We Should Learn From This...

Written by Dick Starkey

Tuesday, 15 July 2008

It is very hard to miss the problems of the Greenfield School Department.  The current fiscal “crisis” has made headlines for some period of time.  We are also made very much aware of the budgetary crisis of the City of Greenfield.  Both of these are not of recent making. They have in fact been building for several years. The essential message/lesson we should learn from this is the need for oversight. It is the responsibility of any board/commission to exercise proper oversight of the operation for which it is responsible. This is true of the private sector, non-profit sector and well as government.  All too often we read of some organization or corporation what has had management problems that can frequently be traced to the Board of Directors lack of proper oversight.  Far too often people accept positions on the Board but are unable or unwilling to spend the time being informed.  The list of organizations and corporations that have had problems is too painfully long. The “pain” Greenfield is currently feeling covers a wide range of issues.  It would appear that the School Committee has not exercised oversight for several years.  There is a fine line between micro-managing and oversight and Boards/Committees should strenuously avoid micro-managing.  That said I suspect that either the School Committee has not be given the information it needs to exercise proper oversight or insisted that the information be made available to them in a timely manner. The City Charter calls for the Mayor to present the annual budget to Council by April 1st. Considering the fact that the fiscal year begins July 1st this is not to long for the Council and its committees to thoughtfully examine the fiscal needs and resources available.  I understand that this “never happens.”  For the School Committee to exercise its responsibility the Superintendent would need to submit the proposed budget shortly after January 1st.  I doubt if this has ever been the case.   The need for careful oversight has never more been needed in government.  Many of the economic woes Greenfield faces are being felt by cities and towns all over the Commonwealth and indeed the country.  Rising costs, availability of tax and other revenues are increasingly straining the ability to provide the services people need and want.  Anyone reading the news, federal, state and local, must be aware of the “new” fiscal reality.  That said our local leaders have the burden of making sure that our fiscal house is in order.  Yes it takes the time of non-paid council/committee members but that is part of what they have been elected to do. And oh yes, we as citizens and taxpayers have an obligation to elect those who are willing to commit time and mental energy in looking out for OUR interests.  We too have a role in oversight.