The Case With No Winners

UPDATE -- The CCT is reporting that Dr. Johnson has not agreed to the settlement.  The Town is still on the hook for $465,000 but no other details are available.


From the Cape Cod Times:  Sandwich to pay Johnson $500K

No surprise. But, it's too bad that winning a case doesn't actually produce any winners -- unless you count the lawyers who benefited from a four year unsupervised billing orgy!

On one side, you have the Sandwich taxpayers who have essentially been paying two Superintendents for the past three years as a direct result of the actions of four vindictive school committee members.  That's money that hasn't gone towards improving education, fixing roads, fixing beaches, or maintaining buildings.

On the other side, you have a former School Superintendent with almost 40 years of experience who has become essentially unemployable. Not only did she lose her job but, once some folks realized there could be some ramifications for their actions, they really began to pile on the bullshit.

Does anybody think it is unusual that a District would ban their own School Superintendent for allegedly speaking harshly to an employee -- yet allow two other school employees directly involved with the care of children to remain employed -- despite the fact that they appeared to be so intoxicated that fellow employees had to drive them home from school?

How about a Union that not only defended both of those employees but then filed grievances and fought  to get them reinstated and their records expunged?  But, then again, this is the same union whose new President recently resigned because she was tired of being bullied by the old union leadership.  (Who, not coincidentally, is back in control.)

One other point -- the current Superintendent made a comment about this settlement affecting funds available for students in the current year's education budget. Given that the bulk of this settlement was decried by a Judge months ago, this liability should have been fully accrued for in Fiscal 2014. In fact, given the facts of the case, I would be shocked if there has not been a reserve on the books for this payment for the past three years. This has already hit the budget -- To say this claim could also have any impact on the coming year's school budget is disingenuous at best.

Let's not start lining up those FY '15 Budget excuses yet!

Mass. Taxpayers Will Fund Sandwich Project That Sandwich Voters Did Not Want to Fund

Thank you Abington, Athol, Braintree, Chelsea, Danvers, Edgartown, Falmouth, Granby, Haverhilll ....!

Here's an interesting article from Boston.com:

  Mass. Taxpayers Will Fund Sandwich Project That Sandwich Voters Did Not Want to Fund

Standard Stadium Disclaimer: I am one of the large number of people who absolutely, positively, do not begrudge any veteran a memorial. I would have no problem re-naming the High School Building after Captain DeConto.  My concern is only the cost and priority of the project.

The roads are falling apart, the beach is washing away, and the Public Safety Buildings are a disgrace, I'm just not seeing artificial turf as a major necessity.

But, barring the sudden growth of a spine, I assume the Governor will sign off and then we can thank the good folks in West Boylston, North Adams, Lowell & Lawrence for their contribution to our football field.

But, for the record, this still doesn't make up for the value of the subsidized swimming pool access Sandwich taxpayers have been providing to their Cape neighbors for the past two decades!