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Post by devilsrus on Aug 4, 2006 7:48:11 GMT -5
Its a shame that the board cant stretch a quarter like the Rover. Be careful Facts or you'll be "Buying the Bar". Pardon the pun but it will be on your dime not the taxpayers. ( does this hold true with paper money ?)
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Post by thewildrover on Aug 4, 2006 10:40:29 GMT -5
With how many different directions this topic can take us, theres a good chance after we "belly up" for a while, we wont be talking about how many sides does the coin have , but how many coins we are seeing. ;D
"Hey, how did that pink elephant get 3 quarters in his trunk???"
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Post by Go Plainedge! on Aug 4, 2006 12:22:18 GMT -5
Perhaps I'm missing something here or simply not following the issue at hand here....but isn't this insurance issue as simple as creating one "main" organization who's sole purpose is to buy insurance for all of the groups (Sports, Drama, Fundraisers, etc)? One policy has to be more cost effective than have 5 or 6 or 8 of the same policies. Then each group is named "additionally insured" or covered under a giant umbrella.
Is it that simple or am I missing something?
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Post by justfacts on Aug 4, 2006 15:18:09 GMT -5
Go Plainedge!
Yes - you are missing something! See reply 2 under this thread. It says it is the duty of the BOE to provide insurance coverage for transportation of students, accidents on premises during Classes or concerts, etc, In fact this should be done by them for any persons that participate in a school sponsored event.
No - You got the point. A large organization can obtain a policy and attach several riders on it at a lower total cost the getting many small polices.
YES - You missed the point that existing mid-sized organizations using the School facilities have already joined larger organizations that have "deeper pockets" and carry more insurance than the school provides.
Don't forget: our legal "profession" will enter a lawsuit, not only on the school, but on the organization as well! That's why the Sports Groups and the PTA get riders on their Master organization's policies as well as the School which gets their own protective insurance! All of which costs these organizations money!
No! - You missed the point that small collections of volunteers or individuals that do occasional Fund Raising - or the individual that sought donations of a Piano to the High School - often did so at thier own risk! It would cost them additional start-up money to get this coverage before they can be permitted to do this work in the future under the newly proposed policies.
No Parades allowed, no car washes permitted, no "bake sales" until you pay a fee to be allowed to do this!
That's why a blanket coverage of insurance for anyone doing occasional volunteer work for the district should be, and by State Law is authorized to be, provided by the School. The proposed policies seemed to have gotten this backwards!
The State's written position on this is that even those volunteers who ride in school busses to school sponsored events should be covered by the School's insurance. That's the "main" organization that you mentioned, the one that gets benefits from the volunteer's work!
Ed.
P.S. Hey you guys - quit it! You're making me too thirsty! Come get me - we'll go to Sal's place. This first round is on me!
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Post by Go Plainedge! on Aug 4, 2006 17:14:48 GMT -5
OK....I'm with you, not with you, with you ;D.
It still seems cut and dry to me. It also appears that our mad professor Dr. Spin is at work again building up toward an explosive departure. When the smoke clears, he'll be tanning himself while collecting a paycheck and the rest of us will be cleaning up the mess left behind.
Ed, Is the BOE required to provide the insurance or is it at their discretion? Obviously there's a difference.
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Post by justfacts on Aug 4, 2006 19:40:22 GMT -5
Go Plainedge!
It is not one of their MANDATED COSTS but a DISCRETIONARY one. The State wrote it is "at their discretion", but it is also their duty, That's the word used - DUTY.
As to the Spin Doctor - little do some realize just how mean or vengeful he can be. And AFTER he is gone is not the time to wake up to that realization! The damage is done, the price is to be paid in our future.
Now is the time to ask "What is the purpose behind the Picken/Packard swap?" Is it because the action will bring in some dollars from the Packard sale? If, so, what is the amount? Especially after the costs of retrofitting Picken are deducted.
Is the amount equal or greater than that gotten from just doing a sale of the Packard Building and grounds? By just how much? Don't forget to include the fact that if it is sold for commercial or residential use, it will produce offsetting property tax relief to the District! Sold to the Town - it does not produce that future income.
What is gained by the community by having a swap of one under-utilized building for another? Just what benefits are there in the Picken building that we are not aware of?
Can it be done so as to eliminate the need to expand Eastplain? How will it be used? Let's hear about all the community and school services that will come from that proposed deal!
How much money has already been expended by the District (or authorized to be expended) and what are the estimated future costs to get it open? And what are the estimated annual operating costs to include that property in our holdings?
Least anyone think that this type of questioning is too extensive and causes the administration too much effort to do, come over to my house. I'll show you the plannings and Agendas from a School Board in a little mid-western city that does give its citizens such depth of information! Their ordinary Agenda for regular Board Meetings makes ours look like hand-scibbled notes on a napkin!
Ed.
P.S. For those that are interested in that Agenda, to see if I'm making too lite of ours, ask me by e-mail. I'll send you back the file with the Agenda in it! edowdell@hoflink.com
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Post by devilsrus on Aug 6, 2006 10:26:21 GMT -5
I know I'm off topic here, but since it was brought up....Has there been any EPA studies on the ground at the TOB site. This was a drop off area for paint, oil, etc. Has there been any impact studies on the traffic and the roads surronding and what effect this would have on the area and the people who live there? Bethpage community park has been shut down for a considerable period of time now because of waste materials found in the ground, could the TOB be saving themselves another headache here?
Back on track ...The fund raising issue should be brought up and presented to the BOE as early as possible. It is not right that fund raising for students to participate in extracurricular activities should be curtailed. To do so inhibits creativity, restricts vision and ultimately results in a lesser experience for the students involved, whether it be drama, sports or robotics. It diminishes our schools and the spirit that was (is) so evident over the past year. Or was that the real purpose and the insurance issue is just the latest means of divide and conquer?
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Post by justfacts on Aug 18, 2006 9:06:47 GMT -5
Here's some Newsday input about other School Districts that have to raise funds to cover Sports activities in their schools.
It seems to be a rowing trend. Let's hope it doesn't become "fashionable" to reduce the Property Tax Levy by these means! Ed
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Varsity schedule is a go for East Islip
BY JOHN HILDEBRAND, Newsday Staff Writer, August 18, 2006
High school sports boosters in East Islip announced yesterday that they had won their race to save varsity teams for the fall, even as counterparts in Roosevelt and East Moriches continued running against the clock.
With football drills starting yesterday across Suffolk County, fund-raisers in East Islip tallied up the last of $188,000 needed to rescue fall sports from cancellation.
Money raised through raffles, car washes and other events will pay for 11 teams with a total of 200 players.
It was a close call. Until an emotional session Wednesday night, East Islip parents and other boosters did not know for certain whether they had collected enough money.
"I just can't tell you how wonderful people have been -- they've really stepped up," said Dave Dinota, president of East Islip's booster club and father of a soccer player. Dinota added that his group still must raise more than $220,000 to save varsity schedules in the winter and spring.
One last-minute donation of $10,000 was made in memory of Dinota's father-in-law, Ed Whitlatch, a longtime sports fan who died Saturday. The contribution came from anonymous donors on Fire Island, where Whitlatch had long worked as a contractor.
East Islip school officials initially canceled all interscholastic sports last spring after the district lost two budget votes. Roosevelt did the same, while East Moriches canceled middle-school sports.
In Roosevelt, parent fund-raisers say they're making headway, but time is running short. Their initial target for the fall: $76,000 for seven varsity teams with about 100 players.
Roosevelt's deadline comes Monday, when official football practices start across Nassau County. If football players don't hit the field then and start racking up the required number of practices, they risk forfeiture of their first game. East Moriches parents have a bit more time to raise an estimated $80,000 for sports there because middle-school drills don't start until next month.
Susan Gooding, mother of a Roosevelt football player, said 12th-graders there are desperate to know whether they will have a chance to be scouted for potential college athletic scholarships.
"I'm a senior now, and I want to make a mark in my life," said Michael Mayo, 17, a star tailback.
Ron Ross, the district superintendent, said he would meet sports boosters this afternoon to discuss the status of fund-raising, adding that he would make an announcement .afterward.
This marks the second consecutive year that several Long Island districts have resorted to private donations to save sports. Roosevelt has reached out to some rival districts, including Cold Spring Harbor, where boosters contributed $1,000.
One East Islip football player, Mike Henry, recently filled his dad's truck with soda bottles and cans collected from neighbors, then drove them to a nearby supermarket for redemption. That netted $60 for the sports fund.
Said Henry, "They emptied the machines twice, we had so many cans."
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