New
developments at pre-town meeting last night -
The school
department held a meeting last night while Supt. Ruth Miller and John Columbus
attended pre-town. Supt. Ruth Miller and School Committee Chair John Columbus
insisted they had submitted different figures for the school budget article.
After a call to Town Coordinator Ritter, he explained the figures via
speakerphone and Advisory Board proceeded to follow through on
their recommendations. Ruth was insisting on a higher number that included
the override figure. The Advisory Board looked at her and said they would have
to cut $691,000 from town charges. NO WAY!!
A few
articles later, Selectman Wilder comes in from the emergency parent meeting. Was
the parent meeting a coincidence? No! The big revelation from selectman Wilder
was that the school department was going to pack town meeting and vote the town
budget down line item by line item so they could get the $691,000 shortfall/override
from town charges. They may be able to pull it off!
In a sick
weird way, I hope they succeed. Say bye-bye to the police department. Say
bye-bye to the highway department. Say bye-bye to the fire department. Say
bye-bye to the treasurer, the assessor, the accountant, the BOS office,
conservation, BOH, cemetery and recreation. Say BYE-BYE!
Instead of
town offices being CLOSED on Friday; town offices will be OPEN
ONE day per week. I will vote to ensure that that ONE DAY per
week opening will be on a rotating basis. Think of the money we'll
save on heating costs! It will take MONTHS to process a slimmer and
trimmer payroll, saving even more money!
Oh dear, your
house is burning down? Call the superintendent of schools and the chairman of
the school committee! Oh, your home was broken into? Call the superintendent of
schools and the chairman of the school committee! Oh, you can't get to work
because the roads are impassable and aren't plowed? Call
the superintendent of schools and the chairman of the school committee! Oh
dear, your child was bitten by a rabid animal? Call the superintendent of
schools and the chairman of the school committee! Oh dear, is that chest pain
you are experiencing? Start walking! I'd say "Call the superintendent of
schools and the chairman of the school committee! ", but those lines
are busy.
Build an
elementary school in Templeton? Say BYE-BYE!
Thank you to the Advisory Board for a job well
done!
My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !
Julie Farrell
to Tom J - I spoke to Ms Miller personally and stated that I had no problem with the override, I also stated that it would be nice to have all these parents who support the override stay (at TM)to support the town departments. And just a note we know if the school doesn't get their money the state will step in - well what do they think will happen if certain departments of the town can't operate properly. HERE COMES THE STATE!!! Our cherry sheet reciepts will go down (not exsist) because the state will take our money for the Departments that are manditory. Maybe more info needs to be put out to the voters. Did you all read TGN with over 5000 registered voters in town only 1000 plus voted. How many families in Narragansett? Did all the parents vote? they should have. My question now to Ruth M - we know that we have a huge senior population - did you speak to the COA members or put something in their newsletter? Did you speak to the Golden Agers, I don't know maybe you did, but many of these seniors have grandchildren in town.
ReplyDeleteMy next comment is for Virginia - is this revenge for your dear friend not getting in as selectman, rip the town apart . But seriously as a selectman did you explain to thee school folks how important the town departments are (although you shouldn't have to) did you explain the the state will cut our Cherry sheet receipts. Did you explain that with out proper police and fire protection our insurance rates will go up ( homeowners etc. )Not to mention wheres rescue when someone in the family gets hurts. Why must it be town against school?
Jumping up and down on the common doesn't get votes - go to the Town clerk and get the list of voters that voted - I'll bet alot of parents didn't vote. send out a mailer to the voters that didn't vote we can always have another election.
Zebra, I am not quite sure exactly what you are addressing to me. However, I also have spoken directly to Ms. Miller and John Columbus both in person and via email. This has been a very emotional topic for everyone. There are excellent arguments pro and con. I really think Miller has the best interests of the students in her heart. But as I also explained to her last night after the pre-town meeting, the taxpayers are not a source of a bottomless pit of money. The schools have to step up and sacrifice just like everyone else, even if it is painful. Personally, I can afford the tax increase, but I think its about time we as a town stand up to those morons at DEQE in Malden and demand they stop making unfunded mandates. Miller has said they will have to discontinue AP courses for the students. How about cutting some of the wasteful SPED mandates? Why do we have to spend "whatever it takes" to have special vans/buses, one-on-one aides to babysit disruptive students? what about spending some cash on the bright students, some of whom might cure cancer someday. "No child left behind" equates to "All children educated to the lowest common denominator"
DeleteI am done venting for now....thank you.
I personally feel that the school could find good things to do with the requested override. But the voters in both member towns said no, and that has to count for something. The school budget was on three articles, each considered individually. One for Templeton's contribution to NRSD within the prop 2 1/2 limit, one article for NRSD debt service and one article for a proposed contribution from Templeton to NRSD above the 2 1/2 levy limit. The board voted on each article individually, as written by the selectmen with review by town counsel. The override figure is an article on the town meeting warrant.
ReplyDeleteThe cuts that certain segments of town government have already sustained are deep. The budget that the advisory board submits will not have any "low hanging fruit" that can be plucked. Templeton is living paycheck to paycheck, with nothing put away for rainier days. It is my opinion that we need to build up the stabilization fund.
I understand that parents want the most up-to-date schools for their children. I understand that extra-curricular activities such as sports, etc. are important. Yes, the children of today are our future, but parents who are so concerned will make sure that their children do what they have to do to succeed. It's not the high tech schools or the sports that make a child successful, it's the home life and good teachers. The bottom line is that there is no money and you can't jeoporize the whole community. Do you really want people to lose their jobs so that your kids can play sports. One parent was quoted as saying "the over-ride will only cost $.60 a day for the taxpayer". Well that is peanuts for the person who said it, but for the elderly couple struggling to hang on to their home, that's a burden. If this group does "pull it off",they may very much regret getting what they wished for.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading an article on the Quabbin Regional school district and the look over by the state, it was interesting to see that they (state) look at all of the schools dealings including the budget , and so perhaps this is a way to get the state to look at this land lease deal the district signed off on. According to the article, the state was looking at Wauchusett Regional as well and so far, the state came to the conclusion that is was not lack of a budget, but rather poor management that was the problem and the state DESE was keeping an eye on that school district. Perhaps not such a bad thing for the state DESE to come in and look at Narragansett. There is an e-mail address and a phone number on the web site of the DESE, perhaps it can be put to use.
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy to see the towns people working together! We welcome you to join us with open arms and open hearts! We support our youth and education! You will see our presence at the town meetings! We will come together for a brighter future! Gansett Greatness will have plenty of information on the override. Speak with Superintendent Ruth Miller, she's has worked hard to explain why they need this money and can't function within limits without it! This isn't a race to the bottom!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like the parents are behaving like a spoiled bunch of children. I will hold my breath until I turn blue! I will show you!! I did not get my way, now you will pay! Where were these people, when the citizens who support the town, worked for the past two years, just to keep the town running?? All of the things these people take for granted will be gone. How many of the town workers, who have already taken pay cuts will be able to keep their jobs?? Try none! Shame, shame, on John Columbus and Ruth Miller!! Tell me again it is all about the kids! It is my opinion, the fat in administration is over the top. We are a poor town! If you want big money go to a town that has some. Ms. Miller chose to come here, it is what it is! There is nothing we can do to bring in more income. We have to live with in our means. As a town, we have been trying to do that. We have no fat! Any fat we had is gone. The school administration is very fat. How about giving up some of the "FAT" in your paycheck, Ms. Miller? It is for the kids, after all!! I think it behooves them to take a second look at their budget. I think if they are serious, they will find a way. I did not like the way the children in this town were used by the adults. Children have enough problems, they do not have to be threatened..Find another way to get your message across. I am sure you can find a way, with out destroying the town government. My opinion, Bev.
ReplyDeleteBev, why should she take a pay cut? Because she's too educated or because the town is too cheap? Or is it because this town can't get out of its own way to allow stores to come in and help take the burden of the tax payers? I don't think the parents are acting like children, after all they are tax payers too and are raising children, not cheap! I think people are near sighted and thats 90 percent of the problem, no one is looking to the future!
DeleteThe DESE web site has a section on Administration: Suggestions to reduce administrative burdens; so my suggestion and / or question is this, can Narrangansett have one principal and one vice-principal to serve both the Middle School & High School since both are in the same building/complex? to help reduce the costs of the administrative part of the school district budget. Email of Carrie Conway, who is associate commissioner for planning, research & delivery systems, at cconway@doe.mass.edu and pose that question. phone number is 781-338-3108. Working together would be: The district is requesting an override of $691,000.00 dollars but due to the economy and the financial condition of the town, can we compromise on $300,000.00? But no, we will go to town meeting and destroy the town to try to get our way, I hope these parents that if this is done, they are bankrupting themselves, as in their town.
ReplyDeleteWe want QUALITY not QUANTITY!!!! Miss Miller is underpaid for that position! They aren't acting like spoild children! If this doesn't pass the state is being called upon to come in and take over! That may very well bankrupt this town thus why the override was so important! As for having one principal and vice principal, I'm not sure that's best two people trying to keep around 1,000 kids in order.
ReplyDeleteBottom line, no money, sacrifices must be made and it can't be one-sided. Schools need to sacrifice as well. Not a good situation, but it is what it is.
ReplyDeleteInterested in facts? Here's a few for you...
ReplyDelete1. Gansett Greatness(GG) has been holding regular Thursday night meetings for the past 6 weeks.
2. The May 2, 2013 GG meeting was planned the prior Thursday and would have been held regardless of the override vote outcome.
3. Superintendent Ruth Miller as well as the GG team encouraged everyone at the meeting to not only go to Town Meeting for the school budget but to stay and support the town throughout ALL of Town Meeting because every article is important to our community...even if it means going 3 or 4 nights in a row.
4. Ms. Miller and the GG team both explicitly said that their intention is to NOT bankrupt the town. Selectman Wilder misquoted what she heard at the Gansett Greatness meeting when she said otherwise at the AB meeting.
5. If anyone is interested in ACTUAL facts about Gansett Greatness and what the parents are trying to do for our community, you are encouraged to visit the Facebook page, request pamphlets and go to the GG meetings...which you now know are regularly scheduled for Thursday evenings.
ps...my brain is finding it hard to accept that the author of this blog is taking Selectman Wilder's word as fact.
Hi Gina - So you are saying that there is no plan to subject the town to an exruciating, line-item-by-line-item review of the general government article? That's good news. There is no good reason to do that, it would only cause hard feelings in the end. Thatnks for the good news.
DeleteNot exactly sure what you're referring to here as I never said anything about a line-by-line item review.
Delete"Gina" - I asked a question. Does this group of voters intend to subject the town to a line-by-line review of the general town government article? The "rumor" is that is what this group called "Gansett Greatness" intends.
DeleteDoes your group intend to "find" the money you want for the school within the town budget?
Don't believe rumors, we all want what is best for everyone. We all need to come together and find a solution.
DeleteLooking back over these replies the statement: "So you are saying that there is no plan to subject the town to an exruciating, line-item-by-line-item review of the general government article?" appears to be an attempt at summarizing my original comments. My original paragraph doesn't mention a "line-by-line item review" so I was uncertain about your summarization.
DeleteHowever, in your last reply you did ask a question so I will give you an answer as best as I can.
"Does this group of voters intend to subject the town to a line-by-line review of the general town government article?" I honestly have no idea what is going to happen at either Town Meeting until we are there. Has the term "line-by-line item review" come up at a GG meeting? Yes it has. It was a suggestion brought up to us as Selectman Wilder was giving recommendations on ways to get the school budget passed on TM floor.
As to your other question: "Does your group intend to "find" the money you want for the school within the town budget?" Our group does not intend to get money from anywhere. Gansett Greatness is about supporting our community, our schools and our future by gathering correct information that we can pass on to community members so that voters can make informed decisions. Does the school district need a budget that supports good teachers and programs for our schools? Absolutely. Does GG support the schools, teachers and programs? Absolutely.
I do hope this answers any questions you may have had regarding my original comments. As to rumors: "Mind what people do, not only what they say, for deeds will betray a lie.” ―Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind
ps...Gansett Greatness is an actual group so no quotes are needed around the name...unlike "Gina".
Quick pop culture quiz here...who is the "Gina" that I'm referring to with my name?
Please look up how many students were at Narragansett in the 70's and I believe it was around 900 and we had one principal and one vice principal and both substituted when needed, especially Anthony Safka, now there was a teacher / vice principal. Again, if the state is called, good, then they can look at the budget and decide if it is inflated or not, the state can decide on union contracts and perhaps the state can look at the land lease deal with Sean Hamilton and perhaps tell us if that was such a great deal for the district. But first I believe we have to have town meeting and who knows, maybe the state will be called in to look at the town because we will be bankrupt.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I am wrong, but I thought Teachers kept students in order as in keeping a classroom quiet and orderly and Principals were more on the administrative side. But then again, when I was in elementary school, we did not have special district teachers to teach reading, that is what Ms. Rodd, Ms. Brooks and Mrs. Saleme did because they were our teachers.
ReplyDeleteGina Bongiovi, Nice name by the way! You are implying a fellow selectmen came to a meeting and lied or misrepresented the facts to a meeting involving the public, simply shocking! Why would Ms. Wilder ever do such a thing?
ReplyDeleteQuite honestly, I have absolutely no clue why Ms. Wilder would do such a thing. Was it done? Sadly, yes it was.
DeleteIf those present at the AB meeting were told by Selectman Wilder or anyone else that the school is out to bankrupt the town and its residents then yes, those people were intentionally mislead as to what had just been said at the Gansett Greatness meeting.
Regarding Ms. Wilder's comments at the AB meeting, did she also mention that she urged everyone present at the GG meeting to make sure they stay at TM for every article because (as she put it)"There are 6 articles designed to destroy the light and water department so you need to stay at TM to vote those down"? Did she also mention that when asked directly by a parent if she would vote for an amended school budget article that would give NRSD the funds it needs to open the doors in late August that she said "Of course I will!"? If she failed to mention any of this along with other comments she made at the AB meeting, then yes, she did "misrepresented the facts to a meeting involving the public".
ps...I also like the name Gina Bongiovi so I will ask you the same pop culture question I asked a few replies above...do you know who the "Gina" is that my name is referring to?
So Gina, do you date Tommy the dock worker?
DeleteI married him ;)
DeleteMs. Wilder acted in support of the school last night I was there! So I was surprised but not shocked that she threw us under the bus! Bottom line taxes are cheap in Templeton and are going up one way or another! Julie use to be such a supporter of the school but now that her children are out of the system it would seem she has turned her back on education! Also to follow up with you Jeff on the 70's teachers had more right to disaplin children, the state has regulated that. Also bullying is much higher than ever! I mean no disrespect but simple sounding solutions aren't always that simple!
ReplyDeleteFor the people, no disrespect taken, and I know simple does not always work today, partly because we have thrown common sense out the window. Kids were picked on and made fun of and there were groups or clicks even back when I was a youngster and we took care of that in a different way. Today the big catch phrase for that is bullying. I would suggest to begin with, no student cel phones allowed on school grounds period. This would not stop certain activity but I bet it would tone it down. In my reference to the 70's, I was pointing out that we had about the same number of students and we had only one principal and 1 vice principal rather than one each for the junior high and for the high school. I also stated that teachers kept order in the classroom and I hope that is still the case. My real hope is that sooner rather than later, all school assessments come under the same restraint that cities and towns have with prop 2 1/2.
DeleteFor the people 12:59PM, Shame on you! How is it that you feel free to make statements about Julie not supporting the schools. Did you ask her opinion? One thing I do know is she has real knowledge about the working of the School Department, and where we are as a town. Changes have to be made to the school budget. It is too bad that the people who put this budget together, did not use more common sense and sensitivity to the financial climate of the Town. Any one with any knowledge of the town, would have known it was destine to be a failure, from the start. Do you think the forty kids that came to school, from living in homes that were not their own, were in that situation because their parents had any other choice?? What about the children who come to school hungry, or dirty. Don't you think that their parents would like things to be different? No one likes the way we have had to cut our hours at the town offices. It has been very difficult for the people working there, but they have stayed with the hope things would improve. Well, it has taken longer than we figured, but we will get there. I have said the town is like a tree. if the tree is sick, the branches will not be strong. One of the branches, just happens to be the schools. The branches can not be stronger than the tree trunk. It does not happen in nature, and it will not happen here. All of the other branches, Highway Dept, Fire Department, Assessors, Board of Health have had to do more with less. They have been doing this for the last couple of years. Welcome to reality, Templeton, style. My opinion, Bev.
DeleteThe town has been in financial dire straits for several years now. If parents & faculty want to find out how the town can provide more money for the school system, I would suggest investing time into looking at how the town got into this financial situation in the first place and then work WITH the town to get it on a more stable footing. Once everyone is on the same page, only then will we be able to find solutions. I've observed that the majority of citizens have not followed town finances except for where their particular interest lies. This is not a good thing because when situations like this arises, people are working with misinformation. Over the past year, all of the financials have been scrutinized to death and drastic cuts have been made to all essential town operations. Municipal employees hours have been cut. Raises have been frozen. Town office hours have been reduced. There is no wasted money in town budget last year or proposed this year. Why was the town managed over the past decade using stabilization funds to balance budgets? A HUGE no no. One of the things that school supporters can do is to lobby the state to speed up their investigation of the town under the bill S.623. If these wrongdoings are true, the town lost out in millions of dollars...money that could have been spent on schools and other essential services. Everyone should also support any forensic accounting measures on big ticket projects like the wind turbine and 252 Baldwinville Rd. Look at the amount the town pays in insurance and retirement funds. A lot of mishandling of money has occurred over the past decade while no one was paying attention. However, in the past year, the town has hired a new accountant, treasurer, and now has a dynamic Advisory Board who have worked tirelessly over the past year to translate the financial ball of twine that was inherited. This is a good thing and citizens should acknowledge this and see that the errors of the past are actively being worked on to correct them and move forward in a more fiscally responsible way. What concerns me the most is I do not want to see this become a battle between young vs. old or school supporters vs. people who do not use the school services. This will not solve the problems and will only makes things worse. Lets put the blame where it belongs and not on people who didn't create this mess. I looked up the 2010 census to see the demographics of the town. Here's what I found: age 0-17: 26.04%; age 18-64: 61.09%; age 65+: 12.86%. So, lets not hear anything that its the seniors' fault this override didn't pass. Because according to this data, it was people much younger who either didn't support the override for their own reasons or simply didn't vote. I couldn't find demographics of registered voters in town. What is the age breakdown of the 5k registered voters? That would tell more who has the controlling vote when it comes to override questions. If everyone wants to go through the town's proposed budget line by line, that's fantastic! Let's also go through the school's proposed budget line by line. This way everyone will be better educated on exactly what it costs to run everything in town from now on. This way, more people will be more aware of how and why our money is being used and there will be no more wiggle room for anyone in the future to mishandle our town's finances. School supporters will better understand town operations. Townspeople will better understand school operations. It should be an interesting town meeting this year for sure! One question...does one have to be a registered voter in order to attend town meeting and vote or can anyone in town go to the meeting and vote?
ReplyDeleteanyone can attend town meeting but you have to be registered voter to vote, that is why they have voter lists to check people off so you can request copies of those list and see who attended town meeting.
DeleteWell said Templetonian! We could use more clarity!
ReplyDeleteDo the children who play sport need to pay any sort of user fee to play? My children went through the tough times at Oakmont when we had the highest user fees in the country. I am not saying there should be large fees but there may need to be an increase to help out for a few years as Oakmont did.
ReplyDeleteKimber they do pay a fee. It was implemented I believe last year. Don't quote me but I believe it is $150 per sport per season with a $600 family cap. (except for drama they only pay $50
DeleteI see both sides to this problem in our town. I know most of us live paycheck to paycheck but as a parent I also know that my children are VERY active in sports, theater and music and that is a huge part of what makes a child grow. That is a HUGE factor for scholarships and these children deserve that right! I know I will get flack for this but what about that great ole senior center???? People are saying WE are selfish???? You were offered MORE then ONE building to have as your center but NOOOO nothing is good enough for you but a NEW building! You ask for $500k and you get it....well, where is that building now? You are STILL in the water bc it's all gone!!! So WHY is it ok to approve THAT for our town and not to keep our children OFF the streets, doing the great extracurricular activities that they deserve and work so hard for???????
ReplyDeleteIf you see both sides then why try to start a fight? How about being positive and offering solutions? Would it be because there is no easy solution, and it is much easier to pick a fight? Did you read above that 61% of people is town are between 18-64 years old and 13% are 65 years old or older? You ask why is it okay to approve a community center (that we all may someday get to use to its fullest and was a one year only tax, not a forever tax). Ask the 61% and while you have their attention ask where they were on Election Day or when town meeting was voting. The passion shown by some of the town on this subject is great. I would suggest that the whole picture of the town is taken into consideration by faction groups.
DeleteI have posted to www.facebook.com/gansettgreatness this question and will do so here as well - Here is a link to Annual Town meeting warrant with results from the 2012 Annual Town Meeting
http://www.templeton1.org/docs/2012_ATM_Warrant_Final.pdf
Please look at the approved town budget line items starting on page 13.
What would you cut from the town budget to make up the $690,000 asked for in the failed override?
I agree, it is our duty as a community to take care of our elderly and our youth! It's the circle of life, pay it forward!
ReplyDeletefor the people 10:57 "if this doesn't pass the state is being called upon to come in an take over". this tactic is right from saul alinsky's "rules for radicals". rule #1. "power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have".. I have in my formerly nicotine stained fingers, a copy of a email I received from senator brewer. the state won't pressure a community to do anything other than set a budget!!!! THIS IS NOT THE BUDGET, IT IS A OVERRIDE AND THE STATE HAS NO POWER !!!! mrs wilder in a letter the gsnooze and the jurist dr. soon to be selectman have both stated the same thing, for the same reason, to scare, but still is not true and never will be. I don't think that teaching kids do anything to win, even if you have to lie, is not what we want to be doing !!!! as an aside, I was at the gardner golf course today and the wind mills at the college were TURNING!!!!!! are they supposed to do that ??? for the people, my a#s!!! for the zealots is more like it !!!!
ReplyDeleteIf the parents vote no at annual town meeting on the school budget and the budget fails to pass there will be NO SCHOOL BUDGET and the school committee can request a 112 budget from the state.
DeleteWeschultz4
ReplyDeleteI am sad that you look at this as a battle between parents and elders. I thought the majority of the senior center costs were donations of material and labor. I am a senior and I do not think a senior center is worthwhile. I think it will be used only by a very small but vocal minority. I'd rather see something at a regional level with perhaps Gardner.
I truly feel it's time for the parents to step up and contribute a bit more support for sports, theater, music (as you put it) When my daughter went to Gansett we (and she) felt she wasn't getting enough math and science to get into the college she wanted to go to. Sooo, she went to Cushing for chemistry one summer and went to MWCC during her Junior year at night after attending Gansett all day (for math)---all at our own expense. I do not apologize for being able to afford it either. (Bev accused me of not being poor enough, I suppose in her mind being poor is admirable) We value education and got a good one that earned a good living. (all paid for by myself) I do not apologize for that.
Have you thought about fund raisers? Have you volunteered to help out in the classroom? Have you volunteered to help coach or provide transportation? When our two were going to school we did all that and then some. Why is it always up to someone else to provide for you? There is plenty of blame to go around as to the causes of budget shortfalls.
My personal gripe is that there is way too much money spent on Special Ed. Why don't they cut SPED money and leave AP alone? I feel SPED has become a cottage industry. Every little darlin' has some learning disability --- ADHD ADD you name it. Every little darlin' has an IEP. Every little darlin' has a shrink, advocate, one-on-one aide, you name it. If I sound unsympathetic, maybe I am. But there are no money trees in my backyard, I dunno about you.
One last thing.....someone accused me of having an anger problem after my last rant. I am not angry, merely annoyed at being an abused taxpayer.
My opinion supported by my opinion
There's a lot to be considered in Tom's post. A lot of people think the same thing, but don't have the courage to say it.
DeleteAs i have stated before the seniors have paid again and again over the years and to knock them over the school is so out of line i can't help but say this. Times are tought in Templeton, The amount of volenteers and bootstraping budget to develope the senior center is the best project Templeton has had ever.If the gilman waite project was not for the children we would be in a uproar over the money spent on it.Just ask yourself if you can take more from a senior who has less. If you can say yes, You should pay for all the extras the kids you have need. When times are good we all have it good, But when times arn't so good? We cannot forget who got us this far down the road were all on !
ReplyDeleteThe Seniors!
Thank you Seniors.
The day we forget them is the day of shame!
They needed a center they never have had.
4 donated modular trailers is all they wanted.
There was a vote also for that to happen!
Many have donated their time as helpers machine operators and many other parts of this project.
Templeton should be proud of the Seniors and the center.
When you pull them down you loose your point,weschultz4.
Your comments about what you obviously are uninformed about are with blinders on for your cause. This is the problem when the big bucket isn't full "ENOUGH".
Take a lesson from the senior center project! "BOOTSTRAP"
Ask the administration what would be LESS ENOUGH for them.
You know for the sake of the children.
ENOUGH is ENOUGH For them or the kids?
yes, please do say bye-bye to the police. they are only useless liabilities who create more crimes than crimes solved in this town. YOU could be sued because of them. oh, wait, too late...
ReplyDeleteI want to clarify something here! Virginia told the school group how to get the budget passed said to vote line by line! She has been so deceitful! I was under the impression we were going to get it on a special ballot! My OPINION is she is mad Enough didn't take place and now she wants to collapse the town! She is shady! Be aware!!!! As for you Yeldarb how about you speak up at a meeting! Positive. Progress. Is very smart and wants the best for the town! Get your facts straight!
ReplyDeleteI would guess i could say your not the only ones she has done this to. Look who she looks to for the way to move forward.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear that? It's the shwoop,noise that we live with from the big fan that echo hiller had brought here. Funny how everything bad points back there.
Right on, Dave Smart! ;)
ReplyDeletehere is an option, all parents opt for school choice, send all kids to other schools and if I read correctly, that would be a flat fee of $5,000.00 per student and the state picks up the tab for transportation. Okay, back to reality; everyone has the FY 2013 town budget and the School FY 2013 budget to look at when preparing the 2014 budgets, can we agree on that? Now as the school committee looks at the town budget, I hope they can see that there is really no extra cash to support an increase of the school budget. So they turn to an override, now if they look to the history of the overrides, not to good on passing. So then the case of the Senior Center comes into play, that was passed so why nothing for the school. Time for apples & Oranges again; Senior Center was a debt exclusion which means it is money for a specific item for a specific amount of time, one year in this case and then it goes away. An override is ( if I read the DOR correctly) is money for a specific item for one year, then that increase stays in place and can go to any other item moving forward. The Senior Center got an increase, paid for what it was for, then went away. So what it comes down to is the school asked for an override last year and now they are looking for another and will probably ask for another next year. The town budget was cut hard to make ends meet so can the school do the same thing? I notice, to mention a few, there are increases in the 2014 school budget for the superintendents expenses, the central office and custodial services. My question is could those items have been level funded as in no increase from last year? If the answer is no, why not? Why an increase of 348% for MCAS tutoring? As I looked over the 2012 100 most challenging high schools, I saw NRHS at position 180 and I noticed that it stated 25% of the graduating class was on or eligible for lunch assistance which I read as a family who cannot afford the full price of school lunch for their children so can those same families afford a tax increase for the school. Now if there is a tax increase for the school, will that equal an increase in families eligible for lunch assistance? My opinion is, the only way to stop this merry go round is to cut administrative costs first.
ReplyDeleteIt's $11,700 when you add fees on top of the the $5,000 rate. Now lets round it to $12,000 for simplicity sake. Times that by say 500 or 1,000 now we are talking anywhere from 6 million to 12 million! Raising taxes is never a popular idea but that's how you pay the town employees! Teachers have loans to pay back and shouldnt be persecuted for edjucating themselves! the schools take a large budget to run affectively in a town like the millatary takes a large budget to run for the better of the country! im good with supporting these budgets! We need them so we pay taxes! wish there was a simple solution but if industries can't come in the tax payers have to bare the burden to make the town prosper!
DeleteFor the people, since you did not enlighten us on what these fees are nor what they cover, I sent email to DESE and yes today is Saturday but hopefully will have answer before town meeting. 12 million dollars for all students to go to school choice would be a 2 million dollar savings if we were talking reality but since I stated "back to reality" in the post you reference because I was not being serious, hope you realize that.
ReplyDeleteI didn't at first but now I do realize! ;)
DeleteCan someone please answer these questions for me?
ReplyDeleteWhat is total money spent to date on each of the following town projects:
Senior Center
Elementary School
Town Hall
Since everyone is talking money and numbers, lets get the information straight and stop making uninformed comments about how the town has spent our tax dollars on each of these projects. To the best of my knowledge, all three of thee projects have been active for over 6 or more years. I know that the $700k figure was spent on a town hall which has ended with no town hall to show for that cost. I know several hundreds of thousands of dollars was spent on feasibility studies for an elementary school with no school to show for that cost. Thankfully, that project is still going and it looks like we won't have to spend upwards of a million dollars (as previously proposed by the former committee) just to purchase land if the state follows through with their end of the deal. I do not know the total cost spent on the senior center to date. I do know that the project has been progressing due to a lot of in kind services and materials and we'll actually have this project completed by the end of the year. Now, the only mistake I can see with this project is that maybe it shouldn't have been called a "senior center" as it really is more a "community center". It is a town building that will also house the food pantry. Any town committee or community group has the option to hold meetings there if they would like. I'm sure that there are children in this community who benefit from the food pantry. I'm sure that there are children who belong to the scouts that could hold their meetings at this building. So, in actuality, one could say that the "senior center" also benefits the children of our community. Again, I ask people who are upset about the school override failure to channel their energy towards finding solutions to the town's financial situation in a more realistic way and stop blaming the seniors and the senior center for the reason the school is lacking in funds. Its a very misguided approach and will not solve the primary issue on the table. If Gansett Greatness wants to rally around an action, try promoting the sale of 252 Baldwinville Road property. The town bought it for $399,925. It will never sell for that price now, of course. But, even at half that cost, there's $200,000 sitting right there for the town to receive. Also, consider providing ideas on how to generate more revenue to the town as in attracting more businesses to set up shop in town and pay taxes. Also, be better about supporting the existing businesses in town so they continue to flourish and stay in business. Pauly has put a link at the top of this blog listing all the local businesses. If one is missing, send an email to him and he'll add it. These are the actions that our entire community need to take to solve the town's problems. Complaining about one group of people over another and/or pointing fingers solves NOTHING!
To date $235,000 has been spent for the Senior Center Project.
ReplyDeleteI can not see why the school needs 2 principles and 2 vice principles and a whole bunch of secretary's...this school is way to top heavy
ReplyDeletenot to even mention a nurse in the middle school and a nurse in the high school, we all know what RN's make - alot! one nurse for one building. every teacher does not need an aide and if they stopped "teaching to pass MCAS" and teach what the kids need to learn. everything is all about MCAS and last i knew the MCAS was to evaluate the teachers to see if they were actually good teachers - so in order to make themselves look good, they only teach the kids what is on the MCAS - that way they all look good. what about the adjustment counselor - making about $80,000 a year-is there really a need for an adjustment counselor? the superintendent has an assistant, that assistant has an assistant.... curriculums never change, but they have a position for it. very top heavy if you ask me. just my opinion. these positions are not in the union, no contracts, no pay increases. teachers have a contract, they are legally bound to their pay increases, but not the positions noted above, either level fund them or eliminate them. is there really a need for a police officer there every day? again just my opinions....
DeleteBev, I so agree with you in your above blog!. Especially the comments regarding Julie not caring about the children now that hers are grown!! I don't know anyone who cares about our youth more than Mrs. Farrell. She's not procuring all this info or writing these blogs to harm the kids education. I'd say the total opposite is true in that she's pointing out WHY our children & their education has been compromised, in addition to all our other financial problems. I know Ms. Miller negotiated a contract (the decision makers at fault) & it's not meant to demean her but there seems to be a reverse "Robin Hood" era here & that is taking from the poor to give to the rich. I don't believe people mind a huge salary, such as hers, when they are all working & can pay the bills just fine, but when the economy takes a nose dive as it has the last few years, it is a lot harder for people to swallow the bitter pill of those not conceding to the reality that we are no longer as prosperous a nation as we once were, at least not at this time. More below....
ReplyDeleteAgain, in my opinion, the Admin. pays are morally outrageous & outlandish. Because they are not living in the reality that most folks in town deal with, it seems that they are just not getting the fact that the base salaries of the majority of Templeton residents is ONLY $23,000 per year. I don't care how many times I have to say this but it's true, according to a recent Official DOR report!! Yet, the school system doesn't seem to care about anything but themselves. They're like spoiled brats when they don't get their way. What is it about NO that you don't get Ms. Miller? I thought she was supposed to be well educated yet this basic fact of many families living on or near federal poverty level guidelines seems to elude her. I'm disgusted with the entitlement mentality of our so-called educator leaders, as well as, a lot of parents who also cannot compromise. It's absolutely mind-boggling that they continue to bully their way into getting what they want regardless of the voter's choices. Then when the town lends their voice to these issues, & it's not the response they want, they run to the State to mandate these programs we can no longer afford or go to the Board of Ed. to try to Slam their agenda through. It appears that there's a lot of fat at the top that can be cut so we can get these programs for our children. I'm also amazed that people blame the taxpayers when the facts are clearly written as to who is more the impediment to getting the children the extra curricular activities they so deserve. There's no need for dual principals, assistants to assts. to aids to assts., & so on, who continue to over diagnose all the ADHD, HDD, SPED, that another blogger pointed out. Also, when you take away student activity such as phys. ed. & sports what do you think the young people are supposed to do with this pent up energy? I don't believe 1/2 of those diagnosed with hyperactivity really have it. It is a money maker & beneficial to those whose careers depend on it, as well as, the pharma companies, in my opinion. One can disagree me over this issue but it seems the time we used to have with teachers after school are no longer afforded to the youth because we supposedly need another 6 figure salaried person to deal with it! Where did we go off the track so badly with all this?? Is it because of the BOE, lawyers, state mandates, regulations & the list goes on? We're so over-regulated that none of us dares say or do anything anymore. We lost the ability to be "real" because everything has to be so politically correct these days, it is sickening!! Well, it seems that no matter how many times NO is said by the majority of voters, if it is not in the mode of thinking of these dept heads, they will choose to ignore it & work hard to get the tables turned in their favor. Now, that's not what this country was founded on. It has been prophetically said, that there will come a day "when right is called wrong & wrong is called right"!! It is looking more & more each day like that time has come! My blogs are always my thoughts & opinions. I really enjoy reading all the other bloggers opinions. Eternal vigilance & solid participation, hopefully, will turn this sad situation around.
DeleteWhen did we decide that $23,000 was a great salary that everyone should just except and live with! How about we all start fighting corporate people making millions verses fighting the middle class! I bust my caboose 50 to 60 hours a week to make a decent income and I'm frankly sick of petty complaints about how much people make! How about we stop wasting town money then we can afford not to cut or level fund! I'm not insulting $23,000 but my parents pushed me to do better and I will push my kids to do the same! If you don't like how much YOU make further your education and get a new job that makes more money! We pay our town employees peanuts for pay, I'm surprised they have stayed!
DeleteI think those corporate people making millions did what you suggest, they furthered their education and found work that makes them more money. Probably because their parents pushed them to do better!
DeleteTo For the People & Jeff... I agree with this basic principle of furthering yourself for a brighter future. I don't think anyone was probably ever pushed to work harder or get a college education more than my parents did me. I also work 60+ hours a week because I HAVE to now to make ends meet. I am not saying $23,000. is a great pay but am merely stating the facts of what is in the DOR report & why it is so hard for the people in Templeton to handle any more of a load than is already on them. God Bless those families who are willing to work for that because many have no other choice at the present. I can almost guarantee you that many were making more at one time when the economy was doing better. You have to realize that a lot of degreed people who went for that dream (myself included) are not able to use those degrees the same way we felt would always be there because the opportunities have dwindled rapidly since 2006, when the economy tanked, resulting in the loss of many higher paying jobs. All the pushing to get a great education is not going to do you any good when there are not enough jobs available at that level. I can attest to the fact that several of my friends, family & myself who went to college (I paid for it by working 3rd shift & going to school at the same time, no one paid my way but me), got advanced degrees & thought all would be well when we graduated, are having to look elsewhere for employment. That is a big compromise that I had to do because of things being what they were. Did I like it, No, but I HAD to acknowledge that my situation had changed & adapt to it the best I could. For a time things were wonderful & I was so pleased that I had gotten that education but then the jobs starting slipping away, or the cutbacks came & no one in the firm knew who was going to be next. My spouse had the same thing happen because all the Govt. contracts dried up & the high tech lab where we were working closed their doors. One of us had been working in the Space program. Guess what, that is no longer as it was in our glory days so most of these engineers right along with my spouse & several friends found ourselves lost in space but not the kind we were used to. My main point, when citing these reports is not to say hey, take that as the goal to reach for but stating it as the present day fact!! This is why we can't do business as usual right now. Maybe when things get better, if they do, we can change back to spending more again. Right now, we can't. I think it was President Kennedy who used to say education is the key to the future. It is one of them but the most inportant key is to jobs at the end of that road. Thanks for your input. It helped me to clarify why I keep highlighting the $23,000 average Templeton wage.
Deletewhy can the town hire a consulting firm to look over the whole system...here is a little info from one of the firms....
ReplyDeleteDoing More With Less
Today, with increased accountability and decreased resources, schools face unprecedented challenges. School administrators must do more with less. TESS can help-and by skillfully working within existing budgets
The thing that really upsets me more than anything else, is Ms. Wilder, even suggesting that a line by line look at the town budget could come up with cuts, to help the school, when she dam well knows there is nothing extra, in any of the town accounts. Nothing extra has been the norm for the last two years. Also why does she continue to say the articles about the Light and Water Department, will "destroy" these departments. There is no truth to these claims. You can look back a ways, on the blog, and see what Julie spelled out about these citizen petitions. They are so we, the taxpayers will know how much money we have invested in the Wind Turbine. We have asked for this information for months. There are more things we need to know, and have the right to know. This is why people have died, to give us the freedom to ask for information and receive it, so we can make decisions based on facts. If Ms. Wilder has a problem with the truth, and freedom of information, that is very strange. I just can not understand her problem! This is my opinion, Bev.
DeleteMs. Wilder has made it very clear where she stands.... Against the people! I was shocked about her aweful behavior at the school meeting then trying to turn everyone against the school! She is shady and I for one will never trust that two faced trouble starter! Things need to change for the better! I'm just sad we have to deal with her threw this process! Preach on Bev, I think she's mad Enough didn't happen!
DeleteThe one reason that new young familes moved to this area 5 or 6 years ago, during the housing boom, was the lower housing prices and the lower taxes and the lower cost of living here, West of the big cities. Now that they have bought their new houses at half the price they would have paid back East and move in and stressed our services to the max. They want all the same exspensive services and stuff they had before. And before you know it they will get what they want and we life long residents will all be paying the same as what they were paying in the big city they moved away from.
DeleteBIG BUCKS WE CAN`T AFFORD
One new home brings in approx $3,500 to $4,000 in property tax and one child in school they say cost $11,000+. Dosen`t take a college grad in Math to figure out that something is not right with those numbers.
Steve L, you are right about what it cost us to educate a child compared to what the town gets in taxes, but I think the people who paid too much for these houses, are the ones in a bind. It looks good on paper, until reality sets in. Now they have to deal with the cost of gas, going up, fuel oil, going up. The price of food, going up. Nothing goes down but the wages they get paid. You may as well say down if there has not been a pay raise, in a couple of years. My heart breaks for those, who try to keep up with the Jonses. It can not be done. When I was a kid, there were more than a few of us, who did not have any money. In grammar school, it was not so obvious. In high school we lost a lot of kids, to go to work or in the service. I wore second hand clothes, but we were clean and had enough to eat. We need to work with the younger parents, to find a way to run the town, and the schools. I am not the only one from C4T, who has asked time and time again, for younger people to step up and work with us, on town issues. This is as good a time as any. You are welcome, to join our fight, to make our town run for the benefit of us all. My opinion, Bev.
DeleteI agree with both of you except that I never feel bad for those who try to keep up with the Joneses. That is why so many young people & their parents are in trouble. They want too much. I remember my father saying oh, that's nice so & so has this or that & if you want to work for it you can have it but I'm not buying it for you because I can't afford it, period, end of discussion. I never questioned or spoke back to my parents. I know it is different times now (maybe not so good a change in that regard) but too many parents don't know how to say NO to their kids these days. Sometimes we have to say no to them even when we want to give them everything. I think that is one reason there is such an entitlement attitude around. We have to start at home with the NOs & then it can translate better in to the fact of why we have been saying no to Ms. Miller. It is certainly not because we don't want the best for our or your children. I am in absolute total agreement with Steve in that many move to the rural communities to get a tax break yet expect that all the services & ammenities that a Big city has to offer & can afford will be given to them here, too. The calculations of the loss of revenue instead of an increase with the added population is one sure burden that taps into the lesser resources a small town has. A lot of us who grew up here stayed because we liked the small town country setting. Maybe we didn't want this to grow into a city, as others who say moving forwards & upwards do. Sometimes what you wish for can ruin what you already have!! Great points Steve & Bev, as always. Have a great day everyone. It is beautiful out there!!
DeleteWell it has a long way to go before it becomes a city! I'm positive most of us love the country and we also like our property value going up versus down. I pay plenty of taxes and expect a fully functional town, not the same 5 people trying to keep the town like it was 30 to 50 years ago! Things change and you need to move forward with the times! It's called adapting not keeping up with the joneses! A town does not belong to those who were born here! It belongs to ALL that live here, pay taxes here, and want to make it a better place! We are a community, lets start acting like one! Happy Sunday! ;)
DeleteOh my goodness, apparently you don't read my blogs as they are intended or understand what I am trying to say or possibly I am not explaining what I mean very well. I try to the best of my ability in the alloted space but a very learned friend of mine used to say the written word is subject to interpretation. Never said those born here own it, glad we are far from being a city, yes & if you read above I was explaining how I have had to adapt. That is precisely what I am saying we all have to do & that includes the school system & all depts. Sorry if you are not getting my points or if I have unintentionally offended you or anyone but that is what happens sometimes when you go out on a limb to try to express your views as you see the breakdown in communication & your community as a whole. The Joneses reference was in response to a blog above. I am not sure where your moving forward to is but I don't have to follow anyone there if I see it may be advantageous. I pay a lot of taxes, too, & don't have any town services but am fine with that. I chose to be where I am in relation to those town services. Several generations of my family have supported this community for many many years & I intend to keep doing so. My blogs are meant to do the very thing you profess to want. Maybe I need to stop them if they are doing just the opposite of getting people to realize where everyone is at this point in time. Not my intention to do anything but help the community come together & that includes the $23,000 families to the $150,000 or more & everyone in between. At least thanks for reading my blogs even if you come away from them with a different view than was expected. It is good that you are participating in Pauly's blog. Different blogs show how polarized we are & need to keep working to fix & close that gap. Please be blessed today & have peace wherever you are.
DeleteCorrection to above blog...That is, I can choose not to follow if I feel something is not advantageous. Of course I would do what I had to for the community if it was advantageous or helpful to getting things back on track.... Also, no matter what one says or does there is always going to be those that may not like it.
DeleteI don't necessarily disagree with all your points! I agree that the town does need to get together and iron out a few things! Here's to a new year and some fresh new BOS faces! Hopefully we can see things move forward for the better of us all! Have a good Monday!
DeleteFor the people 2"11, It seems younger people want things that took their parents thirty or forty years to get, all at one time. That is fine and good. The problem comes when, things do not work out the way they thought they would. Now they can't pay for what they have, or they are struggling. We had forty homeless kids in school this past year. I do not want to have any more. On top of the economy in general, the town has been hurt very badly for the past ten years or so. It has been the C4T working to get things on the right track. Some of us have lived in this town for a long time, some are new, it does not matter. My family has been here for four generations, I plan to leave in a box. I want our town to run better than it has. We have asked, almost begged the younger people to join us. They are too busy, getting home from work late, or what ever. We are a community, I would like people to stay through Town Meeting, to see where we are. I will be very happy when our town has finally found peace, and another generation will take our place to watch over things, so we as a town will never end up where we have been again. Bev.
ReplyDelete