The Chronicle featured an opinion letter from Ellen Hamilton proposing a raid on the Reserve Fund with the help of the Finance Committee, a raid of the Stabilization Fund at the spring Town Meeting, and yet another override request for the November ballot. All to fund textbooks for the schools. I think these are all spectacularly bad ideas. Both the Finance Committee and Select Board have set policies that the town not use "one time revenue" (Reserve Fund remainder) for continuing expenses (textbooks) The Finance Committee has the authority to transfer the money if a majority agree, but let's not kid ourselves about what is being done. If the Finance Committee wants ...
... to transfer the funds, then they should at least acknowledge that they are taking an exception for this spending from the stated policy. As far as raiding the Stabilization Fund, the bar is pretty high as a 2/3 vote is required for use of the fund, and once again, we are using "one time revenue" for "continuing expense."
We have had 2 override requests turned away by the voters within the past year, I don't see any point in going back in November. The school department is getting $1.625 million more next year than this. They need to come up with a plan to get students the books that they need without resorting to an override.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
What part of NO don't you get?
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Hey Ellen, Here's an idea for you. Let's start a new town department of fly swatters. If you have a fly in your kitchen, you will be able to call the town and they will dispatch someone to swat it for you. We can require the swatters to have masters degrees. That way we get to pay them much more, say $68k per year. Once we have this in place, it will be easy to argue that teachers and librarians are all worth $95k per year. Let's spend to the end.
Again, I have to ask, Why is it that textbooks have not been a part of the school budget EVERY year! Just as an automobile has a life, due to wear, books should be replaced. Why is this not part of the school budget every year? Are there any SC members that can answer the question???? If they don't see books in the budget yearly, that's a red flag! Why do they wait and ask for them later like it's an extra?
I read on Curt Brown's blog that money is set aside each year for books. I would think that the oldest books would be replaced first. This should be done every year. Oldest books go first!
FYI, the average teachers makes below the state average in Massachusetts. perhaps you should change your blog to "lets lie to the end".
To Anon 7:17, Who was talking about teachers?? Can you dispute the fact that the schools got more money? The whole town is hurting, just as other towns in the area.
First, I want to thank Bill T. for such a great blog! Many citizens do not want to hear the truth. We don't have any money!! Each year it gets worse! Today's S-Ts reports Mayor Lang saying, "pay cuts or layoffs", as he asks city workers to sacrifice by taking voluntary furlough. Is that something Dartmouth might be able to do? In order to save jobs it might be something to look at.
Kim, Dartmouth has already had many town department personnel take unpaid furloughs last year and will have them again this year just no 42 point banner headlines in the newspaper to announce it. Discussed many times at SB meetings.
I was responding to commie pinko's comment"it will be easy to argue that teachers and librarians are all worth $95k per year. Let's spend to the end" the average salary for a teacher in dartmouth is approx 56,000 NOT 95,000. And if the whole town is hurting why are my taxes so low?
Yes, Anon, I suppose the taxes in New Bedford, Acushnet, Lakeville, Westport, Fairhaven, Marion, etc, etc, etc are just way too low. That's why so many communities are cutting and are finding it hard to meet their budgets. If you feel so bad about the fact that you think your taxes are 'so low' why not give some money to you favorite town department or school. It would make you feel better and you would be helping out!
Bill, I was just thinking, and wondering if you have every heard of this idea regarding taxes. During all my investigation of tax workings I never read anything about this, but maybe it is possible.
What I was wondering was if someone could volunteer to increase their own tax payment, and get the tax deduction that goes with it. There seems to be a group of folks in town that feel they don't pay enough so this would be a way for them to pay more without the burden also impacting those who are either struggling or are on a low or fixed income.
Before the idea is dismissed think of this. I could see where someone could designate where they want the extra money to go, so say enough people bandied together and gave an extra $x each to the school side of things, maybe they wouldn't have to pay some of the fees that are NOT tax deductible.
The out of pocket cost could be less than the fees, AND be deductible. People could do it in any year they feel they can, and not do it when they feel they can't. The extra money would be earmarked for a particular year and spent according to the giver's wishes.
I wouldn't suggest an entire menu of budget choices on the tax bill because that might be too complex, but maybe 3 choices would work. Check-off boxes for "schools", "Gen Gov", and "Stab/Reserve" could give someone an opportunity to donate in a year where they personally did very well, similar to the ebb and flow that people do with their favorite church or charity.
With the economy going the way it is I don't see more overrides having much chance, yet some are obviously doing very well because they indicate a desire/ability to pay more. This would give them the opportunity to do so and get a tax deduction that they probably can put to good use, lowering their Fed tax burden, which is probably large if they are doing very well. This would essentially shift some of the money that would have gone to the Fed taxes to the local level where it would have more direct impact.
Anyway, just thinking out loud and trying to be creative.
FrankG....nice idea as an organization accepting tax deductible donations for the schools already exists. It's called the Dartmouth Education Foundation (DEF). You can even specify what you want the donation to go towards (the After school program, supplies & equipment, enrichment programs, long term endowment, etc.). The foundation was started by citizens in Dartmouth (parents and non parents) and while it can never be a substitute for the obligation we all have to public education it can help supplement some of the necessities that the children in Dartmouth are currently doing without. Curt Brown just recently wrote about the DEF in the S/T
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/NEWS/804220324/1003/TOWN02
Also feel free to donate on-line http://www.cfsema.org/donate.html just select the DEF
Program you wish to donate to along with the amount.
The DEF is also holding a fundraiser Saturday June 14th, 10:00am at the DMS track, Dartmouth Kids Count – Walk for Education. Register to walk on-line http://www.runreg.com/racersresource/events/register.asp?EventID=1724
Hope to see you all there!
Yes, thanks for the reminder and it is a great organization, but I was trying to think in a broader sense, giving people more choices on where they wanted their money to go.
There are more problems in town than just the school needs, which is not to diminish those, but at least the schools get some guaranteed money. That is a benefit that the town itself doesn't have when trying to run the general government.
Choices are always a good thing.
Your blog says one can disagree without being disagreeable. Calling an idea to use a limited, specific amount of money until a sustainable solution can be discovered in an override or otherwise way is not a raid, coup or rape of the system. It is a legitimate option. I ask what would the D.Lama do? Call it a dramatic, extreme "raid" to the Reserve or Stab to get the children some of the resources they need for next year? I think the D Lama would see it as a "compromise" to fulfill an obligation for the world learners and young humans. Stop flinging "raid", using town monmey from our taxes to cover a department need is acceptable and not radical.
To Frank G,
Because parents or grandparents wish their children and grandchildren to have good resources, it does not mean that we are wealthy or upper middle class to afford huge donations to the town-schools etc. Collective sharing for the cost of educating the next generation is the right course as well as repaving the police headqurters or getting the DPW what it needs. the squabbling and cheap mentality is over education and libraries not police, etc. It is so discouraging and makes me want to move. Would it be ideal to have retirees only with great police service or DPW machinery? I'm disappointed that you personally seem to not want to share the tax burden for the next generation of Dartmouth workers and people. parents donate hundreds of dollars for enrichment activities at schools, PTOs etc. And volunteer more hours than one can imagine-the benefit and savings to volunteerism is in the multiple thousands.
Hello Bill From Ellen Hamilton: Thanks for this great discussion in, "What part of NO don't you get." This is a very sincere, diplomatic and unbiased. "Spectacularly bad ideas?" For your wisdom and assessment of the sitn, How long have you been a Town Meeting member? How long have you been keenly studying the schools and education here? I'm curious.
I'm glad you are putting the use of town funds whether in Reserve or Stab out for discussion; an open discussion. The Finance Committee is a recommending body to Town Meeting and Town Meeting Members can make up their own minds when provided with data and rationale for a spending item like books. I am curious as to which part of the school budget you want to cut, to discover or find more money for textbooks or other important areas like a K-12 Curriculum Director, Technology Director, Elementary Library Media Specialist, a K-12 Art Director, or to reinstae 7th grade languages, or gym and art for our youngest, and the Middle School Library budget and the strings music program for third graders. As you know, textbook costs are increasing year after yr.-it is not unusual for one book to cost $80-100. An entire grade level for one area can cost between $100,000-$200,000 to replace each year. It is also more expensive to buy less, not in bulk. Material can get obsolete rather quickly. I'm sure you've read the list of school textbook/technology needs-which itemized thing do you object to or disagree with? How much farther should we get from catching up? And to say that "The voters said NO" Not all voters said no, and not all voters voted. Weren't you one who said if the schools split up their override requests you would have voted for textbooks and technology? I know many CFRG said this, books and technology are necessary. So seems you'd support a specific ballot question for this in the fall. Salary cuts, layoffs and school sports cuts aren't going to save us enough money to get the books and programs the students need year after year...The excellent workers will leave and the students will have less quality education with less professional staff. You said you were going to be an open minded SB member-I wanted to believe this and give you the benefit of the doubt-plus we all need to try to stay positive and collaborate in these tough times to find solns. Yet, I find myself puzzled by this blog with the title and use of "spectacularly bad," Where is the balance and open-mindedness prior to June TM concerning textbooks/ technology...You're for most everything but paying for education and learning materials, our school spending is normal, not pie in the sky. Please rethink your positions. I have been trying to get adequate money for this town and school for four years about. I hope you will seek revenue to support the whole town and not play favorites or just be about keeping taxes low no matter what, for the sake of low low taxes and pennies in your pocket.
To Pinko from Ellen Hamilton: Which teachers and librarians are you concerned about making $95,000yr? This number is out of the ballpark. PS Pinko, I requested the salary comps at TM last spring and sal freezes last spring/summer for FY08, so we are being efficient/fair in our spending during period of cuts/reductions and getting dollars to important areas. I'm a moderate, not a tax and spend liberal. PPS Masters degrees are good and essential in many ways, it is OK not to have one too in certain professions.
Very well put Ms Hamilton. Your advocacy for the children in this town does not go unnoticed and I was actually quite surprised to see Mr Trimble's arrogant and rude thread title in response to your letter to the editor. It would seem to me that a select board member should at least be respectful to his consituents even when he does not agree with them. certainly the Dalai Lama would not be so disrespectful of one he does not see eye to eye with.
Keep up the good work Ellen.
The school department will receive a $1.625 million dollar increase in their funding for FY09. Most other town departments will get little or no increase. The taxpayers have approved an override amount. We all are going to have to make sacrifices to get the town on firm financial footing. That means minimum net school spending for the school department.
None of the funds mentioned were appropriated for the schools. Hence the use of the term, raid. As I pointed out above, this kind of thinking (use of one time revenue for continuing expense) has contributed to the town reaching fiscal crisis. I will not support going further down that path. The "needs" of the school department are entirely within the control of the School Committee and administration. I would provide kids with textbooks BEFORE I hired an assistant anywhere in the department. I don't get to make that decision. What I don't like is that the people who do make those decisions are not held to account.
I also don't like the constant refrain that people who won't just turn over all the money the schools "need", just don't understand the needs. They do,I do. They just don't think the taxpayer is responsible for all the needs you can think up. Set priorities and fund the highest first. The lowest priority won't get funded. That's the method. If textbooks don't get funded, talk to those who set the priorities.
For the last time, the schools get more money every year and they get to spend/buy anyway THEY CHOOSE. No one in the town gets to tell the schools how to spend THEIR MONEY. I would buy textbooks before I had 18 sports at the high school. I don't get to make those decisions. Only the school gets to decide where their money goes. If you are unhappy with the way the school dollars are being spent, talk to your S.C. and Dr. Russell, not the town. The town said NO.
Please Ellen, "not all voters voted" "not everyone voted no"! It's called democracy! It doesn't have to be all the voters who vote NO! Honestly, Ellen, you sound like a spoiled teenager who can't accept the word "NO"!!!
The schools NEED this and the schools NEED that. While at the same time, the kids don't have textbooks!! I think it is that the kids NEED textbooks, not all the other stuff you call a NEED. I think you need to get a handle on NEEDS and WANTS!
Next time the SC rubber stamps the school budget, they should make sure they have appropriate funds for textbooks/tech.
As an appreciative member of the Assistant Superintendent search committee, there are a few observations I wish to share. Over the last few years my fear that the educational system in Dartmouth has diminished in its effectiveness has increased as funds have dwindled and overrides have continued to fail.
I always knew through my involvement in the schools (being a graduate of the Dartmouth Public Schools, growing up in Dartmouth, and through volunteering) that the administrators, principals, teachers and staff were an amazing, talented and dedicated foundation of the Dartmouth Public Schools (DPS).
BUT what I learned through the Asst. Superintendent search process is that our admin., principals, teachers and staff are so far above the mark of excellence that I am beyond impressed and my fears for the moment have been somewhat lessoned.
Now this is not to say that we don't need an increase of funding for the schools for books, technology, more teachers to lower teacher/student ratio and space (all the things that the last override would have provided the DPS). Because we most certainly do as there is only so much our foundation can take before their Herculean efforts will crumble. But the false perception that our Schools are not effectively and efficiently stretching every penny out of the minimum monies allotted to them to educate our children is so far from the truth that I can see why many have become discouraged and frustrated with people who continue to spread this very false perception!
This false perception also manifests itself in the notion that the schools have enough money and just need to prioritize and/or cut more to get the children what they need; again this couldn’t be further from the truth! Even though the parent group has shown time and time again through the data collected from the Department of Education that the DPS have one of the highest student/teacher ratios, one of the lowest administration/per pupil costs, teacher salary’s below the state average and the list goes on; that too never seems to squelch the false perceptions (or excuses).
So the message I wish to send to all parents of children in the DPS is that our teachers, principals, and administrators do amazing things for our kids with the little resources they have. And to those that continue to question the resourcefulness and needs of the DPS I offer you this:
While I can’t go into great detail I can tell you that through the Asst. Superintendent search we interviewed many excellent candidates that had worked in many school systems throughout the country. This gave us the opportunity to hear about the many resources available to them such as Curriculum Coordinators, Technology Coordinators, Science Coordinators, Math Specialists, Data Analysts, and State of the art science labs with projection systems and the list goes on, a long list full of positions, equipment, and resources that the DPS do without.
We learned about these resources as we questioned each candidate about their ability to perform all of the tasks the coordinators listed above perform. Why you ask, because these are some (yes only some) of the responsibilities that Mrs. Clarke (our current Asst. Superintendent) performs/coordinates. She does ALL of these duties (and more) through the help and coordination of our principals, teachers and administrators. Currently Mrs. Clarke coordinates our K-12 curriculum through the use of teams made up of teachers, principals and administrators. They work together to ensure that the curriculum our children are learning from is effective (meaning it adheres to the MCAS standards), current (by supplementing it with on-line resources, their own expertise, etc), fluid/coordinated from grade to grade and the list goes on as it is far more extensive then what I just outlined.
I also learned about the DPS data teams (made up again from our administrators, principals and teachers again coordinated by Mrs. Clarke) and how our MCAS data is reviewed, analyzed and developed into strategic implementation plans targeting areas for improvement with measured results. Again the details surrounding data analysis are far more extensive then I outline here but the point I am trying to make is hopefully becoming clearer. The DPS does not have any of the positions or resources that many other school systems have and is stretching the staff they have to do all (technology, science, math, etc.) of these crucial duties, many of which are mandated by the State.
Yes the level of effort being put forth is incredible and was even noted as impressive by more then one assistant superintendent candidate. So how can there be such a disparity between the perception that some have that the schools just need to cut and prioritize better and the reality of the efforts of the schools to do all they do with minimal staff and resources they have? I see communication or the lack their of as the crux of the problem for not only the schools but the town as well. The schools are busy educating our children, our town departments are busy servicing our needs, we need to take the time to learn the truth and not continue to feed negative perceptions that are just plain false! I challenge each and every one of you to seek the answer from the source; don’t believe me go talk to a teacher, a principal, Mrs. Clarke or Dr. Russell. If your question pertains to the town seek out the professional responsible, don’t rely on others to give you the facts, learn them for yourself!
These are my facts as I have learned them, the Dartmouth Public Schools have an amazing foundation of teachers, principals, administrators, and staff that are preparing our children for a world that we can only imagine in that many of the jobs that exist today weren’t in existence when our graduating seniors entered kindergarten 12 years ago. These jobs are sought after in a highly competitive global market. We have an obligation to ourselves to ensure that the youth of our town can lead us forward when it is their turn. They are one of our town’s most precious resources much like the natural resources of our world that we must learn to care for and protect now or they won’t be in existence for the future. We must invest in them just as we need to invest in new sustainable sources of energy for they are just as much a part of fueling our existence.
So please before you type or speak another word take the time to learn the truth about what is truly being accomplished with the resources currently available from any of our administrators, principals, teachers and staff. Their collective resourceful skills and abilities are so far above average that it shocks me time and time again how anyone can think otherwise!
And to all parents please do not lose hope but continue your support and the spread of the message that even though our schools are blessed with a great foundation they continue to need not just desire an influx of resources for the necessities of learning (books, computers, teachers, and space) and a simple cut of other necessities will only worsen not solve the problem as we work together to ensure the collective existence of the town and it’s children into the future.
Thanks for sticking your neck out Ellen.
To Liz O., I have worked in the New Bedford, Acushnet, Fairhaven and (for a short time) Dartmouth schools. Each and every school system where I have worked is full of wonderful dedicated people who care deeply about children. I have been impressed with teachers in the New Bedford system who work with next to nothing at times, but still go to work each day to teach children in the best possible way regardless of the resources they might lack. What I am trying to say is, teachers are a dedicated bunch, no matter where they work! They do it because they love children!
The debate that we are having now is not about children or teachers, rather it is about the resources that are available to our town at the present time. Like it or not, things are tight! Continue to be the best teachers and best parents and your children will be fine. I have worked with many different populations. The parents in Dartmouth are a resource to the schools and the town that no dollar amount could match. Be grateful that you live in such a community!
To anonymous 12:03 as I started my blog posting "I am appreciative.” I am appreciative of the opportunity to learn more about the DPS, of everything I have as well as the community I live in and to suggest otherwise is just another way to diminish the concern expressed for children in this town.
You sadly take teachers for granted....I do not being the child of a retired NB teacher I too know their dedication but what I never underestimate is their value or the value of the investment of education in children.
My priorities reflect that and what I am finding is a group of people in Dartmouth that do not value education as highly for a variety of reasons but what I take issue with is the use of false arguments to perpetuate a notion that the schools have plenty of money and like you said "the children will be just fine" even though they must continually go without some of the basic necessities of learning which of course many suggest can easily be solved by just cutting in areas you have determined should be of a lesser priority.
Unfortunately as an anonymous blogger I don’t know your expertise to trust your judgment that “the children will be fine” if we follow your suggestion to cut because “things are tight.” Maybe next time you can enlighten us with your identity and experience/qualifications.
I wish people would use a name instead of anonymous, even if you make one up. This makes it hard to properly address comments made.
Anyway, to anon @ 10:11 on the 17th, maybe I have my position because I know more people struggling than you do. Just because people don't vote for something doesn't mean they don't care or don't think it is important. This is a concept the name-callers don't seem to grasp.
The reality is that everyone has their own set of priorities in life and with limited income choices have to be made. The prime responsibility to everyone is their own inner circle of family and household needs. It is easy to spend someone else's money, especially when you don't wear their shoes.
Government has a responsibility to the taxpayers to prove that they are spending the revenue wisely, and not just keep asking for more. The town gov has been struggling with this and apparently the taxpayers feel that some progress has been made, so some additional revenue through overrides has been provided, but just some.
The people I have talked to feel the schools have not shown any progress in efficiencies with regard to revenue, just ask for more. If the business of "schools" is being run as efficiently as possible then it is their obligation to prove it if they expect more money to flow. People have to make choices on what they support and the lack of apparent progress on the school side makes it easy to say no.
The reality is that things are tight all over, including that inner circle of family needs. When things are tight priorities have to be set and choices made. This is not fantasy land where everything is plentiful and life is beautiful all the time. Hard choices have to be made by caring people, and that includes the taxpayers.
Hard choices also revolve around getting back to basics when necessary. When you analyze the business of educating kids, the things that are most important are good caring teachers, which we have, but also enough of them, adequate facilities, proper materials, and leadership to oversee things and provide direction with vision. Everything else, while important, is not as important, so choices have to be made.
All the things "in the middle" between the teachers and the leadership are all "nice to haves" and appropriate when things are going well, but all fair game when things are tight. People on the school side seem to have a hard time separating priorities, and think everything is "number 1", as evidenced by the last override question.
Everything is NOT "number 1" on the priority list and if the school leaders keep insisting that their approach is correct, then there will never be any headway to the problem. Either a different attitude is necessary, or different leadership to bring the proper perspective. When last year's choices came down to laying off teachers or closing 2 facilities something has surely gone awry. Those are both "number 1s".
This is all in control of the school leaders, and not the Select Board or anyone else. The only control the taxpayers have is to withhold additional revenue until their expectations are met. To continue down the same old path without recognizing just what the taxpayers want to see is surely foolhardy and will always be doomed to failure, no matter how many names like "cheap", "ignorant", or "non-caring" are used.
If the school leadership continues to want to spend the money on assistants, coordinators, and raises and benefits for all, instead of teachers, facilities, and materials, that is their choice, but not funding things that are really not "number 1" is the taxpayer's choice. This is not about the kids, it is about the choices.
Some of you are perfectly willing to just give more money no matter what, and that is your choice, but tells me you are doing well with the rest of your needs. For the majority, it just isn't that simple.
frankg, I don't know who "the people I've talked to" are, but I would hazard a guess they have nothing to do with the schools. It's not hard to get the facts from current and retired personnel, school and state websites, and other fact-based venues. It might give you a more balance perspective than certain people who never have a good word to say about anything regardless of the facts.
Well your guess is at least partially wrong. Besides people I actually know, and "strangers", I have also talked to folks that work in the school system. Some teach and some are in support roles. The story is all the same, there is a common opinion that too much of the money is spent on administration and not enough on the kids themselves, and the front-line workers, the teachers.
One of the teachers, who I have known almost my whole life, and is extremely dedicated and qualified, told me they felt there is too much emphasis on "specialists" who don't work directly with the kids, and this is at the expense of enough teachers and materials. Priorities, again.
I don't make this stuff up, nor do I rely on "grumpy" down the street for opinions and information.
The general government question for the government override covered many town service areas, the school override covered different areas. Just because a question with components "failed" does not mean that our community has to let something as concrete and simple to resolve as textbooks become a larger than life fiasco or a mountain out of a mole hill. Do we think this much about the CIP requests that add up to a few million...NO, not to this extent-we're talking books for learners, computers that work, software that is current, of value. Use of town monies for textbboks is not a raid, but a level headed request. It does not raise property taxes. It does not harm, but benefits. The stabilization fund has been fine with no lowering in its rating with much less in it, we have been fine with $700,000-$800,000 in it. Sure it would be great to have 6-8 million in it, then $300-$600,000 removed wouldn't seem so major, an ant in the landscape. But we have many reasons why our stabilization fund is less than perfect and it isn't the fault of the children or students. It is a rainy day fund and it is fair use. It is raining for the students with old technology and textbooks. If you read the school line item, there isn't $300,000-$600,000 up for grabs to get us up to date and caught up.
We also don't have teachers with crazy salaries so leave them out of it. This has nothing to do with the teachers. Now if you want to blame SC or Admin. they'll tell you they are doing the best they can and show you the need list. So who do you want to fault?
Liz O. made good points that Mrs. Clarke has been asked to serve as Asst. Supt. which has a list of duties, Curric. Director, MCAS analyzer and planner, participant on several education and library committees, do grant writing and manage them, collaborate with UMASS and BCC and function as a partial Technology Director and a textbook researcher and implementer. No human can serve all these roles. Frank G and other want to see less admin. and not hire key professionals, but we need standard admin. and state of the art programs (not to be mistaken with high price, luxury liners) The proposed cuts are absurd, the kids are already crammed in the buildings due to your wishes and votes.
We educate the whole child in Dartmouth, and as parents expect this, not the Builing 19 special or the close-out. We don't expect overcrowded Middle School learning? Do you? So to eliminate languages, libraries, music, gym, competitive sports, art as well as normal class sizes is unethical. Your viewpoints are erroneous and it wouldn't take much to get the books and technology-the price of a couple DPW trucks you're all lovesick over and throw in some repaving and a roof or two. Oh these things will cause savings, well how about saving a kid's future prospects and actually challenging them to excel not be mediocre.
From Ellen, I've read what everyone has said. Bill you believe in the MRNSS for now and I don't. I don't for a reason- because after looking at the entire circumstances I witness that basic education needs and standards are not being met due to a funding problem. I believe in funding textbooks before the next school year, you apparently don't. So I will try to get the money for the textbooks and/or technology. You will try to block the acquisition of textbooks. So be it.
Nothing I have done or said has blocked the school department from providing the necessary textbooks and technology for our children. The decision not to provide for them rests with the school department and not me. If given the choice between a weight training program or textbooks, I'd fund the textbooks. If given the choice between an assistant principal and additional secretary at the middle school and adequate technology, I'd take the technology. I don't get to make those choices. So it seems to me that your disappointment is misplaced. Schools all across the state, including GNBVT and many others, are providing a quality education at Minimum Net School Spending levels.
As I said originally, the use of one time revenue to fund ongoing expenses makes matters worse in the long term. That is where our disagreement lies.
I do value education and I love children. I think most of our town and school employees are hard working and dedicated. That does not change our fiscal situation at all.
Anon, I enjoy a good discussion but this one is probably pointless. You are missing at least part of what I said. We agree that all the needs are important, but I don't feel that they are all equal, especially with limited funding.
Everyone has to live within a budget, and it is ok to try and get a budget increased, but failing that, the reality is that priorities have to be set to spend on those that are the highest.
Let's use a home as an example. If we have a deck that needs replacing because things are getting rickety with the old one, and we have a leaky roof, we can try to get the money to do both, but if we can't we have to choose. The leaky roof is clearly a higher priority so that is what should be fixed first.
If we do the deck first we have no one but ourselves to blame as we sit around getting wet when it rains.
To let things get so bad and have the only choices to be close 2 schools or lay off teachers, all the while not replacing textbooks sounds foolish to me. Those are all high priorities and some plan should have been in place to allow for the real possibility that an override would fail.
It certainly seems that nothing has changed either, so the school leaders spent the money on the deck and everyone is whining because their heads are getting wet. Not my fault, sorry.
The town got $1.5M only after showing that they were taking the problem seriously and intend to fix it, even though they are struggling with how. If no progress is made there will be no more override money coming. Count on that.
The schools got $1.6M without doing anything, and will continue to get similar increases. To expect that taxpayers will kick in more money while there has been no improvement demonstrated is simply not realistic. The reality is that there might be no more money coming through overrides even IF improvements are shown, so the sooner things that aren't clear number 1 priorities get looked at the better for everyone.
I am not a name caller but I do vehemently disagree with Frank’s assessment of need and the continued assertions made by you Frank “that the school leadership continues to want to spend the money on assistants, coordinators, etc….”
That was the point of my original post Frank, the schools don’t have those positions, Mrs. Clarke with a team of teachers and administrators are working together to do these jobs that they don’t have the money to hire people to do. You actually saw it with your own two eyes when you visited the schools to help them with their computer infrastructure issues. You yourself acted in the capacity of a technology consultant or director, a position we clearly could benefit from and could by your own assessment even save us money.
These are perfect examples of “efficiencies with regard to revenue” that you keep referring to Frank.
Your analogy with all due respect that the schools are spending money on the deck as opposed to the roof is not applicable, the evidence is clear close schools, lay off teachers, funding textbooks and technology at a minimum, let many positions go, these are all evidence of a school system in crisis.
Our professional educators are not ignorant to the needs of our children they just have little to no choices and are continually being forced to choose the lesser of the bad choices. We are cutting into the core, as many have said the bone of our school system, there are no big salaries of frivolous assistants, specialists, and programs, as you continue to falsely profess.
You yourself suggested to me that if the schools had separated out the books and the computers then you yourself would have supported their passing, now you take issue with funding them with yet another assertion that the schools still haven’t met yours (and the rest of the taxpayers you influence) efficiencies benchmark.
My fear is that the schools will never meet your benchmark as you keep moving the mark by which you measure and that no matter what you will never accept the reality as Ellen points out “that basic education needs and standards are not being met due to a funding problem” in our schools. But I will never give up hope...
Hi Liz. I thought you were moving away if the override failed? Guess not, or welcome back.
You don't have to call names, there is enough of that here and elsewhere. As I told you, families with kids are only 22% of the town, so calling the silent majority names is an excellent plan of attack to win votes for the school cause.
You quote my words then misinterpret them. I said WANT, didn't say HAD all those positions. You and I both know that if the money was there those positions would be filled in a heartbeat, without regard to future impact of salaries and benefits on the budget.
And while we are on the subject, I will bet I could spend 2 days in the school system and find 5 job functions that could be combined to save money... but I won't because it isn't my job, that is what leadership is for.
The problem in this entire town is that any position that is being done without is viewed as a temporary situation, with the desire to re-fill that position as soon as money is found. Leaders need to learn about permanent restructuring and getting the job done with less people. Businesses have been learning that for 10 years and it is about time the town got on board.
I have to compliment Phil Lenz because he seems to get it. He has suggested moving Bush St. administration to Cushman for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to show the taxpayers that something is being done. I made that exact same recommendation to Dr. Russell when we met. THAT is the kind of action that wins support and votes.
3 years ago I was part of a group that suggested selling advertising on vehicles such as school buses, not big gaudy signs, just small relatively innocuous ones, to raise revenue. We also suggested selling naming rights for gyms and stadiums. I now see that some combination of all that is taking place, with only about 3 years of revenue lost.
The problem with the schools is the same one as with the town. Leadership only does things reactively, not pro-actively. There isn't enough vision and imagination in key positions around here, so everything suffers. Everyone plans to spend money, not enough figuring out how to save some.
I shouldn't have to tour the schools and point out that they are wasting $400 a day in electrical costs by leaving more than 1000 computers on, especially when it is a vacation week. Some things should be common sense.
You continue to feel that everything is of equal importance, and I say hogwash. Every structured system HAS to have priorities, and even IF something is really needed, if there is no money for it someone must figure out how to move forward without it.
You also stated that I no longer support books and computers. Show me where I said that. I would still support something for them, preferably a Debt Exclusion that would encourage a need to refine expenses to cover them next time. However, I can also say that many, many people take a much harder line than I do and insist they be purchased out of the existing budget.
You continue to sing the same old song that hasn't worked before, and follow on blind faith. I strongly suggest you find a new tune, and start asking harder questions in the right venue. I am not the problem.
Ellen, You misunderstood the plan. I know teachers don't make $95,000 per year but if we can get the flyswatting program going as described then it will be easy to argue that teachers and librarians are worth much more. If the average teacher makes $58,000 we could increase our spending by millions this way. Not only would it allow us to spend so much more on salaries, just think how much more we would get to spend on pensions.
Sorry Frank you can't get rid of me that easily but the message you and many others without children in the schools continue to send to families in Dartmouth is that since we are a minority the education of our children shouldn't be a priority.
Yes an old tune that changes melody with each new excuse given for why education should only be funded at minimum levels. One minute it's a lack of efficiencies shown, the next it's we agree you need books and computers but they should be obtained through a debt exclusion, and then of course the most recent excuse "the use of one time revenue to fund ongoing expenses makes matters worse in the long term" Bill Trimble.
But yet the list of transfers from the reserve fund this month alone are close to $200K, all to fund ongoing expenses and not one of them are to the schools, now why is that ok for the town to do but not for the schools....oh wait I hear yet another excuse coming?
At least we can agree on one thing Frank and that is that those positions not filled are an efficiency even if you have to belittle the effort as well as the need.
You keep trying to run the schools like a business Frank which in some cases makes sense but in many others it does not as the schools unlike most businesses I have ever worked in don't have the ability to charge more for their product or service when their expenses/costs have risen to the point that they have cut and streamlined all that they can but still can not make a profit.
Our schools provide a crucial piece of development in the life of a child that is not a product or service that can be charged for. We cannot continue to under fund that development without the children that are currently in the system being negatively impacted. To continue to suggest funding our schools at minimum levels causing them to further endure cuts is not a responsible solution for our children. I am sure you have heard this saying before “What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right”
Sorry Frank but I really don’t care for your tune either and your insinuation that I haven’t asked the right questions to the right people and am just following along blindly is just another attempt to belittle my knowledge and efforts which I in turn will gladly tune out!
Bravo Liz. I appreciate your information and encouragement. I do hope you can tune out the arrogance and condescension on this blog. There are a few lurkers, as we've been called, who recognize the dedication of the school and town personnel. It is high time we recognize the creativity that has gone into maintaining an excellent school reputation on limited funds. Avoiding responsibility is not a creative solution.
Hi Bill, Thanks for the blog! I only wish we could focus more on solutions. Change is so difficult. The town and schools having been doing it the same way for so long, it's hard to think outside the box.
Leadership!
Bill:
Thanks so much for keeping this blog going! Some of the best information available to us comes from your blog. I know it leaves you open to potshots, but it is a valuable resource that is appreciated by many.
Also, keep your chin up while pushing for change. I know some do not appreciate your shining the light directly on past inefficiencies or odd business practices, but MANY of your constituents do. I have children in the school system, and have had many opportunities to "shake my head" over spending choices.
Please know that you have many supporters, and the list is growing!
Thanks Bill!
Bill I find your statement that nb voke maintains mnss confusing. Where are you getting your #. I could not find a number at DOE website. @ publicschoolreview they provide a number closer to $20,000 per student expenditure, which is about 75% higher than Dartmouth. Their mcas scores are far lower than Dartmouth's avg scores. I'm not sure that's a reflection of the quality of their program or simply their focus, but DPS are absolutely compelled by the State to pursue MCAS improvement.
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School does in fact maintain MNSS. The only items that are above are equipment (a small portion) and transportation (they get reimbursed for that).
Check out their website. They spend $14,000 and change on each student. I also checked with one of Voke's principals.
Liz, I have never implied that I wanted you to leave. If you remember our conversation, I encouraged you to stick around and continue to bring your fire to the party. I also told you that I was a teen in the 60s, protesting and advocacy for a cause was a way of life, so I appreciate anyone who does that.
What I don't like is when my comments get expanded into something I didn't say, or get tied into someone else's thoughts. I also have a right to an opinion, and it is not based on nothing. I have been involved in the workings of our town for a while now, including sticking my nose into some school stuff to see if I could help out, and that was beyond my school tour for computers. Being a third generation resident I also know and talk to a LOT of people in this town. You don't have to like what I say but I assure you that my community pulse is almost always correct.
Not liking what I say doesn't change anything, and I only mention the 22% of the families having kids so that you can try to understand what the majority of the other 78% are thinking. You twisted my words into something that makes you feel better, but it isn't what I said or implied.
People talk about MNSS as if it means the minimum amount needed to provide a lousy education. It is supposed to provide for an adequate education. Do I want our kids to get better than that, sure. I want a lot of things. I wish gas wasn't approaching $4 a gallon, I wish the overall economy was better, I wish the State could manage our tax money better, I wish the town hadn't got itself into such a big hole so that everything suffers, and most of all, I wish that we all could put our differences in opinions aside and work toward a better Dartmouth without all the arguing, name calling, and insinuations that we are stupid because we don't blindly agree with you and others. As I have said, at least MNSS allows the school system to be guaranteed money like $1.6M this year, when the town has no such benefit.
What I have tried to express to you, especially when we met, is that one always has to be conscious of the reality of a situation and the likely outcomes. The reality of this situation is that with the way the economy is, it is extremely unlikely that more money from the taxpayers is coming your way, so the expected outcome should be that the school leadership has to continuously look for more bang for the buck to provide the best education possible given the circumstances. Do I wish there was more money coming, sure, and I wish the town itself was in better shape so school money could come from there, because that is the way it is supposed to work.
I know the words "best education possible" are said, and I don't doubt intentions, but I have expressed to you as well as Dr. Russell that new things have to be explored, and It has to be an ongoing process revisited all the time. I have simply suggested that in tough times things that are nice to have are less important than directing more money towards things that are most important, like teachers, facilities, and books.
Wouldn't you agree that in any situation that involves money it is always best to explore things thoroughly? In your business, if you could find a way to do the same job, or better, with less people and other efficiencies, don't you think that would be a good thing and should always be considered?
I don't mean in a temporary situation waiting for things to get better, that is a band-aid, I mean permanently so any benefit gets carried to the future. I don't care if it is a business, a household, a town, or a school system, finding permanent ways to save money is always a good thing, and should at least be looked at.
I have had 2 conversations and many e-mails with Dr. Russell. I shared my thoughts on this with him, and it is apparent to me that the looking for permanent consolidation has NEVER been done. I am not finding fault with him because this takes a different thought process that must be acquired. The town hasn't done much of this either, everything has been a band-aid. Don't you think this stuff should at least be looked at so money could be redirected to the kids? Even Dr. Russell thought it was a reasonable suggestion, and said he would explore possibilities. How can you criticize me and tell me it has been done?? It hasn't.
I have also tried to share with you what I have learned about winning for your cause. You absolutely need to understand the thought process of those that oppose your progress. The taxpayers in town have made it pretty clear that they expect progress and movement from historical practices and tendencies.
Right or wrong, they perceive little on the town side and none on the school side. I have suggested to you that the same old tune that hasn't worked before still won't work. You don't perceive it as such, but I am trying to help you move forward.
Many people in town have little if any discretionary income, so for folks to just expect they will part with it, even for what surely is a good cause, is just not realistic. If you want to tip the scales in your favor, then enough progress has to be perceived by the taxpayers. Things like moving out of Bush St. to Cushman makes sense for a lot of reasons, one of which is that Cushman is MUCH cheaper to operate because of the new boiler and windows. Something could then be done with the quaint Bush St. property to raise revenue, although selling it might not be the best thing at this time, but leasing it out might be.
I have suggested that books and computers should be sought through a Debt Exclusion because I believe that is your best chance of success. Why you criticize me for suggesting it is beyond me.
I also have not made ANY comments pertaining to a Reserve Fund transfer. That is because at the moment I don't have an opinion on it. The only observation I have is that the numbers I have seen thrown around seem quite large compared to what I was told the need was last year. Asking for large amounts of money is always a good way to ensure that you get none... more advice that I am sure you will find fault with.
And, I really don't care if you don't like my tune and choose to ignore it. If you don't learn to sing along with it you will never be able to help your cause, because that is the reality of the situation.
The textbook/technology cycle for the K-12 system will cost around a half million a yr. Frank and Bill how will the School Committee find $600,000 for FY09? Pay unemployment for which employees? Cancel which programs? Consolidate which services? Frank you value "reality," you say it often. The reality is that there is no fix without revenue from the town. If voters won't support new revenue for education then we'll have to get the money from the current town accounts. We are still funding millions in CIP requests without the voters approval. Can't let things fall apart or stop working. Same goes with education supplies. Education doesn't stop because the voters don't want to chip in their dollars. Frank you are not a school expert, Bill is not a school resource expert. So why try to tell the schools how to design their system and priorities. It defies sense. providing money from sccounts for books and computers makes as much sense as repaving a police lot or getting a library roof.
Hi Bill, You may change your mind and surprise me by raising your hand to support textbooks/ technology for fall 08 from the Stabilization Fund at June Town Meeting. Then we can have a SC/SB vote for supporting a textbook/technology yearly replacement cycle override fall question. I hope this stuff will get supported.
To Anon 1:27pm, BINGO! We can't tell the schools how to spend their money. They're the experts! They get the money and they spend on what they feel is the most important, with the amount they have. Sorry, none of us can "have it all"! Priorities... what is the most important? Textbooks/Technology or 18 different sports programs? Let the experts decide!
What is the salary for the high school athletic director?? The schools can educated the whole child without offering 18 different sports and paying a full time director who has his own secretary. I'm not a school expert... I'll let the experts decide what's more important. Textbooks/technology or 18 sports program?
Well anon, you may be correct about some of the things you say. I already said I didn't have an opinion on the transfer, so I guess we will see how it plays out.
Me offering suggestions may not make sense to you, but it did to the head cheese himself. He asked so I offered. You may want to ask him why he thought I had something to offer, given that I am not a school expert.
I also know that as a taxpayer when someone wants me to pay more I get to ask questions, and if I don't like the answers I am free to vote as I see fit.
Since the Reserve and Stab funds come from tax dollars I am entitled to an opinion there as well, even if I don't have one at the moment. I will continue to think about this though, and I will use logic and common sense, 2 things I am fairly expert at.
I am also fairly certain that if the school override question was for something around $750K, as they were advised to do from many fronts, including avid school supporters, it most likely would have passed easily and we wouldn't have to be talking about this now. It is still all about choices and likely outcomes. Sometimes you don't get a do-over because of bad choices and timing, and yes, that is part of reality.
If you all have a problem with sports and ADirector then why don't you request an athletic override, it can replace textbooks override, fine with me! Call the cheese.
There is a difference between a new roof and textbooks,calculators and design software. The roof will last 30 years. The others will not.
The reserve fund is used to fund budgets that have overruns due to unexpected costs or which are difficult to accurately forecast. The remaining balance in the reserve fund is free cash and by policy of the Select Board and Finance Committee, free cash should be put into the Stabilization Fund.
Failure to adequately fund the budget for textbooks and technology and then taking the reserve fund to pay for them is not good management. Even if some money is avaiable this year, where will t come from next year?
Some here worry about layoffs at the school department, but are apparently unconcerned about any other department. Shall we get the money for the schools by laying off the youth advocate, conservation agent, park director, animal control officer, library staff, DPW workers and others?
"Policy"-more new policies that the public can disagree with. What makes you think we'll have to have lay-offs to get books and materials for this year. That is a long shot. Threatening lay offs if reserve or stab money is used for education. Plus, your education supporters are usually the most giving to all town entities, so don't try the pit one against another tactic.
If you are picking on the value of learning materials, does an object like a truck that you bond for increase in value or decrease in value over time? Dahhhhpreciate. What is the true cost? Not $240,000. A pretty expensive truck I imagine. But this too comes from valuable taxpayer money.
Now who are you imagining will lose their job over some books? the Youth advocate or animal control-don't think so...Nice freak out strategy. The irony is now you want to suddenly protect people's jobs, this is new for you Mr. Downsize and Consolidate everything.
You'll fault anything on the poorbooks and student resources. You'll say the parents don't care about anyone else and the schools hog everything-not so. You know the percentage of spending on education here. SO you want our Stabilization fund to grow and climb when we have overcrowded schools, are down one library, and especially have inappropriate resources for our children. Mr. Efficiency Gracie wants us to voluntarily foot the bill ourselves and not share in the town burden.
Why don't you just keep talking about salary freezes throughout town and throw lacrosse on an override.
Now that we're hiring seven more police officers we'll have more overtime to pay, more step increases to pay and more people to pay $40 an hour to chat at Slocum road projects...But no books for students-is this fair?
You'll alter any fact to meet your only objective no new taxes or education spending and you'll never support the library whole-heartedly...But the Police and DPW will make out like bandits.
Dartmouth is OK for now. At fall Town Meeting there is usually quite a bit of surplus money to add to stabilization and reserves. We can float the books Bill, please think again. We have helped other depts. out. And many are override supported now. The Reserve policy has been flexible for many other things, look at the history of transfers.
What part of yes do you believe in?
I thought Bill was going to be open and accepting.
As I've stated in an earlier post, it is the parents' responsibity to provide for their children if they feel they are not getting the proper education. Both my brother and sister have sent their children to private schools. They are not wealthy. Not even upper middle class. They felt it was a budget priority for them and they made it happen.
I have spoken with many parents who agree that the schools are not spending the money on priorities. They are in the schools so I would consider this firsthand knowledge. Since their children attend Dartmouth schools, I guess that would make them experts.
I have also spoken with those who feel more money will solve everything. My conclusions are not favorable. The conversation always starts with how much they care about the children, how important they are, how children are our future etc. This goes on for quite some time until eventually it becomes all about their own child/children. My son is gifted, my daughter is an angel. By the end it is no longer about "all the children" but what their own children need and should have. I know there will be exceptions to this since there are some very dedicated individuals, but I have to wonder how many of the school override people will still be advocating for money when their children are out the Dartmouth school system.
I am open to sound fiscal policy. The policy on one time revenue was adopted from the recommendations of the DOR last year. The FY08 reserve fund will be nearly depleted by the end of the fiscal year. There will be nowhere near $667K in it.
My point in listing the non school town employees was that there are limited resources. If the school department gets more funding, some other department is going to get less.
A comment says that the reserve fund transfers have been flexible. I am not sure what that means. The transfers have been for damaged patrol cars, emergency repairs, unexpected overtime needs, added police gang patrols, veterans benefits which increased more than expected, and other things. The only item which approaches equivalence with the textbook request is the street lighting shortfall caused by the town making a mess of turning off the lights, then turning them back on after complaints. The Finance Committee took a very dim view of streetlight funding because it seemed as though it should have been anticipated and budgeted. They did not approve the entire amount initially but now reluctantly have done so. They have indicated that the budget for street lighting closely scrutinized to ensure that reflects a realistic appropriation in FY09. Will they take a similar approach to the textbook budget? The answer is that they can't. Only the school department can make that change. The Finance Committee has no say except to recommend one number for the entire school appropriation or not.
Brilliant answer Michael - Private schools! The town can abdicate their responsibilities for a decent quality public education if the damn parnets would just suck it up and send their kids to private school. If you don't happen to be Catholic I suppose the +$20-$30k per year per student at any of the local, non-Catholic private institutions should'nt be an obstacle.....
This converstaion is a far cry from support for students or education. Most young or 30, 40 something parents bought houses during an expensive market. Mortgage amounts range from 1200 month to 4000 month. Do you think most people can afford private school? Plus parents need life insurance, most older people don't spend a few thousand a year on this. Private school is not an option for the average person and private school is not necessary or better than public. You are incorrect to assert that parents don't care about all the children in the system. It is not about one child or four and most education supporters will gladly support the next generation and the one after that. The School budget is inadequate. The minimum is not enough. This has been the truth for a long time, you can take or leave education funding and spending, but at what cost. Dartmouth is very sour to education, but we love our boats and trips and meals out.
Not to switch topics, but Frank, Norm and other CFRG, why are you wanting to serve on our Dartmouth Finance Committee? How long have you been interested in this position? What are your intentions?
To Anon 10:21, Dartmouth is not sour on education as you say. Dartmouth is not happy with the current leadership in the schools. This was evident by the two votes most recently passed in town. A loud 'No' was given to the way in which the schools use their funds. We cannot tell the experts how to spend their money, however, we can decide to give them MNSS and let them decide! That is the process, like it or not! I get real tired of hearing school experts tell me how important my children are and next say they don't put enough aside for textbooks!
I do not own a boat, have not gone on a vacation in 5 years, and rarely go out to eat!
Kim, have you called the School Committee, written or attended a meeting to start your proccess of seeking new top admin leadership. If you really want to fire a supt. or busineess admin. or whoever else is on your list, you should publicly voice your reasons. You must have speciffic reasons and rationale. The reasons will have to justify action and a "buy out" for these professionals, it isn't easy breaking contracts. Actually it is close to impossible without $$$incentive. Why don't you research why Steve Russell left his last job? Would be interesting to know.
Forgot- many people who don't want to support public services are wealthy (thy want everyone to fundraise, shared cost is cheaper), but then others are like you and me...surviving month to month trying to pay our bills and save???difficult. If you come up with a plan for SC and admin to make changes, love to see it here. Open to new and improved possibilities.
anon 10:24 - I have not applied to the FinCom, nor am I a member of the CFRG.
Liz, Ellen and others, Are you an expert in municipal finance, government operations, or tax policy? Have you contacted the Budget Director to see if there is money available for the things that you want? Do you have any idea how hard working and dedicated our town hall employees are? Because if we follow the same logic that you apply to the schools, you have no business making any comments about town budgets and the availability of funding until you have done these things.
Education and town supporters attend meetings and talk with the Finance Director, Executive Administrator, Finance Committee, Select Board, School Administration, School Committee and are aware of the latest news across the town affecting the community picture. Some education/town supporters are town meeting members.
I asked what your qualifications to comment on town finances. If taxpayers can't comment on the school budget without being experts in school administration, I don't expect you to comment on town administration without having similar applicable qualifications. Frankg and others have been told that they don't understand because they are not expert in school administration. Liz, Ellen, what qualifies you to comment on the town budget? You went to a FinCom meeting?! Are all attendees at School Committee meetings similarly able to comment about school issues? You have a double standard. Only those who you agree with are qualified to comment on school issues. With no qualifications in finance or municipal administration , feel free to decide how best to allocate town funds.
Designing a school system is for school experts because there are many laws, standards,special ed, grade levels, curricula, categories, dimensions, changes, research appearing daily. people are free to give opinions, but can't dictate a school system's make-up, like take away all assistant principals to buy books. Designing Dartmouth is done in collaboration with professionals and people with degrees in all different areas and public servants, volunteers etc. It is surely a mix or composite. I don't know if we have a single person in town with an actual degree in municipal management. Our Finance Director has his own style and knowledge and is conservative planner. Mr. Nunes on the SC is a Finance Director in another town and understands municipal and school budgets. He is a good resource and can explain items. You don't need a degree in town finances or town management to participate in Town Meeting and make town decisions, much learning for members is over time from almost mentoring from elders or people who have worked with town structure for yrs., observance, asking lots of questions, personal research throughout the state or country. I know lots of business owners, manager, human resource people, accountants and MBAs who give their opinions on our town, most people who have had math at the college level understand budgeting, investing and statistics, projections, gaps, deficits, financial planning. Also many people have science backgrounds and they do much math. It would be great to have a municipal/financial consultant come in for a different take or fresh ideas but that would cost a lot. At least we have our benchmark survey to assist us and a conscientious SB, Fin Com, TM.
So Ellen, it is OK for you to make decisions for the town without any special knowledge, but not OK for others to even comment on the schools. That is the double standard I'm talking about. Can you see it?
I'm Cindi, not Ellen. Am I talking with Barry? Who is making the ultimate leadership decisions? The Select Board, Finance Director, Finance Committee and the three hundred, give or take some who show up to raise their hands at Town Meeting. 99% of the decisions are made before Town Meeting. There is that 1% chance of a curve ball. Any town supporters and there are many, can have a say concerning policy or the future plan, but town supporters don't do things like demand a total re-invention of town government or education.
I'm Cindi, not Ellen. Am I talking with Barry? Who is making the ultimate leadership decisions? The Select Board, Finance Director, Finance Committee and the three hundred, give or take some who show up to raise their hands at Town Meeting. 99% of the decisions are made before Town Meeting. There is that 1% chance of a curve ball. Any town supporters and there are many, can have a say concerning policy or the future plan, but town supporters don't do things like demand a total re-invention of town government or education.
WOW! I haven't been on the blog in awhile due to work obligations but I see the rhetoric is really flying. No, Cyndi, you haven't been talking to me. Bill and Frank, don't get discouraged. Although you will never convince the vocal few with the same song, the info you post is good for most of us.
Hi Bill, Have you met with the Superintendent yet to express your concerns regarding their budget priorities? And your ideas?
I thought the SB, SC, DPW, and other departments were going to meet quarterly. Or at least that's what I remember from a SB meeting last year..I thought they took a vote to do just that!
I think I made myself perfectly clear when I said my relatives who have sent their children to private schools are not wealthy. Not even close. Rather than complain about public schools they took responsibility and made financial compromises to pay for their childrens' education. I keep hearing that Dartmouth citizens can afford to pay more taxes because we are not a poor community yet when it comes to educating your children, you cry that Dartmouth citizens can't afford it. Lots of double standards.
Please explain to me why the school budget is inadequate. I think it would be more correct to say it is insufficient for your needs. It may be inadequate because it is not funding all the existing costs but that is not to say all the existing costs are necessary. This seems to be the difference in thought between the voters and the schools.
Time to get off the high horse Michael. Let's say you dont want your kids brought up in a parochial setting becasue that is not your faith - so the cheap, private school option goes away and at roughtly $3,000 per year per child the parochial schools are relatively affordable for most. So that leave you with the secular private schools, Tabor, Friends, St ANdrews etc... Friends tuition, the least expensive of those mentioned, is $21,000/year per childe. With 3 children that cost is $63,000/year. So Michael, you tell me how a middle income family is going to afford that? Lectures, we dont need, solutions we do.
Where are your solutions??? All I have been reading are complaints and whining. Why aren't you going to the SC or Dr. Russell and demanding textbooks??? Why are you lying down and accepting the status quo in the schools that your children attend? How can you not only stand by but actually defend those who are depriving your own children? Or are you a member of the SC???
Hey Bill, how come your boss is talking about November overrides? from what ive read the school committee's not interested. whats the deal?
Anon, Who is Bill's boss??
Joe michaud the chairman of the select board
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