I know there's a couple of jokes in here someplace!!

This says it all ...

Now What?

These results summarized from a draft copy of the only actual outside audit done on the Community School.

I understand the tunnel-vision of the Pool Supporters -- they want their pool regardless of what it costs everyone else.  But, is anybody disconcerted by the fact that FinCom supported spending almost a million dollars without asking how the pool could be maintained going forward?

Question of the Day:

If the Community School lost money running the pool -- despite having a healthy revenue stream, how will the School Department run the pool with a reduced revenue stream resulting from substantially reduced public hours?

I don't think I heard that answered last night.

Election day is Thursday, Ballots are also available in the Town Clerk's Office until noon on Wednesday.

(Click Here for a Draft Copy of the 2009 Audit Report)

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

Below please find our Christmas list.  Hopefully you will do a better job at granting our wishes than the Easter Bunny and that Leprechaun we caught last Spring!

Let's start with what we consider immediate needs. (OK, some people may say "wants" instead of "needs" but they are close-minded, haters.  So, screw them!).  

1)  $980,000 to repair the pool.  We promise we will take good care of it this time --- And, we promise not to take TOO MUCH money from the School Budget to operate it.  But, no, we still refuse to admit exactly how much it will cost to operate it.  Don't tell me you've become one of those mean-spirited bastards who are actually concerned about spending other people's money!

A Cheat Sheet

I would never be presumptuous enough to claim to write the "Ultimate Guide" to anything,  But here's a thumbnail cheat sheet on Town Meeting and the subsequent Override election:

• Town Meeting is Monday, November 18 in the High School Auditorium at 7 PM
• The Election is on Thursday, November 21 from 7 AM to 8 PM at Wing/Forestdale/Oakridge.
• Or, you can also vote at the Town Clerk's Office until noon on Wednesday, November 20
• The funding articles must pass at BOTH Town Meeting at at the election

Here's the two unanswered questions:

1)  If repaired, what will it cost to operate the pool ?  Does that include all staff, maintenance, utilities, and a reserve for future maintenance?

2)  How will those costs be covered?  Will it be funded entirely from the School Budget?  Will there be a Town contribution?  How much revenue is projected to come from outside rentals?

"I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts." -- Will Rogers

Sandwich Enterprise - Still Available in 2 ply Rolls!

That's it?

The Emptyprize calls me (for the first time in several years) at 9:00 on Halloween night for a "detailed" 90 second interview (90 seconds -- 1,2,3,...90) and that's the best they can do?

So much for "fair and balanced" !

The Town is about to pay out a settlement well  in excess of $300,000 and the Emptyprize leads with the fact the person leading contract negotiations with the Superintendent actually communicated with her?

Huh?  How did they think contract negotiations happen?

I would have assumed the lead would involve Marshall, Linehan, Crossman & Kangas -- and their counsel -- ignoring the requests by so many to seek a Judge's ruling before pulling the trigger. 

Or maybe, the fact that their legal adviser has now been involved in two very expensive contract case losses.

Or, maybe a story on the fact that the first Judge to hear the case had been on the bench less than a month, and was definitively overturned by a three judge state appeals court and then by the State Supreme Judicial Court before being kicked one last time by yet another Superior Court judge.

Or, maybe a story on WHY counsel continued to push forward with the case after the State Appeals Court made it pretty clear the show was over?  I am very curious what was paid out to lawyers on this case -- both by the Town and its insurance carriers (make no mistake-- anything paid by the insurance carrier will eventually be paid by the Town through increased premiums!).

Or, maybe a story about abuse of process and using court Depositions to run up the legal bill while asking questions which were completely irrelevant to the case at hand?

Well, maybe nobody handed them any of THOSE stories!

Speaking of stories that appear to be handed to them, I recently commented on their fawning coverage of the new fireboat and the annual "boater/floater drifting away" call.  The article looked so much like a press release justifying the silly boat that I went running for my Thesaurus to look for an appropriate synonym for "sodomy".  The article was very detailed -- except that it omitted the fact that while the SFD was collecting the wayward kayaker, Fire Departments from two surrounding Towns had to respond to real medical calls in Sandwich.  They also never questioned how the SFD was able to drive from Station One to the Coast Guard dock, start up their boat and still make it to the scene BEFORE one of the faster Coast Guard boats that were already staffed and sitting at the same dock.

I think that would have been interesting -- but I guess nobody handed them THAT story either!

I can't wait to read their coverage of the Pool story (Click here for the two questions I doubt they will "remember" to ask!)