Fiberoptic Brookfield CT Schools $220K Budget Scam?

FiberOptics At Any Cost -Brookfield CT Schools $220,000 Budget Scam?
Brookfield voters rejected the 2006-07 school budget 3 times for excessive, un-necessary spending on technology, fiberoptic networks, data managers, Laptop computers, smart boards and video projectors in every classroom. But the Board chose to do that while cutting 11 certified teaching positions.

In this video of the 1-04-07 Brookfield schools' facilities committee, Chairman Rob Gianazza said that they could "push this sizable" expense "from the capital budget into the John's [operating] budget' Former Superintendent John Goetz said in a lower voice that "savings in certain areas" may let them get funds for the fiber-optic costs but not put it in EITHER the capital or the operational budget. Maybe he meant completely off the books? Why did Rob Gianazza get angry and illegally demand that the public stop recording this town meeting when he and Goetz discussed this $220,000 budget cover-up?

This was an unethical, possibly illegal and tragic mis-appropriation of $220,000 in budget funds as verified by Technology Director Art Colley [his quote was recorded 3 times in case anyone missed it.] A week later the entire Board of Ed signed off on this questionable, if not illegal budget deception, with no dissenters. Many parents who learned about this mis-appropriation asked for a Forensic Audit of Brookfield School finances. These funds may have returned up to 4 of the teaching positions they cut, paid for cleaning of the contaminated air ducts of all 4 schools, paid for replacement of the two 50 years old asbestos-covered boilers left in Center School, buy textbooks or supplement the pitifully small funds for the Substance Abuse Coalition. Selectman Jerry Murphy approved of all of the School Board's actions, even cutting out the replacement of leaking 50 year old asbestos boilers in Center Elementary School, while blaming our citizens for the budget cuts they chose to make.

But these Selectman, Superintendent, Chairmen, and School Board need to be held accountable, for putting their own agenda first, and neglecting childrens' health, safety and education.

It's time for a change! Parents' voices will be heard when they vote in November to replace any board incumbent running for re-election, including First Selectman Jerry Murphy, who approved all the Board's bad policies, down to the individual board members who failed to protect child health and basic, quality education.

Please see www.BrookfieldParents.org and www.BrookfieldHasAChoice.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• FiberOptics
• Brookfield
• CT
• Schools
• Budget
• Jerry
• Murphy