Konocti must increase salaries in order to attract new teachers
My name is John Lee. I am the president of the local teachers” union, the Konocti Educators Association, or KEA. First, I”d like to thank you for your article concerning the events at the last School Board meeting (Observer*American, March 28). I”m afraid though, that there were a couple of inaccuracies which, with your permission, I”d like to clear up.
First, in your article I believe you said that the Konocti educators received a 5.9-percent increase. The way the sentence was worded it sounded as though the teaching staff received a 5.9-percent pay increase. That is not the case. It was the Konocti Unified School District that received a 5.9-percent increase in General Fund revenues from the State of California. When the certificated teaching staff asked for a 1-percent pay increase, the School Board decided that they had other, more important ways to spend that money. They granted us a 0-percent pay increase. That is why we were so upset. All around our area other districts were able to give substantial raises. Lakeport — 5 percent, Kelseyville — 3 percent, Upper Lake Elementary — 6.25 percent, Upper Lake High — 4.6 percent, Potter Valley — 4 percent, Anderson Valley — 5 percent. Our District thought so highly of us that they granted us “0”.
It is not well known, although it”s not a secret, but we are an aging staff. Currently over 50 percent of our teaching staff is 50 years old or more. This means that within the next 5-7 years many of our teachers will be retiring and the District will need to replace them with new staff. But how can the District expect to hire new teachers if they are not willing to remain financially competitive. Please don”t misunderstand, I like it here. I”ve lived and worked in this community for almost 30 years now. But why should a new teacher take a job at Konocti Unified when they can get more money for exactly the same job just down the road?
The other item that I believe was in error was when you wrote that Dr. Nan, the School Superintendent, would call a Town Hall Meeting to help resolve the pay issue. She may have mentioned a Town Hall Meeting, but it was not in reference to our issue. Instead, I believe she was referring to the District”s decision to redraw the attendance boundaries between elementary schools.
John Lee
President, KEA
Senior center welcomes help in expanding its services
Regarding a letter to the editor entited “Clearlake seniors need more activities in community center,” dated March 21 in the Observer*American. Is a senior center a social club or a service center?
The Highlands Senior Service Center”s primary focus is providing services to seniors, enhancing their quality of life.
Services provided include the Congregate Nutrition Program and the Meals On Wheels Program. This eyesore that offers much of nothing provided more meals to seniors than any other center in Lake and Mendocino counties last year, totaling 39,023 meals.
The Highlands Senior Service Center, Inc. also received a 2007 Organization of the Year Award from the Stars of Lake County for the Meals on Wheels Drivers who deliver over 90 meals each day.
Last year 7,978 contacts were made while assisting seniors through the Outreach Program. Also available are an In Home Registry of screened caregivers, Money Management Assistance and Equipment Loans.
The Highlands Senior Service Center works with the Lake & Mendocino Counties Area Agency on Aging on meeting the goals in the PSA 26 Area Plan specifically targeting the needs of seniors in Lake and Mendocino Counties.
We also work with other programs and agencies. While we made the appointments for people to have their taxes done, the AARP Tax Assistance Program recruits, trains and schedules the available volunteers to assist low income people with their taxes. This year there were no available volunteers in the Clearlake area.
Indirect services include but are not limited to: health insurance counseling, AARP Safe Driving Class, homeowners and renters assistance and health education and screenings.
We welcome activities for seniors and currently available are: volunteer opportunities, low-impact exercise group, Tai Chi class, walking group, art group (including watercolors), needlework and quilting group (all types of projects), pinochle group, low-vision support group, bake sale, clothing sale and birthday lunch.
Our staff is a dedicated group of employees and volunteers who devote their time and energy to making sure that these services are available to the seniors in this community.
Anyone interested is welcome to come down to the Highlands Senior Service Center and share their ideas and information on how they are willing to help make it happen. Call 994-3051 for an appointment.
Linda J. Burton
Executive Director
Highlands Senior Service Center
What can be done to improve roads in the Clear Lake area?
This letter is my intent to comment on the roads in the Clear Lake area. The damage and wear and tear to my vehicles is becoming more noticeable as I spend more time on the roads. I own property there, and when I come up on weekends, I find that the dirt road to my property is actually better than the paved roads in town.
What can be done to improve the state of roads in the area? Do they have to become a safety hazard in order to address the issue? I am writing to the newspaper, because I would like to spread the word to more people. Perhaps it is a taxpayer issue, of which I am one, or perhaps it is a local maintenance crew job. Is funding an issue? Given today”s financial situations, is there some alternative to make this improvement, even on a small scale?
Thank you and I hope you can spread the word by printing this letter.
Jack Lynch
Clearlake
Fund-raiser supports LLHS choir for its trip to Washington, D.C.
The Lower Lake High School Band and Choir have the honor of representing California during the National Anthem Project in Washington, D.C. where they will perform the National Anthem with high school music groups from all 50 states!
The band and choir are extremely grateful to this year”s contributors; your $10,000 is the largest ever donated in a six-month period of time here in Clearlake: Thank you!
With all of this generosity, we are looking forward to the next few weeks of excitement while we earn enough to cover the remaining $30,000 in expenses before our May 31 deadline!
The Lower Lake High School band is raising money for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! We would also like to inform you that we will be having many fund-raisers, and we”d appreciate the support!
The entire LLHS Performing Arts Programs is having a Cabaret Dinner and Silent Auction: a fabulously entertaining evening! Dinner will be catered by Cactus Grill. Auction items have already begun rolling in and excitement is building! When else does a $20 ticket buy so much festivity? The dinner and auction will be held on Saturday, April 21, in the LLHS Multipurpose room. A social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there!
To donate items or services, or to purchase tickets for the Cabaret Dinner and Silent Auction, contact Traci Lahr or Jenni Ingram at LLHS Performing Arts 994-6471, ext. 135. This event is selling out quickly so don”t delay! Buy your tickets soon! We look forward to seeing you during this night of wonderful entertainment and exciting auctions!
Victoria Tucker, LLHS Band
Kathleen Eberhardt, LLHS PTSA
South County Democratic Club lauds House Speaker Pelosi
It is with pride and hope that we salute the Honorable Nancy Pelosi for her hundred hours of important legislation that have brought back respect and honor to Capitol Hill. After almost a decade of Byzantine partisan politics and arrogance of power, those hundred hours have restored a lost and absent sense of government that is truly by the people, and of the people. Although we are a small group from a small rural community, I am sure that we speak for the majority of the American people.
With your inspiring leadership, and the support of both houses, and by eliminating those politics of obstruction and punitive measures, you have restored faith once more by your visions and dedication.
Thank you Madam Speaker; we remain dedicated Democrats, and send you and the Congress and Senate our best wishes and firmly support your efforts to restore representative democracy to the American people.
Mark Knaup, chair;
Harold E. Riley, ex-chair
South Lake County Democratic Club
