Wood Shop Scuttles No Tax Hike
Voters at the Barrington Financial Town Meeting voted 68-65 to add $144,000 back into the school budget to try to save wood shop at the middle school; nickel tax hike approved.
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Forget about no tax hike in Barrington next fiscal year.
A slim majority of voters at the annual Financial Town Meeting Wednesday evening in the high school auditorium supported a motion to add $144,000 back into the proposed no-tax-hike budget to try to save wood shop at the middle school.
Now they will wait and see if the School Committee puts the wood shop program back into the budget after cutting it several weeks ago. There was no guarantee offered by the School Committee.
The vote in favor of adding more tax dollars to the school budget was 68-65 – a recount of an initial 61-52 vote in favor of wood shop. A second standing vote was taken when one voter said tellers counted some people twice. Moderator Julia Califano asked for a recount. It didn't change the result.
With the passage of the motion, taxpayers will see the tax rate go to $18 per $1,000 of assessed value – up about 5 cents from the current rate. For a home with a $300,000 assessed value, that means a $15 tax hike.
The addition of the $144,000 to the school budget raises the total municipal, schools and capital budgets to $62.07 million. The schools budget is $44.7 million; the municipal budget is $16.61 million; the capital budget is $745,500.
The vote on the wood shop motion came after a parade of supporters followed William and Kari Banas, who introduced the motion, to the microphone. Perhaps no one was as supportive as Ken Jackson, of Lincoln Avenue, who put his money where his mouth was.
Jackson donated $100 to the school budget specifically for the wood shop.
“Wood shop opened up a whole new world for me,” said Jackson, who described himself as a less than outstanding student as a young teen. He went on to earn a mechanical engineering degree, Jackson said.
Ann Strong of Teed Avenue, a member of the Planning Board, said: “It would be a travesty to remove wood shop.”
Scott Douglas of Rumstick Road, said: “A five cent increase underwrites the value of your property. It maintains the reputation of the schools.”
Joel Hellmann, of Richmond Avenue, said: “It isn’t all about computers and calculus and AP classes."
Nancy Morrissette, of Ferry Lane, described wood ship as “a life skill for our children. It’s a nickel for our kids.”
“You are also compromising the robotics program,” said Sarah O’Brien, referring to the shuffling of a wood shop teacher with more seniority to robotics while laying off a colleague.
Superintendent Robert McIntyre said: “He will have to be retrained.”
Kathy Cadigan reminded voters that the School Committee does not have to spend the $144,000 on wood shop if it sees a more valuable venue for that money.
School Committee Chairman Patrick Guida said: “We made that cut without enthusiasm, just as we cut a reading specialist and a special education teacher as well. If the money would come in, we would certainly take the vote into consideration.”
No guarantee, though, that the School Committee will save wood shop. Indeed, every member of the School Committee voted against the motion.
“Do you really think that this money is best spent on wood shop?” asked Town Councilor Bill DeWitt.
Numerous voices rang out with an aswer: “Yes!” Moderator Julia Califano had to ask for silence.
Using some of the built-in surplus in the school budget was suggested by John Fitta of New Meadow Road.
“If you’re not going to listen to the Committee on Appropriations, move some money from the surplus to operations,” he suggested.
“Every year a lightning rod comes up, usually in the school budget,” said Tim Sweetser of Roberta Drive, the vice chair of the appropriations committee. “This is about asking the School Committee to rein in expenses in one year.”
The COA did not suggest that the wood shop be cut, he said. The School Committee did that.
“Go to the next School Committee meeting and ask them to find a way to raise $144,000,” Sweetser said. “We’re asking only for no tax hike.”
Cadigan prefaced the COA’s report to the town meeting by saying that “I have the honor this evening of delivering the delightful news that, pending your approval this evening, there will be no property tax increase of any kind in Barrington” in the next fiscal year.
Supporters of wood shop at the middle school scuttled that goal. There will be tiny tax hike after all.
Townie
6:09 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
New year, same result- taxes increase. This year wood shop, next year another new cause for a few parents to rally behind that the sheep will vote for. Groundhog day in Barrington.
Manifold Witness
6:45 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Angelina! Brad!
68 votes rule Barrington.
If this article was about a 3rd world country,
there'd be a clamor for reform.
Townie
7:05 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
The vast majority of voters did not show as it was understood that there would be no tax increase this year. Seniors cannot sit through the hours of nonsense. Teachers and special interest groups always show up in force due to the backpack express. 68 voters deciding the will of a community is a joke. Sad commentary on how things get done in Barrington, the land of deep pockets.
Gary Morse
7:10 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Missing from this debate was the central issue that salary and benefit costs have placed us into the position of cutting such programs.
Included in last nights handout was a report on the central issue that some teachers still in the longevity pay increase category are at $94K per year in this coming fiscal year, with most in the high $80's. That does not include the costs for a rich benefits package.
Even if there is a $0 pay increase in the next contract, we still face the step and longevity payments that will be budget busters.
Taxes are on the rise in the coming years.
Joel Hellmann
9:24 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Gary-Thank yo! that is the issue! also the constant surplusses the schools run. They pick a popular program and parents don't want to see it go and support it. My tax increase on an average Barrington house will be $20.00 per year. I spend more taking the family to the kozy kitchern for breakfast.
This is a diversion.There are big issues to tackle. this is peanuts, don't get caught up worrying about it. go after the contract that is where the money goes!
Mom22
6:31 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Barrington schools are rated number 1 in the state of RI for a reason - the high quality teachers! Property values are what they are because of the great reputation of the schools. Yes, the teacher's salaries may be higher in Barrington than in other towns but I would say we are getting what we pay for! This is proven year after year in state testing and in our property values.
Gary Morse
8:07 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Mom22,
As a "mom", I'm surprised that you give zero credit to engaged parents who check homework, instill values, and provide a learning environment that makes teaching in Barrington a desired place to be.
Scott Clark
9:12 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Well on that, I actually think of that as implied. A lot of people I've talked to who've relocated to Barrington in the last two years have chosen the town *because* of the schools. It's not like chose to live hear for the nightlife :)
Maybe I'm giving parents too much credit. But I feel like making a life choice based on education for your kids can be associate with parents being active in the process to a degree that they can be, rather than shipping the kids here for the schools and hoping the come out scholars all on their own ;)
Concerned
9:06 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
68 votes decided for the community. That is the fact and the only thing sad about it is that only 125 people bothered to show up to the meeting. That's about 1% in a town with about 11,000 registered voters!
The argument that voters failed to show up because they thought there would be no tax increase is vacuous. The proposed increase was as well publicized as the initial budget and probably more so. Anyone who has ever attended a TFM knows that proposed changes, both up and down, can happen and people are concerned about potential impact they need to get to the meeting.
Perhaps this will be a wake up call for the thousands of residents who never bother to show up to the school committee meetings. There is usually only a core of 4 - 6 people who attend regularly yet plenty of people squak and holler when something happens that they don't like. There's a simple solution for people who are unhappy with last night's results. Show up. Call or write the school committee. Make your voices heard! Until more people take part in this process, we will continue to see issues that impact everyone being decided by a few.
Manifold Witness
9:45 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Respectfully, "Concerned", it may, rather, be considered vacuous to argue in favor of continuing the antiquated FTM because "anyone who has ever attended a TFM knows" how the process works.
That’s the problem.
Only about 1% of the voters "know" about the FTM process and/or can make it to that kind of a vote-a-thon.
Only about 1% of the voters can make the personal investment that it would take to be able to tough it out and get a vote in the process, given the way the process currently works.
To label any reason for lack of attendance as “vacuous” is very disrespectful to the 99% who simply cannot – for whatever reason – make it through the grueling process known as the Barrington Financial Town Meeting. (There is no truth to the rumor that the next big 38Studios game has a working title of “FTM-Last Voter Standing”.)
Clearly, it's time to change the process that is used to vote on $62,070,000 of expenses in a town with 16,300 people.
That’s $3808 per PERSON.
$15,232 per family of four.
And for every family of four that is NOT paying $15,232? Someone else is making up the difference.
The woodshop is not the only thing that isn’t “up to code”.
Concerned
10:23 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
MW, I will respectfully disagree with your argument that over 10,000 registered voters "cannot" sit through a 2 1/2 hour meeting and "cannot" stop by the town clerk's office to submit a proposal.
There may be over 10,000 residents who "will not" make the effort and a very small number due to other commitments or restrictions who truly cannot make it, but to say 99% cannot do it is simply making excuses for the majority who will not be bothered to get involved.
Townie
10:15 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
There are many things that need to be addressed from the abolishment of the quaint marathon financial town meeting easily hijacked by special interests and resolved by the ever accurate head count to the control of the bloated school system; the tail that wags the dog. With dwindling students, an economy that continues to stall, and financially strapped citizens everything should be on the table. Sports cuts (middle school, freshman football, etc.), teacher layoffs as well as associated aides, school bus monitors,for older students, raises (not for the foreseeable future), longevity raises (get rid of them), etc. Real world, what will happen? Nothing. The schools are too powerful with parents afraid that their precious darlings will be adversely affected by any cut, no matter how slight. The result? Folks moving to Barrington to educate their children and moving out when the students graduate. Retire here? With the onerous tax burden, absolutely not if one is not extremely well off. It's a shame.
Concerned
10:37 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Townie, While I may disagree with your position on the abolishment of the FTM, I completely agree that we need to address the reality that our current trajectory is insustainable. Health plans for teachers and staff need to be revised and either put out to competitive bid or modified to raise employee contributions just like everyone in the private sector. Sports programs cannot continue to be untouchable and "teaching to the test" must be addressed before we are too far down a path that produces more students who can score well, but can't do much of anything else!
Why do we need to pay for a sports trainer at the high school when we have skilled coaches and staff? Why do we need to pay for a volunteer coordinator in the lower grades?
As long as the focus is on test scores and maintaining the reputation of being "the best" at all costs, the School Committee and Administration will continue down the path of gutting everything but sports and areas that are specifically tested.
Manifold Witness
11:02 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
A 2 1/2 hour meeting to get to a vote obviously doesn't work. Objectively, it's seems ridiculous.
Folks commenting here have stated legitimate reasons as to why the system doesn't work.
No one has offered even one good reason to continue the current system.
A quick, private voting process is long overdue.
Concerned
11:42 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
It has been said that the purest form of democratic governing is practiced in a Town Meeting. In use for over 300 years in America and still today, it has proven to be a valuable means for many to voice their opinions and directly effect change in their communities.
A quick, private voting process without the opportunity for dialogue would hinder the public's ability to be informed of the details of the matter being voted upon. The purpose of the FTM is to ensure that all residents have the opportunity to be heard and to have their questions addressed with respect to the proposed spending.
I agree that better methods should be sought for making the proceedings that lead up to the FTM more accessible. Perhaps live webcasts of the COA and School Committee meetings with the opportunity to submit questions via the web or phone call would be helpful. We can always do better and I welcome any change that enables a more informed citizenry to more actively particpate in shaping the decisions that affect all of us.
Manifold Witness
12:16 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Yes, of course, many wonderful things have been said over the course of 300 years.
Many of those things are still thought to be sound concepts. Unfortunately, the FTM isn’t one of them.
Voting in a quick & private manner is not inconsistent with the concept of public participation in shaping the decisions that impact all of us, especially in this electronic age where much discussion takes place in the comments of the online news sites.
(While we’re at it, let’s take a moment to applaud those who work to get the information out to the public – the Appropriations Committee, the Patch Editors, etc. Let’s not forget to mention those like Gary, Joel, Cyndee, Marina, etc., who comment & blog with an eye to supporting their opinions with facts – it takes a great deal of time & effort to produce a factually supportable comment or blog.)
Obviously, the quaint, old FTM does not serve the purpose in today’s world.
For whatever reasons, folks are not willing to attend a 2 ½ meeting if that’s the established prerequisite to the right to participate in the vote.
It is time to recognize and come to terms with the fact that folks just are not going to participate in ye old FTM.
It would be wise to switch to a modern system that would facilitate voter participation.
Scott Clark
1:08 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
While I totally support a change in the system (per other recent discussions), I do think people are showing they're not going to wait for that to counter a bad plan either. And that's hugely important because so many decisions being made are small in nature but only big when the pattern is identified after the fact.
The wood shop being saved at the cost of three lattes per year is fantastic! Sure only 130 people showed up, but that was quite likely WAY more than would have shown up if it wasn't reported here and B-times and actively talked about between neighbors.
Each and every little thing that comes up throughout the year can't afford 100 volunteers canvasing all neighborhoods. But getting *enough* people out is a valuable goal and worthy achievement. ANY involvement that brings balance to issues is good involvement.
Does getting this increase obfuscates WHY this increase was needed at all (bloated policies, surpluses in other categories, salaries in general)? Sure. And will this set a precedent for them to come back next year to threaten to cut a music or physical education program unless we up the taxes another "three lattes a year"? Probably.
But that's only because there's multiple battles on multiple fronts at any given time. No single solution will solve everything, and all long term solutions come into focus WHILE micro decisions are being made.
Kudos to all!
Manifold Witness
1:21 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
To clarify, Scott, if the FTM is replaced with a "drive-by" private vote, it would still be necessary no more frequently than the FTM is convened in any given year -usually once.
Big financial challenges are looming in the next budget go 'round.
It's time to start planning for that.
Scott Clark
2:12 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Good points. What would be the best way to:
1) Keep track of all the little things that are being planned for the next budget
2) Trying to get a drive-by voting system established in time
I agree now's the time to get started!
Manifold Witness
6:31 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Didn't the ACLU scuttle woodshop because the school needs $126,000 of the $144,000 to balance the budget?
Keeping track of the planning for the next budget:
1. Keep an eye on what boards & committees are planning & discussing and try to put a $$$ number to each plan, be it for capital items or for expenses. Another question to ask in regard to every plan: Does this come with new annual expenses that will roll forward into future years? For example, as to projects like Police Cove Fantasy Land & the new beach house- even if some of the capital is funded with grants, will there be annual mainenance? How much? Staff? etc.
2 Watch performance as the year unfolds - are expenses headed to come in on budget?
3. Watch contract negotiations. They have a big impact.
4. Attend the Appropriations Committee meetings right from the beginning of their process because they have the town & school dept in to present budget proposals to them. You learn a lot through that process. The Appropriations Committee is where the "tracking all the little things" comes together into the proposed budgets.
For the voting process to change - probably a Petition to the Town Council soon to get the process started. Or maybe the Town Council will do it sua sponte.