a family ? Do you feel the same about a school janitor as you do about the 79 year old woman making $70,000 a year emptying trash for the Big 3 ? Anyone here voting on this issue tomorrow ? Curious how you feel. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1415 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.238.170.31 |
How about they save money by merging their miniscule school district with several miniscule school districts in SCS | ||
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5 Post Number: 237 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 71.227.95.4 |
This issue hits pretty close to home as my mother is employed as a janitor in one of the local suburban districts. Although they do make good money for their profession, privatizing their jobs would bring up some safety and security issues. For one they have direct access to the students (as well as keys and alarm codes to all the buildings and classrooms). I'm not sure that I would want to entrust the employees of the lowest bidding janitorial service to have so much interaction with my kids. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 54 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 69.136.155.244 |
Per Michigan Public Acts 121–136 and 138-139 (effective Jan. 1, 2006), all new school employees and contract employees must have background checks, including fingerprint checks, on file to be employed at a district. Privatizing non-instructional services is a legitimate method for a school board to employ so that their budget can be balanced without impacting student's opportunity to learn in a safe environment. While I do not live in that district, I would not vote to recall any school board member just on the basis that they voted to privatize janitorial services. The fact that this recall effort is being encouraged (if not led) by MEA union officials suggests to me that their primary focus is on maintaining unionized jobs and collecting union dues, not the welfare of students in their district. | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 947 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 64.12.116.204 |
Mike G speaks the truth. As an educator, there has been much talk about this in all schools. Anyone who has any contact with students will have to have this fingerprinting and background check, everyone down to the Orkin Man coming to spray the school. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2034 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.81.115 |
The 3 St. Clair Shores "miniscule" districts are Lakeshore, Lakeview and South Lake. There was a SCS vote a few years back about consolidation. But like all millage votes, these were done on an off election day.... like May 3. And the 3 school boards/administrations scared the Bejesus out of the parents of the schoolchildren. So those that went to vote on May 3 were primarily the parents of the schoolchildren. No surprise when the results were tallied. I still remember the Lakeview Superintendent publicly stating that it didn't make economic sense to him for merging the 3 districts. (Sounds like someone failed ECON101 !!!) Now had that election been in November when most voters vote, the results may have been different. However, in winning that election a few years ago.... we have 3 intact tiny school districts. But the voters are IN NO MOOD for any additional millages for any of these districts. And now we are seeing desperation on the part of the school districts. (Message edited by Gistok on May 01, 2006) | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 948 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 64.12.116.204 |
It doesn't make economic sense for the adminstrators because some of them will be out of a job if the three SCS districts consolidate. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 404 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 65.42.23.2 |
Bob, From a business point of view... how would you handle it? Streamline operations at the cost of admin jobs to better run your system OR run as is and struggle to make it happen? | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 949 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 64.12.116.204 |
I was being sarcastic, from a business point of view, it makes more sense to have one set of adminstrators running three consolidated that thre comepletely separate district struggling to make ends meet. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 407 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 65.42.23.2 |
Just checking Bob, lol.. Some forumers actually think that way. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 590 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 141.217.44.31 |
Are all 3 districts actually struggling to make ends meet? | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 1322 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 69.220.230.150 |
There are a lot problems with merging the districts. (All hearsay from people during last vote) One of the problems has to due with unions and contracts between the three. South Lake is oldest and most financially stable of the three and the area has always backed that district compared to Lakeview and Lakeshore. Many of those citizens like the state of their school compared to the other two and do not want a combined school to bring down their district. As far as the vote: It has nothing to do with the Kids. Letting the janiotrs go will allow them to save a lot money and not lay off teachers and possibly restore bus service which has been cut. It is an ugly situation and seems to have nothing to do with the kids but all egos. BTW, I think race may also effect the next consolidation vote as well. (Message edited by _sj_ on May 01, 2006) | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2035 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.6.93 |
The southern district (South Lake) has the most industry in St. Clair Shores, and used that knowledge to scare the South Lake voters into worrying about increased school taxes (sharing their piece of industrial taxes with the other 2 districts). IIRC..... Lakeshore, Lakeview and South Lake High Schools each has less than 800 students. These high schools were built for more than twice that student population. The smart thing would be to consolidate the 3 districts into one, and close the high school in the geographic middle (Lakeview). Even with 1200 students in each Lakeshore and South Lake, they would be underutilized. | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 474 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 4.229.60.81 |
The recall is 100% union-driven. The recall is 100% about protecting union jobs. The other stuff about child safety and secret decision-making is laughably irrelevant. The union janitors have been gone for around a year now. Several hundred thousand dollars have been saved. If, as a taxpayer, you believe in unionism and are willing to pay the premium to unionize the jobs, you should vote for the recall. If you do not place a priority on unionizing these jobs, you should vote against the recall. | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 1324 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 69.220.230.150 |
Gistok, I take you are SCS Resident as well. South Lake will never agree to consolidation. They have seen the other districts scrimp on their taxes and millage votes to often. SL would make to most ideal place for a merger although the oldest it also the biggest, problem is that is not feasible to have it in the South End. There is not really enough land or space at Lakeview to accomplish and Lake Shore has the same problem at extreme North. | ||
Bongman Member Username: Bongman Post Number: 1056 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 198.111.56.128 |
Most local cleaning companies pay their employees as low as $7.00 an hour, with no benefits. Some of these companies haven't given their employees raises in 2 to 3 years. Turnover is very high, and loyalty does not exist. Some companies use temporary services for staffing. You would be surprised how easy it is to get a police clearance, even with a record. Since Lakeview can save $500,000 a year by privatizing, doesn't every school district have a responsibility to follow suit ? Doesn't every financial option/decision in a school district effect "the kids" ? It is my understanding that the janitors Union made some major concessions in their last contract. I also understand that no attempt was made to negotiate before action was taken to outsource. The MEA is also not the only union giving this group support. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 236 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 68.43.107.72 |
the south end of SCS is a very Diverse neighborhood style of town with walkable mom n pop buisnesses and good neighborhood schools settled in the middle of town. South SCS should break away from the white bread suburb SCS | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2038 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.3.65 |
The south end also has the lowest home prices (housing is a hodgepodge of different eras). The richest neighborhoods in SCS are in the Jefferson area from 10-14 Mile, including all the canal streets. And it's hard to beat the nice homes on Alexander, Erben, Centennial and Arden between Jefferson and Greater Mack. Some of them go for 300K or more. The city would never allow the south end to break away.... especially not the Nautical Mile. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 237 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 68.43.107.72 |
The Nautical mile is sort of a disapointment, it seems like the lake and street could be embraced together a bit more. Instead of the mass of marinas that block the bars and lake | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2041 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.3.65 |
Yes but "that mass of marinas" is what makes SCS and Harrison Township have the highest single concentration of pleasure crafts in the world. Even with the building of several highrises condo/appartments planned (17 and 33 stories), only the large boat barns will be removed. All the marinas will remain. In some instances there is nearly 1/2 mile between Jefferson and end of the most distant marinas in the lake. SCS marina businesses generate a lot of $$$ in income (and taxes). Granted you can't see the water from Jefferson, but these businesses are vital to the Nautical Mile. They generate a lot more income than touristy restaurants and "antique malls". As for the residents of SCS, they have 3 waterfront private parks, so don't think that they don't get to see any waterfront vistas. | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 478 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
By the way, the recall of the Lakeview district school board members was rejected. |
