Maybe this doesn't seem like too big of a deal. In terms of actual spending, it isn't. The underlying issue isn't the menu, the restaurant, or the final bill. The issue here is "trust" and "representation of the taxpayers." Quite frankly, I don't think Pat and Joe are the representatives for us. We need fresh new faces and new leadership. Most certainly, we don't think the damage that has been done is repairable.
West Bend School District treats leadership team to dinner
West Bend School District taxpayers have picked up the tab for a pair of dinner meetings for administrators, principals and School Board members in the past four months.
“One time a year we pull the board and leadership team together for a dinner,” said Superintendent Pat Herdrich.
This year’s dinner at Timmer’s cost $21 a person for a total of $743.
In 2008, the dinner was held at the Clairemont Inn at a cost of $26 per person for a total of $1,066.
The tab is paid out of the superintendent’s budget.
The dinners are part of the district’s “reward and recognition system,” Herdrich said.
Board member Kathy Van Eerden said she thinks the dinner is a justified use of taxpayer money.
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Board member Kris Beaver said the dinner is money well spent.
“We could have wrapped up our own sandwiches at home and sat and people still would have been critical of it,” said Beaver. “I could go find 10 people in this community and said we’re going to go wrap up sandwiches and we’re going to sit around picnic tables and do our leadership development at Regner Park. They’d look at me and go ‘You’re out of your everlovin’ mind.’
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Neighboring school districts said they don’t make similar expenditures.
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In Kewaskum, Superintendent Michael Krumm said his school district rarely spends money on office parties, board meetings or get-togethers.
“We’ve even cut back on teacher in-service luncheons,” said Krumm.
The Kewaskum district has one luncheon with cafeteria-style food during a full day in-service “because it’s more efficient,” Krumm said.
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