| Author | Message | ||
     sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10791 Registered: 10-2001  |
The new separate proposal includes 16k for one Auditorium piano and another 28k for 7 classroom pianos. http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/finance/SeparateProposalAsOf022704.pdf I love pianos. I want the kids to have pianos. But at a time when the district is in financial difficulty, is anyone doing serious research into what a piano really costs? Are we paying list price? Are we looking into school discounts? Are we making up numbers in the upper bound of the special proposal in order to force a soft landing at the next best level? I recognize that we want a piano of solid quality and tone, something that will delight everyone listening for years, but you can get such an instrument for far less. We don't exactly need a top of the line brand for our school functions. Computers for the classroom. How many? 24k is in the budget. Computers these days cost 400-500 for a solid machine (intel based). Are we talking about 48 computers? 36? 15? I'd like to see the entire special proposal killed. Dead. I'd also like to see some of those "needs" funded by a reduction in the administrative staff. It is ridiculous that we suddenly devoted funds to a new Asst. Super slot during the summer but we don't have enough moolah for 2.4 FTE to teach elementary kids music. It is long past the time when the budget process needs to seriously question - directly - whether the administrative overhead in the district is the best use of our money versus other needs. Terminate Marilyn Davenport and give the kids music. I'll bet there would be little difference at the admin level. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| doublea Citizen Username: Doublea Post Number: 501 Registered: 3-2003 |
From the August 20,2003 Budget 101 presentation, there is a chart that shows in 2003-2004, SOM spently slighty less per student than Millburn, but more per student than Livingston, Montclair, West Orange, the average of the GH and I DFG's. This fact seems to have been downplayed. While it may have been true in the middle to late 90's, we're certainly not underspending on a per-pupil basis anymore. | ||
| michael Citizen Username: Michael Post Number: 495 Registered: 1-2002 |
Note : Elementary school World language teachers ($297,600) was already on a previous Special Proposal that was funded. Odd and being looked into. $16,000 for a decent grand (I’m guessing it’s for a grand because it’s for the aud.) is not a totally outrageous figure. However, I have to agree with Sbenios on this one. I bet , with a little researching, parental involvement, and or some creative thinking, we could get one for much less if not free ! $40,000 for breakfast supervision overtime? Ah, How about a parental volunteer rotating system for free ? $35,000 for in school suspension. How does THAT work ? Kids get suspended and we have to pay 35 grand ? For what ? Supervision ? How many kids a day are we talking about ? What’s the average ? 2, 3, 30, 40 ? Have them sit in the principal’s office. Or better yet, stick them in Ms. Davenport’s office. They could even help her make phone calls to “invite” studentd to the “Demonstration School” $180,781 for something called “Thin Client Phase II” ? I’m clueless as to what this is. Someone must be able to explain. $100,000 for Custodian Sal for Community use? Please help me understand this one as well. $22,800 for Guidance Scheduling Summer Overtime? (who writes the things ?!) Anyone care to clarify that one ? $223,200 for Elementary Enrichment ? (3 FTE’s) Could this be any more vague ? Exactly what is the job description for that ? A coupla 100 grand here a 40 grand there and suddenly ya talking real money. ($915,381) | ||
| spw784 Citizen Username: Spw784 Post Number: 469 Registered: 5-2001 |
Just a guess: the Custodian Sal for Community Use could be to pay the custodial staff during off hours/weekends/etc, when the schools are closed, but the community may be using a building. - e.g. Saturday tutoring at the HS, community based sports in the evenings, etc. Elementary Enrichment is the new name, I believe, for the program formerly called Explorations - basically it is the district's gifted program. 3 FTE's would mean there are 3 full time equivalent (i.e. could be 2 FT and 2 .5's etc) staff members teaching this program. If the teachers have been in district for 30+ years, have several degrees, and are at the top of the pay scale, they could each be making 65-75K , which would result in the $223K figure. Sorry, I can't help explain the other items. | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10796 Registered: 10-2001 |
Michael, If you go onto Ebay you'll see that a decent grand costs considerably less than 16k. You can even buy one signed by Liberace for $11,900. I agree with you that this memo is not descriptive enough and unfortunately, once you find one questionable number, it makes you wonder about the rest of them. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| Soda Citizen Username: Soda Post Number: 1200 Registered: 5-2001  |
Several years ago, The Baird Community Center in S.O. received a DONATED piano (a used baby grand, if memory serves). I'll wager that there are some empty-nesters out there with unused pianos they'd love to donate, but who have simply never thought of contacting the district... | ||
| maplewood fan Citizen Username: Mplwfan Post Number: 60 Registered: 4-2003 |
I write grants for a living and this budget should have a justification - no one would fund this if this was all that was submitted! | ||
| Ed May Citizen Username: Edmay Post Number: 1978 Registered: 9-2001  |
Sbenois wrote " I'd like to see the entire special proposal killed. Dead. " For once Sbenois and I agree. Ed May | ||
| sac Citizen Username: Sac Post Number: 986 Registered: 5-2001 |
I know nothing about the actual budget item, but I'm guessing that "Thin Client Phase II" is a computer networking upgrade of some sort. I know that there were upgrades done last year on the district networks so perhaps this is Phase 2 of the same effort. ("Thin Client" is a term related to the software on networked computers. I'm sure that there are others who can explain exactly what it is.) | ||
| Montagnard Citizen Username: Montagnard Post Number: 452 Registered: 6-2003 |
The whole thing is grotesque. Let's get the language, music, and enrichment programs back in the budget, and drop some of the non-teaching staff, beginning with the clowns that put together this proposal in the first place. | ||
| Diversity Man Citizen Username: Deadwhitemale Post Number: 666 Registered: 5-2001 |
You mean the superintendent? DWM | ||
| Montagnard Citizen Username: Montagnard Post Number: 454 Registered: 6-2003 |
A fish rots from the head down, as they say. | ||
| extuscan Citizen Username: Extuscan Post Number: 264 Registered: 6-2001 |
Slow down, decent pianos that last a long time cost a freakin' fortune. You ever been to the Altenburg Piano store? $16,000 is pretty middle of the road. I don't know exactly which pianos are getting replaced, but as of 5 years ago the MMS music room piano was formerly the piano from Seth Boyden auditorium. I have a picture of my mother playing it when she was 12. These items are not replaced often. I would imagine that when you do this once-in-a-half century purchase, you buy something REALLY REALLY NICE. You do not replace an old piano with an old piano, so lets nix this donation thing right there. I hope its a Steinway. If you are gonna buy a piano once every 50 years, you better be buying a damn good one. As for everything else, I'm sure its all a giant waste. --John | ||
| michael Citizen Username: Michael Post Number: 497 Registered: 1-2002 |
benny - please, some advice from someone who knows a teeny weeny bit about music and instruments : Don't buy a piano from Ebay ! Don't even go there to look for one.  | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10797 Registered: 10-2001 |
Dearest Michael, Trust me, I'm not buying a piano from Ebay. On the other hand, Ebay is the first place I look in order to understand what the general price range for virtually any item is. It is such a wondrous place to visit since it acts as the ultimate market maker for everything from paper clips to pianos. P.S. We don't need a Steinway. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Let's Go Royals | ||
| Ed May Citizen Username: Edmay Post Number: 1982 Registered: 9-2001 |
How much does a stein weigh? Ed May | ||
| guessagain Citizen Username: Guessagain Post Number: 28 Registered: 12-2003 |
Ben looks like he's around 200, at least. | ||
| rssounds Citizen Username: Rssounds Post Number: 228 Registered: 5-2001 |
We purchased our Yamaha U3 (52in upright) from Craftsman Piano Co (800-648-8637) for $3500 including bench, delivery, tuning, and a 5 year warranty on all moving parts (labor included). Similar deals were available on grands. Their warehouse is in Yonkers. They bring in used Yamahas by the container from Japan. It is 20 years old and looks like it walked off the showroom floor. I also just bought a new computer for $369, delivered from www.microexchange.com. Monitor for $79.00, delivered. The monitor is off-lease, the computer is an e-machine (refurbished). That means it's last month's model and the company has dumped them in order to move on. Point is, are we looking for the best value in all aspects of our spending? | ||
| Montagnard Citizen Username: Montagnard Post Number: 455 Registered: 6-2003 |
Probably not, but if we had a full-time buyer, we'd be out another $100k/year. At some point you just have to buy retail and pay what's being asked. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2813 Registered: 5-2001  |
Thin Client software (Citrix): Softwares and applications reside on a main host accessed by multiple computers, PCs can operate in a terminal-like environment. Benefits include centralized administration, lower costs: buying software to reside on the host and licensed for multiple computers (vs having to buy software for each one), and software/application maintainance and updating is only necessary for the host. Expensive to initiate, cost savings are realized in the long term. |
