I think we can all agree that investing in our schools is important.
But, we must also agree that Town and taxpayer resources are not limitless. Anyone on this blog prepared to argue that taxes are too low and we should raise them?
If we are to invest in our schools then we taxpayers and parents need to understand how much money we have and where money is going, right? Seems pretty basic.
Isn’t this debate really a question about why the Administration left the School Committee and public out of some major spending decisions?
Why not have held public hearings in front of the cameras, explaining that a surplus existed, identifying new spending priorities and justifying the changes to the town meeting authorized budget, seeking public comment and input and then executing the spending plan?
Wouldn’t THAT have been transparent? Wouldn’t that have been participatory? Wouldn’t that have been the right thing to do? That’s certainly how the process worked when the schools bought the PC labs and the teacher’s laptops, authorized money for fields, added sports programs, created new staffing positions, and on and on.
10 comments:
The Truth Maker would add his remarks to this debate as well. We who get to the bills need to be assured that all money being used for any reason on both the town side and the school district show that the proper evaluation has transpired in making the desisions that have a profund effect on every one involved. If finacial desisions are made in a vaccum and those appropriate elected officials who represent the people are not asking the questions, as to why and how this came about, we are all in trouble as taxpayers.
As Brother Bob has stated above , just because one can make a desision void of any input from those we elect to represent us in such matters, does not mean it should be done in that manner.
We can speak to the legal issues or we can speak to what is the right thing here.
I do not buy into the notion that time was an element and that was the reason it may have been done the way. Perhaps a few dollars makes little difference but the principal of $300,000 changes the complextity of the whole meaning as a concerned taxpayer on a fixed income.
A reasonable answer was not given in my opinion by the Dr Canfield and now that the cat is out of the bag we all will be stuck with, where does the money come from for the next class and the one after that.
As far as the loading of books that no longer have any copyrights to them goes, what makes any one think that this information will have any value, as technology has changed since most books have expired copy rights on the market place. Just another feel good sound bite , that will show we did not get a value for the lack of a discussion procces by the present superintendent in the above matter.
You can spend $250,000 on whatever you want because "That's the charge you give me and the law gives me as superintendent in Massachusetts.".......
but when it comes to spending $60,000 annually for a pool that has near nothing to do with education you can't make that decision or call it a community asset? what courage
Let's not mix apples and giraffes.
He can't be using school money for non-school expenses at the pool. The pool needs to be self-supporting ---- which it NEVER has been. He gave the Town $150,000 back --- Town Meeting could decide to use that money to fund the Pool if Taxpayers really wants to use their money to run a regional pool.
While he may be legally authorized to spend money on the iPads, I think he was crazy to take on such a major initiative without involving the Committee. This program will require a substantial future funding commitment.
I am sure he could have gotten the support -- everybody seems to think its a good idea --- but this "surprise buy" will likely open a can of worms that could seriously complicate future budget discussions.
My simple point is this, Dr. Canfield decided to spend $250,000 of the $400,000 "excess" school budget funds to buy an instructional student tool without School Committee input based on his ability by State Law to do so, why does he need town input to right a wrong with this pool?
He needs Town "input" because State Law says he can't spend K-12 education dollars on non-education activities.
State law says "excess" budget dollars go back to the general Fund for appropriation by Town Meeting.
I think Canfield could add some water related classes to the High School curriculum and argue that the pool is a part of the school’s academic programs; This would be a basis to argue for spending even more school moneys on the pool.
Adult day time access to the pool is a huge problem with the High School Accreditation Board. No matter what becomes of the pool daytime adult swims are kaput and verboten unless someone comes up with the cash to build a new entrance for the pool, separate lockers, etc.
Now, I know my new pen Pal from the Selectman's corner will have an issue with what I am about to scribe...however... when I read the article in the (OMG will Bob even print the Emptyprise word?) local rag..there..that will settle his ire! Now as I was saying, that one sentence that Anon at 7:12 repeated, concerning what Dr Canfield said concerning his purchase of the IPADS...it really rings my bell. It rings my bell because I, like my old friend the truthmaker, know what would have happened if we had gone out and just bought that 1969 Mustang convertible when we had just wed, without consultation with our incredible financial advisors and CFO's. Yes folks, our spouses would have raised HELL if an expense like the Mustang, back in 1969 dollars, was levied against those meager household budgets. This speaks volumes towards how are Superintendant intends to move forward. We hired him, he says, this is his job description, he says and he really doesn't give a damn about what the community thinks anymore because WE DON'T AGREE WITH "HIS" PLAN (I sure hope Caps Locks On doesn't see me plagerizing her style!). Gee, didn't MEJ get the axe for the same thing? Sorry Jim Pierce, it isn't what was said, it was how. Dr Canfields feathers are ruffled that we question his authority. Well, during my miltary time on this planet, if I as a Brigade Commander simply went out and procured ten helicopters without one hell of a lot of talking to those that worked FOR me as well as those I WORKED FOR....you can just imagine. Nope, I have seen this tactic too many times with folks who were ready to retire. If you don't like it my way...find another fool to do this job. He might be correct about that one point. Sorry, when you have a community with our demographics, Dr Canfield had to know the response would be hard and quick. The question is, does he care? Nope, its not in his plan or his job description. Sorry Jim Pierce, Dr Canfield gets an A for effort but he lost the war.
THE SAME PEOPLE WHO SAID THE PREVIOUS SUPER IS THE PRO. SHE DOESN'T NEED TO BE QUESTIONED NOW SAY ANOTHER BETTER PRO NEEDS TO BE QUESTIONED. YOU PEOPLE ARE NUTS
6:01, I know your universe revolves around criticizing Dr. Johnson --- but, as usual, you're missing the point.
Canfield spent $300,000 to implement a new technology program which effectively commits the District to continue to spend $150,000 on new iPads each year. I'm OK with that, and if I was on the Committee, I would probably support it.
BUT ...
I would have expected the Committee to be consulted BEFORE such a substantial investment of public funds is made.
AND ...
I would certainly have demanded that the Committee be involved given the act that said investment was NEVER included in any prior budget discussion.
The Budget Process requires a certain amount of trust and transparency. The idea that a budget could be extensively discussed and approved based on specified conditions -- and then very dramatically changed with no public discussion doesn't sit well.
Random Musings
1. Is Dr. Canfield even a resident of the state yet? It would be nice to know that before he goes and makes these major changes to the town that he is invested enough to move here. Or is he just going to change everything, retire, and return to CT?
2. Shouldn’t there be some consideration of the Dr. Johnson settlement before financial decisions are made?
3. Of his own admittance, Dr. Canfield has spent little time in the three K-8 schools. Shouldn’t he understand these communities before changing them?
4. How can he state that there will be little interaction between the 7 & 8 graders while also saying that the 8th graders will have the opportunity to be on high school sport teams?
5. What will the effect of the STEM program be on staffing? How many teaching, support, and administrative positions will be lost?
6. How does the STEM program affect the possible closing of Wing?
7. How are the school and town administrators working together on the future of the Wing school to ensure that the town does not have yet another rotting and boarded up building on town property?
8. Has there been any consideration to the new public safety building going where the Wing school is presently?
9. Let’s imagine that the Wing school is closed and keys are handed back to the town. What happens if in 5-8 years the population booms? Where will voting take place? What happens to the tourism industry if the building just sits there? Instead of an Arts Community, we can be the empty and rotting building town.
10. What is the union’s position on the STEM program and the idea of it starting in just one year? How about their thoughts on the closing of the Wing? I am assuming that means the loss of the maintenance, cafeteria, administrative, and several teaching positions.
11. Why the rush? How will the teachers be trained on the new curriculum in such a short time frame?
12. Is this a process that is going to happen regardless of the public’s opinion? As we are starting to see with Dr. Canfield, he doesn’t seem to care too much about the public’s opinion (or on getting the opinion of the town as the informational meetings tend to have very little publicity and are being held at times that working parents and stay-at-home parents cannot attend).
13. Why did I have to learn through Facebook that the district has cut 6th grade foreign language?
Post a Comment