"Saying the Town could pay the full amt. was out of line, in my opinion"
Could the above comment be one reason people do not attend town meeting? Is that why some wish a paper ballot at town meeting, so no one sees how you vote?
How is someone speaking their opinion or thought about an issue at town meeting out of line? Oh, I know, sometimes you have to be a team player, except when that does not jive with my opinion. Perhaps a better approach is after that was stated, get up and ask moderator for explanation or clarification. Better yet, stand up and state you disagree with the statement that the town has the funds to pay school assessment and then make your case. That is an approach right out of town meeting times. Town meeting is the legislative body of the town and all registered voters are allowed to attend and speak, their thoughts or opinions should not have to follow any "party line".
Interesting times on face book; critique a member of say, advisory committee, concerning their actions or statements in official capacity and that is a personal attack; criticize a resident stating their thoughts at town meeting and that is a personal opinion. Well now, we sure are in interesting times. Remember, if say, selectmen talk about being a team player, that is bad, but at town meeting, you need to be a team player.
Speak of interesting times, we here on Partridgeville Road are singing, we have some new drainage pipes going in. Seems like the highway superintendent has an interesting theory; before you spend thousands of dollars on paving a road, you replace/upgrade things under the road first, so you do not have to dig up a newly paved road to do it after the fact. What a concept.
We can have free lunch for all kids at all schools, if you wish to pay for it, as in increase in school funding.
What is "Free Cash"? Well, it certainly does cost to get it, your tax dollars come first and then they are "assigned or appropriated" to go towards certain things; paper, pens, salaries, heat, lights and on and on. At the end of the year (fiscal year or after June 30) what ever is left from those allocated dollars or if more dollars come in than expected, all of that equals so called free cash; in other words, not appropriated or assigned to any specific purpose. Technically, unassigned fund balance.
It varies from year to year.
It varies from year to year.
Seeing a number of people, some with the authority to know,had spent the last hour trying to explain to a very unhappy School Committee why there was not enough money available to pay them the money they wanted, I was actually shocked when the Advisory Committee Chairman stood up and said we had the funds. I was shocked, and upset ! It is apparent that he has little or no understanding of all the reasons why we should not give it all to the schools. It would have been better if he had waited to speak with his committee before he dumped the idea on everyone in the room. What do you think the School Committee members think ? That the Town is withholding money ? You and I know that is not the case. The learning curve has a ways to go, apparently.
ReplyDeleteI will say this in defense of Mr. Dejoy. He stood at the Mic, not sitting at Advisory Table and in his introduction, He introduced himself and Tony Dejoy of ### Street not as the Advisory Committee representation, spokesperson or even member.
ReplyDeleteI to was a little taken aback, but Mr. Dejoy has a personal right to interpret the information as he sees fit, God knows most others do.............
This is why I believe we need to follow a set of procedures when speaking to the voters that help citizens understand exactly who is speaking.....Citizen or Official?
My thought, if you are an Advisory Board Chairman, people would naturally think you what you are talking about. Hopefully this was a teaching experience.
ReplyDeleteI understand that Bev and many would see it just that way. It needs to be clearer, I agree.
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