Are Teachers In Gloucester, Virginia Being Paid Enough?

If you have been watching the local Board of Supervisors meeting about the present budget or watching the school board meetings, there is always a cry that the county is under funding the school board and that teachers simply are not getting the pay they deserve.

  What are the real facts about this claim?  From the looks of it: teachers are paid above a living wage.  For years it was always claimed that teachers were not being paid enough money and that what they were being paid fell below or at best was just barely a minimum living wage.  A living wage has nothing to do with minimum wages in general.  A living wage in the present economy is about $45,000.00 per year.  Anything above that level allows a better standard of living.

The present pay for teachers in Gloucester is an average of over $49,000.00 per year which is above the $45,000.00 level allowing for an above minimum living wage for their positions.  Assistant principles and principles in my view are way overpaid for their positions exceeding $86,000.00 for the average Principle here in Gloucester and above $60,000.00 for assistant principles affording comfortable living wages for these folks.  If they are not making it on those salaries, then they have serious cash management issues they personally need to address.

  School programs have all been cut to bare bones while pay for teachers, assistant principle, principles and the tremendous bloat of administrative personnel runs rampant.  It has now become more advantageous to work in the public sector than to work in the private sector.  A complete inversion of the way it used to be for well over a century.

2014 2015 Virginia Teachers Salary Report from Chuck Thompson

The above information shows where we got our numbers from used in this article.  So the next time you hear anyone complaining that teachers are not being paid enough and that the school board needs more money, you need to stop and ask a lot of questions.  Who is making the claim?  Why are they making that claim?  What is that claim based on?  How are they justifying those claims?

  When it comes to playing with numbers: anyone can play with the figures to make them say anything they want them to say.  I can always justify why I do not have enough money at anytime for any reason.   The bigger the budget the easier it is to create the claim of shortage to meet the budget.  Inflating a budget is a very easy trick to pull as well.  

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Open Letter to the Citizens of Gloucester County Virginia

Open Letter to the Citizens of Gloucester County Virginia

“For the Common Good. “

Your meetings seem to get more interesting overtime. Where can you go to a county meeting to talk about a “cat house”? Did you not go to or see the meeting. Check out the video.

"The Land of the Life Worth Living" for everyone in the county.

If you have not seen this meeting it is available on Mr. Thompson’s website. I cannot do justice to what was shared in the meeting. But here are a few highlights to whet your appetite.

At hour 3 in the meeting Mr “Ted” Wilmot, you know his complete name with out me have to write it out, started discussing changes to the Animal Control Ordinances to bring them into compliance with Virginia Code. He used phrases like: “consistent with state definition”, “track state code definitions”, “track precisely with state code”.

Now after hearing him use these phrases I have to wonder why Gloucester County Ordinance Chapter 3 Section 3-18 is still part of the code?

“Amend Section 3-18 as follows:

Sec. 3-18. Animals in enclosed vehicles.

(a) It shall be unlawful to leave any animal in a vehicle without the

benefit of air conditioning when the outside temperature reaches

eighty (80) degrees fahrenheit or greater.

(b) Any person who confines an animal in an unattended vehicle so as

to cause the animal to suffer from heat stress, shall be guilty of a

Class 1 misdemeanor. The animal control officer or other officer

shall have the authority to remove any animal foundleft in an

enclosed a vehicle that appears to be suffering from heat stress.

The animal shall be provided immediate veterinary care. The

animal owner or custodian shall be responsible for all expenses

incurred during the removal of the animal or its subsequent

treatment and impoundment.

(c) In the event that the person responsible for the violation cannot be

ascertained, the registered owner of the vehicle, as required by

Chapter 6 of Title 46.2 of the Code of Virginia, shall constitute in

evidence a prima facie presumption that such registered owner

was the person who committed the violation.”

Virginia Code Title 3.2 Chapter 65 Comprehensive Animal Care (3.2-6500 thru 3.2-6590) and specifically 3.2-6508 Transporting animals; requirements; penalty.

"§ 3.2-6508. Transporting animals; requirements; penalty.

A. No owner, railroad or other common carrier when transporting any animal shall allow that animal to be confined in any type of conveyance more than 24 consecutive hours without being exercised, properly rested, fed and watered as necessary for that particular type and species of animal. A reasonable extension of this time shall be permitted when an accident, storm or other act of God causes a delay. Adequate space in the primary enclosure within any type of conveyance shall be provided each animal depending upon the particular type and species of animal.

B. No person shall import into the Commonwealth, nor export from the Commonwealth, for the purpose of sale or offering for sale any dog or cat under the age of eight weeks without its dam.

C. Violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. “

I do not see anything that looks like the county code in this section or as Mr. Wilmot would say “consistent with state definition”, “track state code definitions”, “track precisely with state code”. Does Mr. Wilmot know we live in a Commonwealth and not a state? Inquiring minds want to know?

Lets look further: 3.2-6566 Preventing cruelty to animals; interference; penalty

Ҥ 3.2-6566. Preventing cruelty to animals; interference; penalty.

Each animal control officer, humane investigator or State Veterinarian's representative shall interfere to prevent the perpetration of any act of cruelty upon any animal in his presence. Any person who shall interfere with or obstruct or resist any humane investigator or State Veterinarian's representative in the discharge of his rights, powers, and duties as authorized and prescribed by law is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. “

Not here either. Lets continue: 3.2-6568 Power of search for violations of statutes against cruelty to animals

Ҥ 3.2-6568. Power of search for violations of statutes against cruelty to animals.

When an affidavit is made under oath before a magistrate or court of competent jurisdiction by any animal control officer, humane investigator, law-enforcement officer, or State Veterinarian's representative that the complainant believes and has reasonable cause to believe that the laws in relation to cruelty to animals have been, are being, or are about to be violated in any particular building or place, such magistrate or judge, if satisfied that there is reasonable cause for such belief, shall issue a warrant authorizing any sheriff, deputy sheriff, or police officer to search the building or place. After issuing a warrant under this section, the magistrate or judge shall file the affidavit in the manner prescribed by § 19.2-54. After executing the warrant, the animal control officer, humane investigator, law-enforcement officer, or State Veterinarian's representative shall return the warrant to the clerk of the circuit court of the city or county wherein the search was made. “

I believe Section 3-18 paragraph (b) violates Virginia Code. Does Mr. Wilmot have a real law degree and everything or did he just forget to stop at a “Bar” or was that pass a bar? Maybe his vast staff did this work and he did not check it to make sure it was legal?

I cannot find in Virginia Code where this is a legal ordinance. Lets look at the proposed ordinance to see what it says:

“Animals in enclosed vehicles.

(a) It shall be unlawful to leave any animal in a vehicle without the

 benefit of air conditioning when the outside temperature reaches eighty (80) degrees fahrenheit or greater.”

This says animals in a vehicle a horse trailer back of an open pickup truck, etc. if it is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or greater you can have your animal taken with this new change if you do not have air conditioning. When are the animal control vehicles going to meet this requirement. Bring them into compliance and then consider 3-18 after it is made part of the Virginia Code.

If the Board considers passing this they are “criminals with no regards for the rule of law”? I believe your oath of office state you will uphold the US and Virginia Constitution and laws. This does not appear to meet those requirements?


If you want to hear about these changes listen at hour 3 for about 10 minutes and learn about the county's position on cat houses.

I am not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice. Our founding fathers used common sense and Christian scripture when establishing our founding documents. This change does not meet either of these., you decide?

"The Land of the Life Worth Living" for everyone in the county.

Sincerely,

Alexander James Jay

P.S. So why are we hiring another Animal Control Officer don't the ones we have get in enough mischief without needing another one?

"Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both." --Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, 1816


"Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind. With such persons, gullibility, which they call faith, takes the helm from the hand of reason and the mind becomes a wreck." --Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Smith, 1822

Gloucester, Virginia Links and News, GVLN

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Gloucester, Virginia's Best News Source

Gloucester, VA Utilities Commission Meeting Minutes, July, 2014

Gloucester Utilities Committee Meeting Minutes from Chuck Thompson

Here are the meeting minutes from the Gloucester County utilities commission.  Information not readily available to the public in the past.  Through requests we have been able to get county officials to make this information available to the public.  These types of reports help you to understand how your tax money is used.

Gloucester, Virginia Links and News, GVLN

Voted

Gloucester, Virginia's Best News Source

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Gloucester, VA BoS Budget Meeting Video, April 2nd, 2014

We are behind on posting these meetings due to some other work contracts.  Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors Work Session Budget meeting from April 2nd, 2014.

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Gloucester, VA Page Middles School Dis Service Announcement 3

Below is information direct from county records.  It shows what county citizens recommended to county officials in regards as to what to do about the Page Middle School.  As we all know, county officials have shown everyone in the county that they could care less what the input from the citizens are.  They are going to do what ever they want and were only going through the check marks of what they are required to do.

  No one wanted to see the new Page Middle School being built in the new swamp location.

Gloucester, VA Page Middel School Information from Chuck Thompson

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8PKB4B3Z5-kNndYSGN2UnRYOEE/edit?usp=sharing  

The above link is another way to view the page above as well as download a copy if you so desire.  Downloads are available from both locations and embedding is also an option from both.  We made the PDF available online as well.  We have more to come.

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Gloucester, (Swamp) Page Middle School Future Views?

Come one come all to the ground breaking ceremony of the new school being built in the middle of a swamp.  A school already mired in very real potential scandals before construction even beings.  Come out and celebrate with those who think they have every right to your future earnings to pay for whatever it is they want.

  The above picture is to give you an idea of what the new Page Middle school may just look like after only a few years.  Sinking back down into the swamp it's being built on, that is provided it is not blown apart because the school is not been built to handle standards of withstanding even a class 2 hurricane.

So a weak tropical storm may just come in and blow the house down?  And all at the very low cost of 26 million dollars not to include the future interest.  But hey, it's your money and not theirs so who cares right?  The Gloucester officials can always put through another bond for 35 million for yet another school and stick you with that bill as well.  

  The ground breaking ceremony is today and Gloucester officials are asking you to come out and support this.  The event starts at 4:00 PM at the grounds of the site of the new school location.  Parking will be at the Gloucester, High school and you will be bused to the new site as there is no parking a the new site yet.

  Monday, September 23rd, 2013.  4:00 PM.  You can go to the high school as early as 3:00 PM to be bused to the new site.   Are you excited about seeing how your tax dollars are being wasted?  

Just remember to keep an eye on any of your loved ones.  Last thing anyone wants to see is another scene like the one above.  Should you see this view while there? Just look the other way please and pretend you didn't see anything.  In fact, help out and cover the hand or foot up with a brick or something.

Future cafeteria views as the swamp takes back over it's rightful place in the area?  Aquatic learning with real life situations?

Proud parents will want to come out to the new swamp school to take pictures of their children playing outside with the new game, swamp ball?

Gloucester Officials may want to follow the lead of China with new school bus issues, getting the children in and out of the school area in the swamp.

But hey, again, it's only 26 million.  Pocket change, right?

So come one, come all.  Remember, it's all about the children.

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How The Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors Meeting Work, Robert's Rules of Order

Rules of Order" target="_blank">Robert's Rules of Order from Chuck Thompson

Ever wonder how a Board of Supervisor's meeting works or how it is structured?  Ever wonder how they come up with their rules?  So did we, so we set to find out just what those rules are and how they work.  The Gloucester County, Virginia Board of Supervisors are allowed to pick a form or structure for how the meetings are to be conducted each year.  For 2013, Robert's Rules of Order is the format that Gloucester County uses for it's Board of Supervisors meetings.

Above is a complete, yet older version of Robert's Rules of Order.  Devised by Henry Robert back in the 1800's/  The first pocket edition was published in 1876.
From Wikipedia:

The book is designed for use in ordinary societies rather than legislative assemblies, and it is the most commonly adopted parliamentary authority among societies in the United States.[2] The book claims to be a "codification of the present-day general parliamentary law (omitting provisions having no application outside legislative bodies)".[3] This statement does not imply any approbation on the part of the courts, and the "general parliamentary law" is related neither to statutory legal requirements nor to common-law precedent derived from court judgments.

Being widely accepted, and being based for the most part on long-standing traditions of parliamentary procedure, however, the current edition of the book is a reliable reference. Nevertheless, the provisions of any particular manual are not, as a general matter, legally binding upon an assembly that has not formally adopted it as its parliamentary authority; any such manual can at best be cited as "persuasive".[4] In addition, a number of changes have been made to recent editions, such as provisions dealing with videoconferences, teleconferences, and email, which now makes these editions more than merely codifications of the "present-day general parliamentary law" as existed at the time Robert was originally writing.

(End Wiki)

County Board of Supervisors" target="_blank">Board Rules of Procedure 2013 Gloucester County Board of Supervisors from Chuck Thompson

As seen above, for 2013, the Gloucester County, Virginia Board of Supervisors has adopted Robert's Rules of Order for the structure of public meetings.  

Arguments of Suppression:

Previously we argued that it looked to us like the Board of Supervisors were purposely suppressing public arguments by time limits.  Is the argument valid?  Let's say it is a valid argument based on the fact that the Board can set time limits on the public based on Robert's Rules of Order, however, there is on the other hand, no basis of law on that time limit at that juncture.  Let's look at the present county rules for speakers.

" Speakers At every Public Hearing, speakers wishing to address the Board shall clearly state their name and address or magisterial district, if applicable, and they shall be allowed to speak for no more than the time limit set by the Chair

. Each speaker may address the Board as many times as the Chair may allow, but no speaker shall exceed the total time limit set by the Chair regardless of the number of times recognized by the Chair.

 The Parliamentarian shall be responsible for noting the expiration of this time limit, and the Chair shall be responsible for enforcing said limit. All speakers shall direct their comments to the Board Chair. Speakers may register with the Clerk prior to the start of the hearing if the Chair feels it is necessary on forms provided for citizen participation, and the Chair shall verify that all such registration has been completed before beginning the hearing with the first step described above in Section 4-1. The Code of Gloucester County,

 Section 2-13, allows the Chair to recognize any citizen to speak to the Board during the course of any meeting if deemed appropriate, and requires the Chair to recognize a citizen when requested by two (2) or more Board members. Section 4-3. Member’s Participation Board members shall limit their comments during public hearings to ensure full participation by the public without Board interference."

(End Copy)

(New Copy)

Section 4-1. Format for Public Hearings

The following format shall be followed for all Public Hearings conducted before the Board of Supervisors, except for those conducted by representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation:

• The Chair will make a brief statement identifying the matter to be heard and verify with the County Administrator that all legal advertisement requirements have been met.

• The Chair will call upon the appropriate County staff member to present the item to be heard. Staff presentations should be concise and normally limited to no more than ten (10) minutes except when necessary to properly inform the public of the issue before the Board. In a land use matter, unless otherwise agreed by the Board, the applicant or the applicant’s representative(s) shall be allowed a maximum of ten (10) minutes to present their case immediately following the staff presentation.

• The Chair will open the floor to public comment.

• The Chair shall close the floor to public comment, and refer the matter for Board discussion.

(End Copy)

Arguments based on the above, Gloucester County's own format:

1.) Nowhere is a preset time limit given for any speaker from the public given.

2.) No laws are quoted for time limits, other than one may be set, for a public speaker, which is not a law but rules of order.

3.) The only time the public sees a time limit is when a public meeting is announced on a given topic.  The time limit is arbitrary and can be changed at will.

4.) We have noted that when a topic is a hot debate and the county wishes to restrict that debate, the time limit is restricted to a very low level, usually 5 minutes.  

One will note with great interest, the video from the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors meeting, below, that there was no public speaker time limit given on a subject of very low interest.  Yet once the school bond issue came up, it was made very clear that any member of the public had only 5 minutes to speak.

The school bond issue was a very hot topic.  The 5 minutes were in fact enforced on one person who had more to say.  That person was suppressed from having her say.  (You can see the entire video at the bottom of this site).

 

The case of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors should now be very clear about suppressing unwanted information in opposition to what the Board of Supervisors wants to push through regardless of what the public wants.

How to beat the limitations on time.  According to the information above from the Board of Supervisors own meeting rules, if you want to address an issue at the public hearing or before any part of the meetings begin to open up a certain topic, you can register ahead of time to do so.  You can also submit how long that presentation will last.  It takes advanced planning and timing, but it is one option.

Option two.  Tag team.  If you will need to make sure your message is heard, you can create a tag team of people who will each present a part of the total argument and still keep within the time frame that the Board of Supervisors has set for each person.  One can also argue the time limitations set by the board and challenge the time limitations requesting to know how that time limit was set for the particular topic and request justification for that time limit. 

If you understand how all of this is set up, you can work within it's limitations and still beat them.  There is always a loophole.  Even if the Board closes that loophole, there are always others.

Government is by the consent of the governed.  People should not be afraid of their government, the government should fear the people.  (Old historical quote).

On a final note, we would like to show the Gloucester County, Virginia Board of Supervisor's Code of Ethics and ask if they are in violation of their own codes.

Code of Ethics 2013 Gloucester County Board of Supervisors from Chuck Thompson

If you are having any difficulty reading any of the documents in their containers, you can left click the icon at the bottom right hand side of the container and the document will change to full screen view.  Robert's Rules of Order is available for a free download from our SlideShare site.  Usual procedures apply.

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