School Committee meeting of December 17, 2014
A well attended meeting with 4 observers including a reporter from the gardner news. pitiful in my opinion. School committee member Ms. Matson asked some good questions on some subjects.
The district is apparently in the process of writing a strategic plan and will be coming forward with a budget presentation to include a graph showing fixed costs and variable costs. The district is also in the process of creating or website within a website for the staff to handle such things as principle updates, teacher information, curriculum etc.
On transportation, NRHS will be partnering with Ashburnham-Westminster, Winchendon and Gardner with Gardner being the lead. This is suppose to save money. Perhaps the district should explain this to the BOS and how it could apply to regional dispatch!
Apparently the yellow dump truck parked at the school, which originated from the Templeton Light department is now broke and according to superintendent Miller, it would cost too much to fix so it will be go out as surplus with a new truck to be purchased thru the state bid list. The figure put out was $58.473.00. It was stated by the superintendent that the funds would come from the money for the bio mass (wood chip) boiler. The superintendent and Hank Mason both stated this had been discussed at the beginning of the project before any grants had been obtained. One of the uses for this truck will be to keep the area of wood chip delivery clear of snow and ice. Not sure if this is a use authorized under the grants or not.
The chip boiler is now scheduled to be on site in mid January 2015. There was mention that the district will have dialogue concerning the budget with the BOS in mid January 2015.
It was announced that a sound system for the gym will come to fruition with a donation from a company and the rest of the money to come from the district's revolving account.
Since it appears the money for a new truck will come from one time funds, I would have to guess that the money for maintenance will come from the maintenance account for building and grounds, and I am assuming maintenance will be done. So now there is either less money for building maintenance or there is an increase in that fund? The above is just a few reasons why more people, as in taxpayers should take time to attend these meetings. This meeting was recorded so hopefully it will be available for viewing soon.
Jeff Bennett
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ReplyDeleteGood news that the wood chip boiler will arrive in January! The urgency of rushing this vote is now readily apparent. The entire cost proposal for the wood chip boiler should be reviewed including the payback period. I remember being ridiculed for thinking that the price of oil would impact the cost and feasibility of this project. How are those oil price projections holding up? Where did the functioning oil boilers go that were removed? What is the cost of the propane to heat the building until the wood chip boiler is installed?
ReplyDeleteCrickets... Crickets... Crickets...
There were a few blogs written on this subject A Different Cost Analysis March 23, 2014.
Puffy comments, berates and chastises others that this project will produce $200,000 savings PER YEAR in the cost of oil. There never was any mention of the where these cost savings would go, be tracked or what they would be spent on.
I guess they will be spent on a new truck that will be used infrequently. I don't remember voting for that purchase as part of this project.
Let's hope the the superintendent will come through with the MSBA money so the tax rate can be set and the tax bills sent out on time. Otherwise we risk the same scenario as last year with HUGE cash flow issues! Or the DOR will set the tax rate at 30 cents higher without the MSBA money.
This will be the third year in a row that our financial team has worked under the gun to get a tax rate set on time. I'd like to thank all of the people involved in getting the tax rate set on time. Working shorter hours and short-staffed is difficult enough. May be next year for Christmas, we can get the tax rate set earlier.
Happy New Year!
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ReplyDelete"I guess they will be spent on a new truck that will be used infrequently. I don't remember voting for that purchase as part of this project."
Maybe the money for a new truck will come from the same account the new van and camping equipment, I have heard about, magically came from. New van ?? Camping equipment ?? What program is that ?? Maybe the kids will learn to read a compass, or live off the land in the woods of Baldwinville. Hee, hee, as Pauly would say. Bev.
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DeleteSimply put, there is an amount of money on the table to pay for cost of all things wood chip or bio mass boiler such as the boiler, chip storage, delivery area to include grading and paving. My opinion is the truck was just added in as a maintenance requirement. To me it is the same as taking road repair money and using it to buy a loader. It is using one time money to buy something then you must account for upkeep & repairs. Where will the sand & salt come from and how will it be loaded?
ReplyDeletePuffy that's smart@nii.net for you to opine. Or just read and stay off the comments your not allowed to make.
ReplyDeleteI hope Ms. Miller does not wait until the last minute to go out to bid. The guys that deliver chips usually have work lined up ahead of time. I would not want Ms.Miller to be chip less in the middle of the winter. I do not think the landscapers will help much. For a plan that was in such a hurry, it looks like things may have gone off the rails. Bev..
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