Sign of the Times ...



Residents of Wing Blvd. have begun organizing neighborhood home 

clean-outs in advance of the "Pay as You Throw" trash program.



It's Time .....

As has been discussed for the past two years, Pay as You Throw (PAYT) is almost here.  The required disposal bags come in a variety of sizes.  The above example is the "Local Government Size" -- it is designed to hold the entire Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, and everybody who showed up at the last Town Meeting.  (This replaces the earlier model which required two separate bags to contain the School Committee.)

There will be several smaller styles available including the "Lets Build a Boardwalk and/or Library" size:

There will also be a "WTF, Nobody ever told me about PAYT!!" style (I think I saw somebody modelling this one at the last Town Meeting):

Click here for Town's Official PAYT information.

Press Release

The Wing School Renovation Study Committee is pleased to announce its newest member:

Good luck to The Captain and all his colleagues on the Committee.

OK, Now What?

We have a new cast of characters, but we still have some long-standing basic questions to be resolved by the New School Committee.  Without even touching on the very serious personnel issues which need to be resolved, here's a few questions that spring to mind:

1)  Who's supervising the School Department if the Superintendent isn't allowed on-site?  Will the Committee discuss requiring the position of Assistant Superintendent be restored and continually staffed in the future as a matter of policy?  The Town Charter specifies that there will be an Assistant Town Manager.  (It also specifies that no elected member of the BOS is allowed to act as the Acting Town Manager!)

2)  Is anybody concerned that increases were processed by Payroll with questionable or non-existent approvals as well as non-existent or incorrect social security numbers (I would expect the School would eliminate the SS info on all forms going forward -- I am sure the Town Accountant could do without it).  

Silence Deafening?

This week's CCT story could have been entitled "Where's Waldo?".  The Superintendent is running the District -- but from an undisclosed location (similar to Dick Cheney's situation a few years back).

It's funny -- I get almost as many complaints when I sit quietly, as I do when I'm ranting and raving about the lack of professionalism and apparent stupidity of some people.

So, what's different now?  

I think the situation is just as abominable as before -- the only difference is that I have infinitely more confidence in the people dealing with the situation.  I may not agree with every member of the new majority on every issue -- but I am absolutely confident that they are in the game for the right reasons -- They have no axes to grind -- and, when given the opportunity, will do the right thing to move the District forward and break the inertia that plagued the Committee this past year.

There's a new School Committee, and on July 1 there will be a new School Superintendent -- somebody from Away who has yet to piss anybody off!!  (Maybe, in a spirit of evolution and goodwill, the members of the teachers union will even elect a new SEA President.)  Then, we can all hopefully start looking forward -- and facing some of the huge financial issues that are looming out there -- instead of constantly fighting history.

Don't tell me about 1972 -- tell me about 2011, and 2012, and 2013 ...

SC Update

Shaun Cahill, School Committee Chairman

Congratulations (or condolences?) to Shaun Cahill and Andrea Killion  for taking the Chair and Vice-Chair positions on the School Committee last night.  Also -- it was great to see several Selectmen in the audience -- hopefully that was a harbinger of things to come.

There still seems to be some confusion on the part of some over the role of School Committee members.  Supporters of one candidate for Vice Chair continually harped on her availability during the day if needed.  In fact, this person even questioned Cahill about HIS availability during the day.  The SC is an elected policy-making board -- members (who may have little or no educational administrative background -- or education, for that matter!) have no involvement over day to day operational issues.  Even then, the Chair has no more authority (or magical powers) than any other member.  Do these people think the SC gets called in during the day to fix leaky pipes, or serve as substitute teachers -- or maybe lunchroom duty, or to fill in for a school nurse?

All in all, an encouraging evening.

A New Era ....

This picture just seemed appropriate this week!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Susan Sundermeyer, Bob Catalini, John Kennan, and Frank Pannorfi on their overwhelming election to the School Committee and Board of Selectmen.  The winners in both races showed substantial margins over their opponents -- there was no mistaking what the public sentiment was!

In the School Committee race, two political newcomers both beat a 21 year incumbent -- both of them by almost a 2-1 margin!  This was no small victory --- unlike last year's lackluster election, THIS election was truly a mandate from the public.  Apparently, people are tired of the unprofessional nonsense for which the 2010-2011 School Committee became famous.  (Unfortunately, this reputation also went national when the wire services began publishing stories about the crazy Cape Cod School District who kept their Superintendent in an off-site basement.)

Thank you to everyone who turned out to vote and those that encouraged others to vote !!

The only folks who are probably more despondent than the outgoing School Committee Chair this morning would be the District's Soon-To-Be-Former Attorney as well as the Superintendent's Soon-To-Be-Former Secretary.

But, you know what they say --- "Karma is a Bitch!!"

Some things never change

The following comment was received, presumably from SC member Kangas. I moved it to a separate posting so nobody would take it at face value (or give it any value at all!) This comment was copied verbatim:

The contract. Well when MEJ received her contract it was $12,000 more than the sitting super.Dr.Canfield will receive $1000 more than the sitting super.MEJ's contract included travel expense reimbursement, 30 vacation days, that can accumulate and be bought back, 4 personal days and a total of 54 sick days over 3 years. Therefore Dr. Canfield will receive 2 extra days over what MEJ got. Donald Trump should look at the 2010 budget and it will show that MEJ took in $189,000 + for that year. That will still be less than what Dr. Canfield will total. I know everyone has their opinion and I respect that, but Bob will tell you, things are different on the other side of the table. I know you don't want to hear this and I wonder if Bob will print it, but this past year was filled with discord and lack of information and accessibility. We tried to get more done but roadblocks along the way made it very difficult. I personnally am looking forward to accomplishing a great list of things with the help of Dr. Canfield this year. I hope that you can be of assistance instead of just being judgemental. Thanks. MAK

A few corrections:

Dr.Canfield will receive $1000 more than the sitting super.MEJ's contract included travel expense reimbursement...

-----No, Canfield will receive $161,000 which includes $250/month travel allowance and $5,000 for an annuity.  Johnson received $152,000 salary, no annuity, and no travel allowance (except for specific expense reimbursements), that would be $9,000 less than Canfield.

 ...and a total of 54 sick days over 3 years.  Therefore Dr. Canfield will receive 2 extra days over what MEJ got.

-----No, Canfield is receiving 60 sick days on his first day of employment (presumably to cover 3 years?).  Johnson received 1.5 days/month.  Over 3 years Canfield not only gets 6 more days, he also gets the benefit of having them on Day 1 -- not waiting 3 years.  (Johnson got 4 personal days --  but Canfield has an automatic buy-back provision for 5 vacation days each year -- which would add another $3100 to his compensation package each year.)

The Road to Nowhere ...

The incumbent School Committee Chair cites her two decades of experience on the Committee as an asset to her candidacy.  I would suggest that anybody who questions that (and everybody SHOULD!) takes a quick walk down memory lane by reviewing the meeting minutes for the past year.

In Monday's CCT, she also speaks of wanting to improve communications with other Boards.  One way of doing that would have been not to discontinue the regularly scheduled meetings between representatives of the BOS and School Committee -- as she chose to do last year.  Or, even to attend the prior year's meetings -- which she chose not to do.

Now What?

Surprise!

It an't over yet!

The CCT is reporting that the Chairman of the School Committee has decided to extend their hunting season --they've now posted two Executive Sessions for tonight & tomorrow under the terms of MGL Sec 30A, Section 21(a)(1).

That provision of MGL refers to a discussion of: "the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual, or to discuss the discipline or dismissal of, or complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual".

Strangely enough, these meetings had been rumored for several days -- but did not actually get posted until 3:45 on Friday afternoon -- after the local papers were out.

It sounds like the Witches of Eastwick are planning yet another act of revenge -- before somebody (hopefully) tosses water on them and their majority dissolves.

Doesn't sound very transparent to me.

NOTE:  All meetings open in Public Session before taking a vote to go into Executive Session -- the subject of the discussion also has the right to request a public meeting.  It is unknown if here will  be public access at this meeting.