1. Who initiated the efforts to remove each of the administrators: Janice Schue (removed from her appointed position as Elbridge Elementary Principal), William Hamilton, (suspended from his appointed position as Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance), David Zehner (suspended from his appointed position of High School Principal), Anthony Scro (removed from his appointed position of School District Treasurer), Brad Hamer (removed from his position of Assistant Principal at the High School)? What is the reason for their dismissal, including the forced resignation of Mrs. Dominick?

2. Who are all of the employees that are currently suspended or recently fired or moved from their previous positions (in the last 24 months)?

3. Why have they been suspended, fired, or moved?

4. If wrongdoing was found at any level, what is the procedure to bring charges?

5. Have charges been filed? What are the charges? With what agency have the charges been filed?

6. Have Hearings been conducted for each employee who has been affected by suspension, firing, or forced to move positions?
i. What Due Process procedures were followed in each case?

7. Are there other options available to discipline an administrator for unprofessional behavior? Is paid suspension the only option?

8. Will charges be brought against Mr. Zehner? What is the next step in his case?

9. What agencies are conducting investigations of Administrators currently? What agencies have conducted investigations into the actions of school district personnel/employees? What are the results of those investigations? A letter issued by the Superintendent stated that an investigation was occurring in the matter of Janice Schue and the public would be notified of the results. This did not happen. At a BOE meeting in the Fall of 2009, the Superintendent made a statement that an investigation was occurring from a State agency. This did not happen. Results were not shared. Is this an additional lie or has the information not been given to the public? And when will the investigations be completed?

10. Why did the Board delay nearly 2 months before accepting Mrs. Dominick’s resignation, and why was the search for a new superintendent delayed until mid to late summer? Who is on the committee to look for a new Superintendent, and how was the committee formed? Does Marilyn Dominick have a gag order against her? What agency is doing the search for the superintendent?

11. What are we paying the agency to conduct the search for Superintendent?

12. Is there a “buy-out clause” or incentive for early retirement package for Marilyn? What is it?

13. Has the Superintendent been told by the Board of Education not to speak regarding matters of her early retirement, benefits, salary, compensation packages, investigations occurring within the school district, appointment of interim Superintendent?

14. Is it true that a search committee is available via BOCES at no cost to taxpayers? If so, why pay to use an independent committee?

15. Are there private meeting being held with the Board of Education and select Administrative staff?

16. Why have many of these decisions (interim appointment, dismissals) been made in secret? What is the NYSED law that prevents the BOE from speaking publicly about the administrator suspensions?

17. When are the people who have been suspended getting a hearing, class action suit or civil suit? Not everything can be shrouded as a personnel issue.

18. Why, when there is a public relationship between board member, Jeanne Pieklik, and the school district attorney, Dan Mevec, hasn’t one of them stepped down from their position because of conflict of interest, and unethical practices? Why has the Board of Education not acted upon this conflict of interest?

19. How were the Principal (Zehner) and Assistant Principal (Madonna) at the High School selected? Was there a search committee? Was the job posted?

20. Several recent hires, including Mary Madonna, Beth Russ, Betsy Primo, have close connections to Sue Gorton or Mary Alley. Were these the best hires or did they receive preferential treatment when they were appointed? If the Board of Education needs this community to highlight the connections between the new hires and Sue Gorton and/or Mary Alley, we would welcome the opportunity to do so.

21. What actions by current administrators and the Board of Education would give Interim Betsy Primo her understanding that she “will be named Principal in Jordan Elbridge soon.”

22. Who will be handling the responsibilities as Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction now that the Board of Education has named Sue Gorton as Interim Superintendent?

23. What is Sue Gorton’s interest in our district? Does her contract state that she must live in the district?

24. Why has Sue Gorton been access to the District checkbook? Isn’t that considered a conflict of interest with her other position?

25. Why was Joyce McManus’ position replaced by two people? Sue Gorton and Beth Russ. Do these created positions have to be posted? Are these two so incompetent that the job that one woman did now need two?

26. Who created the Assistant Superintendent title? What are the qualifications? What is the Salary for this position?

27. Why did the BOE pull the “Public Information Bulletin” with the heading – Topic: Superintendent Search” that was presented on the District website and distributed to faculty? Who directed this removal of information from the District website?

28. Why have so many executive sessions been held?

29. The Special Meeting minutes dated 6/23/2010 stated the District to be out of compliance and retaliatory issues. What are the issues? Should a higher authority be involved? Have the issues been resolved, and to what outcome?

30. Why are the minutes of executive session not posted on the website? NYS law requires that minutes are to be taken in a closed meeting where an action is taken. Those minutes must be posted within a week of the meeting. If the board appointed Sue Gorton in a closed session, the minutes have to be made public.

31. What are all of the duties currently being filled by Sue Gorton?

32. What are the plans for filling the vacancy at Elbridge Elementary? Will there be a search committee or do you have someone in mind already?

33. Why did Eric Varney not get tenure?

34. Why has Janice Schue not been put back into the position as principal at the Elementary School if she was found to have done no wrongdoing? Why was Janice not put into the interim principal or assistant principal position since she is still an administrator? Why bring in Betsy Primo again?

35. Is the French teacher that was placed and approved for a leave of absence, being paid by our district? Why?

36. How much per annum do these suspensions and legal costs amount to? How is the current budget affected by the administrator dismissals?

37. How does the BOE plan to pay for the increased cost to the district that will stem from providing salaries for people who are suspended as well as those in the position? Also, how will the district pay for the additional legal costs, including the extra lawyer; Frank Miller. Why was Frank Miller hired? What is the necessity for two attorneys?

38. What are the qualifications of all administrative and business office staff? This is to include New York State certifications and Civil Service titles and qualifications.

39. What are the salaries of all Jordan Elbridge Administrators and District Office employees compared to district employees of similar size districts? What are ALL of the fringe benefits given?

40. How many employees are currently in the District office? Who are they? What are their job titles?

41. Who sets the salaries for Administrators? Who approves their contracts?

42. Who is currently in charge of District Finance? What are their qualifications?

43. How much will a Superintendent search cost the District if we do not use the free BOCES search process? What agency is doing the search for the superintendent?

44. What are we paying the agency to conduct the search for Superintendent?

45. What is the typical salary for a Grant Writer? What are the qualifications?

46. Why would Sue Gorton be allowed to remove district property with another employee of the Jordan-Elbridge School District in a personal vehicle? (Rocks)

47. Community members were told 2 weeks before the suspension of Mr. Zehner that he would be suspended. Why was this allowed by Board of Education? How come community members knew that suspensions were going to occur prior to the event occurring?

48. Are School Board members able to get Health insurance at the same cost to the district as a teacher or other district employee?

49. Why would a teacher be forced to move out of first grade and then the district hire a new first grade teacher?

50. What was the enrollment on June 30, 2010, for Kindergarten, First grade, and Second grade? What was the enrollment on August 30, 2010 for Kindergarten, First grade, and Second grade?

51. Why would the district choose to lay off teaching staff in June and then hire new to the district employees in August when the previous employees were qualified for the “new” positions?

52. Can New York State renege on funds allocated for Building Aide?

53. Name all people who are currently being paid to legally represent the district?

54. What is the fee for the billable hour?

55. What is the outstanding balance yet to be paid in legal fees in the last 24 months?

56. How many billable hours have been submitted by Danny Mevec in the last 24 months?

57. New School Bus purchase was approved by the public in May 2010 as a proposition. The school buses are not here. Why? Where is the money that was allocated for the buses?

58. In the case of the suspensions, the BOE claims the community will see the rationale behind it eventually. Given the public embarrassment, high costs, and potential Jordan-Elbridge will lose the court cases being brought against the District; do you still believe you have followed the correct path? What would you do differently?