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| Region 12 residents voiced their comments, questions and concerns about plans for a consolidated elementary school and repairs to Shepaug Valley Middle High School at a public hearing on Tuesday, March 4. (Rodriguez photo) |
by Loumarie I. Rodriguez
BRIDGEWATER-ROXBURY-WASHINGTON — Region 12 residents voiced their opinions and concerns at a public hearing and the Board of Education special meeting that followed on Tuesday, March 4, regarding plans for repairs to Shepaug Valley Middle High School and the consolidation of the region’s three elementary schools.
Following a discussion between board members and some confusion regarding wording, the school board voted during the special meeting to amend the language in the Region 12 consolidation plan.
The board scheduled another public hearing for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at Shepaug Valley Middle High School to discuss the proposed amendment to the Region 12 consolation plan
A second special meeting of the board will take place immediately following the public hearing to discuss changes in the language of the ballot question and officially set a referendum date.
The board approved designs and costs for the project to consolidate the region’s three elementary schools into one school and to repair the middle high school. Some of the wording differs from the motions approved at the board’s meeting on Monday, February 24.
The board’s bond counsel, Glenn Rybacki of Day Pitney, LLP, advised members to change the language in order to have every detail listed.
The first part of the public hearing regarded the plans of to repair Shepaug school and the consolidation. The public was able to express concerns and asked questions directly to board members and architects about the projects.
“My intent is to take what everyone has to say tonight into account,” said Chairman James Hirschfield.
A few residents said the board was attempting to put the cart before the horse. The board, they said, should not have prepared plans for a consolidated school. There were accusations that the consolidation plan is agenda-driven.
Board members defended their decision by detailing the fact that the region is losing people fast.
Superintendent Dr. Patricia Cosentino reminded those present that there are only four kindergartners registered at Burnham School for the 2014-15 school year. One of the kindergartners, a staff member’s child, is not from the region.
Julie Stuart of Bridgewater, co-chair of Save Our Schools, questioned the language of the ballot question. She referred to the language originally approved in June 2013 and said it provided better clarity of the project compared to the new language.
“The board decided to take that clarity out of the question,” said Ms. Stuart. “It made the question very open-ended and not tell voters what we are actually changing to and that was on the advice of their attorney.”
Gary Brochu of Shipman and Goodwin, LLP, the board’s attorney, said there is an issue of flexibility required for the region’s situation because of the need to remove language in the 1967 consolidation plan that requires each town to have its own elementary school.
He also said that according to a State Supreme Court ruling, voters need to agree to remove the wording in the plan about an elementary school in each town before the project can move forward.
“So clearly any questions, if you are going to amend this plan including consolidation, would have to remove those two sections and I don’t think anyone is disputing that,” said Mr. Brochu.
“The point of the referendum is not to so much inform voters, but to change the text of the plan.”
Gary Lord of Roxbury said that it might be wise to keep the change in the ballot question language so options would be available for the region.
Other concerns brought forward by residents were the impact of taxes if the region goes undertakes the project.
Barry Bernabe of Webster Bank, who is assisting the region with the tax impacts, said the project would have little impact on the region.
Anthony Amato of Washington, a strategic planning and operations management professional, showed graphs that displayed how little impact the project would have for residents’ taxes.
Three to four years after completion of a consolidated elementary school and when the older schools are no longer in use, residents will start seeing the savings.
“The district has low debt so they [residents] won’t feel the impact, because any new debt will be mitigated and softened by the run-off of the district’s existing debt,” said Mr. Bernabe.
The region pays about $1.47 million a year for operational costs which consist of electricity, staff and other factors needed for the three elementary school to function, Mr. Bernabe reported.
He said with one school, the region can save millions of dollars.
He also explained that interest rates are at an all time low. The region’s bond ratting is AA+ out of a score of AAA, the highest score a region can receive, meaning the interest rates on the project’s bonds will be low.
During the second part of the public hearing, board member Valerie Andersen talked about specific savings with a consolidated school, reporting that with a consolidated school, there would be a 39 percent reduction in Pre-K to Grade 5 staffing and a 27 percent reduction in direct operational costs.
Board member Michelle Gorra addressed the busing situation since some residents were concern about long bus rides. She said bus routes have been mapped out and the longest ride is about 45 minutes.
When one resident argued that would be too long for a young child, Ms. Gorra responded that when the REACH program was at the high school, the children, ages 3 and 4, rode buses from all three towns with no problems. Parents, she said, had no problems either.
During the Board of Education special meeting after the public hearing, the language was discussed further.
The board voted to schedule a second public hearing after members decided to remove “Elementary grades K-5 remain in their present home town schools” that appears on page two of the consolidation plan.
That wording will be replaced with “a Pre-K to 5 consolidated elementary constructed on the Shepaug campus.”
Also, “In the proposed plan, the lower elementary grades, K through 5, will remain in their respective home town schools,” has been deleted from page five of the plan.
The board also approved plans submitted for the consolidated elementary school building and the repairs to Shepaug Valley Middle High School.
Following a discussion between board members and some confusion regarding wording, the school board voted during the special meeting to amend the language in the Region 12 consolidation plan.
The board scheduled another public hearing for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at Shepaug Valley Middle High School to discuss the proposed amendment to the Region 12 consolation plan
A second special meeting of the board will take place immediately following the public hearing to discuss changes in the language of the ballot question and officially set a referendum date.
The board approved designs and costs for the project to consolidate the region’s three elementary schools into one school and to repair the middle high school. Some of the wording differs from the motions approved at the board’s meeting on Monday, February 24.
The board’s bond counsel, Glenn Rybacki of Day Pitney, LLP, advised members to change the language in order to have every detail listed.
The first part of the public hearing regarded the plans of to repair Shepaug school and the consolidation. The public was able to express concerns and asked questions directly to board members and architects about the projects.
“My intent is to take what everyone has to say tonight into account,” said Chairman James Hirschfield.
A few residents said the board was attempting to put the cart before the horse. The board, they said, should not have prepared plans for a consolidated school. There were accusations that the consolidation plan is agenda-driven.
Board members defended their decision by detailing the fact that the region is losing people fast.
Superintendent Dr. Patricia Cosentino reminded those present that there are only four kindergartners registered at Burnham School for the 2014-15 school year. One of the kindergartners, a staff member’s child, is not from the region.
Julie Stuart of Bridgewater, co-chair of Save Our Schools, questioned the language of the ballot question. She referred to the language originally approved in June 2013 and said it provided better clarity of the project compared to the new language.
“The board decided to take that clarity out of the question,” said Ms. Stuart. “It made the question very open-ended and not tell voters what we are actually changing to and that was on the advice of their attorney.”
Gary Brochu of Shipman and Goodwin, LLP, the board’s attorney, said there is an issue of flexibility required for the region’s situation because of the need to remove language in the 1967 consolidation plan that requires each town to have its own elementary school.
He also said that according to a State Supreme Court ruling, voters need to agree to remove the wording in the plan about an elementary school in each town before the project can move forward.
“So clearly any questions, if you are going to amend this plan including consolidation, would have to remove those two sections and I don’t think anyone is disputing that,” said Mr. Brochu.
“The point of the referendum is not to so much inform voters, but to change the text of the plan.”
Gary Lord of Roxbury said that it might be wise to keep the change in the ballot question language so options would be available for the region.
Other concerns brought forward by residents were the impact of taxes if the region goes undertakes the project.
Barry Bernabe of Webster Bank, who is assisting the region with the tax impacts, said the project would have little impact on the region.
Anthony Amato of Washington, a strategic planning and operations management professional, showed graphs that displayed how little impact the project would have for residents’ taxes.
Three to four years after completion of a consolidated elementary school and when the older schools are no longer in use, residents will start seeing the savings.
“The district has low debt so they [residents] won’t feel the impact, because any new debt will be mitigated and softened by the run-off of the district’s existing debt,” said Mr. Bernabe.
The region pays about $1.47 million a year for operational costs which consist of electricity, staff and other factors needed for the three elementary school to function, Mr. Bernabe reported.
He said with one school, the region can save millions of dollars.
He also explained that interest rates are at an all time low. The region’s bond ratting is AA+ out of a score of AAA, the highest score a region can receive, meaning the interest rates on the project’s bonds will be low.
During the second part of the public hearing, board member Valerie Andersen talked about specific savings with a consolidated school, reporting that with a consolidated school, there would be a 39 percent reduction in Pre-K to Grade 5 staffing and a 27 percent reduction in direct operational costs.
Board member Michelle Gorra addressed the busing situation since some residents were concern about long bus rides. She said bus routes have been mapped out and the longest ride is about 45 minutes.
When one resident argued that would be too long for a young child, Ms. Gorra responded that when the REACH program was at the high school, the children, ages 3 and 4, rode buses from all three towns with no problems. Parents, she said, had no problems either.
During the Board of Education special meeting after the public hearing, the language was discussed further.
The board voted to schedule a second public hearing after members decided to remove “Elementary grades K-5 remain in their present home town schools” that appears on page two of the consolidation plan.
That wording will be replaced with “a Pre-K to 5 consolidated elementary constructed on the Shepaug campus.”
Also, “In the proposed plan, the lower elementary grades, K through 5, will remain in their respective home town schools,” has been deleted from page five of the plan.
The board also approved plans submitted for the consolidated elementary school building and the repairs to Shepaug Valley Middle High School.
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