For nearly a year, the Brown Deer School District has been receiving one business manager’s services for the price of two.
Business Manager Edward Towle has been on paid leave since last February - costing the district about $146,000. In the meantime, district has paid $66,116 to business services consultant Emily Koczela.
School officials won't say why Towle is gone, but we'd like your take on this. Should the district provide more information? Are you considered about the money the district is still paying him? Or is this not a big deal?
We want to hear what you have to say.
(12) Read All ResponsesThis is terrible that an issue such as this has not been corrected. In today's economy, this is a horrific oversight to be paying an individual over $100,000 dollars to not work. I don't care who made the oversight but it needs to be fixed. It is taking resources away from the school district which could be used in the best interest for the children. Ultimately this is a waste of resources which will be passed on to the tax payers within the school district at a time when money is tight.
I think we all better take a step back and THINK! Sometimes HR situations can NOT have full disclosure during investigations as a way to protect the district from huge litigation costs. We all elected the board and they in turn select the superintendent. In this case, we have to trust those we put in place to make the tough decisions. I understand the difficulty of paying for 2 people but if in the end it save us millions in lawsuits then we have them to thank. I know I will give them some time to make this right as Dr. Kerr has done nothing but shown us the transparency we all ask for in our leaders.
This situation looks to be totally another example of the superintendents poor judgement. Paying to employees to do one job is wrong, and the second person should never have been hired. It has been a year. If putting one person on leave and they are still on the payroll, the a huge mistake was made by that persons superior the superintendent. But after this article and forum will the wronged employee ever regain their reputation, or for that matter another job. Will the superintendent be repremanded for bad judgement? How about the legal counsel who okayed this terrible injustice. If the district has not found any reason to fire this employee in a year, then the superintendent ought to be the one to lose their job.
This is just another example of wasteful spending by our school district. It is no wonder that they need to raise our taxes every year. While everyone understands that laws exist to protect employee information, that does not give them the excuse for letting this matter drag on for as long as it has. Any settlement between the two parties would have saved the district thousands of dollars.
This employee was hired by the former superintendent and had a questionable reputation. Personnel issues must be kept confidential. The truth will prevail. Look to the former board and superintendent for this problem - they are the ones pointing out the "concern." Me thinks they are avoiding the responsibility and creating a storm to avoid it further.
As a new member to the community, I find this matter concerning. I did NOT get to vote for the school board, making my "best interest" invalid. I moved to Brown Deer knowing it higher taxes, but was willing to trade that for the community. If people want to continue paying $5,000+ in taxes, they will move to Mequon/Grafton. Something the school board needs to think about, seeing as though ~50% of our taxes go to Brown Deer School District.
Ha $146,000 big deal, what do you think it will or is costing this school district in fee's for being investigated by the EEOC for Pregnancy discrimination? This School Board is incompetent and everyone of you should VOTE them OUT, Why don't you people of brown deer ask you school board and Deb Kerr why they are being investigated by the EEOC for Discriminating against two pregnant teacher and forcing them to quit during the school year of 2007-2008 and see what they have to say. You think $146,000 is a lot wait until this surface and they pay out much more in legal fees or have to compensate these two teachers for doing wrong to them. What will be there excuse on this one? For those of you who think the school board or Superintendent did nothing wrong on this ask them about this situation and see how fast they decline to comment. They keep spending all your hard earned money because they don’t care about you the tax payers and think they can do what they want when they want. This District is a JOKE!!
Dennis Griffin , president and Dr Kerr are both incompent. Our taxes are third highest in Millw county for gods sake. Cost per student is over $13699. Test scores are very bad and our ACTs are worst in north shore. Dr Kerr needs to be fired as of June 30. Elect people with conservative common sense down to earth thinking. Ask the candidates March 6 "do you support any multi million referendum?" If they say yes, you vote no against them.
I think it is interesting that people gripe and complain but do nothing to fix the problem. The board is elected. So cast your vote. It takes money to run a school. There are laws in place that prevent full disclosure of some items. Are we all curious? Of course. Will we probably find out in due time. Hopefully. Can they get away with not having a business manager at all- no? In fact, Emily Koczela is doing an excellent job trying to save money- Dr. Kerr and Koczela have been working VERY hard at meeting with all teachers and staff on trying to CORRECT the problem. It's not Dr. Kerr's fault that she inherited some trouble. But she is trying to fix it. When was the last time you thanked a teacher? Do you think their job is easy? Do you realize that the students who live in Brown Deer since elementary school's test scores are fantastic but are brought down by those freshmen and sophomores who come in and have a 5th grade reading level??? Have you looked at the data? Really, truly? If you are so concerned- get involved. Vote. Volunteer in a classroom. Arrange for students to come job shadow at your place of work? Sponsor a program. But stop griping without acting. You set a poor example for today's youth.
If it turns out the business manager's admin. leave was caused by Kerr's lack of judgment, Kerr should be immediately fired. Why are there several equal opportunity complaints pending against Dr. Kerr and bdsd? What are the legal bills under Kerr's three years vs. previous superintendent's tenure? Call Dennis Griffin and ask him.
This is why the public needs to take back the government. This is also happening in Racine Unified Schools district. The state needs to go back to community schools and hopefully then they can hold their school boards reliable........
The Brown Deer school board should resign, every one of them. The school superintendent should be terminated for gross negligence because she supported a large increase in the school budget without full disclosure, a budget that passed by TWO votes at a public meeting.