Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Narragansett Regional School Committee forms a District Re-Organization Advisory Committee. One purpose of this committee will be to help guide the administrative team and school committee shape a vision for the future of the NRHS district.
Within this letter, which was distributed through the Town office, as was explained to me. The school committee wished the committee to be made up as follows;
1 school committee representative from each district town (Templeton & Phillipston)
1 select board member from each town
1 community member from each town
1 teacher from each school (5)
1 UFCW member from each unit (cafeteria, secretary, paraprofessional)
1 member from each town's Advisory/Finance committee
Town Administrator or equivalent from each town.
Here in lies my concern; Templeton Advisory Committee did not receive the invitation/notification; not a phone call, no email, no letter, which would or should have come by way of town hall, as in the board of selectmen's office. I found out by way of a newspaper article and then contacted the school district.
There was a deadline of sorts within the original letter; December 11, 2017.
My conclusion is this was a deliberate move to leave Advisory Committee out of the loop and make it appear Advisory did not care or was not paying attention. ( I suppose it could have been a lapse because of the holidays approaching ) :) I draw this conclusion based on past actions by the current town administrator and board of selectmen. Games, plain and simple, as in those calls for resignation and bogus open meeting law violations, which after much bluster and newspaper coverage, never went anywhere. The responses from the Advisory Committee were never appealed to the attorney general's office. Selectmen Fortes stated at a recorded meeting "that we have to be the adults here." - Then he posts a tweet of himself doing a face first plunge into a swimming pool with a beer in hand, now that is an adult!
I was at the BOS meeting when mention of the creation of this district committee was stated and that the district was looking for a member of the board of selectmen to serve on it, no mention of Advisory Committee, even as I sat there at that meeting. Sorry boys and girls, I am now on that committee! I thank the Narragansett School district Committee and the superintendent of school.
Within this letter, which was distributed through the Town office, as was explained to me. The school committee wished the committee to be made up as follows;
1 school committee representative from each district town (Templeton & Phillipston)
1 select board member from each town
1 community member from each town
1 teacher from each school (5)
1 UFCW member from each unit (cafeteria, secretary, paraprofessional)
1 member from each town's Advisory/Finance committee
Town Administrator or equivalent from each town.
Here in lies my concern; Templeton Advisory Committee did not receive the invitation/notification; not a phone call, no email, no letter, which would or should have come by way of town hall, as in the board of selectmen's office. I found out by way of a newspaper article and then contacted the school district.
There was a deadline of sorts within the original letter; December 11, 2017.
My conclusion is this was a deliberate move to leave Advisory Committee out of the loop and make it appear Advisory did not care or was not paying attention. ( I suppose it could have been a lapse because of the holidays approaching ) :) I draw this conclusion based on past actions by the current town administrator and board of selectmen. Games, plain and simple, as in those calls for resignation and bogus open meeting law violations, which after much bluster and newspaper coverage, never went anywhere. The responses from the Advisory Committee were never appealed to the attorney general's office. Selectmen Fortes stated at a recorded meeting "that we have to be the adults here." - Then he posts a tweet of himself doing a face first plunge into a swimming pool with a beer in hand, now that is an adult!
I was at the BOS meeting when mention of the creation of this district committee was stated and that the district was looking for a member of the board of selectmen to serve on it, no mention of Advisory Committee, even as I sat there at that meeting. Sorry boys and girls, I am now on that committee! I thank the Narragansett School district Committee and the superintendent of school.
No Name,
The discussion about labor negotiations which I am also the representative for (for both boards of selectmen) is not the same. The labor negotiations is a subcommittee (I believe) to do collective bargaining. The BoS representative as stated by statute is allowed to sit in on executive session and has a responsibility to inform both boards of actions that are not publicly disclosed until after the negotiations have taken place or so was explained to me thus far. This reorganization committees, which is another committee that I am a part of, is a committee made up to determine how the new school system will function. For example, grade 5 has the possibility to be moved out of the Middle School and into Templeton Center which also means that Phillipston would need to receive 5th grade students as well. This isn't nearly as simple as it sounds because it could raise all sorts of potential issues such as busing, equal education opportunities, staffing, etc that wouldn't be seen by the School Committee alone. So they formed an advisory committee that was made up from equal members from both towns to explore the financial and political impact of reorganizing the districts to make sure they are agreeable to both communities before being placed into action.
Hope that answers your questions and always feel free to email me with any questions or message me on Facebook and I would be happy to supply any documentation that you need, answer any questions, or point you to subject matter experts.
Respectfully yours,
Cameron Fortes
Selectmen.Fortes@Templeton1.org
The discussion about labor negotiations which I am also the representative for (for both boards of selectmen) is not the same. The labor negotiations is a subcommittee (I believe) to do collective bargaining. The BoS representative as stated by statute is allowed to sit in on executive session and has a responsibility to inform both boards of actions that are not publicly disclosed until after the negotiations have taken place or so was explained to me thus far. This reorganization committees, which is another committee that I am a part of, is a committee made up to determine how the new school system will function. For example, grade 5 has the possibility to be moved out of the Middle School and into Templeton Center which also means that Phillipston would need to receive 5th grade students as well. This isn't nearly as simple as it sounds because it could raise all sorts of potential issues such as busing, equal education opportunities, staffing, etc that wouldn't be seen by the School Committee alone. So they formed an advisory committee that was made up from equal members from both towns to explore the financial and political impact of reorganizing the districts to make sure they are agreeable to both communities before being placed into action.
Hope that answers your questions and always feel free to email me with any questions or message me on Facebook and I would be happy to supply any documentation that you need, answer any questions, or point you to subject matter experts.
Respectfully yours,
Cameron Fortes
Selectmen.Fortes@Templeton1.org
No Name & Anon,
To my understanding the District Re-org committee is an advisory committee to the School Committee and the School Admins. Attached is a link when we established it. There is a letter in the packet from the School Committee of its charge and purpose.
http://www.mytowngovernment.org/01468?content=http%3A//www.mytowngovernment.org/meeting%3Fmeeting%3DahNzfnRvd25nb3Zlcm5tZW50LWhychkLEgxNZWV0aW5nTW9kZWwYgICAsrmgxAkM
Regards,
Cameron Fortes
To my understanding the District Re-org committee is an advisory committee to the School Committee and the School Admins. Attached is a link when we established it. There is a letter in the packet from the School Committee of its charge and purpose.
http://www.mytowngovernment.org/01468?content=http%3A//www.mytowngovernment.org/meeting%3Fmeeting%3DahNzfnRvd25nb3Zlcm5tZW50LWhychkLEgxNZWV0aW5nTW9kZWwYgICAsrmgxAkM
Regards,
Cameron Fortes
So, who is the we and they? Which was it, school committee forming the reorganization committee or was it the selectmen forming it?
Since the reorganization committee will be reporting to the school committee, I think the answer is plain.
And no, I do not worry about getting labeled inappropriately. Perhaps I have my stone tablets mixed up. Did they have stone tablets in the stone age? Might have to jump into the time machine and go find out. Now, is who on first base or is he pitching?
The conspiracy to do what exactly ? Hide a meeting in a small town ? Where you possibly know everyone who is in attendance some even thru direct contact on a weekly basis ? I like the comment by Village Savant as that sums this blog of personal insults, false information example : home prices and even the amount of children In ones district - easily checked by the way thru multiple state agency cites. Comments about allowing only property owners to vote - that right there ! a century when Americans were denied their basic rights as citizens that view is abhorrent and immoral and should be roundly condemned in the strongest possible terms. Especially from someone like a veteran who defends the Constitution 1st. Yet, not a peep on that but others trying to bring up Meals on Wheels, education of kids or asking a simple question like do you know the link for ? That person gets called out as being unintelligent. - You sir don’t mind being “ labeled “ you shouldn’t be so cavalier ( big word I have a dictionary ) Whatever respectful dialogue I was looking to have surely is not here.
ReplyDelete“ What is asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence. “ Hitchens
Take a chill pill, Cam.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, like the veteran who will not allow people to speak at a public meeting ? Or puts citizen comments at the beginning of the meeting, if at all ? Thank goodness the Constitution is bigger than little people who think being a chairman of a committee gives them a right to stop all comments. This behavior has effected me, and others. If you do not agree with the people on the blog, you are free to stop reading it. I will stand up for our veterans any day as my dad was one, but using that position to stop discussion is not acceptable, as long as the discussion is within the bounds of the subject. Simple as that. The people in this town deserve better. My opinion, Bev.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion madam is just as valid as yours. The chairman with his board as in any committee determines their operational guidelines within the rules by which they operate. This current selectboard has always to my knowledge allowed public comment and questions. Why would the timing of a comment period be of any more or less important to the meeting.
ReplyDeleteDoes ever board have a comment period at the end? If that is the case I can see why you have some objections but if it’s not it’s just another strawman argument.
Finally, yes by all means defend the constitution and the veterans who are sworn to defend it as well.
I will defend our veterans and the Constitution ! Saying that people who have power have a choice ! They can use it wisely or abuse it ! I think you get the picture. Bev.
Delete