Familiar Faces Speak at Beecher School Board Meeting

By Jeff Vorva

The public comment portion of the Beecher School District 200-U board meeting on March 13 had some familiar faces make comments. Some of the board members themselves.

A couple of members commented on the April 4 referendum, in which the board is asking for a 5.35 percent referendum rate, which would cost most taxpayers roughly $1 a day. A similar referendum was rejected by the voters in June. If the yes vote wins, it will help erase a $1 million deficit, officials said.

Board members are not allowed to sway the public’s opinion with their own opinion. They are only allowed to present the facts. But some of them signed up to speak as members of the public rather than as board members.

Board President Julie Papas spoke her mind about the issue.

“I just wanted to speak as a community member, a parent, a teacher, and a volunteer,” she said. “I think we all realize the youth are the future in Beecher. The people who work in this district keep this town together. I’m so thankful for the people we have. I hope to retain quality staff. That’s one thing that could be affected in a referendum.”

She said that “it takes a village” to keep school successful, and it’s important to the village to have the schools running at their top peak.

Rejection of the referendum could result in heavy cuts.

“Our cohesiveness as a community comes from the schools and the happiness of the children through fine arts, music and sports,” she said. “I implore that the voters promote our future.”

Others board members spoke out as members of the public, including Ashley Belt, who said more than just the students’ well beings are at stake.

“If you are not looking at it as investing in the children, look at it as investing in your property,” Belt said. “Your home values and town values are a lot on what your district does. If your district makes cuts, people move. When people move, the value of your property goes down. If your heartstrings are not tugged by the children, think of your interest financially.”

The only member of the public who was not on the board to speak was Kelly Benn, and she was not on board with all of the facts that have come from the district.

She said she was “appalled” by a cartoon created on YouTube by the district trying to explain why the district needs the money and felt is was demeaning to the public. She was critical of the information by Superintendent Jack Gaham.

“We need to show trends on what happens to that money,” she said. “We need to show the history of that money. Please provide simple spreadsheets year-by-year so taxpayers can use the information. I know you have been providing some general information in your speeches and your power point. But without reference and history, we cannot look for trends.”

She wants information before and after lockdown years on income, annual expenses, surplus deficit, student population, spending per student, and test scores.

“Test scores are way down,” Benn said. “We deserve to know your plan to increase before referendum.”

Gyms almost ready

Gaham said the gym floors destroyed by the Christmas flood at the high school will be “100 percent ready” to host graduation and will be ready shortly for physical education classes.

“The painting is completely done in the new gym, and they just sealed it. It now has to acclimate two weeks before you can actually start walking on it,” he said.

“When we get back from spring break, normal PE activities will resume in the Den. They just finished the sanding of the old gym and are going to start painting that this week. They should be able to seal that by the end of next week.”

A storm in February, did damage to the roof of the gym, and Gaham said there are 250 sandbags on the roof as a temporary solution until he is clear to have repair work done.

New board member

After approving her at a special meeting earlier in the month, the board welcomed and swore in Amanda Hanson.

She takes over for Janet Paulmeier, who resigned at the February 13 meeting.

More new members coming.

The meeting in April will have more new faces after the election. Papas, Ronald Mazurek, Brandy Flores, and Juan Hernandez’s four-year terms are up.

Flores is the only board member running again. Also running will be Ashley Fluechtling, Susan Siwinski, Stacy Mazurek, Melanie Brenenstall, Adriana Diachenko and Todd Gregory.