Last week we reported that Wicomico County Councilman Joe Holloway had uncovered numerous instances of abuse by Wicomico County Board of Education (WCBOE) employees in regard to employee travel. Taxpayer dollars spent at Hooter’s, Ruth Chris Steakhouse, junkets to Las Vegas (including concert tickets), and coffee at Starbucks are just a few examples. Yesterday, the Daily Times decided to have a crack at the brewing scandal.
Their take? Employee travel is necessary. The WCBOE is scrutinizing travel expenses. Superintendent John Fredericksen “is pleased to comply with Holloway's request for more detailed information.” (It took Holloway MONTHS to get a simple printout of the WCBOE’s travel expenses). It’s for the children.
Oh, and again there was no disclosure that WCBOE “Public Information Liaison” Tracey Sahler is the wife of Daily Times managing editor Erick Sahler. Of course, I’m sure that had nothing to do with the pro-BOE spin of this front page piece.
Where is the big news on the police agencies?
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate that Joe Holloway is on this and that parking lot deal that Pollitt is trying to pull at the old mall.
ReplyDeleteOK, so what am I missing? Since when are trips to Las Vegas and Hooter's a 'necessary travel' expense for the betterment of our children's education?
ReplyDeleteGood post, G.A. Keep the heat on them. They need to be at the council table explaining some of these expenditures, and on PAC 14, so as the public can judge for themselves. Remember, "It is for the children." I feel for the teachers who have to put up with this nonsense from the higher ups and the board members.
ReplyDeleteThe arrogance of Frederickson indicates he needs to be replaced. Sure they sell burgers at Hooters but they also sell them at Applebys, Ruby Tuesdays, and Micky D's. John, it is the perception and you are off base with your attitude. If you want to defend this behavior by your staff then you need to start looking for another district that will accept this behavior. Wicomico isn't the one for you.
ReplyDeletethe liberals are out of control. Let's face it, the WCBOE is made up of a bunch of liberal demon-crats.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I have been saying about The Daily Times being bias for years.
ReplyDeleteFYI -
Susan Parker - another managing editor for The Daily Times - I have her name on a former salary list of the Wicomico County Board of Eduction.
Caroll Bassett - (DT editor -Greg Bassett's wife) - official press secretary for former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest and also frequent Propagandist for Delmarva Power & Light.
Tracy Sahler - (DT Assciate Editor - Eric Sahler's wife) - also spokesperson for the Wicomico County Board of Education.
The public is not going to get any unbiased news from this outfit. It just isn't going to happen.
remember joe h uncovered the liquor board buying tickets for employees driving a race car at dovers race track
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you just how bias The Daily Times is.
ReplyDeleteWhen Gilchrest was running for Congress and touted just how good a job he had been doing for Maryland in enticing new businesses - I sent him a letter showing the number of business closures for our Tri-County area -(same list that was published in yesterday's SBYnews Sunday edition).
He wrote me back and virtually said that our areas business climate was flourishing.
What a joke. I'm glad the guy is gone. And if Kratovil doesn't watch out - and help to bring the bacon to our area - he'll be a goner to.
Our area's economy has been decimated. Case-in-point look at the crime statistics.
Beazer
Burgers cost the same at Hooters, Ruby Tuesday, and Appleby's. Nothing inappropriate happens at Hooters so it is not a big deal. If someone gets $7 for breakfast and spends $5 at Starbucks for coffee and a pastry, I saved the BOE $2. If I go to McDonald's, I might wind up sending the whole $7 for breakfast. Too many people are jumping to conclusions just because your job doesn't allow travel for training.
ReplyDeleteThe Board sends many, many central office people to conferences and conventions. When they return, do they do inservices for administrators and teachers? No. Do they attend school faculty meetings and discuss what they learned? No. It is a total waste of time and money to send them anywhere. If teachers go, however, they are expected to plan and present at faculty meetings, inservice days and often at PTA meetings. That's fine, but central office people are never required to do any of that.
ReplyDeleteJust an example of mismanagement from the administration of the board. It would be interesting to learn how many appointed board members also travel at our expense.
ReplyDeleteJust heard Mark thompson went to California on our tax dollars. Geeeee
ReplyDeleteDo we know who went to Vegas? No surprise Thompson went to CA. I'm sure it was a nice vacation. And what did his room cost in CA?
ReplyDeleteIs Devages the only donut shop in Salisbury? I thought there was another one of Mt Hermon RD. Is there a connection with Devage and someone at the board?
ReplyDeletebassetts wife's name is not Carol.
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ReplyDeleteExcellent post. Thanks for the info.
I just had the opportunity/time to read this article and I have to tell you GA, this is one of the best pieces I have ever seen you write.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Mr. Fredericksen hasn't noticed what has happened to ALL of the people who bucked the system by failing to be "accountable" to the public?
They're gone and quite frankly things have turned for the better.
As I mentioned yesterday, Mr. Fredericksen doesn't wish to cooperate with the Blogs, not even if it is for the good of the community. Instead, he works with the MSM that refuses to challenge the WCBOE in any way, shape or form. This is why more people come to Salisbury News, because we tell the truth and we deliver the facts.
Now many may not like this new form of accountability but there's no question we the taxpayers deserve to know and GA has done one hell of a job here delivering just that.
Embrace the Blogs Mr. Fredericksen or I can assure you the end result will not be a comfortable one. One way or the other, we will get to the bottom of these things and we will expose it to the public. In all fairness, I'd rather have you explaining your position rather than hiding behind thousand dollar excuses and getting caught. It truly doesn't look very good on you.
So everyone knows, I was with GA when we attempted to confront Mr. Fredericksen at a BOE Meeting. This was at least a year ago, (if not more) and he simply refused to hold any discussion on issues. I did my best to play the good cop while GA was playing bad cop and no matter what was said he refused to work with us in any way.
Here's the funny part. We can get the Press Releases and information right from their Website. In fact, that's what we do. Tracy likes to post many of their new releases around 11:00 at night, if not later, so the Daily Times can get it out there before the rest of us can get to it.
Oh, they try to claim that this is just how it works but how many of YOU are up at 11:00 putting together information after a regular days work.
In many cases they have made an announcement at 11:00 PM for an event that will happen at 8:00, (or sooner) the next morning. Now do tell me what good that will do for those parents needing to know this info? Mind you, you'll see it printed inthe Daily Times the very next morning, yet they didn't stop the Presses at 11:00 the night before to add that information.
No big deal, it's just a part of what we do and they do. I guess things will simply stay the same until someone there realizes that accountability is important to all of us and just like all of those other Department Heads that no longer have a job here in Salisbury, my guess is that we'll see some new faces once again in the near future.
of course you will see new faces Joe. Dr. Frederickson is on a 4 year contract and will be on a boat playing his guitar when the contract is up. It won't be because of SBY News, it will be that his contract is up and he moves on. Typically Sups don't stay very long anyway as they are usually very near retirement. By the way I'm going to a conference this spring paid for with my own money. It will cost me about $500, but I want to further my growth professionally. How many other people in private business pay for their own conferences? Not many, so you see, we do a lot as teachers for our careers and it benefits the kids as well.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so we cut Magnet right? Then we build a Hooters right by the Board! Good Job Joe Holloway!!Get 'em where you can sir! This whole county is Good 'ol boy system from Schools to Civic Center to Poultry Industry and on up through our court system. Good folks don't stand a chance in this county. Corruption breeds here! A good house cleaning is in order!
ReplyDeleteAnd Rick Pollitt and the Sahlers are friends!
ReplyDeleteGreat job Joe. I spoke with the Superintendent a little while back about the Magnet Program, and he assured me that they were doing everything possible to save money. Sounds like to me time to go back and spend Minnesotas money, leave ours alone for the programs that we need. Starbucks and Hooters isnt doing my child a bit of good. Thanks Joe for staying on top of things for us.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe. Someone needs to have the courage to stand up to the system and it appears that you do.
ReplyDeleteIs Devages the only donut shop in Salisbury? I thought there was another one of Mt Hermon RD. Is there a connection with Devage and someone at the board?
ReplyDelete11:26 AM
Tom Field and Craig Devage are close personal friends.
Want to know a bigger waste? Ask to see the receipts for the Administrator's Academy that is held every summer. It started out just supervisors & principals. Now it's supervisors, coordinators, principals, vice principals, dean of students, etc. Goodie bags are filled and most of those who go don't even want them. Breakfast & lunch is paid for by the Board for both days.
ReplyDelete$10,000+ spent for just TWO DAYS!!
What a waste!
Devage is a LOCAL business..support local not a chain.
ReplyDeleteMy wife is going to shoot me for this but I can't keep my mouth shut about this anymore. I have responded to several posts over the last few weeks - my wife is a secretary with the BOE, and I don't want to give away her position(as much as I bitch, we need the money and benifits), but from what she has told me, NONE of the Principals are at all interested in this two day extravaganza, but they'll get booted to the curb if they call this what it is - a complete waste of time - Dr. F rules with an iron hand and a smile that is just a cover for a sledge hammer approach to everything. BTW Joe, do you have any idea who exactly went to Hooters? I tried to get it out of my wife, but she has no idea....thanks and keep up the good work.
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