THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509210025
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
Your recent report about the Virginia Beach school administration's financial problems indicated officials were surprised. Surprised? There's no surprise that mismanagement (or no management) allowed the School Board to violate the law by incurring such a huge deficit.
From the time the $40,000 automatic flag pole was publicized to Superintendent Sidney Faucette's folly in committing the School Board to such questionable deals as leasing with an option to buy the old Celebration Station, everybody in city government knew the School Board was in deep financial trouble. The mayor knew. The council knew. The media knew. School financial personnel, Faucette and School Board members knew. All knew months ago the chickens were coming home to roost.
The only action by all involved was to deny it was real, contend it was somebody else's problem, cover it up or fail to commit the time and resources to report it.
Where's the legally mandated oversight by council and the School Board? What can the public expect when the only qualification for getting on the School Board is who can best fool the public to garner the most votes with the least ability and qualifications? Can our taxes stand much more of this kind of government? Are our public officials fooling around or just trying to fool the public? It's wake-up time, people!
AARON D. TOLEOS
Virginia Beach, Aug. 31, 1995 by CNB