Cary District 26 Taxpayers demand that the Cary Community Consolidated Dsitrict 26 BOE seek ISBE assistance and request that the ISBE establish a Financial Oversight Panel immediately.

This panel which is established for a minimum of three years will create an accountability for the BOE, both current, those to be elected in April 2011 and Administration that has not been able to be established to date in the district to assure the continued financial viability and educational focus into the future of District 26 for Cary residents and children in the district.

To date, no fully detailed plan for 2011-2015 for the operational, nor educational delivery has been presented that produces any sustainable operation. The need for future cuts have been identified, yet not detailed how they will be implemented nor assurance that the district, with current negative fund balances can sustain itself until all of the cuts actually manifest, nor maintain its facilites should any unforeseen major repairs occur during this period.

The establishment of an Oversight Financial Panel creates an unbiased panel that forces the district management and BOE to be held to deadlines for financial performance and also has the ability to set agendas to make sure this performance occurs. This is not the State creating a Finance Authority which replaces the BOE and Management, rather an interim opportunity for the Cary BOE and Management to prove to both the ISBE and Taxpayers that it can properly manage the financial resources it receives over time, which despite multiple board configurations and management changes has not occured.

 If the Cary BOE feels strongly enough that it has a plan as they have presented to the public so far for 2011-2015 and it is viable, they will embrace this demand to ask for assistance as the created ISBE Financial Oversight Panel should then only validate their plan and create an accoutability for them to make sure it occurs.  If this Panel determines that the plan is not viable, neither the community nor students  will have to wait for a failed outcome, rather the focus of the BOE and Management will be redirected to constructive solutions and monitored for their adherence to a positive outcome.

The Community needs accountability that the money it provides currently should be able to be managed to adequately provide for a full well rounded educational curriculum and provide for upkeep of the buildings the taxpayers have provided funding for as we are all only custodians of these assets for generations to come.