3/15/2009
I'll be generous
and call it a win-win. The Benton
district directors can claim no major violations were found by the Auditor General, and I can claim credit for cleaning up
the place before the audit and saving Benton district the
shame of a bad audit.
Not only did
I get them to "clean the place up," but I also brought in a little income! Tuition varies, but let's go for the low number
of $7,000 per year for a non-resident student. The family that began paying tuition last year for their three kids brought
in $21,000 extra income into the district. She also had a fourth child that graduated last year that went on to college. Also
other non-residents are now paying tuition that the now fearful board had overlooked. And for that I am faulted?
When a tree
falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound? You bet! In the same way, when the auditor
comes in and no major violations are found, does it mean they still happen? YES! There were four possibilities: the situation
ended, the situation changed, the situation was corrected or the situation was not in violation.
These four
situations all involved Benton district employees, some related
to current directors. By the time the audit was done, a non-resident employee since 1999 (a teacher) had built a home and
moved into the district, another non-resident employee since 2003 ( a secretary) began paying tuition. Another employee resigned
due to work conflict (director Lanny Conner's wife Susan) and yet another non-resident employee (a teacher) was found to have
incorrectly documented a child residing with a parent in another district. Please, hold the applause.
In Benton, residency is spelled "M-O-B-I-L-E H-O-M-E." According to the
2000 census, South Carolina is the nation's mobile home capital, but it looks like Benton, Pa., is making a run at the
title.
Let's cover
Residency 101 for the Benton district. Basically, put a mobile
home on some land or buy a shack, change the address on your driver's license, change your voter ID too and — Shazam!
— you are now a resident of Benton! Don't worry about
your primary residence and state laws, your spouse and family residing, attending and working in another district. Don't sweat
running water, phone service, or electricity either. Sure you will pay a little in property taxes but don't worry about your
employer, even if it is the Benton district, because earned
income tax withheld by the employer and paid to the district is no big deal. Two or more children, no problem, they can attend
whatever district you choose. Why get caught up in those laws about primary residency, that's for the poor schmucks who don't
know how to "operate". School choice is a wish granted to those whose worthiness is shown by employment or athletic skills.
Hear no Evil
Dennis Threlkeld refused to listen to taxpayer complaints, See no Evil Robert Ridall refused to see the non-compliances and
Speak no Evil Lanny Conner refused to admit violations. If they can't figure out the residencies of their own employees right
under their noses, how would they ever solve a real problem? I don't know about you, Benton
taxpayers, but I think incompetent school board directors should resign for the better of the community!
Keep whistling
past the cemetery because the Auditor General's office did not ''sign off'' on two more situations occurring now. Who knows
what lies ahead! Stay tuned for Benton's version of "Harper
Valley PTA."
EVY LYSK
Benton
