The first thing that comes to my mind is the Public Relations Position. Does the State , City or School really need a Public relations person? Is that person doing such critical work that the City, School, Etc. would be crippled without him/her?

In Today’s Heradl Joe Dwindell has a story that says” As the state bleeds billions in red ink, an army of nearly 100 public relations staffers charged with spinning the government story will cost taxpayers a staggering $6.4 million-plus this year, a Herald payroll analysis shows.

The high-priced flacks — including 10 who pull down $100,000 or more a year — pack cubicles from the University of Massachusetts to sheriff’s offices.

I’ve always wondered why Vocational Schools such as Greater Lowell Tech and Nashoba Tech see the need for a PR Flack? Couldn’t the 50K Plus salary be better used for a teacher, books or equipment? The city of Lowell which has many more schools and students seems to survive without one.

UMass Lowell according to the Herald has one of the highest paid PR people in Patricia McCafferty, who pulls down $146,561 as chief of public affairs at the University. Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office boasted five communications staffers earning nearly $300,000, State Treasurer Tim Cahill had five spokespeople earning $314,000 before $80,000-a-year communications director David Kibbe left to help out his gubernatorial campaign.

In the last days of the campaign I’d be asking a sitting State official why they allow the state to spend $6.4 million on PR while we are cutting local aid!

If you listened to City Life this morning you would think that Paul Georges and the Lowell Teacher’s Union single handedly saved the Clubs. If that is how he chooses to spin it fine but the truth is because of the negligence/stupidity/absurdity of past school committees Lowell overpays its club advisors and sports coaches. For instance, the adviser for The Review, the student newspaper, earns $8,763 annually, compared to $1,540 in Lawrence, $2,255 in Andover and $2,248 in Tewksbury. So the Union was facing elimination of 17 positions if they didn’t do something and they needed to show the citizens and students that they do care as Paul Georges always claims.

According to today’s Lowell Sun “Paul Georges, president of the UTL, said he met with club advisers at the high school on Monday and they agreed to work this year for two-thirds of their stipend, saving the district about $45,000. Additionally, Georges said the union would kick in $10,000 if it was assured that all clubs and activities would be saved for this school year. The proposal would leave the School Department about $5,000 short of its budget.

“You have a number of teachers being very generous to try to keep these clubs going, you should be able to find $5,000 in a $135 million budget to keep these activities going,” Georges told the School Committee’s Lowell High School subcommittee last night, adding that it is often membership in clubs and activities that keep kids in school

While Paul strains his arm patting himself on the back, it should be noted that even at 2/3 of their salary they make more than their counterparts in area schools. Never the less they gave up something and deserve credit for that.

The School Committee and School Dept. deserves credit, they held firm that cuts had to be made because there was no available money. At first , the Union as usual refused to cave figuring that money is always found. This time the Administration and Committee stood firm and at the sub-committee last nigh Lowell High Headmaster Edward Rozmiarek presented the following cuts (again from today’s Sun)

Clubs on the chopping block were: the school newspaper, Choral Arts Club, Dance Ensemble, DECA, Jr. ROTC Elite Honor Guard, Chess Society, Environmental Club, Flags and Color Guard, Future Educators of America, Pep Club, Hispanic Club, South Asian Club, Black Unity Club and the International Language Club (which includes Portuguese, Spanish, French and Greek chapters).

“I had to take $133,000 and cut it down to $72,000

But Thanks to common sense on all parts and the School Committee holding firm a justifiable and fair compromise was reached. Who knows maybe this is the beginning of the Union realizing that things have to change.