The Board of Selectmen in Brooklyn have announced that they will hire a Town Administrator to run the town.
First Selectman Brian Sear
After failing to pass the budget twice, Canterbury will try again on August 20th with a proposed zero increase.
It’s a $13.97 million budget proposal for a town that has a population approximately 65% of that of Woodstock.
Cut from the education budget:
· two teacher positions, including an eight grade teacher,
· a new school bus,
· new copier machines,
· money for a maintenance shed from the education budget,
· days and hours for librarians and secretaries at both the Elementary School and Middle School, and
· a proposed increase in hours for an elementary school music teacher.
Cut from the town operating budget:
· $31,000 from the highway department,
· $20,000 for waste and refuse disposal,
· Reductions in temporary office personnel,
· closing of the dog pound and going to a regional service and
· numerous other line-item cuts also removed $11,000 from the budget.
Yet fuel and electricity are going up.
One important line item was not cut – tuition payments to Woodstock Academy.
One resident said in the Norwich Bull “We’re going backwards in this town.”
Your “one resident” is Jeanette Kildea of the ACLU suit fame. Make note of that. Also, there are increases in our budget, yet you make no mention of that.
Are you posting this as news or do you have an angle John?
Further, please educate us about cutting costs to Woodstock Academy. Should we make cuts or ?
Rich, Thanks for responding to this article with a comment. I have no special knowledge of the Canterbury budget with the exception of what was reported in the Bull. I thought it would be interesting for readers in other towns to be aware of the process going on in Canterbury. It’s news. I have no other angle other than ‘it is what it is’.
If you could explain what the budget increases are we would publish that to fill in the story.
The question you raise about cutting costs to the Academy is a very important question indeed. If the Boards of Education in Canterbury, Brooklyn, Pomfret, Eastford, and Woodstock could work together to negotiate a lower tuition, then perhaps this is the best approach and only answer. Do you realize that Canterbury taxpayers are going to be taxed to pay for the Acadamy’s unilateral expansion of the athletic fields primarily to build their own legendary football reputation?
Cutting the Woostock Academy payments would (to the best of my knowledge) be a BOE function. If we placed a few conservatives or libertarians on the board, perhaps we could shake it up, but that’s a little ways out.
So we’re funding a nice football stadium…just one taste of the waste in our education budget. Enjoy a partial payment for that field on us
Rich,
This line of conversation has piqued my interest.
Let’s just say the Canterbury BOE was stacked with libertarians and you were chairman. Whatever legal motion you put forward, the other board members will vote for; you have complete control over the board. Let’s also say for the sake of argument you have no contract with the Woodstock Academy so you are free to send your students anywhere.
Let me lay a little environment out. You are legally required to send your children to get an education; this is outside of your control. The private schools in the area, of course, exist (Pomfret, Hyde, Marianoplis) but cost much more than the Woodstock Academy even with the added cost of the football field. While you have representation on the Woodstock Academy’s board, it is far less than a controlling interest, even with all the other school districts voting your way.
There are some cheaper regional programs like ACT, but they are special purpose and even then don’t have near the excess capacity required to take in all your students.
There’s the situation. The rest of the school board will do whatever you want, assuming it’s legal. So what motion do you put on the table to cut the high school cost Chairman?
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BOE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BOE in any way.
Great preface there Kevin.
With the simple liberty and freedom knowledge that I have, I will do my best to answer your questions.
First of all, I have to deal with the reality of our semi-socialist/communist government as it is. Your points are clearly driven to get me to argue with reality. The truth is that I cannot. There are mandates/statutes/laws in effect that I cannot dispute (at this time, for practical purposes), even with my love of liberty and freedom.
Because of my unpopular political beliefs (like believing in the original Constitution), I am not likely eligible for such an office (BOE). Further, my successful day job (owner of a small business) prevents me from pursuing such, but I’ll entertain your questions anyway.
If I had a stronger decision making capacity (I’m Chair of BOE for purposes of this discussion), I’d ask the TaxPlayers to consider the value of NFA, WA, and our VERY impressive CT Tech Schools. You’re obviously aware that we don’t have a “regular” regional school. I’d shop for the best value and lean on that school (or schools) to provide the best value for our tax dollars.
Don’t assume for a minute that my belief in freedom and liberty insulates me from reality. I believe that parents should have some culpability and responsibility for their childrens’ educations. That responsibility should not fall on the backs of every Johnny TaxPlayer. There are seniors in my town with no children who are funding scumbag parents’ children. Right, wrong? The policies that we have grown up with have allowed these scumbags to have children with impunity. Let them fund their own crappy schools, while we that made better decisions should be able to fund what we see fit (read public/trade/religious schools).
Oh, and while I’m at it, I’m firing a Canterbury principal tomorrow
By the way, I’m a parent Kevin.
Read more about local freedom lovers at freenorwich.com/newforums
Rich
Rich,
Fair enough. I would like to point out (since it may not be obvious) that I’m not really panning the Woodstock Academy, just trying to point out the reality of the box both our towns are in.
While I would have liked the Woodstock Academy to step up to the plate and help out towns like ours financially in a year like this, it could be worse tuition wise. My fear is, the (as far as I know) unfunded athletic field complex will make it worse, much worse, and all of those conditions that I mentioned in my post will still exist. The money has to come from somewhere and so far I haven’t heard any satisfatory answer outside of increased tuition. Maybe a deus ex machina is waiting in the wings to swoop in and pay for it all, but I’m not holding my breath.
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BOE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BOE in any way.
Rich:
I just have a couple of points/questions for you to consider. …(see Jeff’s new article. Admin).