An Unabashed Advocate

To the Editor:

The editorial in the July 29 issue of The Bee [Editorial Ink Drops, “Newtown’s Feelings About The Owner-Operators”] regarding my involvement in the Board of Education’s school transportation bid process distorts factual information provided to the board.

Does anyone really believe that the school district’s business manager wields such power to independently decide to “orchestrate” a major change in the town’s school transportation system? As for quoting me as saying that I “wanted to do away with the owner-operators once and for all,” I know that I have never uttered those words or words to that effect. But it is true that I said there are better deals out there. That’s a fact, however, not an opinion.

Some of my primary responsibilities as a school business manager are to oversee expenses, make recommendations for short- and long-term savings, provide supportive data, and not concern myself with the politics of a potential change. If it doesn’t pass muster, it doesn’t go forward. I am not simply an advisor, and certainly remain neutral. Often hard decisions must be made due to limited budget resources. Every budget season we see a growing chorus of townspeople who support the education budget and don’t want cuts to programs, but their voices are considered a minority to all those who don’t speak out on the issue.

The Board of Education expects compliance with policies and welcomes cost savings ideas that may be available. I present factual information and analyses. As additional information is requested, such as the school bus maintenance records, it is collected and presented without an opinion. Informed readers can draw their own conclusions from much of this data. There have been no specific recommendations in any of the information I presented, and most certainly no misconstrued data. The board goes through its due diligence and makes independent decisions based on all the information and public comments presented. There is no mystery and no hidden agenda to the decision process.

As for selling the idea of “structural change,” the term and the concept comes from our state and local officials. This expression, which has been used by our governor and Board of Finance, refers to significant changes in the way business is done to achieve long-term sustainability and, in our case, direct benefits to the taxpayers. Concluding that a “mistake is about to be made” is theatrical. The future is not predictable.

My constant goal is to provide funds for our important purpose — to have the most positive impact possible on the education process. To be characterized as a “hired hand” who is giving bad advice is just plain trash talk. However, being considered an unabashed advocate for the board is right on and a compliment in my book. Any employee should be an unabashed advocate for their employer.

Ron Bienkowski

Director of Business for Newtown Public Schools

3 Primrose Street, Newtown                                         August 3, 2011