The Annoying ERT Buzz of Mindless Talk and Chatter By DR. ED U. CATOR

It’s that time again in the City of Yonkers; when a new mayor, Mike Spano, decides to tackle a long standing issue, the Board of Education, also a campaign highlight, by forming a 15 member committee to “study” the problem. I thought, as did many other Yonkers residents, that the new Spano regime at City Hall had already devised a game plan to hit the ground running. So much for new beginnings.

Mayor Mike Spano just announced his new “crew” on TV. Yes, Spano referred to these selected volunteers by using the term “crew.” One would have thought a brand new gang formed in Yonkers. The mayor called this group his Education Redesign Team (ERT). The chosen 15, along with the mayor’s special assistant on education will help guide Mayor Mike Spano through several phases of Yonkers Board of Education (YBoE) reform. This first phase is to be completed by June 2012.

Not only are there no Trustees of the Yonkers Board of Education, or members of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers (YFT) on this committee, but nearly half of the appointees are directly connected to the mayor’s brother, Nick Spano, and politically compliant. The remaining members all have entanglements; either through relatives or the gravy train of government dollars, which sustain their respective enterprises.

The ERT is entrusted with a two-phase mission. It is to deliver on a “heavy” agenda already articulated by the mayor; and tasked to do so within 90 to 100 days. Yet it has no discernable funding stream or staff. There is no one on the ERT who can or will dedicate the time necessary for such a bold task. Personal responsibilities will allow for only “bull” sessions to demonstrate public attendance.

This idea was first pursed by former Yonkers Mayor Terry Zaleski and has been an on-going concept since by other administrations for a total of 20 years. The irony here is that Terry Zaleski was, like Mike Spano, a former  New York State Assemblyman who would each in turn become Mayors of Yonkers. What is it that this ERT “crew” will do now that two decades of City Hill – Board of Education interaction has not been able to accomplish with many of the same people involved?

Yonkersites believed Mayor Mike Spano had some plan to present regarding the YBoE? Yet, here we are, entering the third month of this administration, and all there is to show is a new committee.

How is it Yonkers Superintendent Bernard Pierorazio “appears” to be in the mix, yet there is not one Trustee? Is it not the Trustees who are responsible for overseeing the Yonkers Board of Education; and no one else? Are they cooperating? And if so, why do you need a new “crew” called ERT? Upon some reflection, is it a stretch to imagine that had these same ideas and concepts worked over 20 years of talking about them with three previous mayors and just as many superintendents it would have been implemented by now? How many administrations has Pierorazio been through?

The options are clear, the way to facilitate the issues revolving about the Yonkers Board of Education is to either take over the YBoE, putting it directly under mayoral control, or have the Trustees held responsible for their actions or inactions. As its presently conceptualized, the Trustees can await the ERT report and do absolutely nothing once they receive it. City Hall, the mayor, the City Council, and the Educational Redesign Team can all do the dance of the Bumble Bee and all we will ever hear; is the buzz.

By the time ERT completes phase 1, the 2012-2013 budget will be in print. By the second phase, and the mayor’s team of ERT participants will have evolved and the 2013-2014 Budget will be in print. We will thereafter be at the 2014-2015 Budget and at the end of Mayor Spano’s term.

There are no guarantees; only promises. The turn around time is too short for studying and distilling such a complex system. This is all about repositioning old ideas with no new analysis as to whether it will work or not.

Unfortunately, this committee method is a legislative stall or cover, or both. Without cooperation of the Yonkers Board of Education Trustees or the YFT/CSEA, the ERT will not be able to negotiate any solutions. Stop with the dress rehearsal! Get people with real insight, brainstorm the issues, and avoid feel-good committee placements. 

 

Comments

[Anon]

I see Murtagh is having a hard time out of the limelight, writing an OP ED piece for the JN today.

[Trustee]

Just abolish the BOR already. Give each student who wants an education a voucher to private school and pay the tab. Enroll the deadheads into the army for a real lesson.

[anon]

The Spano Octopus is here and growing as predicted...

You wanted it, you voted for it, you got it..

[LIONS AND TIGERS AND MAYORS, OH MY]

yeah really...it's a shame he never focused on any of the issues he raised in his community view submission, while he was on the city council. Just kept voting for budgets, year after year.

[anon]

But wait, he's going to eliminate the Red Light cameras, isn't he?

[Yksvoter]

The malcontents should be ignored. Mike Spano is hitting the ground running. He said during the campaign that he would establish a education redesign team and he did it. The governor did something similar last year to straighten out the state budget. As for all with ties to nick Spano! Who doesn't have ties to nick Spano in our city and frankly who cares! Whoever is Ed u actor why not come out of the shadows? You coward

[Just a straggler]

Perhaps there are no Yonkers trustees on the design team as the Mayor seems to be looking for fresh ideas not stagnant ones or perhaps we wouldn't need a "redesign team".

I know it's a novel idea but perhaps we should give the Mayor and his team time to prove themselves before we knock the work that has yet to begin.

Good luck Mike! Keep up the good work!

[anon]

that has always been the problem in yonkers...
people who are upset with the election results are
rooting for the winner to fail..sounds like the
congress....but that should not be the attitude of
voters who don't get their way ..we should all be
rooting for mike to do a great job because if he
does everyone wins

[too many Spanos]

Hey YKS voter why don't YOU come out and say who you are? You are either a family member or a long time crony sucking off the public tit! Just a matter of time before this new Mayor sits back and hands the city to a control board.

[james]

I do not undertsand how the process of choosing these people were? Also what if anything are they truly going to do because they hold no authority and this is board comprised of the problem not the solution.

The fastest solution is what everyone knows and that is to combine both school with city and be done and get rid of the. Patronage jobs till we are back financially.

Amy good businessman will agree and why is Iona Prep 15000 per student and yonkers 18000

[Just sayin]

Former Senator Nick Spano got a standing ovation at the Yonkers PBA dinner dance on Friday night - from law enforcement officers who dont care that he recently broke the law.

[Hmmmm....]

Do you really think the Yonkers PBA gives a damn about the law?

[anon]

he got a standing ovation in spite of his recent
tax issue because law enforcement officers understand that the good that nick has done over the years far
outwieghs the one mistake that led to his plea..and
that a tax count pales in comparison the kinds of down and dirty violence that they deal with on a day to day basis in yonkers..its that simple and its sure going to annoy lots of spano hating posters all 7 of you
but for most of the people he has served in the decades he was in public office he is still a hero

[Thinnest blue line]

Every officer who stood and applauded should be ashamed to wear a law enforcement uniform. He is a recently unapolagetic Felon. This is who they are supposed to lock up not honor. What a disgrace!

[Taxpayer]

What good did Nick do for Yonkers? He rode in on his white horse every year and gave the city money? He gave organizations money? This was not his money to begin with, it was money that Yonkers would have gotten anyway. Pork spending should be abolished altogether. The money he gave away belonged to the people of the state of NY. In addition, by giving yonkers more money each year, it never forced the city officials to spend it responsibly. The more they got, the more they spent. Out of citril overtime, pension padding, political no show jobs, take home cars, etc. Unfortunetely nothing has changed in the past 20 years.

[GUS]

"What good did Nick do for Yonkers? He rode in on his white horse every year and gave the city money? He gave organizations money? This was not his money to begin with, it was money that Yonkers would have gotten anyway" I disagree with this first part completely. Scarflady has yet to deliver for Yonkers. She doesn't like Yonkers at all,not that I blame her sometimes, but she was elected to deliver for Yonkers and just does not do it.As for the last of your statement you are right

[james]

Bla bla bla. Lets look at the issues and get some resolve. This gang chosen are far from the elite, but they are truly polical appountments that actually will not do a thing witout the superintendent. It is called a board to show the public someone is caring.

[anon]

Thats true,he has done a lot of good.

[anon]

Take off the blinders and read the testimony of Mangone and it shows how Saint Nick was an active participant in voter fraud in his election campaign.

[win win for mikey]

the Malcontents are taxpayers.
as for who cares about the ties to Nicky..i do and so do many others.
same crap...you ask people to identify themselves and you remain in the shadow.

Apparently you think we are all idiots.
Think again you moron.

[anon]

I am sorely disappointed in our police officers. Entrusted with upholding the law of the land, a standing ovation for an acknowledged law breaker is - if not a disgrace - saddening. Please PBA officials, don't tell me about all the good Nick did. Never in all his years was he or Mike for that matter able to correct the shortfall to Yonkers from Albany. Instead he flamed the financial crisis year after year only to ride down at the llth hour as the savior and hero to deliver money to Yonkers - and yes, to buy off the support of every Police and Firefighter with thoughts of increased pay and better pensions (the brothers voted for those gems too)as well as dollars for votes for every Yonkers non-profit -- AND the money he bought down was yours and mine, NOT HIS, because he was too busy scaming the system, hiding income, so he wouldn't have to pay taxes on it while the rest of us taxpayers paid through the nose thanks to his Albany votes to just spend spend spend. Everyone of you wearing a badge (PD or FF) knows what I'm saying is true. You're all also hanging on every word of this corruption trial - you know full well that he rigged votes and stole an election. You all take an oath to uphold our constitution, to uphold our nation's laws, to celebrate America's democracy, and yet you give a standing ovation to someone who thwarts all our ideals and is interested only in his own survival, making a mockery of our democratic process. This is what YOU stand in applause of??? God help the citizens of Yonkers.