1) If the $980,000 is spent to repair the pool, what will it cost to operate the pool on an annual basis going forward. (Total costs -- staffing, benefits, utilities, maintenance -- and a capital maintenance reserve so this doesn't happen again.)
2) How will those operating costs be covered? (Will it be coming 100% out of the School's operating budget or is there an expected municipal contribution for "public" use? How much is expected to be recovered from user fees?)
Speaking of maintenance, while SHS looks good in the daylight with the "Blue Knight" flags hanging from the lamp posts -- it was hard to see them (or anything else) at night since most of the bulbs had burned out. If we had to pay somebody with a bucket truck to hang the damn flags, couldn't we have raised the bucket a foot higher and replaced some of the burned out bulbs? It would seem to be safer than having kids come out of the school at 9:00 to almost total darkness.
I guess the accreditation committee wasn't meeting after dark.
14 comments:
you forgot the johnson settlement. where is that money coming from? wil this override money atually go to the pool?
since crossman and kangas made such an expensive mistake, they should be required to resign.
The lost salary to Dr. Johnson will have to come out of the budget. As I understand it the settlement will come from the insurance company.
Excellent questions Bob. Want to bet we don't get any real answers to them before Town Meeting? This is already going in the emotional direction.
Speaking of Town Meeting. I just caught on Facebook that the Stadium Committee is asking if people will support a debt exclusion in May to finish the stadium. Didn't we try to do that a number of years ago and it was shot down? Isn't that the same Stadium Committee that wouldn't support the attempt a few years ago? Got to love those circles.
I do agree we maybe we didn't need to spend the money on the blue knight flags but I must say they did not hire any bucket truck to put them up as the Alan and crew was the ones out there putting them up themselves.
Everyone makes mistakes as well as Dr. Johnson who too made a contract error. She let her assistant go even though she had a contract and the school and/or town all one pocket had to pay her settlement and I believe the sitting school committee backed Dr. Johnson!
Alan should have gone 2 steps higher on his ladder and changed the bulb (which was a greater concern for me than the minimal cost of the flags.)
You are correct about previous contract issue -- which was executed with the approval/presence of school legal counsel. Sensing a pattern?
The school legal counsel was questioned about letting the Assistant Supervisor go and concluded it was a legal move. The school legal counsel was consulted about the initial Johnson contract legality and concluded she could be fired. Not sure how long the school legal counsel has been in place been in place but I think it goes back as long as former School Committee's tenure. She was around for what 16 years or more on the School Committee?
You would think that having proper lighting in and around the High School would increase the safety net around those that may be in that area during the dark hours.
I hope they get it fixed before town meeting, as that is also an issue for us seniors that have eye problems that attend and are unable to see where they place there feet walking into the building.
I think it will be serious mistake to not tell the citizens of Sandwich how the bill to Dr. Johnson will be handled prior to town meeting. Uncertainty of where it will come from , may well be the nail to any pool repairs or any other building repairs.
The two remaining school committee members still on the present school committee should be impeached for what they caused our community to suffer as a result of there illegal actions in having Dr . Johnson no longer the Superindendant of Schools.
As was posted By BOB G this is a case of moral correctness , along with why did they not do the right thing for the whole of Sandwich?
I just can't help saying this, but I will anyway. We are talking about fixing a pool that is used more by out of town folks who like the price, while our Police Headquarters Building rots in place? Once again, in spite of the initial bungling of the "vision" at a cost of 30 Million..... our Police Department personnel, every damn one of them, continue to go to work everyday in that bog/marsh/below sea level hell hole. Sorry folks, I was in that building today and it stinks of mold/mildew/whatever you want to call it.... Once again we will be forced to PONY up money for a school item that will surely prevent those front line troops (OUR POLICE OFFICERS) from obtaining an override they truly deserve. I am NOT forgetting about the brave firefighters either. It just "sucks" that they continuously suffer for the fools in the pool arena. There, now let the horse manure fall upon me. I could just as easily pile on more crap over the MEJ issue, but I think we all believe we are helpless to defend this town against the school committee. We can only do it in the voting booth. Lets try to put the money where it is truly deserved, with a better design than before. Its time to recognize the folks wearing badges...its just time to be fair.
I am sure the dpw has a bucket truck hidden in the garage they could use to change the light bulbs. Any bets on whether we will see a full set of lights for town meeting?
Greg, i dont think youll get much opposition here ....just watch out for that Facebook Poolie crowd .... They want to build a new lot next to the pool for their unicorns and pink ponies! Money is no object .... As long as it is somebody else's money!
Its going to be interesting when both of these go down in flames ... Will they try again in the spring when they're also going to pitch new fire/police station and finishing the shs track stadium?
At least we will have a new water fountain at town hall!
Someone in the Central Office must read your blog as they were replacing the bulbs today!
No, I called Dr Canfield yesterday and spoke with about the lights and he told me that it would taken care of.
The poolies have a logo and an EIN looking for donations. Will be handing out fliers around town this weekend and more wonderful yard signs to start decorating our town with. But their likes have lost momentum and the same few are the ones making comments on their page.
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