Superintendent Search: Start Now

The citizens of Howard County should resolve to be involved in the search for and selection of a new superintendent of schools.

As a parent, Parent-Teacher Association activist, then Board of Education member, I have advocated (and taught) effective citizen participation in the workings of the public school system for more than 15 years. It has never been more important.

Although the final decision, I think appropriately, is the responsibility of the five elected school board members, every individual citizen and all citizens' groups, from the Howard County Association of Student Councils to the Chamber of Commerce, have the right and responsibility to present to the board a "profile" of their ideal superintendent. The time to begin is now.

Michael Hickey's contract ends July 1, 1996. Individuals are free to offer personal opinions, but groups, to be credible, must seek a consensus of their members, a time- and energy-consuming exercise. . . .

Since Howard County's public schools may be our single most important economic development factor, it is crucial that all segments of the population contribute to developing the selection criteria for the next superintendent.

Karen B. Campbell

West Friendship

School Budget

While the superintendent of schools is to be commended for developing a budget that is responsive to many of the growth needs of the schools in the coming year, there are a few areas which must be addressed. First, are six new administrative positions truly needed? In particular, two specialists are proposed to coordinate capital projects, yet it appears that the capital budget will not fund as many projects as originally anticipated. Second, given the increased reliance on computers in our schools, the money proposed for software purchases is hardly sufficient to purchase a high quantity or high quality of software. Third, we should not continue to fund private and parochial school busing while public school students are forced to attend very early morning classes because of a transportation budget shortfalls. Finally, while the board and administration have identified "inclusion" as an area of priority, the budget for such an ambitious program is clearly lacking. . . .

Instead, Superintendent Michael Hickey has cut funds foworkshop wages which would allow teachers to be reimbursed for out-of-school meetings to learn more about this program. . . . In general though, Dr. Hickey should be commended for his cautious approach to the budget, and for reinstating some of the cuts that have been made over the last few years.

Jamie M. Kendrick

Elkridge

The writer is a candidate for the Howard County Board of Education.

Older Schools

With reference to your editorial of Feb. 3, "Money for Older Schools," it's nice to know there are people such as Del. Virginia Thomas working to improve conditions in our older facilities.

It is also worth noting that there are many citizens concerned with this issue, not the least of whom are PTA activists around the county such as Wanda Hurt, who has been working for equity in older schools for the past three years. It's only when people realize that letting our older schools decay will also mean the decay of our neighborhoods will people demand action from our elected officials. . . .

Dennis D'Adamo

Columbia

Year-Round

As a spate of editorials and articles on year-round education in Howard County indicates, there is still much to be decided before adopting such a measure. Obviously, it would have to be tested. . . . The implied result of this change in policy is to "reduce costs and improve education." I'm not sure which is less likely to come true. I assume that all operational costs have been discounted, along with the extra costs to cover teachers' pay.

I doubt whether school officials are as altruistic as indicated in asking for responses. It probably is more like a matter of survival for elected members of the education bureaucracy.

The presentation of this concept to the school board last year was interesting. I was hearing all these good things and then I observed an interesting fact. This guy was from San Diego! January temperatures average 55 degrees Fahrenheit and July's figure is 70 degrees there. Baltimore, on the other hand averages, 37 degrees F. in January and 79 degrees in July.

There are hardly two seasons in San Diego while in this area we generally have four. Besides winter heating bills, there would be considerable summer air-conditioning bills in Howard County. Would people with homes at the beach get preference on summer periods off? In San Diego, does it really make any difference when students take vacations? . . .

Certainly the result of improving education is rather subjective. I myself don't see that there would be any difference, once student morale would stabilize. There have been so many gimmicks over the years to raise poor scores. To me the answer is simple -- less TV, more study. But that is obviously too simplistic.

I always thought that Columbia was a planned community. Apparently the education system wasn't included in the plan. We've already placed our road system under too much stress. Now we are drooling over year-round education as a panacea.

Will this gimmickry ever cease?

R. D. Bush

Columbia

Differing Views on Columbia Council's Budget Deliberations

The Columbia Council has just completed one of the most in-depth budget processes in the Columbia Association's history and I am outraged by the comments in your March 3 editorial. The three-month long process formally began at the council's Nov. 11 and Nov. 23 meetings when the council discussed and ultimately determined its pre-budget direction to CA management.

The budget was then prepared by CA management and published on Dec. 23. Since that time, separate budget meetings were held with every one of Columbia's 10 village boards. (I am sure you are aware that each council member is a member of his or her village board.) A public hearing was held on Feb. 1. Following the public hearing, the council itself met in three public work sessions, spending three to four hours in each session entirely focused on the budget. Individual council members went on site visits to facilities where capital improvements were proposed.

In addition, during these last two months, the staff prepared dozens of papers responding to questions about the CA budget raised by individual council members, the village boards and the public. Each response was shared with all members of the council.

Perhaps, because you did not attend one of these meetings or perhaps because you did not even pick up a copy of the budget until the day after it was approved, you did not realize the depth of the council's analysis. Unfortunately, you never bothered to call me to find out what the process had been.

You most certainly have the right to disagree with the programs and services prioritized by the council in the budget, but to state that the council was sitting "by passively while residents' dollars are spent" is downright untrue, unfair and a disservice to readers. That said, there is one observation in your editorial with which I completely agree -- "Certainly the community infrastructure . . . is one of the best around."

Karen Kuecker

Columbia

The writer is chairwoman of the Columbia Council.

I protest your editorial, "Dereliction of Duty in Columbia," criticizing the Columbia Council for rubber-stamping the Columbia Association's $32 million budget. I protest, because you didn't give details.

You said CA spends lavishly. You didn't say on what -- $3 million on a public works garage yesterday, $1.5 million on Wilde Lake dam renovations and sediment removal today, $5.2 million on a second golf course tomorrow. Without open and competitive bidding.

You said CA borrows lavishly. You didn't say how much -- Its debt has increased an average of $4 million each year for the past six years. And CA has given the cold shoulder to refinancing its debt (now at an average interest rate of 10 percent), which could save as much as $33 million.

You said CA has a blank check to spend residents' dollars. You didn't say CA overcharges lienpayers $5 million each year by assessing at 50 percent (instead of at the county's rate of 40 percent of market value); by using new assessments immediately (instead of phasing them in over three years, as does the county), and by not capping increases at 5 percent (as does the county). And the annual charge is not deductible on our income taxes. You said CA employees pay themselves handsomely. You didn't say how much -- $11 million annual personnel cost for 170 full-time and more part-time employees.

You suggested that CA's grants to the villages might be cut. You didn't say why -- managers' salaries have increased an average of 44 percent over the last five years. Plus bonuses. And, as employees of CA, they get free package plan.

Thanks for editorializing on behalf of our community. Now, residents, it's time for you. Get your nominating petitions for the council and the village boards at your village offices this week. Come to council and board meetings for "resident speakout." Come out to vote on Saturday, April 23.

Chuck Rees

Columbia

The writer is a member of the Columbia Council.

I wish to share the following thought with you regarding the matter of raises and bonuses for Columbia Association staff. . . . As I recall, CA staff have enjoyed raises and bonuses over the recent years of recession. Many of their Columbia resident employers have suffered a much harsher lot. Does anyone remember the freezes for county, state and federal workers? Does anyone remember the layoffs at Westinghouse, Maryland National Bank, etc.? Is anyone sanguine about prospects for many W. R. Grace employees?

So, why on earth would the residents of Columbia feel compelled to give employees another raise when so many of them haven't enjoyed the same good fortune in recent memory? Because it has been a whole year since last they came to the trough? Certainly not for fear that CA's valued veteran staff will defect, en masse, to the greener pastures of employment elsewhere.

There aren't any jobs to which they can defect, especially senior management. And even if certain members of the staff were inclined to leave the service of the new town, there are legions of equally-to-better qualified individuals available to fill their shoes at a considerable savings in salaries and bonuses.

Stuart Ragland III

Columbia 2

More letters to the editor appear on page 5B.