Oak Ridgers you just got played. In a quick phone call to Oak Ridge School Board member, Dan DiGregorio, I asked if the board intended on reinstating the transportation for the 2007/2008 school year that had been cut last year. His response was “No, I just don’t see any way that we could do that when we still don’t know where the missing $140,000 is going to come from.”
A phone call from another citizen to Dr. Bailey’s office resulted in the same answer from his secretary.
Folks, I ask you, what would cause the ORSB to have any hesitation to fully reinstate transportation when it was the very issue that rallied Oak Ridgers to support an increased property tax to meet their funding demands of the city?
Perhaps they feel that it is more important to hire 13.5 new staff members to accommodate the 9 new students that are enrolled for next school year. You can verify this information at our public library reference section – see the OR BOE Budget 2007/2008 document adopted April 24th, 2007.
This certainly sheds light on why Mr. Smith declined to respond to the questions previously posed by council and re-requested by Mr. Abbatiello during this week’s City Council meeting. Despite having stated that he, along with the school board and superintendent, were present and available to answer any questions the council might have.
I encourage you all to call Dr. Bailey and the ORSB directly and immediately demand that they do as the city council did and listen to and respond to what this community wants. I also encourage you to vote against any official who has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the needs of this community on June 5.
Trina Baughn 