At this evenings selectmen meeting, the chair, John Columbus stated it was a matter of law to appoint the director of building and grounds of NRHS to the school building committee. So I look it up and this is what I find on the website of MSBA:


__________________, MSBA Project Coordinator Massachusetts School Building Authority 40 Broad Street, Fifth Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02109 Dear _____________________: In accordance with 963 CMR 2.00, attached for your review and approval is the membership of the School Building Committee for [insert here] School located in the Town of XXX/City of XXX/XXX Regional School District. The Committee was formed in accordance with the provisions of all applicable statutes, local charters, by-laws and agreements of the Town of XXX/City of XXX/XXX Regional School District. Committee Members include the following:

then look at MA 963CMR 2.00, I find this:
(3) School Building Committee. (a) The Eligible Applicant shall formulate a school building committee for the purpose of generally monitoring the Application process and to advise the Eligible Applicant during the construction of an Approved Project. (b) he school building committee shall be formed in accordance with the provisions of the Eligible Applicant’s local charter and/or by-laws and it is recommended that the city, town, regional school district, or independent agricultural and technical school make a reasonable effort to include one or more of the following individuals: the local chief executive officer of the Eligible Applicant, or, in the case of a town whose local chief executive officer is a multi-party body, said body may elect one of its members to serve on the school building committee; the town administrator, town manager, or city manager, where applicable; at least one member of the school committee, as required by M.G.L. c. 71, § 68; the superintendent of schools; the local official responsible for building maintenance; a representative of the office or body authorized by law to construct school buildings in that city, town or regional school district, or for that independent agricultural and technical school; the school principal from the subject school; a member who has knowledge of the educational mission and function of the facility; a local budget official or member of the local finance committee; members ofthe communitywith architecture, engineering and/or construction experience to provide advice relative to the effect of the Proposed Project on the community and to examine building design and construction in terms of its constructability. 963 CMR: MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY

does not seem to be a requirement of the law at all, so why say it is. Perhaps the chair has just taken what has been told to him without actually checking it out, of course that requires time and effort. Perhaps the chair is a willing partner in this charade, I do not know. But I do know this, it would be better to not lie to residents, especially while being recorded.

Jeff Bennett