Sunday, October 26, 2008 8:50 AM EDT
Westerly voters once again face $30M question
 The Ward Building, which would be renovated if a $30-million bond referendum is passed. DANIEL HYLAND / SUN FILE PHOTO |
WESTERLY — The school district’s two oldest buildings – Ward and Babcock Hall – would reap the benefits of an up to $30-million bond referendum that will be put to voters on Nov. 4.
But the bond’s passage will likely to come down to whether voters feel proposed improvements at Westerly High School are worth adding an additional $26 to their tax bill for every $100,000 of assessed real estate value they own.
Voters defeated the same bond in May 2007, and the reasons have been much speculated about. School officials and project advocates are now hoping the second time proves the charm.
Town and school officials project the total cost of the bond – including a calculation of 5-percent interest – at $48 million over two decades. Factoring in a state reimbursement, the town is expected to pay $1.7 million annually over the 20-year life of the bond.
The cost to the taxpayer has been put at 26 cents per $1,000 of assessed real estate value. This means that the owner of a house assessed at $350,000 – the median in town – would pay $91 more per year over the life of the bond.
The state has committed to reimburse 30 percent of the bond’s principal and interest. While legislation was proposed last session at the Statehouse to take back unused reimbursement pledges, it did not see passage. Project advocates say if the town does not move forward this fall, the future availability of that reimbursement is uncertain.
As proposed, the money would cover both interior and exterior work at the two buildings that comprise Westerly High School.
Babcock Hall, previously the district’s middle school, was constructed in 1934 and saw an addition in the late 1960s. The Ward building was built in 1938.
Proposed improvements at the Ward building include translucent roof panels, a domestic hot water system, upgraded heating and ventilation systems for the fitness center and guidance office, a new boiler, converting perimeter steam to hot water and a new fire alarm system.
Babcock Hall would receive a fire alarm and sprinkler system, a hot water tank and boiler to replace steam heat and classroom unit ventilators.
Both buildings would see masonry work, stair treads and rubber baseboards, hardwire and wireless Internet access, remodeled bathrooms to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, repainted walls and ceilings, lighting upgrades, replaced windows and 10 new science labs.
Renovating the 30-year-old science labs is the costliest line item, projected at $3.75 million, according to the latest cost breakdown obtained by the school department.
That estimate puts health and safety costs between $5.7 and $6.9 million, teaching and learning costs between $6.4 and $7.7 million, and efficiency and conservation costs between $4.3 and $5.1 million. The report also factored in between $4.4 and $5.3 million in soft costs like designer fees, insurance and a third-party consultant.
These projections are based on a September report provided to the school department by North Stonington-based A/Z Corporation, which put the total project cost between $20.8 and $25 million.
School officials solicited an independent cost analysis from the firm, which headed the construction of the new Westerly Police Headquarters off Airport Road.
Preliminary cost projections provided by Gilbane Building Company and Kaestle Boos Associates architects in June put the project at $31.2 million and $31.09 million, respectively.
According to the initial agreement signed between the town and Gilbane Building Company, Gilbane appears to be contracted for all phases of the Vision 20/20 school building project. This proposed bond referendum was initially billed as the second phase of the three-phase school building project.
Earlier this fall, representatives from Gilbane told school board members they would be willing to reconsider the contract terms.
Gilbane was brought on board by the Vision 20/20 School Building Committee, a group of citizens and town and school representatives formed in 2000 to develop a long-range plan for district facilities. The firm went on to oversee the construction of the new $27-million Westerly Middle School, completed on time and on budget.
School officials say the need for the work proposed under Nov. 4’s bond has long been documented.
A December 2001 “Long Range Facilities Plan” prepared by Gilbane Building Company and Providence architectural firm Robinson, Green and Beretta (RGB) deemed the high school and the then-Babcock Middle School in “poor to fair condition” and said the buildings required “major” renovations.
Reports issued in 1999 and 2004 by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Public Secondary Schools – an accrediting body – stated much of the same. And a 2005 Rhode Island Department of Education School Accountability for Learning and Teaching report also recommended renovations at the school.
Members of a ballot question advocacy group formed to lead the call for approval of the bond reported it would cost at least $90 million, plus the price of land, to construct a new high school.
About $13 million in work was completed at the high school under the phase one, $40 million bond that was approved in 2003.
Of that amount spent at the high school, about $768,000 covered landscaping, a bridge connecting Babcock Hall and the quadrangle and a campus irrigation system. About $230,000 of that bond went to fulfill a commitment to neighbors of the high school to eliminate parking on Bellevue Avenue and other surrounding streets.
edupuis@thewesterlysun.com
But the bond’s passage will likely to come down to whether voters feel proposed improvements at Westerly High School are worth adding an additional $26 to their tax bill for every $100,000 of assessed real estate value they own.
Voters defeated the same bond in May 2007, and the reasons have been much speculated about. School officials and project advocates are now hoping the second time proves the charm.
Town and school officials project the total cost of the bond – including a calculation of 5-percent interest – at $48 million over two decades. Factoring in a state reimbursement, the town is expected to pay $1.7 million annually over the 20-year life of the bond.
The cost to the taxpayer has been put at 26 cents per $1,000 of assessed real estate value. This means that the owner of a house assessed at $350,000 – the median in town – would pay $91 more per year over the life of the bond.
The state has committed to reimburse 30 percent of the bond’s principal and interest. While legislation was proposed last session at the Statehouse to take back unused reimbursement pledges, it did not see passage. Project advocates say if the town does not move forward this fall, the future availability of that reimbursement is uncertain.
As proposed, the money would cover both interior and exterior work at the two buildings that comprise Westerly High School.
Babcock Hall, previously the district’s middle school, was constructed in 1934 and saw an addition in the late 1960s. The Ward building was built in 1938.
Proposed improvements at the Ward building include translucent roof panels, a domestic hot water system, upgraded heating and ventilation systems for the fitness center and guidance office, a new boiler, converting perimeter steam to hot water and a new fire alarm system.
Babcock Hall would receive a fire alarm and sprinkler system, a hot water tank and boiler to replace steam heat and classroom unit ventilators.
Both buildings would see masonry work, stair treads and rubber baseboards, hardwire and wireless Internet access, remodeled bathrooms to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, repainted walls and ceilings, lighting upgrades, replaced windows and 10 new science labs.
Renovating the 30-year-old science labs is the costliest line item, projected at $3.75 million, according to the latest cost breakdown obtained by the school department.
That estimate puts health and safety costs between $5.7 and $6.9 million, teaching and learning costs between $6.4 and $7.7 million, and efficiency and conservation costs between $4.3 and $5.1 million. The report also factored in between $4.4 and $5.3 million in soft costs like designer fees, insurance and a third-party consultant.
These projections are based on a September report provided to the school department by North Stonington-based A/Z Corporation, which put the total project cost between $20.8 and $25 million.
School officials solicited an independent cost analysis from the firm, which headed the construction of the new Westerly Police Headquarters off Airport Road.
Preliminary cost projections provided by Gilbane Building Company and Kaestle Boos Associates architects in June put the project at $31.2 million and $31.09 million, respectively.
According to the initial agreement signed between the town and Gilbane Building Company, Gilbane appears to be contracted for all phases of the Vision 20/20 school building project. This proposed bond referendum was initially billed as the second phase of the three-phase school building project.
Earlier this fall, representatives from Gilbane told school board members they would be willing to reconsider the contract terms.
Gilbane was brought on board by the Vision 20/20 School Building Committee, a group of citizens and town and school representatives formed in 2000 to develop a long-range plan for district facilities. The firm went on to oversee the construction of the new $27-million Westerly Middle School, completed on time and on budget.
School officials say the need for the work proposed under Nov. 4’s bond has long been documented.
A December 2001 “Long Range Facilities Plan” prepared by Gilbane Building Company and Providence architectural firm Robinson, Green and Beretta (RGB) deemed the high school and the then-Babcock Middle School in “poor to fair condition” and said the buildings required “major” renovations.
Reports issued in 1999 and 2004 by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Public Secondary Schools – an accrediting body – stated much of the same. And a 2005 Rhode Island Department of Education School Accountability for Learning and Teaching report also recommended renovations at the school.
Members of a ballot question advocacy group formed to lead the call for approval of the bond reported it would cost at least $90 million, plus the price of land, to construct a new high school.
About $13 million in work was completed at the high school under the phase one, $40 million bond that was approved in 2003.
Of that amount spent at the high school, about $768,000 covered landscaping, a bridge connecting Babcock Hall and the quadrangle and a campus irrigation system. About $230,000 of that bond went to fulfill a commitment to neighbors of the high school to eliminate parking on Bellevue Avenue and other surrounding streets.
edupuis@thewesterlysun.com
Resident of Westerly wrote on Oct 28, 2008 9:08 AM:
" In this economy WHO CAN AFFORD HIGHER TAXES???????????????????????????????????I for one can't. My income has been cut, groceries are more exspensive, it's time for the home heating season (it's here). I for one live alone on a single income, own my own home and live within my means. There's no way to cut back any more than I have. I do not have credit debit or loans, and it's still hard to make ends meet AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORST! Prices are going to continue to increase on everything! 401k's have shrunk, money markets have dwindeled and the STOCK MARKET...WELL WE ALL KNOW THE STORY ON THAT! So people...WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD ANY MORE RIGHT NOW, YES, IT WILL COST MORE IN THE LONG RUN, BUT NOW IS NOT A GOOD TIME FOR HIGHER TAXES! "
mike wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:27 PM:
" I agree that the HS is atrocious.It is fine to want up to date, state of the art science labs, heating and coolonig systems. We already have it at the middle school and guess what, the science rooms are overkill, and the heating and cooling system does not work properly.
There are leaks in the roof at the new school, a baseball field that was never watered or fertilized once the grass was planted, same for the soccer field. Does the town have a HVAC certified employee?
How is the new track? It is lifting from the base and the town won't fight the contractor to fix it.
RE: Vote Yes, I support my wife, love my wife, but I'm not buying her the 2 seat BMW convertible. She hasn't told me to leave, save the attacks because people don't agree.
"
There are leaks in the roof at the new school, a baseball field that was never watered or fertilized once the grass was planted, same for the soccer field. Does the town have a HVAC certified employee?
How is the new track? It is lifting from the base and the town won't fight the contractor to fix it.
RE: Vote Yes, I support my wife, love my wife, but I'm not buying her the 2 seat BMW convertible. She hasn't told me to leave, save the attacks because people don't agree.
"
WAKE UP!! wrote on Oct 27, 2008 9:07 PM:
" For more information, you should visit the district website.
http://www.westerly.k12.ri.us/Notices/WHS-Workgroup_11-26-07.pdf "
http://www.westerly.k12.ri.us/Notices/WHS-Workgroup_11-26-07.pdf "
WAKE UP!! wrote on Oct 27, 2008 8:38 PM:
" Re: Jackie - no, the kids will suffer because of the ignorant people that keep voting "no" to fixing the schools. I thought the money from the last bond was spent foolishly, also. In case you didn't know, it's election year...vote for the people you like and trust. They are going to be the ones who determine where the money goes. If this gets rejected, it's going to end up costing all of us a lot more in the long run. "
Parent wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:48 PM:
" If you all spent the funds received from past Referendums on educating our children instead of putting in grass, trees and sprinkler systems then you wouldn't have to beg NOW! Students are educated in buildings not on school "grounds". Furthermore, it costs far LESS to rebuild from scratch then it does to continually pour money into the "Money Pit" aka WHS! I agree I want my children safe too however how about those in charge do it RIGHT for a change. ERECT a NEW building and stop throwing our tax dollars away on the "PIT" known as WHS! "
Heating Oil wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:28 PM:
" Did the school district and town sign a contract for heating oil at the height of the prices in July? Please let us know how smart you were. "
Guy Fawkes wrote on Oct 27, 2008 6:42 PM:
" Just remember: You can take it the bank that the parents of the schoolchildren whose will be shutdown will be voting NO as a block. Time to eat your just desserts Westerly. "
Avondale Jim wrote on Oct 27, 2008 5:36 PM:
" vote for a new school committee--next tuesday
we need new GOP faces--and do the same for the town council
vote them all out---hearing it every morning and at lunch at cooked goose...vote a new leadership for westerly
ritacco hurt his team "
we need new GOP faces--and do the same for the town council
vote them all out---hearing it every morning and at lunch at cooked goose...vote a new leadership for westerly
ritacco hurt his team "
mad as hell wrote on Oct 27, 2008 5:17 PM:
" how many of you people own a house that want this bond to pass? if you don't own a house you should keep your mouth shut because your not paying the bill!!!
VOTE NO!!!! "
VOTE NO!!!! "
No More$$$ wrote on Oct 27, 2008 5:14 PM:
" You only have yourselves to blame (council members etc.) You should have done repairs in the beginning. The outside could have waited. What a sad day for Westerly 11-04-08. "
Jackie wrote on Oct 27, 2008 4:20 PM:
" What part of no do you not understand.
We taxpayers will not fall for your tacticts any more. You lied to us you should have refurbished the inside of the building in the first place. NO more money the kids will suffer because of you ignorant people who allowed this to happen.
VOTE NO "
We taxpayers will not fall for your tacticts any more. You lied to us you should have refurbished the inside of the building in the first place. NO more money the kids will suffer because of you ignorant people who allowed this to happen.
VOTE NO "
WAKE UP!! wrote on Oct 27, 2008 3:06 PM:
" Regardless of what has happened in the past, where money went and so on...these schools need to be fixed and brought into the 21st century. If you vote no, those problems just don't go away, in fact, they are going to get bigger and more expensive. So, if the bond gets rejected, next year they will just be asking for more money - and then you'll all be complaining again. I don't know about you, but, I can't afford to send my children to private school if I think the high school is in terrible shape or loses it's accredidation. That will cost a whole lot more than $90 a year. By the way, have any of you thought about where the money would come from if one of those boilers failed? It's got to come from somewhere - one way or another, we all have to pay for it. Vote "YES" and fix the schools NOW! "
Sherman wrote on Oct 27, 2008 2:45 PM:
" Re: Kathy why are you attacking Kathy?
The comments are suppose to be about the article. They are not suppose to attack someone's comment. Your comment is rude and wrong. This town spent enough of our taxpayers money. The people who run this town are CROOKED. "
The comments are suppose to be about the article. They are not suppose to attack someone's comment. Your comment is rude and wrong. This town spent enough of our taxpayers money. The people who run this town are CROOKED. "
Fed Up Taxpayer wrote on Oct 27, 2008 2:33 PM:
" I SAY VOTE FOR A WHOLE NEW TOWN COUNCIL, THEN WE'LL THINK ABOUT GIVING THE TOWN MORE MONEY! "
Disgusted wrote on Oct 27, 2008 2:15 PM:
" The truth is, no one trusts elected town officials anymore. Recent reports of dishonesty, back room deals, squandering town money, etc will cost our children. How they sleep at night is beyond my comprehension. Greed and egos will be culprits of the demise of this referendum. Too bad, the kids need it. "
NO TO #3 - BOND wrote on Oct 27, 2008 2:01 PM:
" What is the school district making more efficient or cutting back on in return? NADA. To give just one example of many, for the # of admin we have, large salaries we we pay them, poor student performance, the same old begging-for-money bond thrown back before us is a slap in the face to residents. Little has changed in this bond from the last bond put before us. No effort has been made at compromise or concessions. What an insult. As long as 93% of the school budget goes to staff salaries while books/materials and building maintenance (how we got to this sad state of disrepair in the first place!) get approx 1% each, the answer to the facilities bond should be NO!! "
Re: Kathy wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:40 PM:
" That's fine, we wouldn't vote for you either! If you can't support your own Town's children, then please leave. Someone else will move in and pick up your slack, you're dead weight! A drag on the economy, culture and future of Westerly! "
Vote YES wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:37 PM:
" A 'YES' vote on the $30 Million School Bond is an investment in the future of our community (Westerly).
A 'YES' vote on the $30 Million School Bond is an investment in the education of the children in Westerly.
A 'YES' vote on the $30 Million School Bond WILL NOT benefit Local Politicians, School Committee Members, School Department Administration or School Teachers.
As I see it, A 'NO' vote on the $30 Million School Bond, is a vote against the future of your own town, A 'NO' vote on the $30 Million School Bond is a vote against the children of Westerly.
For those of you who would vote 'NO' on the $30 Million School Bond, I'm sorry you are angry... angry about what YOU deem a misappropriation of funds, perhaps the expenditures of the past haven't met your own individual priorities, or perhaps you are a conservative Republican that feels you shouldn't have to pay alot of taxes and such try to reduce the town budget to save yourself a few pennies!
What it boils down to is support for your community. I'd say, IF YOU DON'T LOVE IT, LEAVE IT!!! "
A 'YES' vote on the $30 Million School Bond is an investment in the education of the children in Westerly.
A 'YES' vote on the $30 Million School Bond WILL NOT benefit Local Politicians, School Committee Members, School Department Administration or School Teachers.
As I see it, A 'NO' vote on the $30 Million School Bond, is a vote against the future of your own town, A 'NO' vote on the $30 Million School Bond is a vote against the children of Westerly.
For those of you who would vote 'NO' on the $30 Million School Bond, I'm sorry you are angry... angry about what YOU deem a misappropriation of funds, perhaps the expenditures of the past haven't met your own individual priorities, or perhaps you are a conservative Republican that feels you shouldn't have to pay alot of taxes and such try to reduce the town budget to save yourself a few pennies!
What it boils down to is support for your community. I'd say, IF YOU DON'T LOVE IT, LEAVE IT!!! "
Homer wrote on Oct 27, 2008 12:24 PM:
" Do you think Home Depot spent $30 million to build that store in Westerly? Let's plow down those two money pits we call a campus high school and put up 4 walls and a roof. Put in some stud walls and call them classrooms. No one is saying that the renovations are unnessacary. Why do the schools need $30 million? Wouldn't $3 million be enough? Vote NO. You spend within your budget and the town should too. "
Donald wrote on Oct 27, 2008 12:21 PM:
" The Ritacco land corruption deal will cost the passage of the school bond. We voters have had enough. Vote out Cooke, Duhamel, and Avedesian. They've ruined this town. "
Student @ WHS wrote on Oct 27, 2008 11:46 AM:
" Westerly High School is in horrible condition! There are holes in the celings and mold on the walls. It is not a safe learning enviorment! Students should be able to feel safe and comfortable while they are at school. This is not the case at WHS!! We need the community's help to fix these buldings. Westerly is filled with tradition, it would be a shame to see the High School continue to rot away. "
Kim wrote on Oct 27, 2008 11:35 AM:
" Our High School is in BAD shape. Let's all pitch in now to help Westerly stay the great town it is know for so we aren't forced to pay alot later when things get really bad.
Don't you want your children to be safe with updated fire alarms and sprinklers?
Don't you want your children to be comefortable with the heating and AC working properly?
Stay home instead of going out one night and you will probably have the money you need to pay for this.
If everyone give alittle and stops complaining, together we can do alot of good. "
Don't you want your children to be safe with updated fire alarms and sprinklers?
Don't you want your children to be comefortable with the heating and AC working properly?
Stay home instead of going out one night and you will probably have the money you need to pay for this.
If everyone give alittle and stops complaining, together we can do alot of good. "
Kim wrote on Oct 27, 2008 11:29 AM:
" Our High School is in BAD shape.Talk a tour inside BEFORE you judge. Let's all pitch in now to help Westerly stay the great town it is know for so we aren't forced to pay alot later when things get really bad.
Don't you want your children to be safe with updated fire alarms and sprinklers?
Don't you want your children to be comefortable with the heating and AC working properly?
Stay home instead of going out one night and you will probably have the money you need to pay for this.
If everyone give alittle and stops complaining, together we can do alot of good. "
Don't you want your children to be safe with updated fire alarms and sprinklers?
Don't you want your children to be comefortable with the heating and AC working properly?
Stay home instead of going out one night and you will probably have the money you need to pay for this.
If everyone give alittle and stops complaining, together we can do alot of good. "
Do Your Job! wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:03 AM:
" My 9th grade daughter can't get her English quizes and tests back back because her English teacher has taken off time to drool in Oprah's audience. The teacher then spends hours of class time discussing Oprah.
My son's 8th grade math teacher told the students he didn't believe in God. As if that is somehow relevant to math.
New math curricula that no longer teaches kids to memorize mathematical facts but rather encourages them to use calculators and estimate answers.
I'm not worried about leaky ceilings. I"m worried about an educational system that has lost its mind!
I'm voting NO. "
My son's 8th grade math teacher told the students he didn't believe in God. As if that is somehow relevant to math.
New math curricula that no longer teaches kids to memorize mathematical facts but rather encourages them to use calculators and estimate answers.
I'm not worried about leaky ceilings. I"m worried about an educational system that has lost its mind!
I'm voting NO. "
RE: Kathy wrote on Oct 27, 2008 9:24 AM:
" What happens if the bond is defeated? You and other reactive people vote no defeat the bond. In a few years we will have to build a brand new school for 90 million dollars or more. I don't agree with past decisions either. But as someone said below, what is done is done. The people involved with 2020 are no longer involved. I understand your frustration, but consider the impact of voting based on past mistakes by others. We as citizens should not cut our nose off to spite our face. "
Kathy wrote on Oct 27, 2008 8:55 AM:
" What part of NO don't you understand? You want to close a school down, then invest $30 million on another one? Get real...I'm glad you don't do my household budget...instead of no mortgage payment I would have a $300,000.00 mortgage. Thanks, but NO thanks. You had your chance and you blew it on landscaping, tearing down perfectly good office buildings, ETC! Your a bunch of IDIOT'S that run this town. Your NOT getting my vote! "
Karen wrote on Oct 27, 2008 8:50 AM:
" Do we even have science teachers who are smart/up-to-date enough to make to make the most of new science labs? I think a great teacher would overcome any deficiencies in the labs. A latest-and-greatest tool is only useful if you know how to use it effectively. New labs, new science teachers? "
Really Disappointed wrote on Oct 27, 2008 8:41 AM:
" The director of building and grounds for the westerly schools is largely responsible for the poor condition of the schools. I vote NO on everything related to school funding until that individual has been replaced. I get the feeling that person is being protected by the schools related insiders AND The Westerly Sun. We need to clean house of the crooked town officials as well as unqualified town employees in high positions where their poor performance has had a devastating effect on the taxpayers. If you want the taxpayer’s money don't just flip us off or act like we're stupid when we express our concerns. "
Consider the facts wrote on Oct 27, 2008 6:50 AM:
" There will never be a good time to raise taxes or ask for money from tax payers but we have the opportunity to bring the Ward and Babcock buildings into the twenty first century with safety features like sprinkler and fire alarm systems, upgraded science labs to prepare our kids for working in high tech jobs, and energy saving upgrades like new windows, heating systems and individual room temperature controls. Let's not wait until a crisis is imminent or lose access to state funds. We have a sensible, hard working, responsible group working to see that our dollars will be spent properly. Give your support. Vote "YES". "
Tax Payer wrote on Oct 27, 2008 6:03 AM:
" The school committee ought to pay more attention to the money being spent in the bus transportation dept. Three people are getting paid to run the place and they still can't get the kids home at a decent time and can't answer the phones or return calls?????? Wake up incumbents. The drivers have to do what they are told or else !!!! "
Quandary wrote on Oct 26, 2008 10:18 PM:
" The people who were on the Vision 20/20 School Building Committee obviously were "do-gooders" who were not qualified. When will we stop the "do-gooders" masking as professionals. "
Been in there Recently wrote on Oct 26, 2008 9:34 PM:
" Any taxpayer who has been inside the building(s) recently must acknowledge the conditions there are unpleasant, to say the least. The computer labs at these two schools are ineffective, at best. The window air conditioners are a joke. They can't even keep a room cool in the evening. Heat? When has the heating system in either school been consistent? We have to vote yes on this referendum. Our kids and our future depend on it. "
really? wrote on Oct 26, 2008 9:11 PM:
" Have you ever looked at the inside of the high school? It is a DUMP! Children should not be in there, never mind trying to learn! Last month there was so much water leaking through the ceilings in one of the hallways that the students had about of foot of space to walk through because of the garbage cans collecting the water! The science labs are 30 YEARS OLD! Would you like working in a room that had not been updated since 1978? How do you think the kids feel? If you can afford a $355,000 house then you can afford $90 for the education of a child. "
Reality Check wrote on Oct 26, 2008 8:36 PM:
" I am not happy about this either. It seems as though there were high priority issues at the high school that should have been addressed before the beautification. However, what is done is done. The high school needs help, it is falling down around our kids. It is not a fine wine and will not get better (or cheaper) with age. Something needs to be done. Maybe we should have several different bonds with more targeted goals. "
unclesmedley wrote on Oct 26, 2008 8:21 PM:
" There is a stingy, selfish and obnoxiously overbearing element in this town that will not listen to reason as it pertains to adequately funding the school system.
They have made valid points in the past regarding questionable spending decisions and inadequate transparency on the part of the school system, but these matters have been addressed and the case has been made:
FIXING THE HIGH SCHOOL NOW IS THE CHEAPEST ALTERNATIVE AVAILABLE.
Moreover, the school system is the centerpiece of the community. It informs property values and elevates the caliber of our neighbors and the quality of our lives. Whether you never had kids, or they have grown, or they didn't grow up in this town, the health of our schools matters to us all.
Passage of this bond measure is not just sound fiscal policy, it a good first step in an ongoing war on stupidity in Westerly.
Vote yes on $30M today, or start saving to pay a whole lot more in the not-too-distant future--because this problem isn't going away, and it won't get any cheaper. "
They have made valid points in the past regarding questionable spending decisions and inadequate transparency on the part of the school system, but these matters have been addressed and the case has been made:
FIXING THE HIGH SCHOOL NOW IS THE CHEAPEST ALTERNATIVE AVAILABLE.
Moreover, the school system is the centerpiece of the community. It informs property values and elevates the caliber of our neighbors and the quality of our lives. Whether you never had kids, or they have grown, or they didn't grow up in this town, the health of our schools matters to us all.
Passage of this bond measure is not just sound fiscal policy, it a good first step in an ongoing war on stupidity in Westerly.
Vote yes on $30M today, or start saving to pay a whole lot more in the not-too-distant future--because this problem isn't going away, and it won't get any cheaper. "
Bradford Parent wrote on Oct 26, 2008 7:38 PM:
" The " Downtown Ritacco issue" will cost us this vote...that is sad..we are trying for all kids "
Thomas Pane wrote on Oct 26, 2008 7:12 PM:
" Let's not live in the past.
Use your head.
VOTE YES ON QUESTION 3. "
Use your head.
VOTE YES ON QUESTION 3. "
CC wrote on Oct 26, 2008 6:08 PM:
" Who are "these people"? Nobody is asking for a hand-out. Only to give kids a decent education.
"You people" are mean and ignorant. If the high school was not fixed up outside you would complain about that too!
Maybe the senior center should close and thise if us working adults should start advocating for less SS money taken out of our paychecks! Yeah that's it. "
"You people" are mean and ignorant. If the high school was not fixed up outside you would complain about that too!
Maybe the senior center should close and thise if us working adults should start advocating for less SS money taken out of our paychecks! Yeah that's it. "
b.good wrote on Oct 26, 2008 5:34 PM:
" Come on folks, everytime there is an election the town is looking for $$$ for the schools. I say NO WAY!!!, and you should too. "
No more taxes wrote on Oct 26, 2008 12:59 PM:
" Maybe the town should of spent the 1st referendum amount on their needs and not their wants. The need for all of theos trees, sidewalks, bus loops, parking, field renovation, fences, ect. superceded the inside needs, shame on the town "
mad as hell wrote on Oct 26, 2008 12:24 PM:
" VOTE NO these people alway's have there hand out. With the economy this bad and they want more. NO WAY!!!Learn to live within a budget like the rest of us have to. "
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