It has been said many times before that some of the budget cuts should impact staff at the ESC. After all, the District is supposed to be dedicated to the educational needs of our students and yet the bulk of budget cuts in previous rounds always seem to target the classroom. The time has come to lose a few assistant superintendents, and I don't mean just change their titles while keeping them at their current, swollen salaries.If a few of these extra bodies were removed from the ESC, perhaps there would be enough parking stalls for everyone to find a place to park.
There really shouldn't be a need to have anyone sitting outside monitoring the parking lots. One sign, well placed, warning students that the District will tow unauthorized vehicles should be more than adequate. Unless the signs are posted in an obvious location, the District has no legitimate right to have any car towed - unless of course Paulson's Towing is one of management's "special friends". Spot checks should be good enough. A written warning under the wiper blade would also be a friendly approach.
No one with a bad back should be made to monitor a parking lot. There have been times in the past when students have been known to be confrontational. There might even be a slightly elevated chance of a fracas. Why would the District willingly place an injured member of staff in a position that might result in personal harm? Also, the lot monitor would have no way of knowing the driver's status as a college visitor until they left their vehicle and started walking toward the College. Is the lot monitor supposed to chase the offender and confront them? Perhaps district lot monitors have been trained to tackle students safely. Maybe they throw lawn darts or use pepper spray. The mind boggles.
I suspect there is probably a lot of interest in assigning light duty workers to Property Management. While the department has more than enough bodies to do their work, adding a lot more minds certainly couldn't hurt. The blog has been informed, on more than a few occasions, that one employee has been attending rudimentary classes, on district time, to learn how to use basic software applications. I wonder if she parks at the College on those days when most of her time is spent over there.
Better still, as long as the District is going to employ parking lot attendants, why not charge for parking? The District could sell monthly passes, they could validate ticket stubs for visitors and they could shackle large, yellow barrels to the tires of parking offenders. The practice would have the added advantage of generating a little extra revenue and encouraging staff to carpool, ride the bus or walk. Even better, the attendants could be provided with stylish uniforms that give the illusion of a highly-organized and financially-savvy enterprise.
The time has come to assemble another committee and we can call it the Citizens Parking Committee.
5 comments:
@ESD15:
Anonymous, considered "bitter" in previous post, here.
Excellent blog post--can I suggest we take this post in a different direction than forming another citizen group that will be ignored by the administration? My idea is to ask this blog community for suggestions as to how this bus driver could be employed up to her level in a more productive job. Consider her qualifications:
Trustworthy: Parents of special needs students have trusted her to transport their child every school day.
Tolerant, patient, and caring: Transporting a large number of students every school day for eleven years is harrowing enough, but special needs children require additional care. This bus driver possesses talents that few in this world have, myself included.
Detailed-Oriented: Her skills at noticing spelling and typographical errors.
These are just a few of her qualifications
As I have stated previously, I am not employed by the district so my suggestions are limited. That said, I would think she would be highly valuable to a special needs teacher as a consultant in dealing with difficult children and as a counselor for children who maybe having a difficult day. Her injuries would prevent her from physical activities but her knowledge of how to deal with these special needs children on a daily basis is invaluable, I would think, to a school district such as ESD.
Another suggestion would be to have her grade papers or order supplies. Possibly she could work with a group of teachers who need such services.
In any event, I doubt there is one teacher who reads this blog who couldn't use and appreciate an extra hand.
ESD in this instance has purposely underemployed a highly qualified and loyal employee to a demeaning position. Her self-esteem from her disabling injury was enough--to have HR place anyone in a position and subject her to public ridicule is a crime IMHO.
As a type of "community", let's pull together and show ESD and ESD HR how they are portraying themselves and the district in such a poor light.
Okay, now I will get off my soapbox.
I got it. Since she has the only back window and looks out of it all the time. We could put her in charge of the back parking lot. Just another window licker, that paid way way too much for land. Mr Sup, you could do the front since you have the only front window. Look, I solved the problem. Drinks are on me. How about starbucks on 44th and 196th next to subway. SEE YA THERE.
What about the new ESC?
Didn't we pay for plans for that land?
Don't we have only 1 or 2 years on plans to build?
Just burn the money next time so we all could get warm by the fire.
Hey Miller time, I got some land for sale in Edmonds next to the ferry. Its under water right now but in a few years it might be nice. Come on its cheap. ok, I'll make you a deal.
A job suggestion for this parking lot lady would be as a mentor to a child, or she could listen to a child read (much like Reading With Rover). That would be a much better use of her time and better use of her talents for the taxpayer.
The plans for the new ESC AND Transportation Dept. are posted on bulletin boards at Trans. Bus drivers voiced their concerns about the lack of parking and that they would have to park on the street. Some of them get in as early as 4:00AM and were concerned about safety issues if they were forced to park on the street (does not make for friendly neighbors). We haven't heard a word since that meeting. We are crammed in this rat-infested, cat urine soaked, toilet seat stained building that has been here for over 25+ years; and did I mention the exhaust-fumed valley we are located in. Not a healthy environment for anyone. ESC has had new facilities built while we're still here and now they want to share the new location with Trans. because of their lack of windows. Come on, get real!
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