To the editor:

I have been reading with great interest and dismay about USD 497 discussions about the budget deficit and recommendations for cuts. The board needs to send the list of recommendations back to the administration with a giant F written across it with the words “try again.” The $3.2 million deficit could largely be attributed to the $2.5 million spent on new money for administration last year — and they offer a paltry $400,000 in cuts. That $2.5 million should be the starting point. It was already known there would be a deficit, and the administration and board went right ahead. Then they talk about closing schools to make it up! How could you misread the people of this town so completely? Is this mismanagement, incompetence or both? The board is to direct the administration, not be its rubber stamp.

I worked for USD 497 from 1976 to 2014. In the school year 2004-2005 I was president of the Kansas Association of Directors of Plant Facilities. KADPF is a statewide organization of school facility professionals. I got to know school people from all over Kansas. The sizes of districts ranged from small enough the superintendent helped plow snow to the large ones that have layers of administration. Facilities people are everywhere in the schools and see what goes on at every level. One thing we all saw was as districts got bigger it took a lot more people to do the same work. Also, administration protects itself.

Library aides will impact students more than any administrator. Try again.

Bryan Hunter,

Lawrence