Some things of interest to think about!
If you attend any meetings where questions are asked and answered, remember this,
The Gardner News, January 13, 2015, page 1 & 4. Within that article is a part in which former school superintendent Ruth Miller stated that the amount for the contract will be covered by the money already allocated and that no additional funds will be necessary between the surveying and final vote on the project.
Within this article is a statement that support also came with a request to sign a $11,440.00 contract with engineering firm SMMA allowing them to move forward with surveying and groundwork on the land. I believe two previous invoices show one amount of $11,440.00 paid for survey then and amendment for survey that seems to indicate an additional amount of $10,000.00. In the article it also states that selectmen Julie Farrell confirmed that the $11,440.00 is reimbursable by MSBA, I seem to recall something about the reimbursable rate at about 59.84% but at a recent meeting it was stated that the rate could be at 62%, but the rate in the end could be brought down by costs not reimbursable. So that is apparently an up or down figure that you probably do not really realize until you are done and the school building is signed off on. Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets and put your chips on the table while we spin the wheel of fortune!
You may need to obtain the video and minutes for this meeting because at the end of the meeting, it states that selectmen approved the feasibility contract with John Columbus and Diane Brooks voting yes and selectmen Julie Farrell and Ken Robinson chose to abstain. Then the board unanimously voted to support the site with only Ken Robinson abstaining. So much for unanimous.
It is not just the BOS, but the school district does not always make sense either, under Baldwinville boosterism in The Gardner News, it is described how the 4th grade size at Baldwinville suddenly increased. Seems like the district finally got the class size numbers down small, where we are constantly told are better for learning. The classes got small enough that those pros at the district thought it a good idea to accept more kids in from outside the district (school choice) add to that more families either moving to Templeton or kids leaving the catholic schools in Gardner and now the classes are over crowded. Go figure, why would you take in more kids when you finanlly get class size down to small numbers? You are allowed by law to opt out of school choice so why was that not done?
Jeff Bennett
From what I recall from this selectmen's meeting, I abstained from voting on the extending feasibility contract BECAUSE there was no documentation of accounting of the feasibility funds.
ReplyDeleteI believe the 68% MSBA reimbursement for ALLOWABLE costs was based on the extra reimbursement for a "model school" and Green energy credits...we'll see how that works out.
I voted to support the Templeton Center site because that was the recommendation of the Templeton Elementary School Building Committee and there was an MSBA deadline looming to approve a site for the project or "ALL WAS LOST!"
Who is responsible for making sure the Town gets the reimbursement funds back from MSBA when they are returned ?? I know that they do not come back to the Town, but it does seem that there should be some accountability. This is not a district project, so they should come back to the Elementary School Building project. As for the Templeton Center site, I am sorry but this does not wash with me, especially with 25 acres of Town owned land behind the houses on Wellington Road, with the access on Barre Road. Just because finding a adequate site for this School Building should not mean we have to settle for a site that does not work. Everything a school site needs should not be crammed on a site with no room for expansion, never mind not having enough room from the get go. It will all come out in the wash, Bev.
ReplyDeleteThat would depend on the water temp and also the detergent you use Bev. All new buildings should be mandated to be green and help the environment does this school even come close?
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