Public Servants are not indentured servants. That's true.
BUT some seem to have an overinflated sense of importance. Public Servants (otherwise known as people who are employed to Serve the Public) have a responsibility that requires courtesy, respect, and civility to those who employ them.
So what do you call a town employee who:
1. Sends out "overdue property tax" notices to town residents who have paid their taxes - and then forces those residents to obtain a cancelled check to prove that the taxes were paid (after the resident has provided the check number, date of check issuance, date of check clearance at the local bank, and amount of the check) - not to mention the cost of obtaining the copy of the cancelled check....and then doesn't even say, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience."?
2. Keeps town residents waiting while she conducts personal phone calls on town office phones and time?
3. Acts rudely to town residents (and tax payers) when they come in to register their vehicles?
4. Decides that a town resident shouldn't have a blogspot that is named in part for the town - and decides to file a complaint with a state government agency because of the blogspot's name (as though she never heard of the First Amendment)?
WHO? An employee of the town of Clifton... That's who.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
LOSS OF ANOTHER TEACHER AT HOLBROOK
Students entering the eighth grade at Holbrook Middle School next Fall will be sad to find that Mrs. Smith will not be among the teaching staff. She has accepted a position with the Bangor School system. She's reported to have said she was looking for a change.
I've heard many great remarks about Mrs. Smith as a teacher but, as with any profession, change and relocation are to be expected. Gone are the days when an individual stays with the same company their entire career. Its not even unusual when people relocate geographically. Professional and personal growth frequently take us to new places and opportunities even as we are sad to leave friends and familiar places behind. We should all wish Mrs. Smith a good experience with her new position.
Looks like Mr. Hart will be busy with his recruitment efforts this summer.
*****
How great to see a bit of sunlight even if not for entire days lately. People in my neighborhood are rushing out to mow the lawns that have grown like weeds - Oh, those are weeds! The peonies have had a terrible time with the rain. Mine have lost their petals almost before they had a chance to enjoy their bloom. Bummer.
*****
A spelling correction from yesterday's blog re: the Mad Hatter's Tea - "Red" Hodgins came on by to help me with a bit of a situation and left his business card. He assured me he had no problem hearing I had misspelled his last name - but for the record, it is Hodgins (not Hodgens).
I've heard many great remarks about Mrs. Smith as a teacher but, as with any profession, change and relocation are to be expected. Gone are the days when an individual stays with the same company their entire career. Its not even unusual when people relocate geographically. Professional and personal growth frequently take us to new places and opportunities even as we are sad to leave friends and familiar places behind. We should all wish Mrs. Smith a good experience with her new position.
Looks like Mr. Hart will be busy with his recruitment efforts this summer.
*****
How great to see a bit of sunlight even if not for entire days lately. People in my neighborhood are rushing out to mow the lawns that have grown like weeds - Oh, those are weeds! The peonies have had a terrible time with the rain. Mine have lost their petals almost before they had a chance to enjoy their bloom. Bummer.
*****
A spelling correction from yesterday's blog re: the Mad Hatter's Tea - "Red" Hodgins came on by to help me with a bit of a situation and left his business card. He assured me he had no problem hearing I had misspelled his last name - but for the record, it is Hodgins (not Hodgens).
Thursday, June 25, 2009
THE MAD HATTER'S TEA - CLIFTON
What a lovely event! To think that such a gathering is planned and conducted (with all the work and food preparation involved) by just three women - Caroline Baker, the Clifton Librarian from Eddington; Penny Peasley, Clifton Selectwoman; and Mary Bragg, Clifton resident. There were so many delicate tea sandwiches and deserts, not to mention the individual china tea cups and saucers at each place setting. I was told the cups and saucers had been donated to the library at one time by a woman in honor of her mother and the Mad Hatter's Tea is a way to use the beautiful service and bring together community people - some of whom are only here for the summer. What a unique way to continue the memory of a loved one and to share such beautiful items.
The many women who attended were from Clifton and Eddington - and maybe other towns as well. I didn't have the opportunity to ask but I did have the benefit of finding four women who volunteered to be members of a writers' review and critique group. Now that was an additional benefit. And there was discussion of forming a book review group.
We even had the benefit of a very young gentleman from the Butterfield family who was so relaxed by the affair he slept through the entire event in the comforting arms on Caroline who sat in one of the library's wing-backed chairs. That library is such a gem. Even Audrey Fox, Clifton's Administrative Assistant, dropped in to say hello to the group. For me, I appreciated seeing Joan Brooks, Eddington Selectwoman, along with Karen Clark, SAD63 School Board member and a few other women I've come to know. Even more, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet more women in the area, although the event is open to men. I heard tell of the year "Red" Hodgers attended and was the hit of the party.
*****
I saw "my" red fox yesterday. What a surprise as I drove up the drive from a nearby relative's to the main Road (Route 9) and suddenly there she/he was running across the driveway. Not just red like earlier this Spring but with more black in his tail and darker brown tones in his coat as well. He looked longer, bigger, his legs longer with darker markings - just like those pictures in an English hunt (not that I'd want to see such a thing around here). Perhaps he was out hunting for he had nothing in his jaws at that point. Across the driveway he sprinted and into another relative's back wooded lot heading toward my place. (Wonder if he likes gray squirrels? Hmm. There are plenty to be had at my place I'd be more than willing for him to take care of.) Too big to be from the babies this Spring so it had to be one of the parents. Such a blessing I couldn't help but smile.
****
Well, I have to go dig "boulders" out of some "gravel" that was delivered a week ago for a walkway I'm creating at my backsteps. Seems as though there are some rocks in this gravel that are almost as big as the dirt I had dug out of the area in the first place. Thinking ahead to Freeze-Heave, I know those "boulders" have to come out before we can put in some better gravel and then the sand before we can put down the pavers. With west-coast family coming in three weeks, the project has its deadline - rain or no rain. And if it would just warm up and dry up, I might get the dock in. My brothers have theirs in - and both are now underwater! So much for needing any more rain! My dock is at least not under water - It's still on land. But the ground is so soggy, I fear we'd have muddy feet trying to roll it across the lawn and into the water.
Another problem with this wet (and now humid weather) is that we can't get rid of the mosquitoes or black flies. They just LOVE it - doin' their "sexy thing" 24/7. Speaking of which - if you have seen those TV commercials advertising those OFF clip-on blue fan gadgets... the ad shows them being placed on a deck table, too, for driving away mosquitoes - THEY WORK!
I bought three at Hannafords a few weeks ago for the crew that were chipping the stuff in my woods (written in a previous blog). Not a single mosquito bite. And I clip one on my pants when I'm working along the shoreline gardens - or anywhere these days outside what with the rain. (They don't do a thing for Black Flies, though.) But I swear - they really do work to keep mosquitoes away. And they're not expensive and they last a long time. I'm still working with the original batteries and repellent insert.
Well, off to those "boulders" before the showers predicted for later today.
The many women who attended were from Clifton and Eddington - and maybe other towns as well. I didn't have the opportunity to ask but I did have the benefit of finding four women who volunteered to be members of a writers' review and critique group. Now that was an additional benefit. And there was discussion of forming a book review group.
We even had the benefit of a very young gentleman from the Butterfield family who was so relaxed by the affair he slept through the entire event in the comforting arms on Caroline who sat in one of the library's wing-backed chairs. That library is such a gem. Even Audrey Fox, Clifton's Administrative Assistant, dropped in to say hello to the group. For me, I appreciated seeing Joan Brooks, Eddington Selectwoman, along with Karen Clark, SAD63 School Board member and a few other women I've come to know. Even more, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet more women in the area, although the event is open to men. I heard tell of the year "Red" Hodgers attended and was the hit of the party.
*****
I saw "my" red fox yesterday. What a surprise as I drove up the drive from a nearby relative's to the main Road (Route 9) and suddenly there she/he was running across the driveway. Not just red like earlier this Spring but with more black in his tail and darker brown tones in his coat as well. He looked longer, bigger, his legs longer with darker markings - just like those pictures in an English hunt (not that I'd want to see such a thing around here). Perhaps he was out hunting for he had nothing in his jaws at that point. Across the driveway he sprinted and into another relative's back wooded lot heading toward my place. (Wonder if he likes gray squirrels? Hmm. There are plenty to be had at my place I'd be more than willing for him to take care of.) Too big to be from the babies this Spring so it had to be one of the parents. Such a blessing I couldn't help but smile.
****
Well, I have to go dig "boulders" out of some "gravel" that was delivered a week ago for a walkway I'm creating at my backsteps. Seems as though there are some rocks in this gravel that are almost as big as the dirt I had dug out of the area in the first place. Thinking ahead to Freeze-Heave, I know those "boulders" have to come out before we can put in some better gravel and then the sand before we can put down the pavers. With west-coast family coming in three weeks, the project has its deadline - rain or no rain. And if it would just warm up and dry up, I might get the dock in. My brothers have theirs in - and both are now underwater! So much for needing any more rain! My dock is at least not under water - It's still on land. But the ground is so soggy, I fear we'd have muddy feet trying to roll it across the lawn and into the water.
Another problem with this wet (and now humid weather) is that we can't get rid of the mosquitoes or black flies. They just LOVE it - doin' their "sexy thing" 24/7. Speaking of which - if you have seen those TV commercials advertising those OFF clip-on blue fan gadgets... the ad shows them being placed on a deck table, too, for driving away mosquitoes - THEY WORK!
I bought three at Hannafords a few weeks ago for the crew that were chipping the stuff in my woods (written in a previous blog). Not a single mosquito bite. And I clip one on my pants when I'm working along the shoreline gardens - or anywhere these days outside what with the rain. (They don't do a thing for Black Flies, though.) But I swear - they really do work to keep mosquitoes away. And they're not expensive and they last a long time. I'm still working with the original batteries and repellent insert.
Well, off to those "boulders" before the showers predicted for later today.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
MY CRYSTAL BALL DID NOT FAIL ME - SCHOOL BOARD MEETING 6/22
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Varnum promptly at 6:30pm. Chris Ficket, rep from Clifton; Therese Anderson, rep from Eddington; Sylvia Ellis, rep from Holden; Ray Hart, Interim Superintendent; Don Varnum, rep from Holden; Karen Clark, rep from Eddington; Pam Dorr, rep from Eddington; and Kevin Mills, new rep from Holden, were in attendance. (NOTE: I have listed them in their seating order started from left to right.) Mario Teisl, rep from Holden, will return from authorized leave on August 24.
Immediately following the Flag Salute and Moment of Silence, Varnum called for Nominations for Chairman and it was "game on." Karen Clark nominated Kevin Mills. No one seconded the motion. The silence was deafening. Then Sylvia Ellis nominated Don Varnum and Therese Anderson seconded the motion. Varnum called for the vote which ended up as 5 For - 1 Opposed (Clark) and 1 Abstained (Dorr).
Then Varnum called for Nominations for Vice Chair. Sylvia Ellis nominated Therese Anderson. Chris Ficket seconded the motion. There were no other nominations. Varnum called for the vote which ended up as 5 For - 1 Opposed (Clark) and 1 Abstained (Dorr).
At that point the printed Agenda was changed to allow for the earlier than scheduled presentation of a Plaque of Appreciation to former Board rep Robert Kiah (from Holden) to Mrs. Kiah and two of the Kiah children who were anxious to get to the ball game next door to the Holden school. Mr. Kiah could not be present because he was at work.
Each of the three principals introduced a new teacher being recommended for appointment for his respective school.
Ashley Allen was introduced as the new Grade 1 Teacher for Eddington Elementary School. Ms. Allen is working toward her Master's degree in Intervention in Literacy and was highly recommended by her references and the Eddington School Principal.
Kara Emmons was introduced as the new Kindergarten Teacher for Holden Elementary School. Her background showed a progressive amount of experience and a desire to be a Kindergarten teacher since she was a child herself. She, too, was highly recommended for the position by the Holden School Principal.
Tanya Belanger was introduced as the new Grade 6 Teacher for the Holbrook Middle School. Mrs. Belanger has her Master's degree and is moving to this area from Fort Fairfield. One of her references stated that we might find someone as qualified but no one more so. She was highly recommended by the Holbrook Middle School Principal.
All three teachers were approved for the positions by the School Board.
Since the Board agreed to Varnum's suggestion for the Board to take the month of July off (meaning to hold no Board meetings) and will not meet until August 24, it was agreed that Hart would be given the authority to recruit an Ed. Tech for the Eddington School and a replacement Science Teacher for the Holbrook School, with the expectation that the Board will approve these individuals at the August Board meeting since school is expected to begin about that same time). It is hoped that all five of these new teachers, as well as all of the teachers at the district's three schools, will have the opportunity to be observed for no less than one full class during the next school year by both their principal and the Interim Superintendent.
At this point, it should be noted that in addition to those individuals already noted being present, there were two members from the Clifton Board of Selectmen in attendance, a representative of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the School Board's Budget and Finance Committee, the Eddington Town Manager and an Eddington Selectman, along with the district's Operations and Maintenance Manager and the district's technology specialist, as well as yours truly.
When it came to Committee Meetings, the Budget and Finance Committee meeting originally scheduled for July 8 has been put off to August 9 at 6:00p.m. at the Holbrook School. It was pointed out by Karen Clark that, under school law/policy, since Sylvia Ellis is the district's Warrant Officer, as such, she could not be the Interim Chair for the Budget & Finance committee simultaneously. (Mario will resume the position of Chair once he returns August 24.) Varnum seemed to think the rules could be waived for the July meeting but Karen pressed the issue that it was a matter of law. Things seemed to come to a standstill as though no one had a thought how to solve the dilemma until Hart proposed Therese Anderson, a member of the Budget and Finance Committee could take over the Chair position for the one meeting and that would resolve the situation. With the proviso that it would be for just one meeting, Therese agreed.
The Operations Committee meeting originally scheduled for June 22 has been put off to August 24 at 5:45 p.m. at the Holbrook School.
The Policy, Technology and RSU Consolidation Planning Committee meetings are all TBD (to be determined).
Therese stated the reason why the Curriculum Committee hasn't met for over a year is because they don't want to set any curriculum standards because other schools in the "potential/yet to be" consolidated school district may mandate their own curriculum. However, if any Principals have a problem currently, they can contact the Committee which will address whatever issue(s) may exist. In the meantime, the Principals are just dealing with the State DOE mandates. (Seems to me the rush to consolidation by the DOE was only concerned with fiscal issues. Nothing was said re: quality of education issues. So I'd be concerned re: focusing on State DOE curriculum mandates. I thought that was the purpose of a Board Curriculum Committee in the first place - and having two teachers on it. At least that's what Dorr campaigned on.)
The explanation, on its face, sounded reasonable but-if the Committee hasn't had at least two meetings in the last twelve months - and doesn't plan any for the next twelve for the same reason as given last night - why have such a committee at all? To go two years with no Curriculum Committee meeting on the possibility - even Mr. Hart's expectation - that there will be some kind of K-8 consolidated district when the quality of education is supposed to be the Board's current priority seems incongruous.
Since Karen Clark resigned from being the Board's rep on the Brewer High School Board (after being "protected" out of the Vice Chair position for having too many Committee assignments) Varnum took on that assignment when no one else volunteered. The "not my problem" look on Ms. Ellis' face was noted.
Committee Assignments (made at the close of the meeting):
Policy: Karen Clark, Chair; Pam Dorr, Therese Anderson
Budget & Finance: Mario Teisl, Chair; Sylvia Ellis, Therese Anderson
Operations: Sylvia Ellis, Chair; Karen Clark, Chris Ficket
Curriculum: Therese Anderson, Chair; Pam Dorr, Kevin Mills
UTC: Karen Clark, delegate
Technology Committee: George Cummings, SAD63 Technology Coordinator, Chair; Karen Clark, Sylvia Ellis
Brewer High School Board: Don Varnum, delegate
RSU: No appointments (see notes in other areas re: this issue)
Teachers Contract Negotiations: No appointments
Since Hart firmly believes the state's voting public will affirm in November the need for school consolidation (I don't agree), he also believes that SAD63 should have a consolidation plan in place that can be submitted to the Superintendent of DOE for approval shortly after the November election. By law, prior to such submission, Public Hearings and a Public Vote in each town that would be in said consolidation will be required - all of which will take time to conduct.
However, NO RSU Committee was initiated at last night's meeting - no members of the Board were even named to an RSU Committee - even though Kevin Mills' interest in being on that committee was acknowledged by Varnum and Karen Clark has previously stated her interest. Since Ms. Ellis served on the prior RSU Committee she can be expected to want to serve as well.
Question: Since the Board doesn't plan to meet again until August 24, and the public will be voting on the state-wide consolidation issue in November, how much work will an RSU Committee accomplish in only three months? Or - does Mr. Hart plan to develop his own plan and then expect the Board/RSU Committee to rubber stamp it? Or is such a plan not expected to be ready for submission to the public until late next Spring?
Somewhere along the road SOMEONE better plan to include the taxpayers/voters in this plan's development because the voters are the ones who will make the final and real decision. The voters may appear to be uninterested in Board activities but they are just sleeping tigers. They didn't buy into the last one and shouldn't be expected to buy into one where they are excluded from the table this time either. School Board members err when they believe they are not accountable to the taxpayers.
Jennifer Cammack, School Board member from Otis, introduced herself to the Board. Otis is in the area of Mariaville. Mariaville voted TO consolidate with Ellsworth last year. Otis voted NOT to consolidate. For the interim, Otis and Mariaville are utilizing the same building with some temporary financial arrangements. However, Otis is seeking options for consolidation partners. Otis currently has approximately 50 students. The SAD63 Board agreed to include Otis in any RSU discussions "TBD." An AOS format was the focus of last night's discussion (which appears to be a K-8 arrangement which (1) shares central office & administrative services, (2) maintains its own school boards, and (3) includes the high school option). It should be known that there's talk in the three towns by individuals are saying that with rising costs there may come a time when some changes will have to be put on the table re: the high school option - either reducing the number of schools in the "option" or requiring families to pay some amount above the state-based tuition, i.e., John Bapst rate that is approximately $1574 above the state-based tuition.
The 2010 census will provide critical information which School Boards will need to take into consideration when establishing salaries for all positions. Small towns simply do not have the income base to support higher salaries for either unionized or salaried positions. As an example, Clifton has a population of less than 800 people. Currently that town is contributing $47,000+ monthly toward the school budget. - For 158 students! If my numbers are correct (and I believe the monthly contribution will be increasing), that averages $3,570. per year per student. For a town with a population that has an average income significantly below the state's average income (with many retired on a fixed income - a major portion being social security), the tax base can be crippling. The School Board DOES have a responsibility to pay attention to this regardless of what some Board members appear to think.
LD285 - To Defer Penalties "Non-consolidation penalties" for One Year - the Governor signed the Executive Order which had been approved by the House and Senate (originally written to defer penalties for two years but via negotiations was reduced to one year). The incentive here is to give school districts one more year to come into compliance with the mandate to consolidate.
What will this mean to Clifton, Eddington, and Holden? The Good News = the State will not deduct the penalty assessed to our three towns = $163,167. from the State's allocation to the SAD63 school Budget. In theory this would reduce the amount of money each town would have to contribute to meet the approved budget. HOWEVER, since the voters did approve the budget as submitted which was $139,411 higher than 2008-2009, eliminating the penalty should bring the 2009-2010 budget in lower than the 2008-2009 budget. Except - since the budget was passed at the higher rate (without the waiver of the penalty assessment), does this mean we will be taxed to cover the higher school budget so the district can "pocket" the extra $163,167? We can only wait and see what our Town Managers can tell us after they get the bill from the school district's central office. One more reason why the School Board needs to understand their relationship to the taxpayers/voters in their home towns.
*****
In my "past life", meaning my career in California, the use of the word Interesting in a review of anything (a play, a piece of proposed legislation, the narrative included in a criminal's record that accompanies him/her to prison, an attorney's presentation to the jury, etc.) is basically the equivalent of raised eyebrows. It is not a glowing review. So when I say that attending School Board meetings and watching the human dynamics is Interesting, you know what I mean. More voters/taxpayers should start attending these meetings. You don't need to do anything but go and sit there in silence - just observe YOUR elected representatives "at work". And then remember when the time comes to vote for your town's next representative.
Immediately following the Flag Salute and Moment of Silence, Varnum called for Nominations for Chairman and it was "game on." Karen Clark nominated Kevin Mills. No one seconded the motion. The silence was deafening. Then Sylvia Ellis nominated Don Varnum and Therese Anderson seconded the motion. Varnum called for the vote which ended up as 5 For - 1 Opposed (Clark) and 1 Abstained (Dorr).
Then Varnum called for Nominations for Vice Chair. Sylvia Ellis nominated Therese Anderson. Chris Ficket seconded the motion. There were no other nominations. Varnum called for the vote which ended up as 5 For - 1 Opposed (Clark) and 1 Abstained (Dorr).
At that point the printed Agenda was changed to allow for the earlier than scheduled presentation of a Plaque of Appreciation to former Board rep Robert Kiah (from Holden) to Mrs. Kiah and two of the Kiah children who were anxious to get to the ball game next door to the Holden school. Mr. Kiah could not be present because he was at work.
Each of the three principals introduced a new teacher being recommended for appointment for his respective school.
Ashley Allen was introduced as the new Grade 1 Teacher for Eddington Elementary School. Ms. Allen is working toward her Master's degree in Intervention in Literacy and was highly recommended by her references and the Eddington School Principal.
Kara Emmons was introduced as the new Kindergarten Teacher for Holden Elementary School. Her background showed a progressive amount of experience and a desire to be a Kindergarten teacher since she was a child herself. She, too, was highly recommended for the position by the Holden School Principal.
Tanya Belanger was introduced as the new Grade 6 Teacher for the Holbrook Middle School. Mrs. Belanger has her Master's degree and is moving to this area from Fort Fairfield. One of her references stated that we might find someone as qualified but no one more so. She was highly recommended by the Holbrook Middle School Principal.
All three teachers were approved for the positions by the School Board.
Since the Board agreed to Varnum's suggestion for the Board to take the month of July off (meaning to hold no Board meetings) and will not meet until August 24, it was agreed that Hart would be given the authority to recruit an Ed. Tech for the Eddington School and a replacement Science Teacher for the Holbrook School, with the expectation that the Board will approve these individuals at the August Board meeting since school is expected to begin about that same time). It is hoped that all five of these new teachers, as well as all of the teachers at the district's three schools, will have the opportunity to be observed for no less than one full class during the next school year by both their principal and the Interim Superintendent.
At this point, it should be noted that in addition to those individuals already noted being present, there were two members from the Clifton Board of Selectmen in attendance, a representative of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the School Board's Budget and Finance Committee, the Eddington Town Manager and an Eddington Selectman, along with the district's Operations and Maintenance Manager and the district's technology specialist, as well as yours truly.
When it came to Committee Meetings, the Budget and Finance Committee meeting originally scheduled for July 8 has been put off to August 9 at 6:00p.m. at the Holbrook School. It was pointed out by Karen Clark that, under school law/policy, since Sylvia Ellis is the district's Warrant Officer, as such, she could not be the Interim Chair for the Budget & Finance committee simultaneously. (Mario will resume the position of Chair once he returns August 24.) Varnum seemed to think the rules could be waived for the July meeting but Karen pressed the issue that it was a matter of law. Things seemed to come to a standstill as though no one had a thought how to solve the dilemma until Hart proposed Therese Anderson, a member of the Budget and Finance Committee could take over the Chair position for the one meeting and that would resolve the situation. With the proviso that it would be for just one meeting, Therese agreed.
The Operations Committee meeting originally scheduled for June 22 has been put off to August 24 at 5:45 p.m. at the Holbrook School.
The Policy, Technology and RSU Consolidation Planning Committee meetings are all TBD (to be determined).
Therese stated the reason why the Curriculum Committee hasn't met for over a year is because they don't want to set any curriculum standards because other schools in the "potential/yet to be" consolidated school district may mandate their own curriculum. However, if any Principals have a problem currently, they can contact the Committee which will address whatever issue(s) may exist. In the meantime, the Principals are just dealing with the State DOE mandates. (Seems to me the rush to consolidation by the DOE was only concerned with fiscal issues. Nothing was said re: quality of education issues. So I'd be concerned re: focusing on State DOE curriculum mandates. I thought that was the purpose of a Board Curriculum Committee in the first place - and having two teachers on it. At least that's what Dorr campaigned on.)
The explanation, on its face, sounded reasonable but-if the Committee hasn't had at least two meetings in the last twelve months - and doesn't plan any for the next twelve for the same reason as given last night - why have such a committee at all? To go two years with no Curriculum Committee meeting on the possibility - even Mr. Hart's expectation - that there will be some kind of K-8 consolidated district when the quality of education is supposed to be the Board's current priority seems incongruous.
Since Karen Clark resigned from being the Board's rep on the Brewer High School Board (after being "protected" out of the Vice Chair position for having too many Committee assignments) Varnum took on that assignment when no one else volunteered. The "not my problem" look on Ms. Ellis' face was noted.
Committee Assignments (made at the close of the meeting):
Policy: Karen Clark, Chair; Pam Dorr, Therese Anderson
Budget & Finance: Mario Teisl, Chair; Sylvia Ellis, Therese Anderson
Operations: Sylvia Ellis, Chair; Karen Clark, Chris Ficket
Curriculum: Therese Anderson, Chair; Pam Dorr, Kevin Mills
UTC: Karen Clark, delegate
Technology Committee: George Cummings, SAD63 Technology Coordinator, Chair; Karen Clark, Sylvia Ellis
Brewer High School Board: Don Varnum, delegate
RSU: No appointments (see notes in other areas re: this issue)
Teachers Contract Negotiations: No appointments
Since Hart firmly believes the state's voting public will affirm in November the need for school consolidation (I don't agree), he also believes that SAD63 should have a consolidation plan in place that can be submitted to the Superintendent of DOE for approval shortly after the November election. By law, prior to such submission, Public Hearings and a Public Vote in each town that would be in said consolidation will be required - all of which will take time to conduct.
However, NO RSU Committee was initiated at last night's meeting - no members of the Board were even named to an RSU Committee - even though Kevin Mills' interest in being on that committee was acknowledged by Varnum and Karen Clark has previously stated her interest. Since Ms. Ellis served on the prior RSU Committee she can be expected to want to serve as well.
Question: Since the Board doesn't plan to meet again until August 24, and the public will be voting on the state-wide consolidation issue in November, how much work will an RSU Committee accomplish in only three months? Or - does Mr. Hart plan to develop his own plan and then expect the Board/RSU Committee to rubber stamp it? Or is such a plan not expected to be ready for submission to the public until late next Spring?
Somewhere along the road SOMEONE better plan to include the taxpayers/voters in this plan's development because the voters are the ones who will make the final and real decision. The voters may appear to be uninterested in Board activities but they are just sleeping tigers. They didn't buy into the last one and shouldn't be expected to buy into one where they are excluded from the table this time either. School Board members err when they believe they are not accountable to the taxpayers.
Jennifer Cammack, School Board member from Otis, introduced herself to the Board. Otis is in the area of Mariaville. Mariaville voted TO consolidate with Ellsworth last year. Otis voted NOT to consolidate. For the interim, Otis and Mariaville are utilizing the same building with some temporary financial arrangements. However, Otis is seeking options for consolidation partners. Otis currently has approximately 50 students. The SAD63 Board agreed to include Otis in any RSU discussions "TBD." An AOS format was the focus of last night's discussion (which appears to be a K-8 arrangement which (1) shares central office & administrative services, (2) maintains its own school boards, and (3) includes the high school option). It should be known that there's talk in the three towns by individuals are saying that with rising costs there may come a time when some changes will have to be put on the table re: the high school option - either reducing the number of schools in the "option" or requiring families to pay some amount above the state-based tuition, i.e., John Bapst rate that is approximately $1574 above the state-based tuition.
The 2010 census will provide critical information which School Boards will need to take into consideration when establishing salaries for all positions. Small towns simply do not have the income base to support higher salaries for either unionized or salaried positions. As an example, Clifton has a population of less than 800 people. Currently that town is contributing $47,000+ monthly toward the school budget. - For 158 students! If my numbers are correct (and I believe the monthly contribution will be increasing), that averages $3,570. per year per student. For a town with a population that has an average income significantly below the state's average income (with many retired on a fixed income - a major portion being social security), the tax base can be crippling. The School Board DOES have a responsibility to pay attention to this regardless of what some Board members appear to think.
LD285 - To Defer Penalties "Non-consolidation penalties" for One Year - the Governor signed the Executive Order which had been approved by the House and Senate (originally written to defer penalties for two years but via negotiations was reduced to one year). The incentive here is to give school districts one more year to come into compliance with the mandate to consolidate.
What will this mean to Clifton, Eddington, and Holden? The Good News = the State will not deduct the penalty assessed to our three towns = $163,167. from the State's allocation to the SAD63 school Budget. In theory this would reduce the amount of money each town would have to contribute to meet the approved budget. HOWEVER, since the voters did approve the budget as submitted which was $139,411 higher than 2008-2009, eliminating the penalty should bring the 2009-2010 budget in lower than the 2008-2009 budget. Except - since the budget was passed at the higher rate (without the waiver of the penalty assessment), does this mean we will be taxed to cover the higher school budget so the district can "pocket" the extra $163,167? We can only wait and see what our Town Managers can tell us after they get the bill from the school district's central office. One more reason why the School Board needs to understand their relationship to the taxpayers/voters in their home towns.
*****
In my "past life", meaning my career in California, the use of the word Interesting in a review of anything (a play, a piece of proposed legislation, the narrative included in a criminal's record that accompanies him/her to prison, an attorney's presentation to the jury, etc.) is basically the equivalent of raised eyebrows. It is not a glowing review. So when I say that attending School Board meetings and watching the human dynamics is Interesting, you know what I mean. More voters/taxpayers should start attending these meetings. You don't need to do anything but go and sit there in silence - just observe YOUR elected representatives "at work". And then remember when the time comes to vote for your town's next representative.
Monday, June 22, 2009
The Rain In Spain
May stay mainly in the plain - but it looks as though, around here, it's going to stay mainly in this part of the state this entire week. Only the northwestern part is expected to see any predictable sun. And summer started yesterday, at least according to the calendar (along with the Summer Solstice - the longest day, which was pretty gloomy for all of its 15 1/2 hours). Now the daily daylight clock will start to wind down minute by minute. Bummer.
There have been increasing numbers of yellow finches at the bird feeder this past week, although every once in a while there's a rosy red one. I spotted a pretty persistent one at the bird feed at the garden feeder at Clewley Farm Restaurant last week along with a few yellow finches, but I have entire squadrons swooping down on my feeder. They seem to enjoy hanging on the brackets of the flowering brackets suspended along the back porch nearby. Of course, if the feeder is too occupied, the birds have no problem dropping in to share the chipmunks' seeds in the three dishes spread out along the bench. Share and share alike as long as the marauding band of gray squirrels don't decide to take over. That's when I need to asset the arm of the law because those squirrels do not take a gentle "Shoo."
It appears I've had a deer traveling across the front lawn in the last week or so by the tracks in the seeded loam. Now if we just had some days for the loam to dry out. The grass is doing well -but the purpose was to fill in the holes created by digging out some boulders - not to create smaller holes created by hoof tracks. :-)
Speaking of holes - there has been a very large hole in the woods at the back of my home. I discovered it over the past year while cleaning up dead wood and dropped branches from winter weather. So while spending a weekend chipping the results of a Spring clean-up (I don't burn), it was my intention to fill the hole. Lo and behold, it appears there is a porcupine living down there in a section of the hole. What a dilemma.
I don't want to hurt/kill the porcupine - certainly don't want to rile him up - or, if it's a her, I don't want to disturb any babies. I certainly don't want it to decide to relocate under my porch. But that hole could trip up a person walking up through the woods or any of the herd of deer that use it during the Fall and Winter months. Anyone have any ideas?
I do remember that porcupines and skunks have the "Right of Way." As a child, when my family lived here at the Pond during the summers and into early Fall, we had a camp - not a year-round home. No in-door plumbing. There was a Ben Franklin wood stove in the main room and an ice box in the kitchen. And there was the "Cathedral" - the name for the outhouse, which my dad liberally sprinkled every day with the cold ashes from the wood stove. Last thing at night before going to bed, my brothers and I made that trip to the Cathedral, usually with a flashlight, hoping we were ahead of Mrs. Skunk and Mrs. Porcupine taking their children on a nightly stroll because those strolls always went directly across our beaten path to the Cathedral. No matter how desperate our need, Mrs. Skunk and Mrs. Porcupine had the right-of-way. And if they were too slow - or they had their children, we had to divert our trips into the woods. That was the way of the "camping experience" in those days - more than 55 years ago. I suppose one could consider it early composting.
And then there was the summer Mrs. Skunk decided to build her nest under the camp. You can be sure we were all especially carefully not to jump up and down and rough house in the main room that year.
There have been increasing numbers of yellow finches at the bird feeder this past week, although every once in a while there's a rosy red one. I spotted a pretty persistent one at the bird feed at the garden feeder at Clewley Farm Restaurant last week along with a few yellow finches, but I have entire squadrons swooping down on my feeder. They seem to enjoy hanging on the brackets of the flowering brackets suspended along the back porch nearby. Of course, if the feeder is too occupied, the birds have no problem dropping in to share the chipmunks' seeds in the three dishes spread out along the bench. Share and share alike as long as the marauding band of gray squirrels don't decide to take over. That's when I need to asset the arm of the law because those squirrels do not take a gentle "Shoo."
It appears I've had a deer traveling across the front lawn in the last week or so by the tracks in the seeded loam. Now if we just had some days for the loam to dry out. The grass is doing well -but the purpose was to fill in the holes created by digging out some boulders - not to create smaller holes created by hoof tracks. :-)
Speaking of holes - there has been a very large hole in the woods at the back of my home. I discovered it over the past year while cleaning up dead wood and dropped branches from winter weather. So while spending a weekend chipping the results of a Spring clean-up (I don't burn), it was my intention to fill the hole. Lo and behold, it appears there is a porcupine living down there in a section of the hole. What a dilemma.
I don't want to hurt/kill the porcupine - certainly don't want to rile him up - or, if it's a her, I don't want to disturb any babies. I certainly don't want it to decide to relocate under my porch. But that hole could trip up a person walking up through the woods or any of the herd of deer that use it during the Fall and Winter months. Anyone have any ideas?
I do remember that porcupines and skunks have the "Right of Way." As a child, when my family lived here at the Pond during the summers and into early Fall, we had a camp - not a year-round home. No in-door plumbing. There was a Ben Franklin wood stove in the main room and an ice box in the kitchen. And there was the "Cathedral" - the name for the outhouse, which my dad liberally sprinkled every day with the cold ashes from the wood stove. Last thing at night before going to bed, my brothers and I made that trip to the Cathedral, usually with a flashlight, hoping we were ahead of Mrs. Skunk and Mrs. Porcupine taking their children on a nightly stroll because those strolls always went directly across our beaten path to the Cathedral. No matter how desperate our need, Mrs. Skunk and Mrs. Porcupine had the right-of-way. And if they were too slow - or they had their children, we had to divert our trips into the woods. That was the way of the "camping experience" in those days - more than 55 years ago. I suppose one could consider it early composting.
And then there was the summer Mrs. Skunk decided to build her nest under the camp. You can be sure we were all especially carefully not to jump up and down and rough house in the main room that year.
Friday, June 19, 2009
RESEARCH, THOUGHTS & SCHOOL BOARD POLITICS
It took some digging through the SAD63 website to find out when the Board took the action to extend the Interim Superintendent's contract past it's original expiration date of 6/30/09 - as announced by the current Board Chairman, Don Varnum, at the June 4th Public Vote conducted at the Holbrook Middle School. Although Mr. Varnum has made comment that the action took pace this past February (2009) it doesn't show up until the April 2009 minutes. The Motion was made by Board member Sylvia Ellis, rep from Holden, and was Seconded by Karen Clark, rep from Eddington. When questioned, Mrs. Clark said she didn't remember the Motion or having seconded it - but there it is on the website.
Question: With no RSU Committee meetings having been scheduled (much less conducted) since the "NO" vote at the end of 2008, doesn't it seem strange for the Board to have taken such an action at that point? And with Mr. Hart, the Interim Superintendent, so firm in his belief that the statewide voters will affirm the requirement to consolidate, why hasn't the Board or the current Chairman at least started some kind of dialogue with the parents of the current students in our schools and the taxpayers as to what kind of consolidation we would support?
While we're on the topic of research, it was most interesting to discover how many years Mr. Varnum has been Chairman - or how consistent the position has been held by a representative from the town of Holden. I can see one reason for the Chair to be held by a Holden rep - Holden has 4 seats on the Board, Eddington has 3, and Clifton has 1 seat. Since the Chair cannot vote, that leaves an equal number of votes for Holden and Eddington - and then there's Clifton's vote. The Chair cannot vote unless there is a tie vote (and that can't happen if everyone shows up for the meeting and/or no one abstains, such as for reasons for Conflict of Interest).
It certainly wouldn't be equitable to have both the Chair AND Vice-Chair come from the same town. But maybe it would be good to have fresh ideas and opinions rotate through those seats periodically
Don Varnum has been the Chair ever since taking over the position when Pat Sirios resigned her seat on the Board, during which she was the elected Chair. (Pat reportedly resigned from stress associated from the on-going lawsuit. Mr. Varnum was appointed by Holden's Board of Selectmen to fill her position.) Pat was elected Chair when Robert Kiah beat out Don in an election for a seat on the Board - but then the Holden Selectmen sent him right back.
(Several people have told me there were two other candidates who put there names forward for the appointment, both of whom had been Board reps but that Don has close association with members of the Holden Selectmen. But Don had voted against terminating the former Superintendent, the one with whom the Board is now in litigation, so one might have considered the possibility of a possible Conflict of Interest in his selection.)
Prior to Don losing to Rob Kiah, Don was Chairman of the Board during his term. I can't be sure if he was Chair throughout his entire term but the only other name other name I could find, was a Doug Bosse, also a rep from Holden. So I can certainly understand when I hear people in Eddington say that Holden "runs" the school board.
In most organizations, a person sits in a "practice" seat such as a Vice-Chair or Vice-President for a certain period and then moves up. Apparently that doesn't happen in local politics (Selectmen or School Boards).
Maybe some kind of rotation of Board position would be good - healthy. After all, the Chair position is supposed to be one of objectivity, knowledge, an unbiased position. The current Vice Chair, Karen Clark, has been in that position for some time. So maybe some rotation would be good there, too. But who else on the Board has attended as many (or any) of the seminars and conferences on school law the way Karen has. Who else has shown the involvement in school board committees or has the history in union negotiations and consolidation that she has. It takes more than thinking such and such a rule or policy applies and then quoting the wrong one. It takes more than brushing aside employee contacts being changed (at the expense of the taxpayers) and letting them go unchecked by the Board for years at a time. It takes more than having another employee waive aside a School Board member's request for verification that appropriate taxes have been paid out of bonuses given to employees even if the Board didn't know about said bonuses at the time.
Being a leader means being knowledgeable - or at least open-minded enough to reach out and ask - to be inclusive to those who really do know the business and then be willing to do what needs to be done regardless of personal relationships AND in touch with the taxpayers as well as the teachers and families involved in our schools.
Perhaps some kind of criteria should be set for candidates for the position, such as having been the Chair of an ACTIVE committee for at least two years (active = having met at least five times during each of the two qualifying years.). Being Chair of an inactive committee would not qualify (inactive = meeting dates To Be Determined for months on end.) AND having been a committee member of at least one other ACTIVE committee for no less than one year. This would at least ensure that candidates for the Chair position would be knowledgeable about and committed to the workings of the Board in some areas.
Or - absent such criteria, perhaps the Chair should be someone who has no reputation (or public perception) of siding with or against individuals employed by the district or with/against groups (cliques?) on the Board. Perhaps in that way the Board could have a spokesperson who actively solicits input from ALL Board members and citizen advisory groups and thus forms a focused objective that will meet the needs of the district while being accountable to school families as well as the taxpayers (because the taxpayers are the ones who have to pay the bills after all).
If consolidation for SAD63 is to happen there need to be some changes in the current Board politics. As it is right now, there are serious issues that any other district will discover should the subject of consolidation come to the table, the least of which is the current lawsuit. The current Board's leadership knows what they are and has been preventing those issues from being addressed.
Question: With no RSU Committee meetings having been scheduled (much less conducted) since the "NO" vote at the end of 2008, doesn't it seem strange for the Board to have taken such an action at that point? And with Mr. Hart, the Interim Superintendent, so firm in his belief that the statewide voters will affirm the requirement to consolidate, why hasn't the Board or the current Chairman at least started some kind of dialogue with the parents of the current students in our schools and the taxpayers as to what kind of consolidation we would support?
While we're on the topic of research, it was most interesting to discover how many years Mr. Varnum has been Chairman - or how consistent the position has been held by a representative from the town of Holden. I can see one reason for the Chair to be held by a Holden rep - Holden has 4 seats on the Board, Eddington has 3, and Clifton has 1 seat. Since the Chair cannot vote, that leaves an equal number of votes for Holden and Eddington - and then there's Clifton's vote. The Chair cannot vote unless there is a tie vote (and that can't happen if everyone shows up for the meeting and/or no one abstains, such as for reasons for Conflict of Interest).
It certainly wouldn't be equitable to have both the Chair AND Vice-Chair come from the same town. But maybe it would be good to have fresh ideas and opinions rotate through those seats periodically
Don Varnum has been the Chair ever since taking over the position when Pat Sirios resigned her seat on the Board, during which she was the elected Chair. (Pat reportedly resigned from stress associated from the on-going lawsuit. Mr. Varnum was appointed by Holden's Board of Selectmen to fill her position.) Pat was elected Chair when Robert Kiah beat out Don in an election for a seat on the Board - but then the Holden Selectmen sent him right back.
(Several people have told me there were two other candidates who put there names forward for the appointment, both of whom had been Board reps but that Don has close association with members of the Holden Selectmen. But Don had voted against terminating the former Superintendent, the one with whom the Board is now in litigation, so one might have considered the possibility of a possible Conflict of Interest in his selection.)
Prior to Don losing to Rob Kiah, Don was Chairman of the Board during his term. I can't be sure if he was Chair throughout his entire term but the only other name other name I could find, was a Doug Bosse, also a rep from Holden. So I can certainly understand when I hear people in Eddington say that Holden "runs" the school board.
In most organizations, a person sits in a "practice" seat such as a Vice-Chair or Vice-President for a certain period and then moves up. Apparently that doesn't happen in local politics (Selectmen or School Boards).
Maybe some kind of rotation of Board position would be good - healthy. After all, the Chair position is supposed to be one of objectivity, knowledge, an unbiased position. The current Vice Chair, Karen Clark, has been in that position for some time. So maybe some rotation would be good there, too. But who else on the Board has attended as many (or any) of the seminars and conferences on school law the way Karen has. Who else has shown the involvement in school board committees or has the history in union negotiations and consolidation that she has. It takes more than thinking such and such a rule or policy applies and then quoting the wrong one. It takes more than brushing aside employee contacts being changed (at the expense of the taxpayers) and letting them go unchecked by the Board for years at a time. It takes more than having another employee waive aside a School Board member's request for verification that appropriate taxes have been paid out of bonuses given to employees even if the Board didn't know about said bonuses at the time.
Being a leader means being knowledgeable - or at least open-minded enough to reach out and ask - to be inclusive to those who really do know the business and then be willing to do what needs to be done regardless of personal relationships AND in touch with the taxpayers as well as the teachers and families involved in our schools.
Perhaps some kind of criteria should be set for candidates for the position, such as having been the Chair of an ACTIVE committee for at least two years (active = having met at least five times during each of the two qualifying years.). Being Chair of an inactive committee would not qualify (inactive = meeting dates To Be Determined for months on end.) AND having been a committee member of at least one other ACTIVE committee for no less than one year. This would at least ensure that candidates for the Chair position would be knowledgeable about and committed to the workings of the Board in some areas.
Or - absent such criteria, perhaps the Chair should be someone who has no reputation (or public perception) of siding with or against individuals employed by the district or with/against groups (cliques?) on the Board. Perhaps in that way the Board could have a spokesperson who actively solicits input from ALL Board members and citizen advisory groups and thus forms a focused objective that will meet the needs of the district while being accountable to school families as well as the taxpayers (because the taxpayers are the ones who have to pay the bills after all).
If consolidation for SAD63 is to happen there need to be some changes in the current Board politics. As it is right now, there are serious issues that any other district will discover should the subject of consolidation come to the table, the least of which is the current lawsuit. The current Board's leadership knows what they are and has been preventing those issues from being addressed.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
"HAPPENINGS" IN THE AREA
EDDINGTON SELECTMEN'S MEETING - Tuesday, the 16th -
The next School Board meeting will be this coming Monday night, the 22nd, at 6:30pm, which will be held at the Holden School. The agenda will include the election of the Chair and Vice Chair of the School Board. The Board Chair expressed appreciation on behalf of the full Board for the work Karen does as a School Board member on behalf of the town and her on-going involvement with the Board of Selectmen. Selectman Charles Baker said he would try to attend the next School Board meeting.
NOTE: With Mario Tiesl, rep from Holden, on leave until August 15, there will only be seven School Board members in attendance.
The Eddington Farmers' Market will have its Opening Day, Sunday, July 5 - from 10AM to 1PM. It will be held in the Parking Lot of the Eddington Town Office. The Market will be open on Sundays only from July 5 through September 27 with a possible extension into October depending on the weather and the amount of market attendance.
The By-Laws and Site map (for the vendors and parking) have been received. All official documents will be signed next Tuesday, the 23rd, at a short meeting of the Selectmen. Fliers for the Farmers' Market were delivered to the SAD63 schools for the children to take home this past Monday or Tuesday to alert families.
The developing Town Website is moving right along. The name has been registered as www.Eddingtonmaine.gov Gretchen and Craig are working on the design and development. Hopefully it will be up and running before mid-summer.
It was also noted that Craig graduated this past may with a B.A. in Fire Sciences. Craig will be working at the Eddington Fire Department this summer for 40 hours a week. Sounds like he's going to be busy (not to mention a great asset to the town).
The first edition of the new Eddington Newsletter should be in the mail within the next week and a half. Karen Clark reported that she had obtained various price quotes for the printing 1,000 copies. Her daughter will do the folding. Fliers for the Farmers Market will also be included. People will have the option of signing up for future editions to be "delivered" via the website or their email addresses, both of which will reduce postage costs. The newsletter will include articles about the functions of the Planning Board, the Fire Department, the Board of Selectmen, and profiles of the individuals who serve our community and why they have chosen to serve. Special articles will be included in future editions as the town seeks to expand communication between the various groups that are active in Eddington and our residents.
Richard Bowden, President of the Eddington Historical Society, made a presentation to the Board of Selectmen regarding the activities of the Society. He talked about the many artifacts and pieces of historical equipment that have been collected over the years and a need for a place to store and exhibit them. An extensive discussion took place at the end of the official agenda (during the Public Access portion) regarding possible sources for grants which might be sought for an Historical Museum - perhaps in conjunction with an Eddington Public Library.
Praise was given for the on-going notices on the Town Office sign including the notice of the Selectmen's Meeting. There is LIFE IN EDDINGTON!
******
You're sure to want to drop by Comins Hall this Saturday and Sunday, the 20th and 21st, for the Grand Yard Sale that will be going on. Who knows what treasures you'll find for mere pennies on the dollar. And if you have something you want to sell (or practically give away), what better chance than this one?
******
Plan to attend the "Mad Hatter's Tea" at the Clifton Library next Wednesday, the 24th, from 2PM - 4PM. (I just gave it the name - Mad Hatter's :-) because I think it's cute, and because I love the idea of wearing a fancy or creative hat - anything to get out of these garden grubbies). But I'm told you don't need to wear a hat, just come and enjoy the library and the people and have a cup of lovely tea. You don't even need to be a resident of Clifton which is pretty neighborly, I think.
If you've never been to the Clifton Library, it's located in the Clifton Town Office on Route 9 about 1 mile or so past Tradewinds on the right hand side. The Librarian is Caroline Baker, mother of Chuck Baker who is an Eddington Selectman. Caroline knows just about everything about each book in the library and loves a good book.
Karen Clark gave the School Board report which included the Town-by-Town voting results of the School Budget referendum (see my earlier blog). She also reported that UTC has offered to conduct energy efficiency tests at the schools free of charge during the coming school year.
The next School Board meeting will be this coming Monday night, the 22nd, at 6:30pm, which will be held at the Holden School. The agenda will include the election of the Chair and Vice Chair of the School Board. The Board Chair expressed appreciation on behalf of the full Board for the work Karen does as a School Board member on behalf of the town and her on-going involvement with the Board of Selectmen. Selectman Charles Baker said he would try to attend the next School Board meeting.
NOTE: With Mario Tiesl, rep from Holden, on leave until August 15, there will only be seven School Board members in attendance.
The Eddington Farmers' Market will have its Opening Day, Sunday, July 5 - from 10AM to 1PM. It will be held in the Parking Lot of the Eddington Town Office. The Market will be open on Sundays only from July 5 through September 27 with a possible extension into October depending on the weather and the amount of market attendance.
The By-Laws and Site map (for the vendors and parking) have been received. All official documents will be signed next Tuesday, the 23rd, at a short meeting of the Selectmen. Fliers for the Farmers' Market were delivered to the SAD63 schools for the children to take home this past Monday or Tuesday to alert families.
The developing Town Website is moving right along. The name has been registered as www.Eddingtonmaine.gov Gretchen and Craig are working on the design and development. Hopefully it will be up and running before mid-summer.
It was also noted that Craig graduated this past may with a B.A. in Fire Sciences. Craig will be working at the Eddington Fire Department this summer for 40 hours a week. Sounds like he's going to be busy (not to mention a great asset to the town).
The first edition of the new Eddington Newsletter should be in the mail within the next week and a half. Karen Clark reported that she had obtained various price quotes for the printing 1,000 copies. Her daughter will do the folding. Fliers for the Farmers Market will also be included. People will have the option of signing up for future editions to be "delivered" via the website or their email addresses, both of which will reduce postage costs. The newsletter will include articles about the functions of the Planning Board, the Fire Department, the Board of Selectmen, and profiles of the individuals who serve our community and why they have chosen to serve. Special articles will be included in future editions as the town seeks to expand communication between the various groups that are active in Eddington and our residents.
Richard Bowden, President of the Eddington Historical Society, made a presentation to the Board of Selectmen regarding the activities of the Society. He talked about the many artifacts and pieces of historical equipment that have been collected over the years and a need for a place to store and exhibit them. An extensive discussion took place at the end of the official agenda (during the Public Access portion) regarding possible sources for grants which might be sought for an Historical Museum - perhaps in conjunction with an Eddington Public Library.
Praise was given for the on-going notices on the Town Office sign including the notice of the Selectmen's Meeting. There is LIFE IN EDDINGTON!
******
You're sure to want to drop by Comins Hall this Saturday and Sunday, the 20th and 21st, for the Grand Yard Sale that will be going on. Who knows what treasures you'll find for mere pennies on the dollar. And if you have something you want to sell (or practically give away), what better chance than this one?
******
Plan to attend the "Mad Hatter's Tea" at the Clifton Library next Wednesday, the 24th, from 2PM - 4PM. (I just gave it the name - Mad Hatter's :-) because I think it's cute, and because I love the idea of wearing a fancy or creative hat - anything to get out of these garden grubbies). But I'm told you don't need to wear a hat, just come and enjoy the library and the people and have a cup of lovely tea. You don't even need to be a resident of Clifton which is pretty neighborly, I think.
If you've never been to the Clifton Library, it's located in the Clifton Town Office on Route 9 about 1 mile or so past Tradewinds on the right hand side. The Librarian is Caroline Baker, mother of Chuck Baker who is an Eddington Selectman. Caroline knows just about everything about each book in the library and loves a good book.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Can We Clone Penny Peasley, PLEASE
The town of Clifton is more than well served by Selectwoman Penny Peasley. Not only is she wise to the ways of fiscal management, but she is attentive to her duties and responsibilities as an elected representative of the people. As she said at the Citizens Advisory Committee meeting for the SAD63 Budget and Finance Committee (when each town was asked to send a Selectman/woman to attend - are you listening, Eddington, from which no one attends), Penny said, "When they tell me to be there, I'm there."
So she was there last Wednesday night at 6pm at the Holbrook Middle School, along with Jackie Smallwood and Richard Orovitz from Holden. Why? Because the School Board had scheduled a meeting to be there at that time to validate the results of the three towns' votes on the School Budget June 4 & 9 AND to hold a Budget and Finance committee meeting.
Of course, it would have been nice (polite, courteous, civilized even) if the School Board Chair, Don Varnum from Holden - or the Interim Superintendent, Ray Hart, had notified the principal at Holbrook that the School Board group would be there. The principal could have set up the School Board group in the school's Conference Room (perfectly capable of accommodating them) and thereby not upsetting the planned meeting of the Fifth Grade parents who will be Sixth Grade parents next year (many of whom were already in the large lunch room which had been set up for the parents meeting). Nor would it have been necessary for Mr. Hart to be rude to school staff (do I hear the clicking of heels, AGAIN!). What an example for the parents to have observed, Mr. Hart. Shame on you.
And then there were the comments of Mr. Varnum who didn't think it was necessary for the Budget and Finance Committee to meet - even though there were citizens there who clearly remembered that such a meeting had been planned and calendared. Perhaps such a meeting was inconvenient to the private agendas Mr. Varnum and Mr. Hart seem to have going amongst themselves - i.e., Mr. Varnum's announcement (pronouncement) that the School Board had voted to have Mr. Hart extend his Interim Superintendent contract extended past its 6/30/09 expiration date. On what date of which School Board meeting did that take place? - not any meeting in the last three months - nor in any of the Executive Meetings. Even though Therese Anderson, representative from Eddington may say that the topic has been "discussed" - a discussion does not take the place of an official motion, second and vote for the record. And yet, Mr. Varnum felt perfectly free to announce such an action (for himself, apparently) to the public on June 4 as though the Board had taken such an action. The explanation given by Mr. Hart was understandable. There wasn't even the need to point out that Mr. Hart is now serving as Superintendent for CSD8. But Orrington's Superintendent is certainly NOT going to be interested in being Supintendent of an RSU that includes SAD63 and Dedham (even through Mr. hart keeps pushing that consolidation idea).
But, back to Don Varnum - This is not this first (nor, I fear, the last) time Mr. Varnum will consider it his prerogative to make unilateral decisions in the name of the Board of Directors which is sliding perilously close to another legal action for which the taxpayers will have to pay the piper.
Now - Mr. Varnum thinks it is HIS prerogative to give the Clifton School Board rep "another chance" to continue to sit on the Board. The Clifton rep. was appointed to the position by the Clifton Selectmen/women. He was NOT elected by the people.
The Clifton rep did NOT attend the May 13 Public Hearing to review the proposed school budget. Nor did the Clifton rep attend the June 4 Public Meeting for the vote on the School Budget. There are two of the most critical meetings for a School Board representative to attend for the public.
The Clifton rep misses as many School Board meetings as he attends. One of the duties and responsibilities of a School Board rep is to serve on at least two School Board Committees. The Clifton rep serves on NONE. The Clifton rep chose to telephone several individuals in Clifton loudly chastising them for opposing the proposed school budget and admonishing those citizens for not showing confidence in the SAD63 School Board. (Question: Since the Clifton rep failed to show up to the May 13 meeting - how did he have the slightest idea or understanding of the proposed budget?)
Frankly, the people of Clifton have no reason to trust the SAD63 School Board. Not with the School Board lack of representation they have (not) been receiving. No wonder Mr. Varnum supports such an individual. Mr. Varnum receive no opposition from a rep who doesn't show up - who doesn't know what's going on and who can't correct Mr. Varnum when he speaks out of turn or MIS-speaks.
Which is why we need more Penny Peasleys. Selectwoman Peasley pointed out the following at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting that was held (brief as it was) last Wednesday night:
1. There need to be more Citizen Advisory Committee meetings and certainly more frequently than just a few weeks before the Business Manager's Proposed Budget is being submitted for a vote.
2. Finance Reports need to be provided by the Business Manager monthly (not every three or four months as has been the recent history).
(NOTE: When the Business Manager finally arrived with the report Wednesday, the three members of the Advisory Committee who were there had to make a point of asking for copies instead of automatically being provided them.)
3. Finance Reports (and proposed budgets) need to be provided in the same formats that are compatible with actuals (meaning what was budgeted per line item, what has been spent (a) month to date and (b) year to date per line item and then compare that data to what is being projected for the next year's budget - per line item... actual to actual. If certain line items have to be budgeted for 12 months such as teachers' salaries and benefits, then those items need to be shown in projected twelve month projections). And no more of one format for the Finance Reports and an Excel format for the projected budget as the Business Manager did this year, especially since the district's computer is capable of doing all of this - PLUS PAYROLL.
4. The Audit Report for 2007-2008 needs to be made available immediately. The report should have been ready at least six months ago.
NOTE: The Audit is a Public Document and there is no excuse for it not to be available now. (The Business Manager has been trying to say the current lawsuit against the former Superintendent is the reason why it has not been available and that excuse just does not hold water - my statement, not Ms. Peasley's. The Business Manager gave some kind of comment regarding the Auditor's "letter" being ready or nearly ready - and that doesn't hold water, either. Having worked in the financial industry at one point, I know that an auditor's "letter" is used as the cover document stating the process used in the audit and the auditor's "general findings". Like Ms. Peasley reportedly stated, I, too, think the delay is because there is a "problem" in the auditors findings [or somebody is trying to hide something.]. Remember, one of the reasons the Business Manager was hired was because she supposedly has a CPA certification. So, if there is a "problem" noted in the "letter", maybe there are some negotiations going on to try to minimize the wording of the "problem." Frankly, I think it's time to bring in the State Attorney General to look into all of the questionable goings on that Mr. Varnum, Mr. Hart, and Ms. Mitchell seem to want to keep away from the eyes of the public/taxpayers. And remember - all three of them are friends and supporters of the former Superintendent, Louise Regan. If you don't think THAT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, then you, too, may have a fox guarding the henhouse.
Penny Peasley is a lot smarter than any of those three would like to acknowledge. She's a lot smoother, nicer, more tactful that I am or ever will be. I admit it. Because I will come right out and say I don't trust any of them. Thank goodness Karen Clark is around to try (I say TRY) to keep Mr. Varnum from doing something clearly illegal. It's clear he doesn't know any of the policies or perhaps he'd prefer to ignore them. But Karen, as Policy Committee Chair not only knows them, she's keeping them up to date and current with the law (and cleaning them up from what the previous Superintendent "changed" without any School Board approval).
Mr. Varnum should be removed from the position of Chair - even though he has stated he will not step down - because he seems to have a problem with memory, with facts, and is willing to totally disregard his responsibilities as an elected representative of the people of Holden. But all three towns' taxpayers will end up paying for any legal problem he creates as Chair of SAD63. And even though Mr. Hart is advocating SAD63 consolidate with Dedham and Orrington, when did the School Board authorize either Mr. Varnum or Mr. Hart to initiate any discussion with those two communities re: consolidation? Seems to me, this whole lawsuit with the previous Superintendent all started because she initiated communication with communities re: consolidation before she had official Board authorization to do so. Is this de ja vu? What's wrong with taking a survey of Clifton, Eddington and Holden to see how families here would feel about consolidating with Dedham and Orrington?
So, back to my original premise. Let's clone Penny Peasley. We need people like Penny on the School Board. We need people like Penny in the Central Office and Administration of SAD63. We need Penny to attend the School Board meeting next Monday night to stand up and tell those members who DO attend that it's time to stop their little cliques and get down to the business of the business of quality education at an accountable price.
Who from the School Board will be on the negotiating team for the new teachers contract? It can't be Therese Anderson, Pam Dorr or Mario Tesel because they're all teachers. That's a conflict of interest - plain and simple. It certainly can't be the so-called rep from Clifton because he hasn't been at enough meetings to know anything about how the Board operates or the workings of SAD63. It certainly can't be Mr. Varnum. He can't be trusted to remember what is the truth and what he thinks should be the truth - other than what he and Mr. Hart concoct in the backroom. It sure as heck can't be Ms. Mitchell (for more reasons that I want to list.) So that leaves Sylvia Ellis (who'll do whatever Hart or Varnum tell her to do); Kevin Mills, the new rep from Holden; and Karen Clark, the rep from Eddington who's been on the negotiation team for several negotiations so she at least knows some history of the process.
Maybe the School Board should consider appointing someone from the Citizens Advisory Board to sit on the negotiating team. How about Ralph Russell from Eddington. Or PENNY. At least we could get some objective and fresh ideas. Sure would be better for the taxpayers.
So she was there last Wednesday night at 6pm at the Holbrook Middle School, along with Jackie Smallwood and Richard Orovitz from Holden. Why? Because the School Board had scheduled a meeting to be there at that time to validate the results of the three towns' votes on the School Budget June 4 & 9 AND to hold a Budget and Finance committee meeting.
Of course, it would have been nice (polite, courteous, civilized even) if the School Board Chair, Don Varnum from Holden - or the Interim Superintendent, Ray Hart, had notified the principal at Holbrook that the School Board group would be there. The principal could have set up the School Board group in the school's Conference Room (perfectly capable of accommodating them) and thereby not upsetting the planned meeting of the Fifth Grade parents who will be Sixth Grade parents next year (many of whom were already in the large lunch room which had been set up for the parents meeting). Nor would it have been necessary for Mr. Hart to be rude to school staff (do I hear the clicking of heels, AGAIN!). What an example for the parents to have observed, Mr. Hart. Shame on you.
And then there were the comments of Mr. Varnum who didn't think it was necessary for the Budget and Finance Committee to meet - even though there were citizens there who clearly remembered that such a meeting had been planned and calendared. Perhaps such a meeting was inconvenient to the private agendas Mr. Varnum and Mr. Hart seem to have going amongst themselves - i.e., Mr. Varnum's announcement (pronouncement) that the School Board had voted to have Mr. Hart extend his Interim Superintendent contract extended past its 6/30/09 expiration date. On what date of which School Board meeting did that take place? - not any meeting in the last three months - nor in any of the Executive Meetings. Even though Therese Anderson, representative from Eddington may say that the topic has been "discussed" - a discussion does not take the place of an official motion, second and vote for the record. And yet, Mr. Varnum felt perfectly free to announce such an action (for himself, apparently) to the public on June 4 as though the Board had taken such an action. The explanation given by Mr. Hart was understandable. There wasn't even the need to point out that Mr. Hart is now serving as Superintendent for CSD8. But Orrington's Superintendent is certainly NOT going to be interested in being Supintendent of an RSU that includes SAD63 and Dedham (even through Mr. hart keeps pushing that consolidation idea).
But, back to Don Varnum - This is not this first (nor, I fear, the last) time Mr. Varnum will consider it his prerogative to make unilateral decisions in the name of the Board of Directors which is sliding perilously close to another legal action for which the taxpayers will have to pay the piper.
Now - Mr. Varnum thinks it is HIS prerogative to give the Clifton School Board rep "another chance" to continue to sit on the Board. The Clifton rep. was appointed to the position by the Clifton Selectmen/women. He was NOT elected by the people.
The Clifton rep did NOT attend the May 13 Public Hearing to review the proposed school budget. Nor did the Clifton rep attend the June 4 Public Meeting for the vote on the School Budget. There are two of the most critical meetings for a School Board representative to attend for the public.
The Clifton rep misses as many School Board meetings as he attends. One of the duties and responsibilities of a School Board rep is to serve on at least two School Board Committees. The Clifton rep serves on NONE. The Clifton rep chose to telephone several individuals in Clifton loudly chastising them for opposing the proposed school budget and admonishing those citizens for not showing confidence in the SAD63 School Board. (Question: Since the Clifton rep failed to show up to the May 13 meeting - how did he have the slightest idea or understanding of the proposed budget?)
Frankly, the people of Clifton have no reason to trust the SAD63 School Board. Not with the School Board lack of representation they have (not) been receiving. No wonder Mr. Varnum supports such an individual. Mr. Varnum receive no opposition from a rep who doesn't show up - who doesn't know what's going on and who can't correct Mr. Varnum when he speaks out of turn or MIS-speaks.
Which is why we need more Penny Peasleys. Selectwoman Peasley pointed out the following at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting that was held (brief as it was) last Wednesday night:
1. There need to be more Citizen Advisory Committee meetings and certainly more frequently than just a few weeks before the Business Manager's Proposed Budget is being submitted for a vote.
2. Finance Reports need to be provided by the Business Manager monthly (not every three or four months as has been the recent history).
(NOTE: When the Business Manager finally arrived with the report Wednesday, the three members of the Advisory Committee who were there had to make a point of asking for copies instead of automatically being provided them.)
3. Finance Reports (and proposed budgets) need to be provided in the same formats that are compatible with actuals (meaning what was budgeted per line item, what has been spent (a) month to date and (b) year to date per line item and then compare that data to what is being projected for the next year's budget - per line item... actual to actual. If certain line items have to be budgeted for 12 months such as teachers' salaries and benefits, then those items need to be shown in projected twelve month projections). And no more of one format for the Finance Reports and an Excel format for the projected budget as the Business Manager did this year, especially since the district's computer is capable of doing all of this - PLUS PAYROLL.
4. The Audit Report for 2007-2008 needs to be made available immediately. The report should have been ready at least six months ago.
NOTE: The Audit is a Public Document and there is no excuse for it not to be available now. (The Business Manager has been trying to say the current lawsuit against the former Superintendent is the reason why it has not been available and that excuse just does not hold water - my statement, not Ms. Peasley's. The Business Manager gave some kind of comment regarding the Auditor's "letter" being ready or nearly ready - and that doesn't hold water, either. Having worked in the financial industry at one point, I know that an auditor's "letter" is used as the cover document stating the process used in the audit and the auditor's "general findings". Like Ms. Peasley reportedly stated, I, too, think the delay is because there is a "problem" in the auditors findings [or somebody is trying to hide something.]. Remember, one of the reasons the Business Manager was hired was because she supposedly has a CPA certification. So, if there is a "problem" noted in the "letter", maybe there are some negotiations going on to try to minimize the wording of the "problem." Frankly, I think it's time to bring in the State Attorney General to look into all of the questionable goings on that Mr. Varnum, Mr. Hart, and Ms. Mitchell seem to want to keep away from the eyes of the public/taxpayers. And remember - all three of them are friends and supporters of the former Superintendent, Louise Regan. If you don't think THAT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, then you, too, may have a fox guarding the henhouse.
Penny Peasley is a lot smarter than any of those three would like to acknowledge. She's a lot smoother, nicer, more tactful that I am or ever will be. I admit it. Because I will come right out and say I don't trust any of them. Thank goodness Karen Clark is around to try (I say TRY) to keep Mr. Varnum from doing something clearly illegal. It's clear he doesn't know any of the policies or perhaps he'd prefer to ignore them. But Karen, as Policy Committee Chair not only knows them, she's keeping them up to date and current with the law (and cleaning them up from what the previous Superintendent "changed" without any School Board approval).
Mr. Varnum should be removed from the position of Chair - even though he has stated he will not step down - because he seems to have a problem with memory, with facts, and is willing to totally disregard his responsibilities as an elected representative of the people of Holden. But all three towns' taxpayers will end up paying for any legal problem he creates as Chair of SAD63. And even though Mr. Hart is advocating SAD63 consolidate with Dedham and Orrington, when did the School Board authorize either Mr. Varnum or Mr. Hart to initiate any discussion with those two communities re: consolidation? Seems to me, this whole lawsuit with the previous Superintendent all started because she initiated communication with communities re: consolidation before she had official Board authorization to do so. Is this de ja vu? What's wrong with taking a survey of Clifton, Eddington and Holden to see how families here would feel about consolidating with Dedham and Orrington?
So, back to my original premise. Let's clone Penny Peasley. We need people like Penny on the School Board. We need people like Penny in the Central Office and Administration of SAD63. We need Penny to attend the School Board meeting next Monday night to stand up and tell those members who DO attend that it's time to stop their little cliques and get down to the business of the business of quality education at an accountable price.
Who from the School Board will be on the negotiating team for the new teachers contract? It can't be Therese Anderson, Pam Dorr or Mario Tesel because they're all teachers. That's a conflict of interest - plain and simple. It certainly can't be the so-called rep from Clifton because he hasn't been at enough meetings to know anything about how the Board operates or the workings of SAD63. It certainly can't be Mr. Varnum. He can't be trusted to remember what is the truth and what he thinks should be the truth - other than what he and Mr. Hart concoct in the backroom. It sure as heck can't be Ms. Mitchell (for more reasons that I want to list.) So that leaves Sylvia Ellis (who'll do whatever Hart or Varnum tell her to do); Kevin Mills, the new rep from Holden; and Karen Clark, the rep from Eddington who's been on the negotiation team for several negotiations so she at least knows some history of the process.
Maybe the School Board should consider appointing someone from the Citizens Advisory Board to sit on the negotiating team. How about Ralph Russell from Eddington. Or PENNY. At least we could get some objective and fresh ideas. Sure would be better for the taxpayers.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Can you spot the typo?
There is a typo is the "Crystal Ball" blog I entered yesterday. Can you spot it?
*****
We will be trying to get fliers re: the Farmers Market distributed next Tuesday via the school children attending the Eddington, Holbrook and Holden schools. Check with your neighbors who have children in those schools - or your children's take-home papers if you have children attending those schools.
There will also be information posted here weekly on Fridays. The Market will be held on Sundays only - at the Eddington Town Office - Route 9.
*****
We will be trying to get fliers re: the Farmers Market distributed next Tuesday via the school children attending the Eddington, Holbrook and Holden schools. Check with your neighbors who have children in those schools - or your children's take-home papers if you have children attending those schools.
There will also be information posted here weekly on Fridays. The Market will be held on Sundays only - at the Eddington Town Office - Route 9.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
A Crystal Ball for SAD63 School Board Members
Tewksbury, Mass. (approximately the size of Bangor) finally had to face a major fiscal shortfall in its school budget. Seems that School Board has a better sense of reality than the SAD63 Board. Tewksbury's situation finally came home to roost. This is what SAD63 may be facing in 2010-1011 because it refused to be responsible this year and because voters continue to be apathetic to irresponsible district administration.
TEWKSBURY -- Despite passionate pleas from teachers and parents for leniency, the School Committee voted unanimously last night to temporarily roll back the workday -- and thus the salaries -- of all school employees by 10 percent come July 1. But the committee also left the door open for other suggestions, noting that it could not delay the controversial vote because of a contractual June 15 layoff deadline that the teachers union declined to waive. "We're not close-minded," Chairman Richard O'Neill said after the vote. "Closing a school is off the table and we're not going to just flat lay off 40 people, but anything else we're willing to entertain. "In the meantime, though, all school employees will receive pink slips. Recall notices with a reduced, 90 percent workload will then follow. Those employees who agree to be rehired will essentially accept a temporary 10 percent pay cut and shorter work week. How long the workload reduction remains in effect will depend on how much the school district will have to cut once the state budget is finalized.
Officials with the Tewksbury Teachers Association (TTA) last night vowed to fight the measure, saying it violates their contract. "We'll battle them, no matter what it takes," TTA official Tony Blandini said. "All budgets are tight, but this is no way to solve the problem -- by demoralizing the entire school system. You can't expect teachers to constantly subsidize this budget."
Although the state's fiscal numbers remain in flux, school officials said last night that they expect to face a deficit of about $1.3 million in fiscal 2010, which starts July 1. "If state revenues continue to fall, this may not be the worst scenario," School Business Manager Jack Quinn said. "There's a lot going on right now. It's very, very difficult to get a grasp on where we're going to be a month or two down the road. But the lack of revenues is starting to find its way down to the cities and towns."
Assuming the shortfall will amount to $1.3 million, O'Neill argued that the only other way to bridge such a deficit would be through the layoff of 35 to 38 school employees. That would be on top of the 58 positions the Tewksbury School Department has already shed over the last five years, 38.5 of which were teaching jobs. "We can't do that and still call ourselves a school district. You know that and we know that," he told the 100 parents and school workers squeezed into the Wynn Middle School library last night. Dozens more were kept in a hallway outside by fire officials concerned about the room's capacity. A police detail was also on hand to help control the at times feisty crowd. Many teachers wore pink ribbons to represent their fight against pink slips. As the audience completed the pledge of allegiance, commonly held at the start of School Committee meetings, some couldn't resist echoing the "justice for all" part. Dozens had also flooded School Committee members with phone calls and e-mails after a June 5 Sun story on the workload reduction plan, sharing worries about how the salary cut would, for instance, hinder mortgage payments. Some teachers walked out of the meeting in tears last night. One kindergarten staff member wondered if she would still be getting a paycheck once her $12,000 annual salary absorbs health-insurance increases and the 10 percent pay cut.
"No one person I talked to over the weekend didn't have a compelling story," O'Neill noted. "But collectively, they also said let somebody else have it. That has to end."
"In my mind, it is absolutely immoral to send 30 of your colleagues to the wolves, having them worry about how to pay their mortgage, so you can keep your job and get your raises," School Committee member Michael Kelley added.
But some residents and teachers questioned whether every avenue had truly been explored. "Why can't we come up with a better solution with the TTA? There has to be (one)," former teacher and Bridle Path resident Kristen Polimeno said. "There has to be a better way of doing right by our teachers and our kids as well."
Some, like teacher and Sharon Street resident Jean Chan, said they would rather see the pain be shared more broadly through the implementation of bus fees, trash fees or tax increases. But O'Neill was quick to note that the School Committee would not have jurisdiction over the latter two options.
"You have to talk to selectmen about that," he said."We have been fiscally mismanaged for so many years," Chan shot back, met by thunderous applause. "It shouldn't continue to be on the backs of the School Department." http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_12568018
TEWKSBURY -- Despite passionate pleas from teachers and parents for leniency, the School Committee voted unanimously last night to temporarily roll back the workday -- and thus the salaries -- of all school employees by 10 percent come July 1. But the committee also left the door open for other suggestions, noting that it could not delay the controversial vote because of a contractual June 15 layoff deadline that the teachers union declined to waive. "We're not close-minded," Chairman Richard O'Neill said after the vote. "Closing a school is off the table and we're not going to just flat lay off 40 people, but anything else we're willing to entertain. "In the meantime, though, all school employees will receive pink slips. Recall notices with a reduced, 90 percent workload will then follow. Those employees who agree to be rehired will essentially accept a temporary 10 percent pay cut and shorter work week. How long the workload reduction remains in effect will depend on how much the school district will have to cut once the state budget is finalized.
Officials with the Tewksbury Teachers Association (TTA) last night vowed to fight the measure, saying it violates their contract. "We'll battle them, no matter what it takes," TTA official Tony Blandini said. "All budgets are tight, but this is no way to solve the problem -- by demoralizing the entire school system. You can't expect teachers to constantly subsidize this budget."
Although the state's fiscal numbers remain in flux, school officials said last night that they expect to face a deficit of about $1.3 million in fiscal 2010, which starts July 1. "If state revenues continue to fall, this may not be the worst scenario," School Business Manager Jack Quinn said. "There's a lot going on right now. It's very, very difficult to get a grasp on where we're going to be a month or two down the road. But the lack of revenues is starting to find its way down to the cities and towns."
Assuming the shortfall will amount to $1.3 million, O'Neill argued that the only other way to bridge such a deficit would be through the layoff of 35 to 38 school employees. That would be on top of the 58 positions the Tewksbury School Department has already shed over the last five years, 38.5 of which were teaching jobs. "We can't do that and still call ourselves a school district. You know that and we know that," he told the 100 parents and school workers squeezed into the Wynn Middle School library last night. Dozens more were kept in a hallway outside by fire officials concerned about the room's capacity. A police detail was also on hand to help control the at times feisty crowd. Many teachers wore pink ribbons to represent their fight against pink slips. As the audience completed the pledge of allegiance, commonly held at the start of School Committee meetings, some couldn't resist echoing the "justice for all" part. Dozens had also flooded School Committee members with phone calls and e-mails after a June 5 Sun story on the workload reduction plan, sharing worries about how the salary cut would, for instance, hinder mortgage payments. Some teachers walked out of the meeting in tears last night. One kindergarten staff member wondered if she would still be getting a paycheck once her $12,000 annual salary absorbs health-insurance increases and the 10 percent pay cut.
"No one person I talked to over the weekend didn't have a compelling story," O'Neill noted. "But collectively, they also said let somebody else have it. That has to end."
"In my mind, it is absolutely immoral to send 30 of your colleagues to the wolves, having them worry about how to pay their mortgage, so you can keep your job and get your raises," School Committee member Michael Kelley added.
But some residents and teachers questioned whether every avenue had truly been explored. "Why can't we come up with a better solution with the TTA? There has to be (one)," former teacher and Bridle Path resident Kristen Polimeno said. "There has to be a better way of doing right by our teachers and our kids as well."
Some, like teacher and Sharon Street resident Jean Chan, said they would rather see the pain be shared more broadly through the implementation of bus fees, trash fees or tax increases. But O'Neill was quick to note that the School Committee would not have jurisdiction over the latter two options.
"You have to talk to selectmen about that," he said."We have been fiscally mismanaged for so many years," Chan shot back, met by thunderous applause. "It shouldn't continue to be on the backs of the School Department." http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_12568018
Woody Woodman at Clewley's Saturday Night
There will be good sounds at the restaurant Saturday night. And I hear the menu has added roast pork. Better get there early if you want any of that!
The band plays on the first floor in the area usually used for the salad bar or the buffet for the Sunday brunch. It's a good group and includes a keyboard, drums, sax, singer and I don't know what else. Sounds like a full dance band - which probably accounts for the couples who dance all over the place. (And don't forget to leave room for the outstanding ice cream!) The full bar is upstairs on the second floor.
******
I've been amazed (and entertained) by the yellow finches, red-headed woodpeckers, chipmunks, and hummingbirds - not to mention new birds I've never seen before all gathering around the bird feeder on the back porch and hanging flowers. Now, if we could just get some decent weather and send the mosquitoes on their way! BUT - if you've seen those TV commercials for that product you can clip on your waist that has the little fan and sends mosquitoes away... they really work!!!
I bought some at Hannafords last week for working in the yard. They have two batteries (included) - AA, I think, that generate the fan and there's a scent that you insert (instructions included in the original packet - refills available). There's an on/off switch the wearer can push so you only use the batteries/scent when you want to. And the thing really does work as far as mosquitoes are concerned. But black flies are impervious to the thing. Darn!
I don't remember the cost but I think it was somewhere around $5.00 per. I don't remember the cost of the refills (there are two per packet though). Caution: If you clip it on your waist, be sure not to have clothing cover the thing. You need the whole thing exposed to the air to send the mosquitoes somewhere else. :-)
*****
If you didn't read yesterday's blog re: the voting results on the School Budget - Clifton passed the budget by only 3 votes (of a total 61 votes cast) - and Eddington passed it by only 14 (of a total 116 votes cast). Of course there are 1600 registered voters in Eddington so you should have some idea how disgusted I am about the poor citizenship in this town. One has to wonder what our schools are teaching regarding citizenship. Not much apparently.
The band plays on the first floor in the area usually used for the salad bar or the buffet for the Sunday brunch. It's a good group and includes a keyboard, drums, sax, singer and I don't know what else. Sounds like a full dance band - which probably accounts for the couples who dance all over the place. (And don't forget to leave room for the outstanding ice cream!) The full bar is upstairs on the second floor.
******
I've been amazed (and entertained) by the yellow finches, red-headed woodpeckers, chipmunks, and hummingbirds - not to mention new birds I've never seen before all gathering around the bird feeder on the back porch and hanging flowers. Now, if we could just get some decent weather and send the mosquitoes on their way! BUT - if you've seen those TV commercials for that product you can clip on your waist that has the little fan and sends mosquitoes away... they really work!!!
I bought some at Hannafords last week for working in the yard. They have two batteries (included) - AA, I think, that generate the fan and there's a scent that you insert (instructions included in the original packet - refills available). There's an on/off switch the wearer can push so you only use the batteries/scent when you want to. And the thing really does work as far as mosquitoes are concerned. But black flies are impervious to the thing. Darn!
I don't remember the cost but I think it was somewhere around $5.00 per. I don't remember the cost of the refills (there are two per packet though). Caution: If you clip it on your waist, be sure not to have clothing cover the thing. You need the whole thing exposed to the air to send the mosquitoes somewhere else. :-)
*****
If you didn't read yesterday's blog re: the voting results on the School Budget - Clifton passed the budget by only 3 votes (of a total 61 votes cast) - and Eddington passed it by only 14 (of a total 116 votes cast). Of course there are 1600 registered voters in Eddington so you should have some idea how disgusted I am about the poor citizenship in this town. One has to wonder what our schools are teaching regarding citizenship. Not much apparently.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Results of SAD63 School Budget Vote
All three towns passed the vote but not without strong opposition. The following was the count per town.
Eddington: Yes = 65...No = 51
Clifton: Yes=32...No=29
Holden: Yes=135...No=71
So, for those of you who didn't vote but will be cussin' come tax time when you get your bill...you can thank the person looking back at you in the mirror. YOU are responsible for what you get.
There will be a meeting at the Holden School tonight at 6pm of the Budget and Finance Committee following a brief Ratification of the Vote. The Business Manager is supposed to provide a Finance Report. We'll see if that actually happens - and what it says now that the vote is in.
*****
There will be a Tea at the Clifton Library on Wednesday, June 24th (two weeks from today). More details to follow.
*****
The band will be playing at Clewley's Restaurant this Saturday night at 7pm. If the attendance is anything like it was two weeks ago, the joint will be full and jumping.
Eddington: Yes = 65...No = 51
Clifton: Yes=32...No=29
Holden: Yes=135...No=71
So, for those of you who didn't vote but will be cussin' come tax time when you get your bill...you can thank the person looking back at you in the mirror. YOU are responsible for what you get.
There will be a meeting at the Holden School tonight at 6pm of the Budget and Finance Committee following a brief Ratification of the Vote. The Business Manager is supposed to provide a Finance Report. We'll see if that actually happens - and what it says now that the vote is in.
*****
There will be a Tea at the Clifton Library on Wednesday, June 24th (two weeks from today). More details to follow.
*****
The band will be playing at Clewley's Restaurant this Saturday night at 7pm. If the attendance is anything like it was two weeks ago, the joint will be full and jumping.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
June 9th - School Budget VOTE at Town Office
Today is the day. No word from the Governor on that Emergency Bill to defer for one year the penalty for those districts that did not consolidate so plan on the higher tax rate if you vote yes on the Proposed School Budget.
As for that Clifton School Board rep who telephoned the Cliftonnews.blogspot.com writer (see the comments on my previous blog) - the Clifton School Board member was not even at the June 4th meeting. Just one more reason why taxpayers should not blindly trust their reps or the Board.
Another BTW - I reported that at the June 4th meeting, Chairman Varnum announced "the Board" had requested the Interim Superintendent to extend his contract as Interim Superintendent. We will need to expect another apology from the School Board Chairman. It wasn't on the Executive Session's agenda so it didn't happen there. I was at the official public meting and I can testify it didn't happen there. So where did it happen?
Mr. Varnum has NO AUTHORITY to do such a thing on his own without the Board's full knowledge and authorization. Just one more reason why this Board needs another Chair (even though he has stated he has no intention of stepping down). Mr. Varnum thinks he has more authority than he does. Shades of the former Superintendent and isn't that how we got in this lawsuit mess in the first place?
As for that Clifton School Board rep who telephoned the Cliftonnews.blogspot.com writer (see the comments on my previous blog) - the Clifton School Board member was not even at the June 4th meeting. Just one more reason why taxpayers should not blindly trust their reps or the Board.
Another BTW - I reported that at the June 4th meeting, Chairman Varnum announced "the Board" had requested the Interim Superintendent to extend his contract as Interim Superintendent. We will need to expect another apology from the School Board Chairman. It wasn't on the Executive Session's agenda so it didn't happen there. I was at the official public meting and I can testify it didn't happen there. So where did it happen?
Mr. Varnum has NO AUTHORITY to do such a thing on his own without the Board's full knowledge and authorization. Just one more reason why this Board needs another Chair (even though he has stated he has no intention of stepping down). Mr. Varnum thinks he has more authority than he does. Shades of the former Superintendent and isn't that how we got in this lawsuit mess in the first place?
Friday, June 5, 2009
This was how the Meeting Went - Good, Not So Good
There was a fair attendance at the 7pm meeting last night at the Holbrook School for the Proposed 2009-2010 School Budget. Most of the chairs were occupied and there were probably 20 or so people sitting up on the bleachers.
The Moderator was elected (nice voice) and the session began. If you retained the mailer from the Superintendent of Schools the following should be easy to follow. If not, there are copies at your Town Office. There will be a print out at the voting area in the three Town Offices next Tuesday - the 11th - of the following for people who do not follow this blog.
Voting will be from 8am - 8pm at the Eddington and Clifton Town Offices.
Holden's hours for voting will be from 7am - 8pm.
The Motion to directly go to Article 16 was defeated so we went through each article in order.
Article 2 - Regular Instruction was reduced by $86,548. because that was the amount previous allocated for the laptop/technology program associated with the projected 312 students going to Brewer High School. (As you may know, Brewer vetoed activating that program as a cost-cutting measure in the Brewer High School Budget.) Because of Brewer's elimination of the program, the $86,548. was no longer needed in the SAD63 budget. Therefore, Article 2 was approved for only $5,251,127.
Article 3 - Student and Staff Support was approved as originally proposed at $425,503.
Article 4 - Special Education was approved as originally proposed at $1,193,749.
Article 5 - Facilities Maintenance was approved as originally proposed at $718,757.
Article 6 - Transportation & Buses was approved as originally proposed at $596,708. [NOTE: It was pointed out by Susan Shane from Eddington that there was an additional line item in the mailer for an increase of 4% in salaries & wages that had not been included in the May 13 Public Hearing. It was explained this was the pay increase given to the bus drivers. -I believe this is what occurred at the Executive Session following the last School Board Meeting.]
Article 7 - System Administration was approved as originally proposed at $288,006. [NOTE: The Business Manager stated she was not receiving any pay raise in the coming year and DID NOT receive any contract extension to her existing contract which currently expires 6/30/10. She further stated the increase noted for salaries & benefits in Central Services in the amount of $8,708. was (as I understood) for an increase in a part-time worker plus one additional day for another existing staff...no comment. The Chairman of the School Board stated the Interim Superintendent has been asked to stay on as Interim Superintendent through the next Fiscal Year and he has agreed. That accounts for a portion of the $73,500 allocated to the salaries & wages in the Superintendent's office. My information is that the Interim Superintendent is being paid $600./week. The Interim Superintendent stated it is his hope/expectation that SAD63 will form an RSU - possibly with Orrington and Dedham - within the coming year and that having an Interim Superintendent will avoid the necessity of eliminating a duplicate superintendent position since Orrington already has a Superintendent. Makes fiscal sense as long as that individual is acceptable to the individuals in SAD63. ]
Article 8 - School Administration was approved as originally proposed at $392,542. [NOTE: At this point two of us did speak out regarding the 4% pay increase scheduled for the principals and questioned why there was NO attempt anywhere in this proposed budget to cut anywhere considering the economic times and the financial hardships beings placed on so many homes in our towns. You would have thought we were asking people to cut off their arms. A gentleman asked why we had not raised that issue when the 4% pay increase for the bus drivers had been mentioned. - Personally, I don't think the bus drivers make all that much as compared to the principals and driving in snow storms on icy roads are worth something in my book. So 4% of not much is not much. Four percent of a lot is a lot. But it was obvious no one in that room was willing to give even a little for those who are experiencing hard times.]
Article 9 - Other Instruction was approved as originally proposed at $45,092.
Article 10 - Career and Technical Education was approved as originally proposed at $197,645. [NOTE: Even though I believe the official notes of the last School Board meeting will bear me out that $10,780. of this money is a one-time expense associated with a financial error in the books at UTC, the Interim Superintendent tried to explain last night that he expects this amount to be standard or increase in future years for adjustments in UTC's tuition...no comment.]
Article 11 - Debt Service was approved as originally proposed at $224,243.
Article 12 - All other expenditures was approved as originally proposed at $58,094.
Article 13 - The town by town appropriations and amounts to be raised by towns were approved as originally proposed - with discussion as follows:
1. The Interim Superintendent stated that State law required the wording and amounts shown in the mailer in order for SAD63 to receive State education funding (so the voters didn't really have any choice IF we wanted to receive any State funding) - however, these amounts were based on the expectations that SAD63 towns were going to have to pay (that the State would be taking from it's allocation) the $163,167 penalty for vetoing the school consolidation plan at the end of 2008.
As of last night, the State Legislative House and Senate had passed an Emergency Bill that would waive for one year the payment of those penalties (in the expectation that such districts as SAD63 will form an RSU within the coming year). The Bill was being sent to the Governor's desk for approval.
2. Now, IN THEORY (according to the Interim Superintendent) IF the Governor approves the Emergency Bill, the $163,167 will be recalculated into the appropriations/amounts to be raised by the towns listed in Article 13 - BUT the Bill has to be approved by the Governor BEFORE the June 9th vote in order for the SAD63 School Budget Total to be changed from the amount shown below. Look for information at your Town Office since this may help you determine your vote. You can always ask for what the total amount of the School Budget is that you will be voting for. REMEMBER: The 2008-2009 budget was : $9,248,961. Anything above that is an increase. (And that amount meant we were spending $9,767. per student in SAD63 per year.)
Article 14 - To confirm what amount the District will pay for Debt Service - approved as originally proposed - $63,000.
Article 15 - To determine the amount SAD63 shall raise and appropriate in additional funds which exceeds the State's Essential Programs and Services allocation model. This amount was changed from the original amount proposed by the $86,548 as referenced in the deduction in Article 2. The approved amount is now $956,848.11.
Article 16 - The sum total of the Proposed Budget Now stands at $9,388,372 (an increase of $139,411 - which, in theory, could be lower IF the Governor signs the Emergency Bill referenced in Article 13.) However, if we vote for the approved budget total shown here and the Governor rescinds the penalty after we vote, there is no guarantee the district won't receive the additional money AND the taxpayers could STILL be taxed at the higher level.
The remaining Articles were approved (such as they were originally written since they had already been incorporated in Article 12.)
As to the Final Voting - The majority of the Eddington voters approved the new budget total (as shown in Article 16 above) but there were some "no" votes. The same can be said for the Clifton vote. But ALL Holden votes approved the new budget total.
Be sure you know what you are voting for. Because of the unusual wording of this year's ballot, be aware of the above budget total: $9,388,373 (an increase of $139,411 over the last year's budget)
READ THE WORDING OF THE BALLOT CAREFULLY. IF IT ASKS IF YOU AGREE WITH THE DECISION MADE AT THE JUNE 4TH MEETING, YOU ARE AGREEING TO THE FIGURE POSTED HERE.
An interesting side note: At the last Budget & Finance Meeting, (my notes) there was a remark by the Business Manager of a "carry-over" from the 2008-2009 budget in the area of $300,000. That happened last year, too, which reduced the ACTUAL increase from $600,000 to $300,000. I'm wondering if/where that carry-over is in the 2009-10 budget because I don't see it reflected in the document we received in the mail.
The Moderator was elected (nice voice) and the session began. If you retained the mailer from the Superintendent of Schools the following should be easy to follow. If not, there are copies at your Town Office. There will be a print out at the voting area in the three Town Offices next Tuesday - the 11th - of the following for people who do not follow this blog.
Voting will be from 8am - 8pm at the Eddington and Clifton Town Offices.
Holden's hours for voting will be from 7am - 8pm.
The Motion to directly go to Article 16 was defeated so we went through each article in order.
Article 2 - Regular Instruction was reduced by $86,548. because that was the amount previous allocated for the laptop/technology program associated with the projected 312 students going to Brewer High School. (As you may know, Brewer vetoed activating that program as a cost-cutting measure in the Brewer High School Budget.) Because of Brewer's elimination of the program, the $86,548. was no longer needed in the SAD63 budget. Therefore, Article 2 was approved for only $5,251,127.
Article 3 - Student and Staff Support was approved as originally proposed at $425,503.
Article 4 - Special Education was approved as originally proposed at $1,193,749.
Article 5 - Facilities Maintenance was approved as originally proposed at $718,757.
Article 6 - Transportation & Buses was approved as originally proposed at $596,708. [NOTE: It was pointed out by Susan Shane from Eddington that there was an additional line item in the mailer for an increase of 4% in salaries & wages that had not been included in the May 13 Public Hearing. It was explained this was the pay increase given to the bus drivers. -I believe this is what occurred at the Executive Session following the last School Board Meeting.]
Article 7 - System Administration was approved as originally proposed at $288,006. [NOTE: The Business Manager stated she was not receiving any pay raise in the coming year and DID NOT receive any contract extension to her existing contract which currently expires 6/30/10. She further stated the increase noted for salaries & benefits in Central Services in the amount of $8,708. was (as I understood) for an increase in a part-time worker plus one additional day for another existing staff...no comment. The Chairman of the School Board stated the Interim Superintendent has been asked to stay on as Interim Superintendent through the next Fiscal Year and he has agreed. That accounts for a portion of the $73,500 allocated to the salaries & wages in the Superintendent's office. My information is that the Interim Superintendent is being paid $600./week. The Interim Superintendent stated it is his hope/expectation that SAD63 will form an RSU - possibly with Orrington and Dedham - within the coming year and that having an Interim Superintendent will avoid the necessity of eliminating a duplicate superintendent position since Orrington already has a Superintendent. Makes fiscal sense as long as that individual is acceptable to the individuals in SAD63. ]
Article 8 - School Administration was approved as originally proposed at $392,542. [NOTE: At this point two of us did speak out regarding the 4% pay increase scheduled for the principals and questioned why there was NO attempt anywhere in this proposed budget to cut anywhere considering the economic times and the financial hardships beings placed on so many homes in our towns. You would have thought we were asking people to cut off their arms. A gentleman asked why we had not raised that issue when the 4% pay increase for the bus drivers had been mentioned. - Personally, I don't think the bus drivers make all that much as compared to the principals and driving in snow storms on icy roads are worth something in my book. So 4% of not much is not much. Four percent of a lot is a lot. But it was obvious no one in that room was willing to give even a little for those who are experiencing hard times.]
Article 9 - Other Instruction was approved as originally proposed at $45,092.
Article 10 - Career and Technical Education was approved as originally proposed at $197,645. [NOTE: Even though I believe the official notes of the last School Board meeting will bear me out that $10,780. of this money is a one-time expense associated with a financial error in the books at UTC, the Interim Superintendent tried to explain last night that he expects this amount to be standard or increase in future years for adjustments in UTC's tuition...no comment.]
Article 11 - Debt Service was approved as originally proposed at $224,243.
Article 12 - All other expenditures was approved as originally proposed at $58,094.
Article 13 - The town by town appropriations and amounts to be raised by towns were approved as originally proposed - with discussion as follows:
1. The Interim Superintendent stated that State law required the wording and amounts shown in the mailer in order for SAD63 to receive State education funding (so the voters didn't really have any choice IF we wanted to receive any State funding) - however, these amounts were based on the expectations that SAD63 towns were going to have to pay (that the State would be taking from it's allocation) the $163,167 penalty for vetoing the school consolidation plan at the end of 2008.
As of last night, the State Legislative House and Senate had passed an Emergency Bill that would waive for one year the payment of those penalties (in the expectation that such districts as SAD63 will form an RSU within the coming year). The Bill was being sent to the Governor's desk for approval.
2. Now, IN THEORY (according to the Interim Superintendent) IF the Governor approves the Emergency Bill, the $163,167 will be recalculated into the appropriations/amounts to be raised by the towns listed in Article 13 - BUT the Bill has to be approved by the Governor BEFORE the June 9th vote in order for the SAD63 School Budget Total to be changed from the amount shown below. Look for information at your Town Office since this may help you determine your vote. You can always ask for what the total amount of the School Budget is that you will be voting for. REMEMBER: The 2008-2009 budget was : $9,248,961. Anything above that is an increase. (And that amount meant we were spending $9,767. per student in SAD63 per year.)
Article 14 - To confirm what amount the District will pay for Debt Service - approved as originally proposed - $63,000.
Article 15 - To determine the amount SAD63 shall raise and appropriate in additional funds which exceeds the State's Essential Programs and Services allocation model. This amount was changed from the original amount proposed by the $86,548 as referenced in the deduction in Article 2. The approved amount is now $956,848.11.
Article 16 - The sum total of the Proposed Budget Now stands at $9,388,372 (an increase of $139,411 - which, in theory, could be lower IF the Governor signs the Emergency Bill referenced in Article 13.) However, if we vote for the approved budget total shown here and the Governor rescinds the penalty after we vote, there is no guarantee the district won't receive the additional money AND the taxpayers could STILL be taxed at the higher level.
The remaining Articles were approved (such as they were originally written since they had already been incorporated in Article 12.)
As to the Final Voting - The majority of the Eddington voters approved the new budget total (as shown in Article 16 above) but there were some "no" votes. The same can be said for the Clifton vote. But ALL Holden votes approved the new budget total.
Be sure you know what you are voting for. Because of the unusual wording of this year's ballot, be aware of the above budget total: $9,388,373 (an increase of $139,411 over the last year's budget)
READ THE WORDING OF THE BALLOT CAREFULLY. IF IT ASKS IF YOU AGREE WITH THE DECISION MADE AT THE JUNE 4TH MEETING, YOU ARE AGREEING TO THE FIGURE POSTED HERE.
An interesting side note: At the last Budget & Finance Meeting, (my notes) there was a remark by the Business Manager of a "carry-over" from the 2008-2009 budget in the area of $300,000. That happened last year, too, which reduced the ACTUAL increase from $600,000 to $300,000. I'm wondering if/where that carry-over is in the 2009-10 budget because I don't see it reflected in the document we received in the mail.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tonight's the Night - Step ONE
I'm struck by the fact that today is the 2oth Anniversary of the showdown at Tiennamen Square in China where hundreds of China's young adults were killed (and thousands imprisoned for years) for standing up for the right of individual freedom and their thirst for democracy.
Tonight we, the citizens, residents, voters and taxpayers of Eddington, Clifton and Holden must stand up to what has become an automatic disregard for our rights of fiscal accountability by this school district and it's business office.
Be at the Holbrook Middle School before 7pm. Be prepared to speak up and demand NO INCREASE in the school budget over the 2008-2009 bottom line ($9,248,961.). $9,767. per student per year is enough. If that can't provide a quality education then there's something drastically wrong in this school district and the School Board better figure it out. We can't afford - nor should we be spending $10,000. per student per year. And that's our bottom line. Period.
****
Comins Hall Public Attractions - Mark your calendar
This Saturday - June 6 ... Public Ham & Bean Supper
Sat. - Sun., June 20 & 21 ... Yard Sale (make your donations and pick up some treasures)
Sat., Aug. 22 ... Public Trash Can Turkey Supper (talk about an "interesting" label)
Sat., Sept. 12 ... Public Smothered Beef Supper (Could this be a "Crime Scene"? :-D )
Sat., Oct. 3 ... Public Harvest Supper
Tonight we, the citizens, residents, voters and taxpayers of Eddington, Clifton and Holden must stand up to what has become an automatic disregard for our rights of fiscal accountability by this school district and it's business office.
Be at the Holbrook Middle School before 7pm. Be prepared to speak up and demand NO INCREASE in the school budget over the 2008-2009 bottom line ($9,248,961.). $9,767. per student per year is enough. If that can't provide a quality education then there's something drastically wrong in this school district and the School Board better figure it out. We can't afford - nor should we be spending $10,000. per student per year. And that's our bottom line. Period.
****
Comins Hall Public Attractions - Mark your calendar
This Saturday - June 6 ... Public Ham & Bean Supper
Sat. - Sun., June 20 & 21 ... Yard Sale (make your donations and pick up some treasures)
Sat., Aug. 22 ... Public Trash Can Turkey Supper (talk about an "interesting" label)
Sat., Sept. 12 ... Public Smothered Beef Supper (Could this be a "Crime Scene"? :-D )
Sat., Oct. 3 ... Public Harvest Supper
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Odds & Ends & School Data
People interested in contacting Lore Lipkvich re: The Eddington Farmers' Market (vendors and volunteers to help organize and promote the market) can reach her at: gardenlore@rivah.net or at (207) 537-5673. Her licensed goat's milk products (cheese, soap, milk, yogurt, ice cream and kids) come from The Farm on the Banks of Tannery Brook, Mariaville, ME.
We are looking for a MEAT VENDOR, a SEAFOOD VENDOR, a BAKER VENDOR and local area farmed vegetable and fruit vendors willing to commit to be at the Market every Sunday for the 3 hours it will be open for business.
*******
Interested in knowing how much taxpayers in Eddington, Clifton, and Holden are currently paying for the education of its children/students?
Consider this: Clifton has 158 students in the SAD63 system (K-12), Eddington has 314 (K-12) and Holden has 473 (K-12). There are 2 students in the system under "Superintendents' Agreements" (which means the students come from other districts and their districts pay their tuitions to SAD63.) Within this 947 population, are 162 Special Education/Special Needs students - all paid by SAD63 taxpayers.
For the 947 students (total number), the cost per student for the year under the 2008-2009 budget has been $9,767. ($9,248,961 divided by 947 = $9,766.59)
Under the proposed budget for 2009-2010, the cost per student for the year will be $10,008. ($9,478,014 divided by 947 = $10,008.46) - Ten Thousand dollars per student for one year! They should all be ready for Harvard University at this cost!
If what I hear turns out to be true, there should be quite a showing tomorrow night at the Holbrook School (7pm). Even the Eddington Town Office sign is announcing the meeting and states "Please Attend."
I hope people do. Otherwise voters will not know how to vote the "uniquely worded" ballot on June 9. And that's a fact!
We are looking for a MEAT VENDOR, a SEAFOOD VENDOR, a BAKER VENDOR and local area farmed vegetable and fruit vendors willing to commit to be at the Market every Sunday for the 3 hours it will be open for business.
*******
Interested in knowing how much taxpayers in Eddington, Clifton, and Holden are currently paying for the education of its children/students?
Consider this: Clifton has 158 students in the SAD63 system (K-12), Eddington has 314 (K-12) and Holden has 473 (K-12). There are 2 students in the system under "Superintendents' Agreements" (which means the students come from other districts and their districts pay their tuitions to SAD63.) Within this 947 population, are 162 Special Education/Special Needs students - all paid by SAD63 taxpayers.
For the 947 students (total number), the cost per student for the year under the 2008-2009 budget has been $9,767. ($9,248,961 divided by 947 = $9,766.59)
Under the proposed budget for 2009-2010, the cost per student for the year will be $10,008. ($9,478,014 divided by 947 = $10,008.46) - Ten Thousand dollars per student for one year! They should all be ready for Harvard University at this cost!
If what I hear turns out to be true, there should be quite a showing tomorrow night at the Holbrook School (7pm). Even the Eddington Town Office sign is announcing the meeting and states "Please Attend."
I hope people do. Otherwise voters will not know how to vote the "uniquely worded" ballot on June 9. And that's a fact!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
News, News, News
Just got home from the Eddington Planning Board meeting.
Looks like the Eddington Farmers market is a GO! Should have an OPENING DAY on JULY 5 at the Eddington Town Office parking lot.
There are a few minor details to be finished up but that should be done by the end of the week. The project is being spear-headed by Lore Lipkvich from Mariaville. She is still looking for the following types of vendors (who will need to commit to participating every Sunday from 10am to 1pm - or 11am to 2pm...the hours are still being determined): a Baker (cookies, breads, cakes - sweets; a fresh seafood vendor (lobster, scallops, crab, ???), a flower vendor perhaps; and 1 or 2 (very limited) unique craft vendors. Remember this is a Farmers' Market not a Craft Faire. Vendors will need to be prepared to have sufficient wares on hand to meet the traffic which may increase as weeks pass and word spreads of the Market. Vendors will also need to have their own tables, tents, bags for sales, etc. If you (or someone you know) is interested in participating as a vendor, write your name and contact number is the "Comment" section following this blog and I will contact you. Tomorrow I will provide Lori's contact info on this blog site. There are requirements and stipulations for vendor participation so don't wait.
The Farmers' Market will provide fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and more (depending on the products/vendors). It is expected the Market will draw customers from Bradley, Eddington, Holden, Clifton, Auroa, Great Pond and Sunday traffic traveling Route 9.
Seems Eddington is about to get a newsletter - tentative name: Eddington News (catchy, don't you think?). The first edition will be printed and mailed to every home in town. (Guess there's no problem with the postage costs even though it's gone up since the time of the Recycling Committee Newsletter. No further comment is needed but you can read more on that if you scan back far enough on this blog.)
The newsletter will contain articles about the Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, periodic profiles of selectment or members of the Planning Board, the Historical Society and whatever else the Board of Selectmen approve. There may be a contest as to what other name the newsletter might have. In time it will be available in email form to residents who sign up for that form of delivery. It will save on postage that way to be sure. It will also be available via the website being developed.
As to the website - it's only going to cost $125-$150. to create it as a dot Maine dot gov (.me.gov) site and only $5.00 a month to maintain one the host server is identified. The low cost is only because Gretchen and Craig are developing it and will be maintaining it gratis. Although the original plan was to develop the website via PVCOG, PVCOG is apparantly not in very good shape. According to Gretchen, if you Google PVCOG you will get Pine Valley Church of God - not Penobscot Valley County Organization of Governments. (not so good).
When the website is up and running, we should be able to obtain the agendas of the Board of Selectmen (and the minutes after the meetings), the Planning Board (and the minutes of their meetings), the Shoreland Zoning Map, Ordinances, etc., etc. And, of course, the newsletter. Wonder if we'll be able to get anything re: the School Board....
Of course, the website and the newsletter will all be town government approved (there's another word I could use but I won't). So I think I'll still be doing this Blog. Consider it an Independent Voice.
Speaking of the School Board... The June 9th Ballot is going to be "unusual" this year. I just saw the ballot - which can't be released to Absentee Voters until Friday (after the June 4th vote at Holbrook at 7pm).
In past years, the voting ballot had two questions to be voted on. (1) Do you approve the School Budget as submitted by the School Board (or words to that effect) - and (2) Do you consider the Budget too high or too low. Well, this year there is only one issue to be voted on - AND - you better know how the vote goes (went) June 4 BEFORE you mark the ballot! (Perhaps the Board is afraid we are going to vote against the increased budget this year.)
As was explained to me - Since the voters ALWAYS vote the budget is too high, the School Board removed that as an item to be voted on. (Guess they don't want our opinion on that any more.) The only item to be voted on is Whether we agree with the action taken at the June 4th meeting (or words to that effect).
TRICK! Say you don't know the people (this Thursday) voted against the proposed budget and instead voted for a budget with no increase over the 2008-2009 budget - BUT you want to vote against the proposed budget as you read it in the document you received in the mail... So you vote NO... You just voted for the larger budget and against what the people voted down. Did you mean to vote "NO" or did you mean to vote "YES"? This year the answer is not a simple Yes or No. You want to be sure you know what happens Thursday night at Hollbrook.
Looks like the Eddington Farmers market is a GO! Should have an OPENING DAY on JULY 5 at the Eddington Town Office parking lot.
There are a few minor details to be finished up but that should be done by the end of the week. The project is being spear-headed by Lore Lipkvich from Mariaville. She is still looking for the following types of vendors (who will need to commit to participating every Sunday from 10am to 1pm - or 11am to 2pm...the hours are still being determined): a Baker (cookies, breads, cakes - sweets; a fresh seafood vendor (lobster, scallops, crab, ???), a flower vendor perhaps; and 1 or 2 (very limited) unique craft vendors. Remember this is a Farmers' Market not a Craft Faire. Vendors will need to be prepared to have sufficient wares on hand to meet the traffic which may increase as weeks pass and word spreads of the Market. Vendors will also need to have their own tables, tents, bags for sales, etc. If you (or someone you know) is interested in participating as a vendor, write your name and contact number is the "Comment" section following this blog and I will contact you. Tomorrow I will provide Lori's contact info on this blog site. There are requirements and stipulations for vendor participation so don't wait.
The Farmers' Market will provide fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and more (depending on the products/vendors). It is expected the Market will draw customers from Bradley, Eddington, Holden, Clifton, Auroa, Great Pond and Sunday traffic traveling Route 9.
Seems Eddington is about to get a newsletter - tentative name: Eddington News (catchy, don't you think?). The first edition will be printed and mailed to every home in town. (Guess there's no problem with the postage costs even though it's gone up since the time of the Recycling Committee Newsletter. No further comment is needed but you can read more on that if you scan back far enough on this blog.)
The newsletter will contain articles about the Board of Selectmen, the Planning Board, periodic profiles of selectment or members of the Planning Board, the Historical Society and whatever else the Board of Selectmen approve. There may be a contest as to what other name the newsletter might have. In time it will be available in email form to residents who sign up for that form of delivery. It will save on postage that way to be sure. It will also be available via the website being developed.
As to the website - it's only going to cost $125-$150. to create it as a dot Maine dot gov (.me.gov) site and only $5.00 a month to maintain one the host server is identified. The low cost is only because Gretchen and Craig are developing it and will be maintaining it gratis. Although the original plan was to develop the website via PVCOG, PVCOG is apparantly not in very good shape. According to Gretchen, if you Google PVCOG you will get Pine Valley Church of God - not Penobscot Valley County Organization of Governments. (not so good).
When the website is up and running, we should be able to obtain the agendas of the Board of Selectmen (and the minutes after the meetings), the Planning Board (and the minutes of their meetings), the Shoreland Zoning Map, Ordinances, etc., etc. And, of course, the newsletter. Wonder if we'll be able to get anything re: the School Board....
Of course, the website and the newsletter will all be town government approved (there's another word I could use but I won't). So I think I'll still be doing this Blog. Consider it an Independent Voice.
Speaking of the School Board... The June 9th Ballot is going to be "unusual" this year. I just saw the ballot - which can't be released to Absentee Voters until Friday (after the June 4th vote at Holbrook at 7pm).
In past years, the voting ballot had two questions to be voted on. (1) Do you approve the School Budget as submitted by the School Board (or words to that effect) - and (2) Do you consider the Budget too high or too low. Well, this year there is only one issue to be voted on - AND - you better know how the vote goes (went) June 4 BEFORE you mark the ballot! (Perhaps the Board is afraid we are going to vote against the increased budget this year.)
As was explained to me - Since the voters ALWAYS vote the budget is too high, the School Board removed that as an item to be voted on. (Guess they don't want our opinion on that any more.) The only item to be voted on is Whether we agree with the action taken at the June 4th meeting (or words to that effect).
TRICK! Say you don't know the people (this Thursday) voted against the proposed budget and instead voted for a budget with no increase over the 2008-2009 budget - BUT you want to vote against the proposed budget as you read it in the document you received in the mail... So you vote NO... You just voted for the larger budget and against what the people voted down. Did you mean to vote "NO" or did you mean to vote "YES"? This year the answer is not a simple Yes or No. You want to be sure you know what happens Thursday night at Hollbrook.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Is it Hunting Season?
This evening around 8:10 ca flock of geese landed on the NW section of Davis Pond. I know this because my brother who lives in that area heard them and made it a point to call me thinking I might see some of them if I went out on my front deck. He also commented he'd heard a gunshot shortly after hearing the geese land - but he wasn't sure of the location of the gunfire.
I went out on my front deck. Being on the Eddington side (North) I found it more than disconcerting to clearly hear six shots from the SE side of the Pond - the Holden side. I could also hear children's voices on the SW side of the Pond. Don't know what the shooters were trying to hit - deer, geese, ducks or ? (we have deer in these woods) but it seems to me this isn't hunting season for anything. Anyone knowing the Warden or Code Enforement Officer in Holden might suggest a bit of night patrol is in order.
I went out on my front deck. Being on the Eddington side (North) I found it more than disconcerting to clearly hear six shots from the SE side of the Pond - the Holden side. I could also hear children's voices on the SW side of the Pond. Don't know what the shooters were trying to hit - deer, geese, ducks or ? (we have deer in these woods) but it seems to me this isn't hunting season for anything. Anyone knowing the Warden or Code Enforement Officer in Holden might suggest a bit of night patrol is in order.
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