LOL... I was thinking at first that $300 is not terrible! LOL but now that you say a zero is missing... well.... another story! lol
I was gonna ask if anyone new what kind of package he got and where.My cell bill is $ 110.00 a month .
Believe me I'm not a Parker fan at all, but if you look at business and the way they are run he'd be equal to a EVP. My company and my DH company both pay our cell phones, etc. Any company I've ever worked at even if you were just a manager you got a cell phone paid for. He has to attend numerous meetings and has to be able to be notified at a moments notice, so a paid for cell phone is warranted. I agree we could cut cost in the administration level (county administration). I do not agree that principals and teachers make too much money. Principals pay there dues by being a teacher many, many, many years and obtaining higher education and they are running a whole school, so they are like a VP of a company and should get paid for that responsibility. I think their pay is fair. Teachers are underpaid no matter how you look at it.
Just out of curosity, are you sure it's only his cell phone? The article only says "His annual phone allowance...", but does not make it clear if it's his cell.
Yes, this is true. But the supplies we needed in that teacher's class were MINIMAL compared to what my other kids needed and what they need today. I'm all for helping out, but I think we could all do out little part to make it easier on all involved.
Just re-read my post and want to clarify some things. I agree with SB, I believe JC is a good school system. The teachers are underpaid and I'd bet 90% are doing a wonderful job. They already spend too much of their own money on school supplies and shouldn't be asked to do so. My disappointment lies with the Commissioners (Planning Board) continually rubber-stamping EVERY subdivision plan that comes before them without regard to the school system, police force, fire department, roads, etc. I'm not against growth. I want it controlled or planned so that the school systems and other utilities can KEEP UP with all the influx. At election time, a number of commissioners said they would do that. So far, I haven't seen it. It's ridiculous that the new school, West View Elementary is capped already and trailers are being brought in. CES has kindergarten class sizes as large as 27 students. The West Johnston High School is also over capacity. As you know, it goes on... Do you know we're the only County in this growing area of the State that does not have a Land use or growth managment plan? The Growth Management Committe recommended one and in Nov. 2006 the Planning Board asked Commissioners to halt growth until one was adopted. The Commissioners voted against both. By the way, the ONLY people that showed up at these meetings were Developers and Realtors, there were no residents there supporting a plan, no one voiced concerns, so the crammed growth continues!! Did you know Developers get penalized a mere $200-$400/lot fine if they don't provide open space? Whoop-tee-do- they just add that cost into the price of the house and let someone else pay for it. The County doesn't have any type of recreation plan for all these kids. Donated land for soccer fields can't be used- neighbors are suing because they'd rather let a developer build 1500 sq ft homes than allow "noisy children" play soccer. I could go on and on, but quite frankly-I think it does no good crying about it here. It's time to nag our political leaders til something changes. Although my DH thinks I'm the Queen of Nagging :lol: , I agree that more than one ticked off voice is needed. Thanks for all the responses.
Somewhat wrong. Developers are not penalized $200-400 per lot if they do not provide open space. Developers are "allowed" to pay $800 per lot if they do not provide the required amount of open space, $400 per lot if they provide half. Its called "Fee-In-Lieu". Now, do you know where that money goes?......call the JC Planning Department 989-5150 and ask them.
If every teacher could make 10K more a year by moving to Wake system, where would all the teachers come from for JoCo? The teachers that are at mid level in terms of 5-10 years represent the institutional expertise of a school system. Teachers who have been teaching longer tend to be the institutional mentors. And if we can;t pay enough to retain them, where do we obtain the mentors. I see the teachers as the NCO's (with pride) of the schools and the admin as the officers. The officer's job is to provide for the resources so the NCOs can teach, train, and lead. If the NCOs are continually replaced, a military unit has no institutional memory or expertise and is, more often than not, a significantly less effective unit. The comment about a school having all new teachers and not being impressive reflects a school that is facing this challenge. The teachers who stay here may do so for reasons other than money. Most drivers stuck going to and from RTP have entertained the idea of living closer to home and making less for a quality of life issue. The use of the term' "very" adds no useful information. One can not be 'very' dead or 'very' pregnant. So, claiming that teachers get paid 'very' well doesn't provide any insight as to their salaries in comparison to any others. No doubt a teachers pay looks huge to someone working for minimum wage or just above. But, this isn't a fair comparison, because few people have obtained a 4 yr degree, specialized training, and served some type of unpaid internship (student teaching) to get that minimum wage job. To a talented sales person with a 4 yr degree, his salary, expense account (probably includes cell phone and internet service allowance) a company car or allowance, the freedom to drop by the dry cleaners between calls- then the pay scale is a bit lower. If the stereotype for a teacher is supposed to be living from paycheck to paycheck, and not being able to afford nice things, why in the world would anyone be attracted to it as a career? And, if society sees the "cost" of education as too high, I submit that society hasn't compared the cost of education it to the cost of ignorance. For the amount of time that teachers put in, before and after school, I believe that the salaries are low. I'm neither a fan nor detractor of Mr. Parker. I would submit that not just anyone could do the level of work that his position requires. And, again, if we go cheap, we end up with less than the best. For the coin we pay, JoCo folks should consider themselves fortunate, especially seeing how our test scores are comparable or superior to Wake, at 10K per year less for a teacher.
JCS pays for all Admin cell phones including teachers (the ones that have them through the school) and bus drivers. They are getting a deal with their cell phone packages and they get Federal Funds to pay 80% of the bill.
My salute to Teachers - thank you http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/ I have my favorite, too. Thank you, Mrs. Alford, my 5th grade teacher, for your love and devotion. (The topics have meandered, so I felt it was OK to post this here.)
I pay my Nextel bill every month although my administrators, department chair, secretary, and other teachers have my number. I do claim part of it on taxes though.
I looked back at the posts again and had about changed my mind to keep this post here, but since you responded, I'll let it stay. Pssst...thanks.
Grinder, my apologies. I'll admit I'm still learning a lot and often find it somewhat confusing. I did not intentionally post incorrect information. Here's how it reads on the minutes of The Planning Board's meetings (it's a little greek to me, so again sorry if I'm misinterpreting): Berry Gray, Interim Director/Planning & Zoning, introduced the proposed subdivision, noting that lots will be served by Johnston County public water and by individual septic tanks; open space provided: 6.91 and $400/lot fee in lieu, required:$400/lot or 11.98 acres; a TIA was done by Crowley and Associates and reviewed bySEPI Engineering and is included in the packet; amenities are proposed in lieu of open space and Staff recommends $200/lot fee in lieu (conditions 10, 11, 12, and 13). The Planning Dept's website also says: Payments in lieu of provision or dedication . In lieu of providing or dedicating common open space or recreation area required pursuant to this section, a developer of a subdivision or planned development may choose to make a payment to the county whereby the county may acquire common open space land. The county shall use such payment only for the acquisition or development of open space, recreation, or park sites to serve residents of the county. I'm not aware of the County doing that, please tell me if it is? It may be in other areas of the County, but I don't know of any park sites in the Cleveland area. In fact, there's not much open space left in the Cleveland area that is for sale. It's my understanding the Board of Education hasn't been able to find enough land for a much needed High School in the Cleveland area. (But that may have changed too, if so, sorry) I'm hoping you can save me a call to the Planning Department, as I call them regularly already. I always have tons of questions. I appreciate your input.
In Wake co. schools, we have teachers begging for parents to pay for and bring in paper towels...while the superintendent is paid $300,000.00 a year in salary and benefits. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/685654.html
Kidsfly...what you posted is right. The developer there is paying $400 per lot for open space and they are providing a little over half the required open space. If they provided no open,then its $800 per lot. Any development must designate 10% of the development area for open space. That open space shall be 10% of the area outside of riparian buffers and wetlands and they prefer out of the 100 year flood. Basically high and dry usable space. The other thing you posted about the developer paying fee-in-lieu and it goes to the county for their "Recreation" (not the real word for it but you get the idea) Fund. When they do pay it is supposed to go to that fund and that fund supposedly exists. I only say supposedly because ive never seen the county use it but the developers have been paying into it for years. You take Joe's Development Company who has done 20 100 lot subdivisions over the last few years, paid fee-in-lieu every time and was able to get 150 lots in each of those subdivisions....150x800=$120,000. Times 20? Thats 2.4 large. Thats just from Joe. Now...where do you suppose that money is going? Other than in the bank collecting interest?
I agree with Kidsfly totally. The problem isn't with the schools, it's with the Planning Board and the LACK of planning for our county.
My favorite teacher was 4th grade, Mrs Ann Hopkins, at Wake Christian Academy. She was older then and I have wondered if she is still living. That's been about 28 or 29 years ago. Anybody out there know of her and if she is still around?
