Rivera Returns -- 5 September 2002

>> Michael: JUST AHEAD ON
"NEED TO KNOW," WITH APOLOGIES
TO PETE TOWNSEND, MEET THE NEW
BOSS, SAME AS THE OLD BOSS.
FORMER ROCHESTER SCHOOLS
SUPERINTENDENT MANUEL RIVERA
IS BACK FOR ANOTHER STINT
LEADING THE DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATION.
WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH
THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE ANOTHER
EDITION OF THE BUSINESS
SECTION WITH THE "DEMOCRAT AND
CHRONICLE," AND WE'LL HAVE A
REPORT ON THE CHANGING LOOK OF
THE LANDSCAPE AT MOUNT HOPE
CEMETERY.
IT'S NEXT ON "NEED TO KNOW."

(Music)

>> THIS IS "NEED TO KNOW," THE
ROCHESTER AREA'S ONLY IN-DEPTH
NEWS PROGRAM.
"NEED TO KNOW" IS A PRODUCTION
OF WXXI NEWS AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COVERING ISSUES,
POLITICS, EDUCATION AND
CURRENT EVENTS.

>> "NEED TO KNOW" IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE DAISY MARQUIS
JONES FOUNDATION, BY DORSCHEL
LEXUS AND THROUGH THE SUPPORT
OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> Michael: THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
I'M MICHAEL CAPUTO.
THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEGUN AND
STUDENTS RESUME THE RITUAL OF
LEARNING THE NAMES OF NEW
TEACHERS AND REACQUAINTING
THEMSELVES WITH OLD FRIENDS.
THOSE AT THE CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT CENTRAL
ADMINISTRATION OFFICES ARE
GETTING USED TO A NEW LEADER
WHO IS AN OLD FRIEND, MANUEL
RIVERA.
HE BEGAN HIS CAREER HERE AS AN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER IN
1975 AND ROSE TO POSITIONS
SUCH AS DIRECTOR OF THE
BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM;
PRINCIPAL OF FREDERICK
DOUGLASS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND,
EVENTUALLY, KEY ROLES UNDER
SUPERINTENDENTS PETER
McWALTERS AND LAVAL WILSON.
HE SIGNED A CONTRACT AS
DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT IN
JANUARY 1992.
HIS SALARY THEN WAS $92,000,
NEARLY HALF OF THE $180,000
HE'LL MAKE THIS COMING YEAR.
WITH MORE ON THE
SUPERINTENDENT IS "NEED TO
KNOW'S" MATT CUMMINGS.

>> Matt: MANUEL J. RIVERA HAS
BEEN HERE BEFORE.
NAMED INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT
OF THE ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN JULY, HE TAKES
OVER THE DISTRICT UNDER
CIRCUMSTANCES EERILY SIMILAR
TO HIS PREVIOUS TENURE FROM
1992 TO 1994.
RIVERA REPLACES OUTGOING
SUPERINTENDENT CLIFFORD JANEY,
WHO WAS TERMINATED BY THE CITY
SCHOOL BOARD IN MAY AFTER THE
DISTRICT REPORTED A $49
MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT JUST
THREE MONTHS AFTER THE START
OF THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
RIVERA ALSO INHERITS A TENUOUS
FISCAL SITUATION FOR THE
2002/2003 SCHOOL YEAR AS THE
DISTRICT HAS JUST RECENTLY
CLOSED A PROJECTED $69 MILLION
GAP.
HIS PREVIOUS TENURE AS
SUPERINTENDENT SAW HIM FACE A
BUDGET CRISIS AS WELL THAT
INITIALLY FORCED HIM TO CUT
COUNSELORS AND ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL LIBRARIANS, MANY OF
WHICH WERE RESTORED AFTER
LEADERS IN ALBANY CAME THROUGH
WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
HE ALSO WAS EMBROILED IN A
CONTENTIOUS CONTRACT
NEGOTIATION WITH THE TEACHERS'
UNION.
RIVERA LEFT HIS FIRST TENURE
AS ROCHESTER'S DISTRICT
SUPERINTENDENT TO TAKE A JOB
WITH THE NEW YORK CITY-BASED
EDISON PROJECT, NOW CALLED
EDISON INCORPORATED.
EDISON IS CONSIDERED A
NATIONAL LEADER IN PRIVATE
MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HE HAS BEEN WITH THE COMPANY
SINCE HE LEFT THE ROCHESTER
DISTRICT AND MOST RECENTLY
SERVED AS VICE PRESIDENT OF
DEVELOPMENT.
RIVERA WAS CHOSEN WITHOUT THE
DISTRICT CONDUCTING A NATIONAL
SEARCH, A STICKING POINT WITH
TWO BOARD MEMBERS WHO
ORIGINALLY SAID THEY WOULD NOT
VOTE FOR HIS APPOINTMENT.
HOWEVER DARRELL PORTER AND
JAMES BOWERS EVENTUALLY VOTED
WITH THE MAJORITY AND RIVERA
WAS APPOINTED UNANIMOUSLY.
SUPPORTERS SAY HE HAS A
WINNING PERSONALITY AND WILL
HELP HEAL THE DISTRICT AFTER
THE LATEST EMOTIONAL BUDGET
PROCESS.

(Music)

>> Michael: THANK YOU, MATT.
I'M JOINED NOW BY
SUPERINTENDENT RIVERA.
THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Michael: YOU KNOW, THE
TIMES ARE DIFFERENT BUT THE
PROBLEMS, IT SEEMS LIKE, ARE
THE SAME AS THEY WERE TEN
YEARS AGO, TIGHT FISCAL
PROBLEMS.
YESTERDAY THERE WAS A REPORT
THAT ABOUT A THIRD OF THE CITY
SCHOOLS ARE ON A LIST FOR
UNDERACHIEVING.

>> RIGHT.

>> Michael: LET ME ASK YOU, IS
THIS A SIGN THAT PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IN URBAN SETTINGS
CAN'T MAKE IT?

>> WELL, I MEAN, WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IS IN FACT THAT, IN
URBAN SETTINGS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE
SEEING THAT PROBLEM.
BUT I THINK IT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT IT'S HOPELESS.
I MEAN, IN FACT I'VE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY IN THE LAST SIX
YEARS IN MY WORK WITH EDISON
TO GO TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, MIAMI, YOU KNOW,
DALLAS, St. LOUIS, KANSAS
CITY, AND I'VE SEEN WHERE
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TURN
SCHOOLS AROUND.
I'VE SEEN SCHOOLS THAT HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED AS LOW
PERFORMING, AND IF YOU TAKE
AND YOU GO IN AND YOU WORK
WITH THE FACULTY, YOU GIVE
THEM THE SUPPORT THAT THEY
NEED, THE RIGHT KIND OF
TRAINING, THE RIGHT KIND OF
CURRICULUM AND PROGRAM FOR
STUDENTS, TECHNOLOGY, YOU CAN
TURN A SCHOOL AROUND.
AND IT CAN BE DONE WHERE YOU
HAVE CHILDREN WHO ONE MIGHT
STEREOTYPICALLY SAY CAN'T
ACHIEVE DO INCREDIBLY WELL AND
MEET AND SURPASS STANDARDS.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE 20
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE MOST
RECENTLY, I'M CONFIDENT THAT
WE CAN REVERSE THAT DECLINE IN
ACHIEVEMENT AND GET THINGS
MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> Michael: RECENT CHANGES IN
THE FEDERAL LAW ALLOW THE
PARENTS OF THE STUDENTS IN
THOSE SCHOOLS TO TRANSFER TO
ANOTHER SCHOOL WITHIN THE
DISTRICT, BUT YOU WERE -- I
THINK I READ THAT YOU SAID
THAT TIMING IS SORT OF BAD,
THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
REALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT
KIND OF CHANGE.

>> WELL, YESTERDAY WAS THE
OPENING DAY OF SCHOOL, AND WE
RECEIVED FROM THE STATE THE
NOTICE -- THE OFFICIAL
NOTIFICATION OF THE 20 SCHOOL
SITES.
I THINK THE TIMING WAS
TERRIBLE ACTUALLY.
I EXPRESSED THIS A COUPLE OF
WEEKS EARLIER TO OFFICIALS
THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT TIME FRAME, BECAUSE
TYPICALLY, WHEN AS A PARENTS
YOU ENROLL YOUR CHILD IN A
SCHOOL, ONCE THEY START, IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT TO THEN PULL
YOUR CHILD OUT AND START THEM
IN A NEW SCHOOL AGAIN.
SO I THINK THE CHOICE OPTION
THAT SOME WOULD HAVE ISN'T
REALISTIC IN THIS CURRENT
YEAR.

>> Michael: WELL, YOU'RE HERE
RIGHT NOW FOR ONE YEAR.
WHAT CAN YOU DO IN ONE YEAR?

>> WELL, IT'S A GREAT
QUESTION, BUT I WILL TELL YOU
THAT, NUMBER ONE, I'M VERY
EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE.
BEING HERE IN ROCHESTER,
ALMOST GROWING UP HERE IF YOU
WILL, SPENDING 20 YEARS IN THE
SYSTEM, CAME TO KNOW IT WELL;
THERE'S A LOT THAT I DON'T
HAVE TO DO TO GET UP TO SPEED
ON THE CURVE.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A GOOD SENSE
OF THE ORGANIZATION, THE
ADMINISTRATION.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHERE TO FIND
SCHOOLS WHEN I'M DRIVING OUT
THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT IN A YEAR, YOU KNOW,
COMING OFF WHAT WE JUST
EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST SIX
MONTHS, ONE IMMEDIATE CHARGE
IS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH HENRY
MARINI, WHO'S OUR CHIEF
FINANCIAL OFFICER, TO ASSURE
THAT WE HAVE NOT JUST SOUND
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
BUT THAT THIS COMMUNITY WILL
VIEW THE DISTRICT AS A
STRONGLY FISCALLY ACCOUNTABLE
ENTITY.
AND SO ONE OF MY COMMITMENTS
TO THE BOARD AND ONE OF MY
GOALS IS THAT FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT IS CLEARLY
SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ADDRESS
AND BE RESPONSIVE TO, SO THAT
HOPEFULLY THERE ARE NO
SURPRISES OVER THE COURSE OF
THE YEAR.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE
FOCUS.
SECOND FOCUS IS WE CAN'T
IGNORE THE ACHIEVEMENT TRENDS.
WE HAVE GOT TO FOCUS ON HOW WE
CAN SUPPORT A NUMBER OF THESE
SCHOOLS TO REVERSE THAT TREND
IN DECLINING ACHIEVEMENT.
MEANWHILE, THERE'S A WHOLE
HOST OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING
VERY WELL, THAT ARE MEETING
AND EXCEEDING STANDARDS, THAT
HAVE A TREND LINE IN THE
POSITIVE DIRECTION FOR READING
AND MATH.
WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THOSE SCHOOLS SO THAT
THEY CONTINUE TO PROGRESS FOR
OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES; BUT
ACHIEVEMENT CLEARLY ESPECIALLY
ZEROING IN ON MIDDLE SCHOOLS,
THAT'S GOING TO BE A GOAL.
WE'RE GOING TO START IT.
WHAT WE CAN'T FINISH IN THIS
YEAR, I'M HOPING TO LAY THE
GROUNDWORK FOR ANY NEW
SUPERINTENDENT COMING IN.

>> Michael: I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN
ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE;
I MIGHT AS WELL ASK IT AGAIN.
ARE YOU TAKING YOUR NAME OFF
THE LIST FOR PERMANENT
SUPERINTENDENT?

>> YOU KNOW, I'M A LOT OLDER
AND A LITTLE WISER.
I MEAN, YOU LEARN NOT TO MAKE
DECISIONS.
SIX MONTHS AGO, IF SOMEONE HAD
SAID TO ME YOU'RE GOING TO BE
IN ROCHESTER AS THE INTERIM
SUPERINTENDENT, I WOULD HAVE
LAUGHED.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT THAT WAS
WHAT WAS IN MY FUTURE, SO I
DON'T WANT TO PREDICT WHAT THE
FUTURE'S GOING TO BE HERE.
I'LL SAY THERE WILL BE A POINT
IN TIME, IN A FEW MONTHS, WHEN
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A
DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT TO
APPLY, AND I'LL WAIT UNTIL
THEN TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

>> Michael: LET'S TALK ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> Michael: I THINK THAT THAT
HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CRITICISM
OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
IN THE PAST, THE CITY HALL,
SCHOOL BOARD FROM TIME TO TIME
HAS TALKED ABOUT THE LACK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS
THAT ISSUE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
AND IN SUCH A WAY THAT PEOPLE
KNOW THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY MEANS THAT YOU
HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE AND YOU
HAVE TO BE OPEN WITH YOUR DATA
AND WITH YOUR INFORMATION
ABOUT WHERE YOU STAND AS A
SYSTEM, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO
HAVE SOME REAL CONSEQUENCES IN
PLACE FOR FAILING TO MEET
CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE
GOING TO DO IS BE VERY OPEN
AND VERY PUBLIC ABOUT OUR
FINANCIAL SITUATION.
YOU KNOW, WE WILL REPORT OUT
ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO THE
SCHOOL FINANCE COMMITTEE.
WE WILL HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SHOW
WHERE WE ARE AND ALL OF OUR
VARIOUS AREAS.
I INDICATED TO THE MAYOR,
Mr. MAYOR, I'M GOING TO MEET
WITH YOU MONTHLY WHETHER OR
NOT YOU WANT TO SEE ME OR NOT,
AND I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH
YOU EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE, AND
I SAID ALSO TO A GROUP OF
EDITORS THAT I MET WITH OVER
AT THE D.N.C. WE ARE GOING TO
MEET WITH YOU AND WE ARE GOING
TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S ONE WAY OF BEING
ACCOUNTABLE, IF YOU WILL, BY
BEING OPEN WITH YOUR DATA,
OPEN WITH YOUR INFORMATION,
PUTTING IT OUT THERE SO THAT
THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHERE YOU
STAND.
NOW, WITH REGARD TO
ACHIEVEMENT AND ZEROING IN ON
OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN NEED
OF IMPROVEMENT, AGAIN, WE
CAN'T JUST HAVE AN AMBIGUOUS
GOAL OF, YES, WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND HOW
WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE AND
MOVE SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS
FORWARD, AND IF WE'RE UNABLE
TO, THERE OUGHT TO BE SOME
REAL CONSEQUENCES.
WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT TO
FOLLOW A STATE OR FEDERAL
MANDATE TO RESTRUCTURE SCHOOLS
OR TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.
WE'VE KNOWN WHAT THOSE SCHOOLS
ARE.
WE'VE HAD THAT INFORMATION NOW
FOR OVER A YEAR, AND IT'S A
MATTER OF US TAKING SOME VERY
SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO GET SOME
CHANGES, AND IF NOT THEN WE'VE
GOT TO BE READY TO SPEAK TO
IT.

>> Michael: ARE YOU THINKING
OF ANY STRUCTURAL CHANGES
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION IN
TERMS OF ADDRESSING THE ISSUE
OF ACCOUNTABILITY?

>> WELL, I'VE JUST CREATED
WITHIN MY OWN ORGANIZATION AN
OFFICE THAT WILL DEAL
SPECIFICALLY WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY; YOU KNOW, AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO WILL COME ON
BOARD WHO WILL OVERSEE THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR "NO
CHILD LEFT BEHIND"
LEGISLATION, SOMEONE WHOM I
CAN COUNT ON WHO WILL LOOK
VERY CAREFULLY AND SCRUB ALL
OF OUR NUMBERS BEFORE THEY'RE
RELEASED PUBLICLY AND ALL OF
OUR REPORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE ON TIME AND THAT THE
INFORMATION THAT WE GIVE IS
ACCURATE.

>> Michael: KIND OF AN
ACCOUNTABILITY ART?
I HATE TO USE THAT PHRASE.

>> THAT'S WHAT I STAND FOR.
MY DISSERTATION WAS ON
ACCOUNTABILITY.
I'M DRIVEN BY IT, YOU KNOW.
AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, IN
GENERAL, I DON'T THINK THAT
IT'S NECESSARILY REAL
ACCOUNTABILITY.
IN MY PREVIOUS JOB AT EDISON,
IF WE DID NOT HAVE SUCCESS IN
OUR SCHOOLS, IF WE DID NOT
HAVE SCHOOLS THAT WERE
FINANCIALLY VIABLE, WE WOULD
LOSE OUR CONTRACTS.
THEY WOULD CANCEL OUR
CONTRACTS; WE WOULD GO HOME.
AND IN FACT THAT HAS HAPPENED
ON OCCASION.
SO IT'S COMPLETELY INFLUENCED
BY THINKING ABOUT WHAT REAL
ACCOUNTABILITY IS.
YOU HAVE TO DELIVER.
YOU HAVE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
YOUR CUSTOMERS, YOUR CLIENTS,
AND WHAT YOU DELIVER HAS GOT
TO BE TOP NOTCH.
AND IF YOU CAN'T THEY'RE GOING
TO WALK WITH THEIR FEET.
SO THAT'S MY -- THAT'S HOW I
COME TO THIS, AND I'M TRYING
TO FIND WAYS THAT RIGHT HERE
IN ROCHESTER, IN THIS PUBLIC
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, WAYS THAT
WE CAN BRING SOME OF THAT SAME
THINKING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY
AS WE GO FORWARD.

>> Michael: HAVE YOU CHOSEN
THIS PERSON TO HEAD UP THE
ACCOUNTABILITY?

>> RIGHT NOW THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
INTERIM ROLES; DAVID SILVER
WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY THE CHIEF
OPERATIONS OFFICER WILL FILL
THAT ROLE.
AND THERE ARE OTHER CHANGES
THAT I MADE IN AN EFFORT TO BE
MORE RESPONSIVE TO PRINCIPALS.
WE HAVE 20 NEW PRINCIPALS OUT
THERE -- I'M NOT SURE -- MAYBE
GIVE OR TAKE ONE OR TWO, BUT
THERE ARE SO MANY NEW FOLKS
OUT THERE THAT I WANTED TO
IMPROVE OUR INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THOSE
FOLKS, AND SO WE'VE HIRED ALSO
THREE NEW MANAGING PRINCIPALS
WHO WILL TAKE ON A LEAD ROLE
FOR SITE OPERATIONS; THE IDEA
BEING THAT THESE SCHOOLS WILL
NEED SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS
ON IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS, IF
YOU WILL, SO WE CAN MOVE SOME
OF THE CHANGES THAT WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.

>> Michael: HOW WILL YOU
IMPROVE THE STRAINED RELATIONS
THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE
COURSE OF THE LAST NINE MONTHS
BETWEEN CITY HALL AND THE
SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE?

>> THAT'S -- I THINK IT'S
SIMPLY A MATTER AGAIN OF, ONE,
MAKING THAT COMMUNICATION REAL
AND GETTING OVER AS OFTEN AS
POSSIBLE, WHICH IS WHAT I'VE
BEEN DOING.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
MEET WITH MAYOR JOHNSON.
BACK IN JULY, THE NIGHT THAT
THE BOARD ANNOUNCED THAT I
WOULD BE THE INTERIM
SUPERINTENDENT, I FLEW IN AND
HAD A GREAT TWO- OR THREE-HOUR
MEETING WITH THE MAYOR.
SINCE THEN WE'VE MET TWO OR
THREE TIMES AND, YOU KNOW,
I'VE GIVEN HIM UPDATES, WHERE
WE STAND WITH THE R.T.A.
NEGOTIATIONS.
I HAD A FULL BRIEFING FOR HIM
PRIOR TO ANY ANNOUNCEMENT
PUBLICLY.
AND I INDICATED TO HIM, YOU
KNOW, BILL, I'M GOING TO BE
HERE WHETHER YOU WANT TO SEE
ME OR NOT.
I'M GOING TO BRING YOU THIS
INFORMATION.
I'M GOING TO BE OPEN ABOUT IT
AND I WANT TO HEAR YOUR
CONCERNS, TOO.
SO IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET.
BUT MY NATURE IS TO APPROACH
IT IN THAT WAY AND TRULY, OVER
TIME, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE
MAY HAVE BEEN SOME DISTRUST,
YOU BUILD THAT TRUST AND YOU
BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING
TO DO NOT JUST WITH BILL BUT,
YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY WITH OTHERS
WITH WHOM THAT TRUST WAS
BROKEN OR NOT THERE.

>> Michael: A REPORT BY THE
CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL
RESEARCH DONE FOR THE DISTRICT
BACK IN APRIL WARNED THAT THE
DISTRICT NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE
AFFORDABILITY OF ALL FUTURE
LABOR CONTRACTS.
NOW, YOU JUST STRUCK AT LEAST
A TENTATIVE DEAL, CLOSE TO 4%
RAISES THIS YEAR AND NEXT.
GIVEN THE FISCAL CONSTRAINTS,
HOW CAN A DISTRICT AFFORD
THIS?

>> WELL, ONE I'LL TELL YOU IS
AFFORDABLE, AND THAT'S THE
VERY QUESTION THAT I HAD TO
ANSWER FOR BOTH THE MAYOR AND
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
LET ME JUST GO BACK A MINUTE.
IN OUR CURRENT AGREEMENT WITH
THE ROCHESTER TEACHERS'
ASSOCIATION, THERE'S A CLAUSE
THAT BASICALLY ALLOWS US TO
SET TEACHER SALARIES WITHIN --
AT AN AVERAGE OF THE TOP
INCREASES IN MONROE COUNTY.
THIS IS BENCHMARKING FORMULA.
AND I ACTUALLY BELIEVE
PHILOSOPHICALLY THAT THAT'S
THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN
AND RECRUIT TEACHERS TO OUR
CITY.
I WOULD HATE TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENED WHAT I'VE SEEN IN NEW
YORK CITY, WHERE THEY'VE LOST
A NUMBER OF TEACHERS BECAUSE
THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SALARY
SCALE IS SO SIGNIFICANT
BETWEEN SUBURBS AND THE CITY.
BUT BASICALLY WHEN WE
CONSTRUCTED OUR BUDGET AND THE
AMENDED BUDGET, IT INCLUDED
ALREADY A 2.4% SALARY
INCREASE, WHICH WAS CONSISTENT
WITH THE TAYLOR LAW, ROLLING
OVER INTO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO TO MAKE THIS AFFORDABLE,
ADAM RIBANSKI AND I BASICALLY
LOOKED AT WHAT ECONOMIES WE
COULD BRING TO ACCOUNT FOR
THAT ADDITIONAL 1.5%, AND WE
WORKED THROUGH A NUMBER OF
ECONOMIES IN A WAY THAT WOULD
NOT CAUSE US TO AT ALL IMPACT
OUR RESERVE FUNDS THAT WE'D
ESTABLISHED, NOR WOULD IT
CAUSE US TO REDUCE ANY
PROGRAMS OR SERVICES TO
SCHOOLS.
AND SO, BY PROTECTING THAT AND
BY HAVING AN AGREEMENT THAT'S
WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF OUR
CURRENT BUDGET, YOU KNOW, IT
MET THE TEST OF BUDGET
NEUTRALITY AND BEING
AFFORDABLE, AND WE BOTH FEEL
VERY GOOD ABOUT IT.
IT'S NOT THAT NIGHT WHEN AFTER
WE REACHED AGREEMENT, YOU
KNOW, IT'S NOT THE BEST BUT,
IN REALITY, WE BOTH MADE SOME
ACCOMMODATIONS.
WE BOTH WORKED THINGS OUT, AND
IT WAS A VERY, VERY GOOD
PROCESS.
IT TOOK ME A YEAR AND A HALF
TEN YEARS AGO TO SETTLE AN
AGREEMENT.
IT WAS NICE TO PICK UP ON SOME
OF THE WORK THAT CLIFF JANEY
HAD DONE IN THE SPRING WITH
THE UNION AROUND THE CONTRACT,
TO PICK UP FROM THERE AND IN
THE TWO-WEEK PERIOD THAT WE
HAD TO BRING THIS TO CLOSURE.

>> Michael: Mr. RIVERA, I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY.
I KNOW IT'S A BUSY WEEK FOR
YOU, THIS FIRST WEEK OF
SCHOOL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

FOR MORE ON THIS TOPIC, YOU
CAN LOG ONTO OUR WEB SITE,
wxxi.org/ntk.
WHILE YOU ARE THERE, YOU CAN
TAKE PART IN OUR WEEKLY
INTERNET POLL, AND FOR THE
LATEST ON POLITICS AND
GOVERNMENT, IT'S
nycitizens.org.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR THIS WEEK'S
EDITION OF "THE BUSINESS
SECTION" WITH THE "THE DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE."

(Music)

JOINING US NOW IN STUDIO IS
BEN RAND, REPORTER FOR THE
"DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE."
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US TODAY.
THE "DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE"
BUSINESS STAFF GATHERED SOME
BUSINESS LEADERS TO TALK ABOUT
THE CHANGING ECONOMIC CLIMATE
AFTER THE 9/11 DISASTER.
NOW I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE
A FULL REPORT COMING UP ON
SUNDAY.
BUT, IN BRIEF, WHILE THE GOING
HAS BEEN ROUGHER IN TERMS OF
EMPLOYMENT, THE C.E.O.s SEEMED
A LITTLE BIT OPTIMISTIC I
GUESS.

>> YES.
ACTUALLY IN PARTICULAR IN THE
LAST 30 OR 60 DAYS, A COUPLE
OF THEM ARE SEEING AN ABSOLUTE
UPTICK IN ACTIVITY.
WE HAD A COUPLE REGIONAL BANK
PRESIDENTS FROM H.S.B.C. AND
M.N.T.
THEY'RE SEEING MORE BUSINESSES
COMING IN DEMANDING -- LOOKING
FOR LOANS, WHICH IS A GOOD
SIGN, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE FEEL
LIKE THIS RECESSION HAS BEEN
DRIVEN BY BUSINESSES
RETRENCHING, BUYING LESS
THINGS LIKE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT
OR EXPANDING WITH NEW PLANTS.
BUT WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO
BECAUSE WE'VE LOST A LOT OF
JOBS IN THE LAST 11, 12, 13
MONTHS, SOMEWHERE IN THE ORDER
OF BETWEEN 5 AND 10,000 JOBS A
MONTH, MONTH OVER MONTH.
AND SO -- AND THAT'S BEEN A
LOT MORE THAN OUR NEIGHBORS IN
BUFFALO AND SYRACUSE, OF
COURSE NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS
NEW YORK WHICH IS GROUND ZERO.
WELL, WE ARE -- BY AND LARGE A
LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR
ECONOMY IS STILL HEAVILY
DEPENDENT ON MANUFACTURING,
AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME
BIG COMPANIES THAT ARE BIG
MANUFACTURERS THAT HAVE BEEN
CUTTING BACK FOR 20 YEARS AND
NOW, WHEN THE ECONOMY GOES
INTO A SLIDE, THAT ACTIVITY
PICKS UP AGAIN.
SO BUT THERE IS A REAL SENSE
OF OPTIMISM THAT THINGS ARE
GRADUALLY STARTING TO COME
BACK, NOT IN THE SHORT TERM.
THEY'RE LOOKING AHEAD TO 2003
FOR SOME REAL RECOVERY THAT
WILL BE LONGER LASTING.

>> Michael: WE TALKED A LITTLE
BEFORE TODAY'S SHOW ABOUT THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU HAD,
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU
TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT
ROCHESTER, BY AND LARGE, HAS
BEEN A VERY CONSERVATIVE
COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO
INVESTING IN BUSINESS, AND
THAT DYNAMIC MAY ACTUALLY HELP
US OUT?

>> SURE, BECAUSE IF YOU THINK
ABOUT THE CLIMATE WE WENT
THROUGH IN THE LAST FOUR,
FIVE, SIX YEARS, THERE WAS
THIS INTERNET BOOM, THE BUBBLE
THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT.
SO LOTS OF SPECULATIVE
INVESTMENTS IN INTERNET
COMPANIES, TELECOM COMPANIES,
STARTUPS, AND SO AREAS LIKE
THE BAY AREA, BOSTON, OTHER
HIGH-TECH AREAS HAVE SUFFERED
NOW THAT THAT BUBBLE HAS
BURST.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT TYPE OF
EFFECT HERE IN ROCHESTER TO
THE SAME DEGREE, AND SO THIS
IS SORT OF BECOMING A SAFE
HAVEN.
WE HAD A VENTURE CAPITALIST
FROM THE TRILLIUM GROUP SAY
THAT HE'S GETTING RÇSUMÇS, YOU
KNOW, DOZENS OF RÇSUMÇS A WEEK
FROM MID-LEVEL UPPER-LEVEL
INVESTMENT MANAGERS IN THOSE
BIG CITIES.
THEY'RE EVEN GETTING VENTURE
CAPITAL FUNDS FROM THOSE
CITIES LOOKING TO ROCHESTER
FOR HELP ON DEALS.
AND SO IT'S BECOMING SOMEWHAT
OF A SAFE HAVEN.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNSIDE TO
THAT IS WE'RE SLOWER TO COME
OUT OF THINGS, BUT WE WEREN'T
QUITE SO HURT AS THOSE BIGGER
AREAS
.
>> Michael: NOW THEY'VE SEEN,
THESE BUSINESS LEADERS HAVE
SEEN THE COUNTY, THE CITY, THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT ALL GO THROUGH
SOME VERY TOUGH BUDGET
PROBLEMS.
WHAT IS THEIR REACTION TO THIS
AND HOW DO THEY FEEL THAT'S
GOING TO AFFECT BUSINESS
CLIMATE?

>> WELL, THEY'RE FAIR-MINDED
ABOUT IT.
THEY REALIZE THAT THE PROBLEMS
THAT THESE AGENCIES ARE FACING
ARE MULTIFACETED AND THEY'RE
NOT JUST -- THEY'RE NOT
VIEWING THE PROBLEMS IN A
VACUUM.
NEVERTHELESS, THEY ARE
WORRIED.
IN PARTICULAR THEY'RE WORRIED
AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT THERE
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE, IN THEIR
MIND, A SENSE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE IN TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES.
WE'RE STILL SPENDING.
WHEREAS OTHER STATES ARE
PULLING BACK AND THAT COULD
PUT US BEHIND THE 8 BALL IN
THE YEARS TO COME WITH
ADDITIONAL DEBT OR MORE THINGS
TO CUT BACK.
THEY'RE ALSO A LITTLE BIT
STARTLED THAT, AS THINGS
COLLAPSED, THERE WAS NO CRISIS
PLANNED IN SOME OF THE LEVELS,
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN
PARTICULAR, THE COUNTY.

>> Michael: I MEAN, IT MUST
HAVE TAKEN THEM BY SURPRISE,
TOO, TO SOME DEGREE, RIGHT?

>> SURE IT DID.
BUT I THINK THEIR POINT IS THE
NATURE OF LEADERSHIP IS TO A
DEGREE YOU PLAN FOR THE WORST.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU
WANT TO DO IF THINGS FALL
APART, AND THEIR FEELING IS
THAT, WHEN THINGS FELL APART,
THEY WERE EXPOSED, THAT THAT
THINKING HADN'T HAPPENED.
BUT AGAIN THEY WEREN'T
LOCALIZED IN THEIR CRITICISM.
THEY'RE SPREADING THE
CRITICISM BOTH ON THE
REGIONAL, STATE AND NATIONAL
LEVELS, THAT THERE'S A SENSE
OF MANDATES THAT WERE PUSHED
DOWNWARD AND CREATED A BURDEN
AND THEN, WHEN THE REVENUES
STARTED TO DECLINE BECAUSE OF
THE RECESSION, THAT OPENED
THINGS UP TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
>> Michael: BEN RAND, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING
FROM THE EVER VOLATILE WORLD
OF BUSINESS TO A PLACE OF
SOLITUDE, THE OLDEST MUNICIPAL
VICTORIAN CEMETERY IN THE
UNITED STATES, MOUNT HOPE
CEMETERY.
EVERY WEEK VISITORS STROLL TO
THE GRAVESTONES OF FAMOUS
AMERICANS SUCH AS SUSAN B.
ANTHONY AND FREDERICK
DOUGLASS.
BUT AS WXXI's BRENDA TREMBLAY
REPORTS, EVEN MOUNT HOPE IS
SEEING CHANGE.

>> Brenda: WHEN SUSAN B.
ANTHONY DIED IN 1906, MOURNERS
CARRIED HER BODY HERE TO MOUNT
HOPE CEMETERY AND PLACED A
SIMPLE STONE OVER HER GRAVE.
IT'S WHITE, LIKE MOST
GRAVESTONES OF THE DAY, AND IT
YIELDS NO CLUES TO HER
IDENTITY, NO MARKINGS THAT
INDICATE HER POWER OR
INFLUENCE, HOBBIES OR
PASSIONS.
ANTHONY'S GRAVESTONE IS
SURROUNDED BY MANY OTHERS.
MOST OF THEM LOOK ALIKE.
SOME OF THEM BEAR RELIGIOUS
SYMBOLS OF HOPE OR HEAVEN AND
A REUNION WITH GOD.
THIS IS JUST THE KIND OF
SETTING THAT ATTRACTS
HISTORIAN AND ANTHROPOLOGIST
NEIL JOHNSON.
HE HAS WANDERED THROUGH OLD
CEMETERIES ALL OVER THE
NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.

>> FOR ONE THING, I'M AN
ANTHROPOLOGIST.
I'M WHAT'S CALLED A CULTURAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST, INTERESTED IN
THE IDEAS THAT PEOPLE CARRY IN
THEIR HEAD AND THEN HOW THAT'S
MANIFESTED IN THE WORLD.
WELL, YOU LOOK AT A CEMETERY,
AND THAT'S A REAL
MANIFESTATION OF IDEAS YOU
HAVE IN YOUR HEAD.

>> Brenda: JOHNSON SAYS HE'S
FASCINATED BY HOW THE
MANIFESTATION OF OUR SOCIETY'S
IDEALS IS CHANGING THE
LANDSCAPE OF AMERICAN
CEMETERIES.
50 YEARS AGO, MOST PEOPLE WERE
CONFORMISTS IN THE KIND OF
GRAVESTONES THEY WANTED FOR
THEMSELVES OR A LOVED ONE.
THAT'S WHY THE OLDER SECTIONS
OF MOUNT HOPE ARE SO
MONOCHROMATIC.
BUT OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS,
JOHNSON SAYS, THAT'S CHANGED.

>> WELL, SOMEWHERE AROUND
1970, I GUESS THE SAME IDEA
THAT LED TO THE FLOWER
CHILDREN STARTED COMING INTO
STONES.
PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY SHOULD
START MAKING A STATEMENT
AGAIN.
AND AROUND THAT TIME, YOU
START GETTING A REAL
PROLIFERATION OF DIFFERENT
COLORS.
SO IF YOU GO INTO A CEMETERY,
IF YOU HAVE AN OLDER SECTION
AND NEWER SECTION, YOU CAN
JUST LOOK AT IT AND YOU SEE
THAT THE OLDER SECTION, I MEAN
BEFORE 1970, WAS MOSTLY GREY.
IT JUST ALL LOOKS ALL THE
SAME.
YOU LOOK AT THE NEWER SECTION
AND YOU'VE GOT ALL SORTS OF
COLORS IN THERE.
YOU'VE GOT REDS AND YELLOWS
AND MOTTLED COLORS AND PINK
AND BEIGE AND BLACK.
BLACK IS VERY POPULAR NOW.

>> Brenda: NOT ONLY ARE
GRAVESTONES POPPING UP IN
LIVELIER COLORS, HE SAYS,
THEY'RE NOW DECORATED WITH
EYE-CATCHING ARTWORK AND
PERSONAL IDIOSYNCRATIC
SYMBOLISM.
MATT ASHE DESIGNS GRAVESTONES
FOR McGEE AND SONS, A
ROCHESTER MONUMENT DEALER.

>> EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HERE
IS CUSTOM.
FAMILIES CAN COME IN.
THEY CAN SIT RIGHT UP HERE
LIKE WE ARE TODAY AND SAY THIS
IS HOW I WANT IT TO LOOK.

>> Brenda: THE PEOPLE WHO COME
HERE HAVE PLENTY OF ORIGINAL
IDEAS THEY WANT ASHE TO SET IN
STONE.
FOR EXAMPLE HE DREW THIS
BLUEPRINT FOR A STONE
MEMORIALIZING A DIE-HARD
BUFFALO BILLS FAN.
HERE'S A BLUEPRINT FOR A STONE
THAT FEATURES ITS OWNER'S DECK
AND GARDEN.
THIS STONE BEARS THE IMAGE OF
A LOON, A BIRD THAT HAS SOME
SPECIAL MEANING TO ITS OWNER.
ASHE SAYS TODAY PEOPLE WANT TO
PERSONALIZE THEIR GRAVESTONES
IN THE WAY THEY MIGHT
PERSONALIZE A LICENSE PLATE OR
COMPUTER DESKTOP.

>> IT'S JUST YOU SEE THAT MORE
AND MORE.
MYSELF, I REMEMBER I PUT LIKE
AN ASHTRAY AND A CIGARETTE ON
A STONE ONCE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST -- PEOPLE
ARE STARTING TO WANT TO PUT
THINGS THAT REALLY SYMBOLIZE
THEIR LOVED ONE.

>> Brenda: THAT'S A NATIONAL
TREND, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS OF
THE ASSOCIATION FOR GRAVESTONE
STUDIES.
OUR SOCIETY, THEY SAY, VALUES
ORIGINALITY AND FREEDOM OF THE
INDIVIDUAL.
THE SAME DESIRE FOR
SELF-EXPRESSION THAT WOULD
LEAD SOMEONE TO, SAY, GET A
TATTOO MIGHT LATER IN LIFE
MANIFEST ITSELF IN A MONUMENT
LIKE THIS.
SO IF SUSAN B. ANTHONY WERE TO
HAVE LIVED AND DIED IN OUR
TIME, HER SIMPLE LITTLE GRAVE
AT MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY MIGHT
LOOK VERY DIFFERENT.
IT MIGHT HAVE AN ETCHING OF
HER FACE SIMILAR TO THESE
IMAGES, OR IT MIGHT INCLUDE A
PAINTED ENGRAVING OF HER
FAVORITE FLOWER, OR A FAVORITE
SAYING INSTEAD OF "I LOVE YOU"
PERHAPS SIMPLY "FAILURE IS
IMPOSSIBLE."
THAT'S PURE SPECULATION, BUT
ONE THING IS FOR SURE: 100
YEARS FROM NOW, VISITORS TO
MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY IN
ROCHESTER WILL KNOW MORE ABOUT
US AND OUR LIVES THAN ANY
PREVIOUS GENERATION SIMPLY
FROM THE STONES WE'VE LEFT
BEHIND.

(Music)

>> Michael: YOU CAN LEARN MORE
ABOUT THE GRAVESTONES AT MOUNT
HOPE BY TAKING A WALKING TOUR
OF ROCHESTER'S VICTORIAN
CEMETERY.
THEY'RE OFFERED EVERY SUNDAY
STARTING AT THE GATEHOUSE,
BEGINNING AT TWO AND THREE
O'CLOCK, OR FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT MOUNT HOPE
AND ITS HISTORY, CHECK OUT THE
FRIENDS OF MOUNT HOPE WEB SITE
AT fomh.org.