North Putnam officers remain the same

Be thankful you have a job in this economy,quit worrying about sick day pay....half loaf of bread beats nothing!

I have been to my fair share for board meetings for North Putnam and the Heritage Lake POA. Jim Hazelwood likes to hear himself talk. He simply can't see the logic in most issues. He likes to throw gas on the fire anytime he can.

First of all, they are 'sick days' not vacation days. They're there to help people dealing with illnesses or sickness, it is not an extra set of vacation days you can cash in on.

Since he said 'many other staff members feel as if they are penalized for not using their sick days' let them sign a petition and be heard. I seriously doubt any of them elected Jim Hazzlewood to be their 'voice of reason' at the board meetings.

Let's look at it logically (with extremely simplified numbers).

Let's say there are 10 days in the pay period with 5 sick days available to each employee. Sue is sick for 5 of them with a bad flu. Jim works all 10 days and does not use his sick days. At the end of the pay period Sue gets 10 days pay (5 days she worked and 5 sick days); Jim gets 12.5 days pay: 10 days he worked and 50% of his unused (5) sick day(s) pay.

How anyone in this situation would think they were 'penalized' if they didn't use their sick days is beyond me.

Many companies don't offer any type of 'buy back' for unused sick days - be greatful the school gives 50% pay for unsed days - which in my humble opinion, is a waste of money that could be better spent on the education of our children.

Jim, stop wasting the board members' time. We get it, you like to 'feel' important. You like to hear yourself talk. You like to think you are the voice of 'the people'. Do us all a favor and start a whiney, little internet blog so that those of us who don't wish to hear your endless gripes and complaints can simply not log on and read it, rather than being trapped in longer-than-need-be board meetings while you make mountains out of molehills.

That was well said.....

Have either of the people who commented so vehemently on Mr. Hazelwood ever driven a school bus? Have you left the school illegally overloaded with students and no one in administration cares if you loose your license!! Have you ever driven a multi- thousand dollar vehicle on roads where any number of idiots are also driving, while being entrusted with the lives of the most precious thing on earth?? Mind you you are doing all this with less than half of your attention focused on the road because the other 150% has to be focused on the hooligans (i mean well behaved children ) who you are watching with the second set of eyes in the back of your head!! All of this so you don't loose your job because johnny stretched the rubber bracelet that mrs. smith gave him in class over the neck of little sammy and his face is turning blue or the twig (tree) that the kids bring home each spring is being used as a javelin and pokes suzy in the eye causing permanent blindness. And then there are those wonderful extra curricular trips, where the bus barn doesn't know what road hazards are on your path even though the summer safety meeting clearly states that it is their responsibility to let the bus driver know of the hazards. The coach will know how to get their they say--- The coaches are completely oblivious to where, how, and lots of times when they are going. The coaches will be in charge of the kids during trips, they say! I think the news last year clearly shows this isn't the case. I have even had a woman coach change her clothes on the bus while driving down the road. They have zero idea of what the laws of the road are and what you as a driver are subject to arrest or fines for. All they want to do is be chauffered to and from with the least responsibility possible. I say this of MOST but not ALL of the coaches or chapperones.Sometimes the coaches are even worse than the students. If you have experienced and been responsible for any of these events then you are qualified to voice your opinion if not I leave you with this though. I know of a Rays trash truck driver who get's paid $13.00 an hour for every hour he is driving your garbage. Bus drivers on the other hand end up with between five and seven dollars when you factor in all the time spent for free on the road, servicing your bus, washing your bus, cleaning out your bus, cleaning up the puke (that the teacher didn't bother to let you know that little johnny was sick in class all day) now it's all over the bus and others are walking in it ... time spent in unimportant meetings that get no where, and on the phone with parents for any number of reasons. And all of the bus drivers have done this while sicker than a dog themselves and should have been home in bed--- buttttt their dedication sent them out because they either knew or were told when they called in sick that "we don't have anyone else to run your route could you PLEASE just do this morning and i'll get someone for you for tonight"-- which you never hear from them again!! Call me crazy but I think my grandkids and yours are more precious than our garbage and that our bus drivers should be given the highest respect of anyone in the school system considering ALLLL the responsibility they have. If one of the small things that could be done to appreciate them would be to give them the full benefit of their time, if not an appropriate wage, I don't think that it would be too much to ask DO you? JUST SAYING !!!!!!!!!!!!