Leave it to third graders to ask the most basic–but to the point–questions. Do you get mad? What did you want to be growing up? Is it hard being a mayor? Third graders at Dunbar School visited the mayor’s office on Monday. In addition to their questions we learned what Mayor Joe Ganim is working on.
Ganim schooled the children on his latest priorities via an issues list on an easel in his office. The budget, fixing sewers, second-chance initiatives, securing federal money, north Main Street development, the Barnum Museum, the port authority. Check out the video.
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Warm and fuzzy, Mayor Ganim. Near the end of the school year and a trip to the Mayor’s office for one class is a treat. Allows you to show tactically what you are working on today, but not what your priorities are.
Must feel good to tell the youth they need to work and study hard to get good grades, but where are you doing the heavy lifting for the 22,000 in public schools? If it is true the City Council at the moment has turned down funding for the schools although the schools made a case for $15 Million more just to maintain, and if it is further true the State has cut City schools more than a million more, what is the administration going to do next year? Larger classes, less dollars for special ed, arts and music, school buses, paraprofessional support, counseling, etc.? Why isn’t that subject on your bulletin board?
I know there is lots on your plate, but asking about priorities is critical because if you have none, any direction works. And if you have priorities, then accountability through verification is possible, and transparency gets elevated too, because people will know where to look to see what’s happening. Time will tell.