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Pavilion superintendent earning $183K

By Howard B. Owens

WBTA Reports: Pavilion Central School Superintendent Edward Orman earns $183,000 per year.

That makes him the 4th highest paid school administrator in WNY, even though Pavilion, with 900 students, is among the smallest districts in the region.

william tapp

no wounder my school taxes are so high, i think he needs a cutback or wage freeze.wounder what the teachers are geting? pretty good money for a part time job

Jun 1, 2009, 3:01pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Little kingdoms hate to give up their power. Several years ago, in Nebraska, the hot topic was a county attempting to institute a central purchasing agency for the school districts. The hope was that through the power of bulk purchases, they could offer each school district a budget break.
The letters to the editors; the phone calls to talk radio; and the comments made on television were almosts 100% against the plan. The citizens wanted each of their school districts to maintain complete separation.
They preferred to go it alone.
It would be interesting to hear what Genesee Co. residents would say to consolodating the school districts.

Jun 1, 2009, 5:23pm Permalink
Andrew Erbell

The schools all use centralized purchasing now - through the various BOCES Districts. Speaking as a Genesee County Resident, no thanks to consolidating districts. We're happy with ours as it is.

Jun 1, 2009, 10:00pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by Andrew Erbell on June 1, 2009 - 10:00pm
The schools all use centralized purchasing now - through the various BOCES Districts. .

We, in Genesee Co. (and throughout the state) were already using BOCES for centralized purchasing when this boiled up in Nebraska. Ergo, I know it works - I was amazed that the people there couldn't see the benefit.

Posted by Andrew Erbell on June 1, 2009 - 10:00pm Speaking as a Genesee County Resident, no thanks to consolidating districts. We're happy with ours as it is.

Andrew, I'm sure you have your reasons which you consider valid. There are pros and cons to consolidation. The population of our entire county is smaller than most mid size cities. If a mid size city can provide the services required by a population this size, then certainly it can be done here too.
Why, exactly, are you happy with things the way they are?

Jun 1, 2009, 10:37pm Permalink
Fred GUNDELL

Ok, refer to my comment about two weeks ago on this exact subject. It's crazy to pay that much money for a district this small. Escpecially since Ed does not even reside in the district. That falls on the shoulders of the school board.
I will admit that Ed does a great job at whatever he does. Our taxes have held the line the past couple of years.(Thanks to an infusion of State Money) Consolidation needs a look. Consolidating the school districts into one Genesee School District does not necessarily mean that each town's school will lose their identity, or control thru the School Board.
I for example went to a city school in Rochester.
John Marshall High had their own Identity within the Rochester School District. And yes,, we actually had Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists, and POLITICIANs graduate from my 230 member senior class. John Marshall High School had more students than the entire Pavilion School District.(and we did not have a Supt. getting $183,000.)

Jun 2, 2009, 6:58am Permalink
Andrew Erbell

So, you admit Ed Orman does a great job, but........
But what exactly? As far as the residency requirement, no school has one and most teachers don't live within the district they teach in either, so what?

Consolidating all the local school districts into one means precisely that each will lose their own identity. If you have a central district school board, there is no need for each school to have one otherwise you've simply added a layer of beauracracy, and expense.

I want to have a local say in how our children/grandchildren are educated. I don't want to have to acquiesce for "the betterment of all". Look at State test scores for the various local districts and then tell me some schools aren't doing a better job than others.

Jun 2, 2009, 8:05am Permalink
Karen Miconi

What exactly is his job description?? What does he do that warrants almost 200 thousand dollars a year?? Pavilion isnt that big of a town is it? Sounds a little to glamorous for Genesee County. Can we afford this?? I dont think so...

Jun 2, 2009, 9:27am Permalink
Andrew Erbell

We, as in you live in Pavilion and have a direct say in how much the Superintendent is paid or is this more of the collective "we" that just don't think his salary is somehow fair based on some obtuse view of the world and what people should be paid for any given occupation? If you don't live or own property in the Pavilion School District you are not impacted by their Superintendent's salary at all.

Jun 2, 2009, 10:39am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Free market, right? If a school administrator can negotiate a $183,000 salary, good for him. If citizens don't like it, they can replace the school board that authorized the pay. A person is worth what a company/government is willing to pay, regardless of job description or what other people make.

Jun 2, 2009, 10:53am Permalink
C. M. Barons

I don't want to defend outrageous administrative salaries- still it is necessary to consider two of the driving factors behind those salaries. It appears that there are more administrative openings than qualified candidates. Since districts are required to have a superintendent, they must shell out what it takes to attract one. Also- though it might sound counterintuitive- a small district superintendent wears more hats than a large school superintendent. Small schools demand more from their superintendents.

Jun 2, 2009, 12:11pm Permalink
C. M. Barons

As for Andrew Erbell's comment: "If you don't live or own property in the Pavilion School District you are not impacted by their Superintendent's salary at all." He is off-base.
Pavilion CS's 2008 budget was $11,515,293. Their state aid revenue was $9,143,448. It appears the rest of the state has a far larger interest in Pavilion Central School than residents of Pavilion!

Jun 2, 2009, 12:27pm Permalink
Andrew Erbell

Whoopee, you're paying taxes for every single school district in the State. How much of your tax money is going to Buffalo, Rochester, or NYC? I'll put the Pavilion Student Body against any of those three any day and consider it a wiser investment.

Jun 2, 2009, 12:40pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by C. M. Barons on June 2, 2009 - 12:27pm
As for Andrew Erbell's comment: "If you don't live or own property in the Pavilion School District you are not impacted by their Superintendent's salary at all." He is off-base.
Pavilion CS's 2008 budget was $11,515,293. Their state aid revenue was $9,143,448. It appears the rest of the state has a far larger interest in Pavilion Central School than residents of Pavilion!

Perhaps the residents of Pavilion's School District would like to return the $9,143,448 since they are prefer to be a solitary island in the sea.
I wonder how much of an education the kids can get for less than $3,000,000?

Jun 2, 2009, 12:44pm Permalink
Andrew Erbell

"Perhaps the residents of Pavilion's School District would like to return the $9,143,448 since they are prefer to be a solitary island in the sea."

????????? And you are making this assumption based on what exactly?

Jun 2, 2009, 1:02pm Permalink
Mardell Lamb

I graduated from Pavilion, as did my brothers, cousins, Aunts, Uncles, & parents. I love it here. My children have both gradutated from here & now my youngest will be starting Kindegarten in the Fall.

Ed's done a great job (as far as I can tell) in the 15 yrs. as the super. He's retiring this year & Ken Ellison won't be making nearly as much. I wish them both the best.

Just my two cents. ;o)

Jun 2, 2009, 1:20pm Permalink
Andrew Erbell

Mardell - what do you think you're doing adding first-person perspective and some objectivity (Ed Orman's tenure) to this thread? People are trying to whip up some outrage here.

Jun 2, 2009, 1:30pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

I don't see people trying to whip it up into a scandal. I see people of differing views offering up their thoughts. The level of criticism, if any, has been pretty mild. And a few defenders.

Jun 2, 2009, 1:45pm Permalink
Andrew Erbell

Who said anything about a scandal? A scandal would be a thread with posts about a business closing suddenly that perhaps owes back taxes or a teacher accused of sexual misconduct. This is "newsworthy" merely because some people believe the Pavilion School Superintendent is overpaid. Class envy is alive and well.

Jun 2, 2009, 1:54pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Sorry if there's a misunderstanding, Andrew. I was responding to this statement: "People are trying to whip up some outrage here."

Jun 2, 2009, 2:02pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

I used to think that Howard was an "Instigator" by just throwing out some some general posts on many topics. Then he would wait and see what people post about it. Although the latter part I believe is true the first part is basically things that people should,want or need to know. I bet three times as many people read thebatavian than post for what ever reasons. Its hard not to post for me but i have learned a lot about many important issues by posting and being involved. I still havent learned when to keep quiet but i have learned how to except the fact that I was wrong or didnt understand things. i still reserve the right to disagree but the only way that things can change for the better is by fellow Genesee County residents expressing what they think and feel about "our" County.

Jun 2, 2009, 2:49pm Permalink
Steve Friedman

Ed Orman has done a great job for the Pavilion school district. Both of my daughters have gone through the system and both got the education that they needed to progress as students and citizens. Since Ed has been in his job for 15 years and has nearly performed miracles in brining the people of the district together (not one school budget has ever been closely contested in Pavilion since I have lived here for over 25 years) and he has been instumental in getting so much done for our school and our children that his acomplishments are too many to mention. I wish he were staying in his job for many more years but we all understand that he is deserving of retirement and I (as well as most in our district) wish him all the best and we also wish our new Superintentdent Ken Ellison good luck and smooth sailing in his new position.

Jun 2, 2009, 8:42pm Permalink
C. M. Barons

Andrew: I hope you merely had too much coffee today. If not the case, you might want to have your blood pressure checked. I said nothing critical of Pavilion, Pavilion Central School, Ed Orman or the Pavilion FD Ladies Auxiliary. If anything, my comments defused criticism of Orman's salary.

Jun 3, 2009, 12:08am Permalink

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