Jerry's unprovoked attack on Gallon a head-scratcher

Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Gallon	Assemblyman Jerry Green

Plainfielders are wondering if Assemblyman Jerry Green is losing it.

His unprovoked attack yesterday on Plainfield Schools Superintendent Steve Gallon has folks scratching their heads in bemusement (see story here).

Under a headline screaming 'Plainfield BOE loses $400,000', Jerry lets off the following rant --

I was notified today that the Plainfield School District had to send back $400,000 in State aid. No one in the district has called my office to share this information with me. This is not the first time that the City of Plainfield had to send money back to Trenton because of a lack of communication with my office. I want to share with you how embarrassing this is to the City...

Two points need to be made --

1. Dr. Gallon has a perfectly reasonable explanation (see below); and
   
   
2. Jerry needs to be careful talking about returning money -- his mayoral puppet Sharon Robinson-Briggs almost lost $460,000 secured by Sen. Frank Lautenberg except for a campaign waged by Plainfield Today to make sure it was saved (in posts from August 2006 to June 2007, the last just days before the grant was set to expire). Her most recent escapade in tardiness was the flap around the East 6th Street playground, where she was in danger of losing an $85,000 grant which had already been TWICE EXTENDED (read more here), and came to the Council in full panic mode.

So much for embarrassing the City by returning unused monies.

But Jerry goes on to suggest that all could have been fixed with a phone call to him. Jerry, the fixer. Hmmm...

Schools' superintendent Steve Gallon sees the situation somewhat differently.

Here is Dr. Gallon's detailed response, in an email to BOE Board President Bridget Rivers which she shared with me --

Truth has no special time or place. Its time is right now and right here. Always!

With respect to speculations, rumors, and innuendos, fair, transparent, and courageous leadership require a degree of due diligence and fact finding. This administrator has remained open and responsive to inquiries and questions and concerns raised by those who may have raised them in a decent and orderly manner.

I remain somewhat intrigued by the unnecessary and useless fodder and too often factual inaccuracies espoused by a few that inherently divide us and bears no positive fruit to the people or children of Plainfield. Nonetheless, we must remain undaunted in our efforts to work together, speak truth to power, and engage in those positive “bodies of work” that will ultimately help improve our community, quality of life, and possibilities for our children.

With that said, as it relates to the inquiry about the District’s “loss” of $400,000.00, it is imperative that I provide an accurate response to this matter. I do appreciate your contacting me and inquiring about this matter from a legally responsible and accountable source such as this administrator. Please know, that I had not been contacted by anyone else to provide accurate information regarding this matter and remain grateful for the respect and courtesies that you have demonstrated. The following represents the factual context of this matter:

* Members of the Board of Education may not legally initiate a purchase and/or expenditure of said funds
* The initiation of District funds is a part of the “day-to-day” operations of schools and District offices
* A total of $418,000.00 was returned to state by the District
* Fund Balances are not uncommon in not only school Districts, but organizations---this is what is often referred to as “surplus”
* Often, grant funds such as Title I and even the recent awards received by several of our schools, arrive late in the year making it imprudent for a school or office to spend tens of thousands of dollars in a few months, which amounts to “haste making waste”. In such a case, the District or school would “carryover” those funds for timely planning and prudent purchasing
* There are specific guidelines for the “rollover” of funds. Those guidelines were adhered to. There was no “mismanagement” of any funds
* These funds were accumulated over a three year period ending June 30, 2008 (05/06; 06/07; 07/08)
* Theses funds were a combination of specifically earmarked grant sources
* There were 29 line item in this funding structure with balances that ranged from $360.00-$52,855.00
* Each line item delineates a specific purpose (i.e., field trips, supplies, staff)
* Some of these line items were at school sites which were charged with there management
* These grant funds could not be used for the purchase of textbooks, school lunches, etc.
* The grant period covered a two-year period ending in June, 07.
* If the funds allocated are not able to be expended in accordance with the predetermined guidelines, they must be returned
* A District can not “exceed” the amount of the grant funds

The New Jersey Office of Grants Management has specific guidelines and provisions for the “carry-over” of grant funds. In general, they posit that “carryover funds may be reallocated to budget categories other than those specified on the original application, providing that the funds are expended on approved activities in accordance with program guidelines.” For example, if the initial goals and objectives reflected in the grant application are not fully attainable or are adjusted, such can result in a “carryover.” The worst mistake for a District to do is to use funds outside of the scope of what they were allocated for. This would constitute mismanagement. Although I was not here at the time, this was not the case.

Finally, my position in no way minimizes the need for the District to use any and all available resources for our students. I have taken appropriate steps since my arrival that include but are not limited to requiring annual expenditure plans, monthly reviews of funds balances, centralized plan development and implementation, and ongoing monitoring.

I hope that this has served to clarify this matter. As always, please feel to contact us for further questions and/or clarification.

Respectfully,
Steve Gallon III, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

Will there be more Jerry meltdowns as the campaign season unfolds?

Stay tuned.

---

• Jerry Green's Page, 4/8/20009: "Plainfield BOE loses $400,000"
• Plainfield Today:
• 8/23/2006: "Lautenberg money called to Robinson-Briggs' attention in transition memo"
• 5/21/2007: "Will city have to give $460,000 back to Feds?"
• 6/26/2007: "Lautenberg grant deadline looms"
• 1/26/2009: "Questions for Mayor on Bryant Playground grants"

-- Dan Damon

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