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| This potato was unable to attend Town Meeting tonight -- but if it had, it would have asked the same number of questions that those approving the budget asked. |
I turned on Town Meeting this evening (The Daily Show & Colbert were both repeats). I thought I was watching a speed reading demonstration -- the articles were passing as quick as they could be read, and re-read, and then re-read one more time.
The over $70 million dollar annual budget was passed in seconds --- with absolutely no comment or question from the audience --- not even a stupid one! Other towns take multiple nights to discuss and approve what Sandwich can knock off in minutes!
Does anybody really think Town Meeting is still relevant to the operation of the Town? It's a numbers game -- out of 15,000 voters, maybe 250 will show up. If you want something bad enough (pool, astro-turf, the ability to chase away illegal aliens) all you need is 125 warm bodies.
Yeah, I know... it's Democracy!
Which brings us to the Giant Potato above.
The Magic Valley Times News (which is apparently in Idaho) is reporting that a Dr. Richard Canfield was named one of two finalists for the Blaine County School Superintendent's job -- but didn't get the job. What a coincidence, Sandwich has a Superintendent of the same name. Wait a minute -- I recognize that face! According to the local papers, Canfield and his wife love the Blaine County area and have been vacationing there for years. That sounds vaguely familiar... that's what he said about Cape Cod a couple of years ago -- usually in the same paragraph with the phrases "last job" and "going to retire here".
Here we go again. A new Superintendent comes to Town, turns the system inside out -- and then either gets driven out of the District or flees before the locals can gather their pitch forks & torches!
Well, at least we still have a strong, experienced, School Committee -- except for those three folks who walked in off the street unopposed and two others who have been described as the special interest devotee and the un-medicated third grader. Damn.
Well, at least we are getting a new astro-turf field! (Because it would be disrespectful to veterans and 9/11 victims if we didn't spend pennies a day to prevent 400 kids from getting grass stains. Or something like that.)
Gimme a break.
19 comments:
Bob do you really think that when next years budget is presented to the town that the schools will get what they want in way of money to continue what will get put in place this year?
It was unfortunate that this subject matter could not have found another way to be addressed or for that matter funded.
Because of the decisions by the board of Selectman in how they brought these articles before town meeting, the real issues of funding real needs, like the roads have been set aside with poor planning and stop gap measures in places no one wants to travel.
Yes we have given the schools every thing they requested this year, with the caviar that they will not expect to receive any thing beyond a substantial decrease in next years budget ,
I why for one, if the Gods keep me alive will endeavor to keep the schools department to there words which have resulted in our towns inability to move forward on many fronts.
We all have a chance to make a difference on Thursday, will any thing change?
Will the Superintendent play another card next year and leave us with another mess to settle out.
Will the selectmen and finance committee hold the schools to a higher standard of accountability?
Will the hope of finding economic development with a paid town employee instead of volunteers provide the town of Sandwich with new tax revenues?
Will the planning board be one of trust?
That question may be how the town decides to vote , given all of the publicity surrounding one of the candidates.
I think that bow-tied weasel that got up to speak in favor of the artificial turf should be ashamed of himself -- the idea that somebody was disrespecting veterans, or the DeConto family by not supporting a large expenditure that would benefit a small group of people is absolutely obscene.
It was funny later in the meeting when the same guy got up and claimed to be involved with the energy industry BUT didn't seem to have any concept of how power plants are taxed.
I agree that the meeting was an absolute waste of time.
Town Meeting is beyond depressing!
Encourage everyone you know you go to the polls and vote No.
Voting No is the only small comfort I have left.
So, the SC Chairperson thinks Dr. Canfield was “recruited” and Mr. Andrade thinks that Dr. Canfield’s job search is “none of his business.” I am really not sure what to make of those comments.
Every time I get a call from a head hunter have I been “recruited?” This seems a stretch. The Dr., like every other applicant, filled out an application, interviewed, etc. Being asked to consider applying for a job by a firm hired to find applicants isn’t what I’d call being recruited.
As a SC member Mr. Andrade has just one employee to supervise – Dr. Canfield. And, somehow Mr. Andrade has come to think that Dr. Canfield’s job status isn’t any of his business? Fair question to Mr. Andrade: What is your school committee business?
This is why elections and voting and actively participating in local politics matters.
If Dr. Canfield leaves prior to the next budget season, will the new candidates be asked to make sure the budget doesn't go up? Or will it be "I don't know where Dr. Canfield was coming up with the savings he suggested, but I don't see it, and the schools need more money."
Maybe he's trying to leave to have a job in place before he has to make cuts or ask for more money, since people don't seem to agree on the cost savings he's been referring to in the budget season to come.
I also had a good laugh about the Town Meeting. I'm still not sure how the HS Turf won the vote. But I plan to vote "no" on that question. As for Canfield, I've always thought he came here to do something he'd think was a big achievement and then leave. I've thought that STEM was his "biggie". Maybe in the end it's too big for him to finish. Hmm how can I get out of this one, skip town, why not? I've lived in Sandwich for just about 25 years and every year it's some new scheme the school dept brings to the table,and people fall for it. Per Canfield STEM just might keep kids in Sandwich, SO then what and where do we put those grade 7 and 8 kids. Oh, that's right, we'll have to add onto the high school again. It never ends. People/voters forget the history lessons that should lead us in different directions. One lesson w/b never trust the school department. Voter tomorrow, it's your way and your right speak your mind at the polls.
It is called hedging your bets or in this case if we did not provide the money for all of the needs he was looking for he may have been looking to bail out and try it out some where else.
Now for the most part we have given the schools all it has asked for this year, but what happens next year when the schools will have to eat the words used to spin what and how was needed for this year, will save the town next year on its budget.
With out question this one announcement will have parents asking if this school district is stable enough to have there child educated here or perhaps we better look else where. This will open Pandora's box and it is not a pretty site to behold for sure.
So much that this should have been a secret and Dr. Canfield was asked to fill out the paper work to even be considered for another job when he had one here.
I am afraid this announcement will have long remaining consequences, now that every one is aware he was looking to move elsewhere, while having a legal and binding contract for three more years here.
Are we all immune to the ramifications this will have on the Sandwich School district going forward and how does he repair the outfall from this declaration of actively searching for another job , while employed here in Sandwich>
Truth Maker - I think you have hit the nail on the head! As a parent who believed in Dr. Canfield, I was willing to see things through in the hopes that the end result would be a better school system. With this announcement and now with Forestdale's vice principal announcing that she is leaving, I am left wondering how much longer we can stay in the school system. Nauset, ranked 17th in the state, is looking more and more worth the drive. It is a sad state of affairs for this town. I expect that more and more families will be choosing school choice or simply moving out of town.
Truth Maker - You're right, I agree, this knowledge of Canfield's attempt to flee Town and leave the mess behind could be the final nail in the coffin. More parents may start to look elsewhere. I do know that one of my neighbors has a daughter heading to Sturgis next year, and other has a son starting at a Charter for middle school. If I still had kids in Sandwich, I would no doubt be running for door.
I don't have (and don't know how to set up) a blog account, otherwise I wouldn't post as Anon.
On the Keep Sandwich Schools K-6 Facebook page, a Mr. Wayne Hoover posted on May 7th some, I found, very informative graphs showing town population and student population, information that was drawn from town and state websites. Mr. Simmons/Mr. Guerin if/when you have time I'd love to hear your input(s). If the graphs are correct they should shared in a more public forum and would surely wake-up a lot of the town's population.
Wayne's graphs have been around for years. He's right, school population is declining. That's why the Wing is being closed.
His thoughts on the Supts office being made of marble and mahogany are silly -- and he admits he has no idea how much space the administration is using at Oakridge. I think his argument was 2 k-6's would balance the population better than a k-2 / 3-6 design. Could be ... Its worth discussing.
I generally detest Facebook. Its usually nothing more than third party supposition and rumors. The phrase "somebody told me" seems to be treated as a reliable source of information. As bad as The Emptyprize is , folks would learn more if they spent a few minutes reading the front pages before they skip backmto the soccer pictures. The annual town reports are also a good source of data (available on the town website and even linked from this one),
The other good source is a quick phone call or email to the elected/appointed leaders--- its easy to get info straight from the horse's mouth rather than relying on 3rd party rumors from the deli counter, school parking lot, or dreaded soccer field.
I certainly wasn't equating Dr. Hoover's work with soccer field rumors ---- i was just commenting on what i see as the quality of Facebook info.
Correct Mr. Simmons,
However more people are speaking up and out and letting people know ALL information sources, including your blog! Seems people are more comfortable putting their name with a comment on facebook when they think everyone in their group is a "friend".
Population trends are trends and cyclical. Forestdale and Oak Ridge were built when population trends were opposite where they are now. A race to consolidate drastically could have unintended consequences.
The schools haven’t done enough to adjust and better align staffing and spending to today’s student population.
Nonacademic spending by the schools on Community Schools and pools and community recreation fields was bad policy and bad practice. The Town’s Recreation Department (and budget) should have done that work.
When both the school administration and every member of the school committee perceive their job as being to always advocate for more for the schools, fiscal and academic disaster soon follows.
Creating a new academic model and reconfiguring an entire school system simply to avoid repairing a building is beyond silly – no matter what the repair cost.
Mr. Hoover's graphs are his own graphs and it would be nice if he were a bit more clear about them instead of implying that the graphs are from the town. And I have a really hard time taking someone seriously when he makes comments about the Superintendent's office when he has clearly never stepped foot into it!
Can we all agree to refer to Dr. C. Richard Canfield simply as Rich moving forward? Or any other informal name. This goes for all of these academia types with little on their resume that wasn't paid for. I can't bring myself to feed into these peoples needs for esteem boosts. NEWSFLASH Rich, anyone that runs a small business could do your job.
I know its an old hacky comedian bit, but a doctor treats me when Im sick; not some empty suit with a few worthless degrees that has successfully gotten into the fraternity of education administrators nationwide that can create a mess and leave in the middle of the night because their national web of brethren will look out for them.
Sorry, went a bit off topic here, just felt like throwing that in. My esteem feels better now.
I guess it's better than "Dick" !
Sounds like your 8th grade education is giving you an inferiority complex!
makes a dick joke, then tries to insult someone else's intelligence.
See the problem with your logic Mr or Mrs member of town board or teachers union?
Haven't read this blog for awhile. I absolutely agree with Bob G. about rushing decisions on consolidation! Hope the new School Committee slows things down! The promises about budget savings given what i've observed in the last SC meeting regarding reorganization seems unlikely. It really seems like they are closing Wing prematurely if closing it rushes the schools into more drastic changes with little or no cost analysis. I am also very disappointed that the recommended plan includes continued use of the portables.
Isn't Wayne Hoover the man who served on the School Building Committee at the time adding on to the High School was under consideration. If so, he is the man that upon research lobbied for not adding on to the High School but rather building a Jr. High. How ironic that the empty seats at the High School propelled us bringing the Jr. High there.
We really need to be very very cautions about this next big school decision. The more students we loose the more money it costs the town to send them elsewhere should they choose a charter or another public district.
After following the budget meetings this year, it seems fairly clear that the schools will not be getting any bump next year. I would imagine the municipal side went along with the school's increase for a reason.
Dr. Canfield applying for a job elsewhere? Yikes and double yikes. I don't know how many times I've heard him say he was in this for the long haul and Sandwich was his new home. When will we stop hiring from CT or any other State people who have retired there?
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