Published: July 17, 2007 11:42 pm      

Group demanding answers from board

ROCKWOOD — The fallout from Rockwood Area School District’s budget woes continues.

In response to the district’s borrowing $500,000 after a budget error, a group of taxpayers has formed a Rockwood Area Taxpayers Association to demand answers from the school board.

“For the past couple of years, nothing has been done to improve educational programs for students and, at the same time, our fund balance is exhausted,” association member Susan Gerhard said.

“We’re basically bankrupt.”

Without discussion, school board members on Tuesday approved forming a committee to work with the group. High school Principal Mark Bower is to serve as liaison.

Gerhard passed out three pages of questions the group wants the board to answer. They focus on the school’s special education coordinator position, closing Kingwood Elementary School to save money and a host of inquiries into administration changes. The school board already has authorized performing a cost study of Kingwood Elementary’s operations.

“We just think it’s been poor management, poor business tactics,” Gerhard said before the meeting. “We’re just here to help.”

Gerhard and a few other members of the taxpayers group who attended Tuesday’s board meeting said they didn’t know whether the group will be a permanent fixture. “It depends on the level of cooperation,” she said.

Superintendent Vincent Capricci retired last month after the shortfall surfaced, though he didn’t mention the financial crisis in his letter of resignation.