EDITORIAL: Newfane’s school board a mess

May 19, 2008 05:12 pm

— What is going on in Newfane? We’ve asked this before, but really, after this past weekend, we’re wondering what’s happening in Newfane.
There’s school board members battling it out, lawsuit threats and “crap” that one board member says he’s sick of. Oh yeah, and there’s an election today. You may have forgotten that, considering the weekend bickering.
While Carl Stieffenhofer complains to the state about fellow board member Donna Piezala, another board member, David Adams is calling for a public hearing calling for misconduct charges against Stieffenhofer. All of this while Newfane has three open seats, and four candidates for the school board.
Incumbents Carl Stieffenhofer and Cynthia Ames will run, as will residents Brian Hellner and Patrick Kilcullen.
And then there’s the $31,949,691 budget proposal for Newfane, which represents a spending increase of 3.58 percent. The tax levy will account for $12,038,611, an increase of 2.44 percent, and will increase the tax rate by 0.51 percent. That translates to about a 14-cent increase per $1,000 of assessed land value, bringing the tax rate to an estimated $27.08 per $1,000.
Instead of focusing on the election and the budget, board members are at each other’s throats.
“I’m sick of this crap,” Adams told Stieffenhofer at the board’s Sunday meeting. “I want you to have a hearing on your misconduct, because I believe you need to be removed.”
We’re starting to wonder if the whole board should be cleared out. Newfane has always been a bit contentious, but this is getting out of hand. Remind us again what all of this in-fighting is doing to lower taxes for Newfane residents or improve their children’s education.
If you’re as sick as this “crap” as Adams said he was (you can count us as well) then keep in mind there’s two new people running for the board. It may be too late, as some readers may have cast their ballots already, but if not, clear out the two incumbents.
If this conduct keeps up next year, get rid of the incumbents running then as well. This bickering isn’t solving much and we’re starting to wonder if the kids in the schoolyard are more civil than these elected officials.