There is something wrong?
Oct 27th, 2009 by Randy Toman
In Les Leopold’s book “The Looting of America” he does a magnificent job of explaining the deception of the financial world through swaps and derivatives that make up the (CDO’s) “Collateralized Debt Obligation’s”.
In chapter one he layes out what happen to the small (13,500) town of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin as they and their local school board got sucked into the dark world of high finance. Before to long there were other surrounding school boards that joined in with Whitefish Bay to pool their resources (tax payers money) and here is how Les Leopold tells what happen.
“Like any romance at first everything seemed simple there was so much trust. As one Kenosha board member said to a more experienced members before a key authorization vote. “I’m not a financial person. So if you say it should be done, I will follow your lead.” (Footnote 10) Videotape of Kenosha school district financial committee meeting May 8th 2007.”
At last nights Bethlehem, Pa. school board meeting it was left slip that Dr. Lewis was ask to leave, which can only force to the surface a number of serious questions to be ask like.
1. If Dr. Lewis was doing such an excellent job as stated by any number of people, why was he asked to leave?
2. Since it was admitted, at least by one of the school board member, he was forced out what had he been doing wrong that forced the confrontation between enough board members to have him evicted from his job?
These two questions alone would prime the pump for many more questions that should be ask, remembering it must have taken at least a 5-4 vote to oust him and/or force the issue. The every fact that he was ask to leave makes the investigation of the whole financial situation so much more the important. Dr. Lewis ‘s name must now be cleared not only for his name’s sake but for the peace of mind the tax payers deserve.
The economic times demand it with the county tax proposal of 9+% and projected school taxes looking to raise another 27%+ over the next 5 years. And a pension crisis that is looking like it will sink the ship of state and bankrupt the citizens. And we have not even touched utility increases, state government tax increases, and the Federal level debacle.
With all that said I give you the printed article from the October 27, 2009 “The Morning Call”.
“DIRECTORS REBUKE RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT”
For the first time, Bethlehem Area School Board member says publicly Lewis was forced out.
By Steve Esack of “THE MORNING CALL”
The Bethlehem Area School Board voted Monday to reprimand retired Superintendent Joseph Lewis in the wake of a state auditor general’s report that criticized his administration over missing laptop computers and how it handled a legal bill in a high-profile investigation.
Before the 6-3 vote, Lewis’ lawyer warned the board it could face a lawsuit, and board member Rosie Amato said the rebuke is mean-spirited because “The board got what it wanted” by forcing Lewis to take early retirement. It was the first time a board member publicly said Lewis was forced out. Previously board members and Lewis said he was retiring to pursue other opportunities.
Several residents applauded the resolution but were shocked by Amato’s comment about Lewis’ departure. When board President Loretta Leeson said Lewis took “voluntary retirement,” Randy Toman of Bethlehem asked, “Under duress?”
Lewis’ Lawyer, Philip D. Lauer, said his client was a good public servant for several years and a rebuke would be unfair, unwarranted and beyond the board’s power. He said Lewis no longer works for the district and the report did not find him solely responsible for the laptop problems. “It is our hope to avoid any litigation,” Lauer said.
Leeson dismissed the warning. She said the state prepared the report on its own and was not “commissioned” by the board as Lauer had stated, She said though Lewis retired last month, he is still an employee, listed as the “superintendent of record” because he is using accumulated sick time until January.
Auditor General Jack Wagner said Lewis’ administration “inadequately” secured more than $11.5 million of laptop computers, did not contact police in timely manner when at least 80 of them disappeared and did not properly handle a legal bill concerning disgraced former Principal John Acerra.
Voting for the resolution to reprimand Lewis ‘were Leeson, Vice President Judith Dexter and board members Michele Cann, Gene McKeon, Irene Follweiler and Benjamin M. Tenaglia III. Voting no were Amato, Charlene Koch and Craig T. Haytmanek.
Haytmanek was criticized in the state report for the way he and Lewis handled the bill for the district probe of Acerra, who was arrested in a drug sting in his office at Nitschmann Middle School, where the majority of laptops disappeared in 2005′.
The auditor general’s office is responsible for looking into the potential misappropriation of tax dollars. It then can forward reports and recommendations to law enforcement, and it did so with its Bethlehem report.
The report blamed Lewis’ administration, particularly former technology director Robbin Lutcher, for failing to provide proper security for thousands of laptop computers purchased by taxpayers. In 2005′ the report states, Lutcher’s staff began telling her that laptops were missing from Nitschmann. She then told Lewis; neither called police. Police weren’t informed that Nitchmann was missing computers until Lutcher filed a police report two days after Acerra’s Feb. 27,2007, arrest.
”The repeated lack of oversight adds to the overall picture of weak management in the daily operations of the district, and must be corrected for the sake of taxpayers,” the report states.
Before the vote, Amato chastised his fellow board members and said the state has already rebuked Lewis. Haytmanek said Lewis has already “been-subjected to negative press” and it’s time for the district to move on and to let Lewis find work elsewhere. Haytmanek said the board’s action could hamper Lewis’ ability to find future employment and lead to a lawsuit as Lauer threatened.
McKeon said it’s not the board’s fault the state took so long to finish its investigation, which it started in 2007. He said if the state had finished sooner, the board would have rebuked him in Person.
Dexter said the board was taking steps to bring back the kind of”honesty and integrity” students are taught to have’