The recent news that a Town Committee had submitted a written proposal detailing plans for a $5 - 10 million dollar board walk to the sea has me wondering how many Town Employees spent how many hours attending meetings and processing paperwork related to this effort? Our Town Manager spent time on this project for sure and he even wrote a letter of support on Town Stationary.
There is a real cost to those employees and those hours. And, employee time and energy spent there was not applied elsewhere. How did this board walk project become anyone’s priority?
There is a real cost to those employees and those hours. And, employee time and energy spent there was not applied elsewhere. How did this board walk project become anyone’s priority?
Likewise, I recently watched 3 full-time town employees (and their new, shiny, cherry picker truck) remove Christmas lights from a large pine tree outside Meeting House Pizza. The job probably took 3 hours to complete. That’s a little more than one days work for one full time employee. There were other light displays in town.
I’ll bet that we pay the equivalent of 2 weeks wages and benefits, plus gas and equipments costs, for one full time employee just to hang and remove lights. Its probably a low estimate. And, of course, the employee time and energy spent there was not applied elsewhere. So, how do holiday light projects become anyone’s priority?
Somebody also gets paid to hang flags on the 4th and remove them later. And, we pay somebody to hang and remove garland from street signs too. There is a real cost to all of these employees and these works hours.
If I told you I was going to hire one full-time employee with health and retirement benefits to hang lights, garland, flags and other holiday decor and do nothing else for 2 or 3 weeks a year would you say: great idea, good use of tax dollars? Would you say that’s clearly the optimal use of their time and talents?
Leadership and good management is about applying limited resources to work that’s most important and beneficial.
Is anyone actually leading in Sandwich? Is anyone actually managing? How did any of the above become a priority for full-time, health insured and retirement benefited Town employees?
Before anyone asks taxpayers to support an operational override somebody in charge at Town Hall needs to start to ask and answer some basic management 101 type questions. Serious times require serious leaders.
27 comments:
I spent a chilly Saturday morning at the end of November helping Boy Scout volunteers hang garland around street signs. Your post has me thinking perhaps I should submit hours to the town for payment of my services. Did you check that the "employees" you saw were actually paid by the town or could they have also been volunteers? Could volunteer organizations also be responsible for other holiday decorations like the flags for July 4th?
Serious times require serious research if criticism of monies spent is to be taken seriously.
If the DPW lets boy scouts and other well intentioned volunteers borrow the town's cherry pickers we have bigger problems dont we?
For sure its town employees ridng the cherry pickers and hanging the lights and flags.
Funnny how all criticism of town nonsense is met with Its Not True, Prove It. Prove It responses.
Shades of the Community School! Must we hire an auditor? And, even then will it be ignored? Welcome to Sandwich where the Emperor has managed to remain undressed longer than any other Cape Town.
It’s nice that the Boy Scouts were able to help decorate our town. I wish that the poster had provided his/her name and the troop number for public recognition and thanks as this kind of work is very commendable. I hung a wreath and ribbon on a neighborhood street sign myself. I think we can all agree that volunteerism is a good thing.
That a few well-meaning souls helped decorate our town for the holidays does not negate the facts and implications I have laid out in this blog.
It’s true that Town Employees have been paid to hang lights, flags and various holiday decorations. And, it’s true that town employees have been paid and done work in support of initiatives including the boardwalk project. These are facts and can be confirmed with a quick call to Town Hall.
The important question I have asked is simply this: Is all of this decorating and project promotion the best/most optimal use of tax dollars? Who decides what’s the best/ most optimal use of budget resources? And, how are these decisions being made?
I can’t really tell if the Scout Master has an opinion on those important questions; but I do appreciate the volunteerism and Id be happy to thank him/her if they’d publish using their name.
Exactly! Anon 10:11 missed the whole point of the discussion. Typical Sandwich mentality -- respond to the one unusual tree and miss the entire forest itself!!! It was nice of the boy scouts to hang garland but do you get the point that was being made??? Seriously, small town mentality gets really old after awhile.
Bob,
The new Boardwalk project is part of the long-term planning to find new ways to connect Merchants Square, the Marina and the Village as economic centers that are hindered by chopped up infrastructure. I don't have all the answers on how to fund the town's needs, but I do think that planning and investing in our community are crucial to its long-term health. The new Boardwalk concept is meant to be an investment in our economy, attracting visitors and maintaining property values for both businesses and residents.
Currently, it has been a volunteer-driven project and the letter of support from Bud has been the ONLY staff time devoted to it. The goal is to seek private funding and we look to similar projects such as the Shining Sea Bike Path and the Boston Harborwalk and Salem Harborwalk as models. Yes, at some point the Town Planner will need to be involved as he is with other infrastructure projects - but I hope you can agree that planning for our future and how to grow our local economy are valid uses of his time.
Volunteers working on this project need to do much more public outreach and public input on this in the next few months.
As to the holiday decorating, I would argue again that it is small INVESTMENT of DPW time to keep our town attractive to visitors and for the sake of our own property values. The Sandwich Chamber pays for the lights and wreaths. Volunteers do most of the decorating, including Boy Scouts and Mom's Club and others. The DPW does the three big trees for which the cherry picker is needed. I think their crew spends about 4 hours per tree so, only 1/2 or less of your manhour estimates.
Mrs. Beasley faults the response on volunteer time spent decorating as "missing the point". I actually think it did address the point - Bob brought up concerns about spending town resources on decorating.
So I'd like to reiterate my main two points:
1) It's much less than Bob states (to a significant degree in the case of the Boardwalk, to a lesser degree on the holiday lights).
2) These projects are investments in our community.
I'd love to have more discussion on the investment issue - the town has so many significant needs and few resources to meet them. But those of us working in economic development continue to focus on solutions which include ways to bring more revenue into the town, to strengthen our business tax base, and to continue to foster a lovely, livable community for all to keep our residential home values strong as well.
Bob- happy to work with you on planning for better ways to keep our local economy healthy, which in turn can help our schools and town services.
Kate
Good inputs Kate thanks. Its nice to see someone post with a name.
We will leave it to taxpayers like me and you to decide the merits of "investments" like the proposed Boardwalk. For starters, would you be able to provide how the "pay back" or Return on Investment (ROI) on the proposed Board Walk project has been calculated assuming a $5 million dollar construction cost? Most investments have an expected payback. Do you have these numbers and the supporting documentation? Or, is this an "investment" like Oak Crest Cove or the Golf Course were investments?
Kate:
Invest my tax dollars in schools not walkways.
Invest my tax dollars in police and fire not walkways.
Invest my tax dollars in a senior center not walkways.
Invest my tax dollars in $25 million in unfunded building repair project not walkways.
Heck - build a library not a walkway.
This is about prioritization in a world of limited resources.
The Truth Maker would ask Kate
What is the condition of the marsh at present?
Does it not have a condition , placed on it by the State that makes it an enviromental impact area of concern?
Will the wetlands act allow you to build any thing, without getting approval from the Federal and State authority?
Building something for economical development is one thing, but building something on a very critical wetland can be very bad for the environment.
Since this is also under the historic district, would this also not violate many of those regulations?
It always seems that when economic development gets uttered ,it is all about only one part of Sandwich. We are a town that needs a more comprehesive approach that actually includes every one, not serve a select group.
You may feel that the down town area is the only place to keep looking at, at least that has been my take of things being presented
You want to increase economic development here in Sandwich, then put in a Bus to move folks around town. Allow a few fast stores in.
Why does no one advertise all the good fishing avaiable here in Sandwich[both in salt and fresh water]? This is a very large market that goes untapped.
At least MS. O'Keefe has the right ideas about increasing awareness of these resources.
Then if and when this project may get completed who gets to pay for the Insurance,upkeep,ect?
Do your plans include raising sufficent funds to offsett any obligation to the town after it is completed to cover the above mentioned costs into the future Or is the plan to turn it over to the taxpayers to pay those bills.
So many questions, so little time, but troubles for the town long term if no one is calculating the costs to taxpayers. Thit is a real a troubling process to undergo, but it is also keeping it real
Kate’s choice to use the word “INVESTMENT” is interesting.
Investment suggests that somebody will see a return. Who, I wonder?
Taxpayers will only see a return on their investment if property tax revenues increase. And, that will only happen if the walkway entices new building and new construction that will generate new property tax payments.
So, how much new building construction would a walkway need to create to justify a $5 million spend? A lot! And, it aint likely to happen.
More likely, some businesses located near the walkway might see a small (very small) up-tick in revenue from boardwalk traffic. So maybe Captain Scott and Mary Lou sell a few more lobster salad plates or espressos; but, will they sell enough to justify a $5 million investment? No.
This proposal is typical Chamber of Commerce thinking....get Town taxpayers to pay for and build a park, a walkway, a golf course, a whatever, and then local business will get some new / additional business. It’s a good deal if you’re Mary Lou but not if you’re Joe Taxpayer.
I am all for investment to attract development. But, seriously, will any company move their headquarters to Town because we spent $5 million taxpayer dollars on a boardwalk through the marsh? Will anybody decide to vacation in Sandwich instead of Dennis?
What economic benefit are you expecting (except maybe for Aqua Grille because they're at the end of the walkway).
Most of the tourists I see getting off the bus at the Glass Museum haven't been in any shape to go hiking through the marsh!
If we want real development, fix the highway ramps, do something about the Cape Cod Commission and the local Hysterical/Historical Committee. Do something about the local ConCom -- all of those groups seem to go out of their way to stifle development.
Build up local police and fire service so they can respond to more than one emergency at a time.
Start fixing the roads.
Start cleaning the beaches -- both the pond & ocean beaches are a mess.
I can think of a thousand things more important than a walkway through the marsh.
I do, however, think it would be nice if more of the local business owners got involved in the real business of running the Town -- and displace some of the amateurs that have been elected lately.
Has the walkway deal happened? Does the funding request still need to go through Town Meeting?
As crazy as Town Meeting can be, I hope enough people with good sense will show up -- Sandwich needs more than "feel good" proposals -- we need real infrastructure improvements.
Has the Town found money to repair the Boardwalk it already has? Can we use CPA funds to restore that one?
All other considerations aside, will the state even let somebody build something in the middle of a marsh ? (it would be nice if we knew that BEFORE we spent any money -- although Im sure it will cost money to get that answer.)
Kate,
Sandwich has so many more priorities than a 5 million (you know it will be more like 7 Million)boardwalk or a new library, those ideas are wonderful if you live in a financially healthy rich town. 15 yrs later, the police and fire dept. buildings remain the biggest elephants in the BOS meetings, with no signs those buildings will be built anytime soon either.
Im embarrassed as a taxpayer that this is where our heroes have to work daily in unhealthy & unsafe working environments.Their unions should file a group workers compensation suit against the town for working in mold, rodent infested work environment.
We hear great things about the new Police Chief, lets hope the police and fire chief chiefs work to get the complex built. The prior chief failed his department by not getting a new building done before he took his fat pension and retired.
Greed is evil, just look at how sick gov is and all the greedy unions are collapsing across the country. Hopefully, Ms. Laura Carlilise SEA President is paying attention. Mass is right behind Wisconsin Ms. Laura.
Light budgets that haven't caught up with the times, boardwalk as outrageous new thought, shameful lack of capital plans, buildings ready to leak and flood, resources in danger...incompetence is going to cost us. It is going to be worse than anything we have ever imagined. When that soon happens, the current ship will sail off with no looking back. Someone is not doing their best to serve the citizens of the Town of Sandwich. We definitely need new a new ship to put the leader back in leadership!
10:12 The roofs are not getting ready to leak and flood, they have been leaking for years already! Your post was accurate otherwise.
Marshall S.C. Chair (aka Leader) has known about the bucket brigades in the schools for atleast 10 yrs. You ask what has she done to fix this health mold issues. Absolutely nuttin, Sherry gets hung up on the little things, the weeks spent on copier contracts is classic Sherry priority. Remember the Chair sets the agenda and what issues need to dealt with, shes a train wreck but Sandwich will re elect her again.
Ok Anon 12:04 let me get this straight the leaks have been there for 10 years and Sherry is the only sc member in those 10 years is at fault as to why the roofs have not been taken care of. This is the type of BS that goes on in this blog. Its to bad.
The copier contract was a result of the super not doing the process correctly. Oh thats right the super can do no wrong sorry.
This BS is no different than the crap you have been feeding the cape cod slimes or the emptyprize!
Sherry is the only member who has been on the Bored for 20 years- - she should have been advocating for repairs for 2 decades. Its notjust a" town problem".
The supt may have screwed up the length of the copier contract ... but despite the fact the committee spent months second-guessing the deal, they STILL didn't notice the basic mistake that state law says they can't do a contract of more than 3 years without town meeting approval.
Well, actually, shouldn't the Business manager understand MA procurement law? Part of the problem here in Sandwich is that everyone thinks everything is the Super's responsibility. EVERYTHING.
Parent doesn't like a class schedule? They call the Super. School bus route not ok? Call the Super. Class rooms dirty - call the Super. Is this realistic? Think this happens in Boston or Barnstable? Doubt it.
The Administrative offices are understaffed and underfunded - on purpose! Throw this School Committees constant micro mis-managing on top of that and you have a recipe for on-going disaster. Is anyone really surprised?
It wont ever get better no matter who gets hired or fired. Nobody will ever staff the offices properly -- that's too expensive. Instead, just like we always do in Sandwich, we'll settle for almost good enough. And, we will all be stunned and shocked when the results aren't even good enough!
The Town's been run this way since forever just ask Sherry.
I have never heard anybody ever say the super could do no wrong.
She's no politician, she has made her share of missteps in the local minefield. But she has also made huge improvements in many areas of the District.
As others have pointed out -- she also made people accountable for their actions, something that apparently was never done before.
She certainly seems to have stirred up and ticked off some people -- but it seems to be a very loud, vocal minority who did not want to see change -- particularly if it made them more accountable.
Most of these whiners wouldn't last 90 days with a private employer!
The conduct (and quality) of many of the current Committee members is embarrassing. I have never lived in a town that drew smirks in other school districts when people ask me where I'm from.
I really hope this will start changing in May.
re: the comment on the boardwalk "investment" being "significantly less" than Bob Guerin mentioned -- its important to note that that is only because Town meeting has not yet approved the Chamber's request for CPA Tax Dollars to begin working on our Bridge to Nowhere.
If TM approves, we're off to the races with more money going out to consultants for studies that won't be read and projects that won't be built.
This project seems like a huge waste of money and energy.
7:49 Marshall has been on the SC board for over 20 years. Sherry has also been chair for many of those years, you would think she would be a strong leader with clear visions of how to lead the board and superintendant and set up a proper agenda list of issues to be tackled. Copiers should never had been put on the agenda.
1. Fixing leaking roofs should be a high on the priority list. For health mold and safety reasons!
2. Attacking the 3 yr fixed contractual agreements that create a million plus shortfall everyyear should be an ongoing discussion thru out the year on how to close the gap.
3. Marshall has still refused to respond to the audit report or make the necessary changes suggested by the auditor so the board doesnt' continue to break Mass. laws. using K-12 monies to run the Comm. School.
We all know once they rid the system of Dr. Johnson's, you can count on the Comm School. returning to siphoning off K-12 monies to prop that business up again.
Then the SEA Union returns to their 3% step and 3% wage increase, 6% every year increases.
The four members are so busy protecting their husband, SEA Union leaders, Comm School Pool and financial siphoning.
22 yrs later and 10 months for the newbies and these women still have no clue what their roles are and failing to tackle the serious issues for our childrens sake not their own personal sakes
I wonder if the very first copier contract recommended to the Committee by the Administration was flawed OR was it only after the School Committees meddling that things went south?
If the School Committee did such a good job with the copier agreement why not ask Town Meeting to ratify it?
Why do these Committee Chowda heads refuse to lead?
The Truth Maker would state the contract for the previous copy machines was also for over what MGL allows. Our union led chair person managed was also involved with the past contracts . Why did she not bring that up? Oh, that is because, that is the way we have allways done it.
By the way Dr Johnson had no part of the previous contract that also violated MGL. It is nice to have a little dialog with those that run with little knowledge The blame stops with DR.Johnson, but the actual parties that put this all together belong on the shoulders of the chair of the School committee[ She should have learned by now what the town bylaws state and informed Dr. Johnson. That was not the case, as the four union led committee members decided they would place the appearance of wrong doing onto the superintendant This is something that they managed to do at every meeting. It has all been written down for all to see when they speak. If only they place the blame where it should be, then and only then will this school district begin to heal. The four have managed to divert there wrong doings at the expence of some one that really cares about the children, while they are only concerned about themselves.
The three year limit is based on state procurement regs -- not local bylaws.
Once again, after 22 years, Ms. Marshall/Chair should know all these basic laws; to not exceed 3 years with contracts. Can't use K-12 monies for a business organization! Her clueless has gotten worse the past few years as well. The list of what she doesn't know after all these years is just simply amazing. She appears to never read her policy manual, DOE laws or do her basic homework to be chair. She's had 10 plus years to work with the town and state to procure monies for the roofs.
Marshall's up for re election, What exactly has she really accomplished in 22 years? She protects the union positions from being laid off and she protects her baby the Comm School and pool friends.
Marshall ignores all the huge elephants in the h.s. library at every meeting and lets the 3 stooges perpetuate the destruction of anything positive in our schools including Dr. Johnson's professional reputation.
Who in their right mind would want to come to Sandwich and be part of the crazy circus.
The "volunteer effort" for the boardwalk has taken up more staff time besides one letter. There have been meetings with additional town staff. Interesting that this idea has not been before the Board of Selectman. There has not been a feasibility study as is common practice when huge projects requiring fund raising are contemplated. Going to the Community Preservation Committee before a study is completed to ask for money for designs and permiting seems premature. Conservation and DOT have a say in this. To go for permitting without a study seems strange.
Yes we need to invest in our community, but we need to be wise about it. To spend money without a feasibility study does not seem professional at all, especially when there are such limited resources for the town at this time and such great need in so many areas. The up keep for such a structure would be handled how? The additional parking needed would be funded by the "volunteer effort?"
While I agree that economic developement and bringing tourists to town is something we need to consider, I wonder if we might first get public restrooms under control. I can't tell you how many people I have heard on our scenic village streets, (that would be the streets the new boardwalk would help empty) say I'll never come back to this town after looking for a public bathroom without much luck. Infrastructure would be a very good investment for our town right now.
How much money are we the average citizen expected to give to massive fundraising. The boardwalk adds millions more to an already large tab when you consider the Stadium, Council on Aging, and Library. Then there is around $100,000 needed to be raised each year in the schools for extras. Then we have the police and fire charities, the museums, the Chamber, the churches, etc, etc, etc. There are a lot of people and organizations trying to help the town. I would say all are working for economic developement.
The government supports them all and has to divide it's time between the work it generates and the work thrust upon them through agenda driven projects. Selling an idea is the tip of the iceberg and the easiest part. But selling an idea as an objective without careful planning will continue to do the town in and continue to waste resources.
I thought the Boardwalk story was a joke -- until I actuallly saw it in the paper! This is why people stop paying attention -- the towns building are falling down ... and the best idea that the local chamber of commerce can come up with is a multi-million plan to build a walkway across an environmentally sensitive and historic marsh area to help move people away from downtown towards the marina ... where you can not even buy a cup of coffee -- let alone use a restroom.
What business could this foolish thing possibly generate? there/'s not much developable space in the marsh -- even IF you could get permits.
PLEASE kill this idea before Town Meeting ... dont waste our time talkinbg about another project you cant build and we cant maintain.
Maybe they could build a library out in the marsh also?
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