Vote: 199-37 for Fern Road Site!
Good article in today's Bangor Daily News on last night's straw vote meeting. I'll supply the link when it becomes available online. It's now available here and here. Read the whole thing!
There was just a bit of a reunion-type atmosphere as people who hadn't seen each other for oh, say about a month, greeted each other and caught up on the latest.
Here's a good quote from the article:
Although the letter undoubtedly helped the pro-site effort in the short term, it may create problems in the future. It remains to be seen whether the State Board of Education will condone such an action, of course. More importantly, referendum voters may see it and the lack of publicity and information -- to this point -- as part of a pattern of cynical manipulation.
Here's an important point made by Jim Bunn last night:
The District has issued a call for volunteers for various committees.
We urge those committees to do their work in public, with published agendas (well before the actual meetings) and timely minutes and report-back sessions. In spite of the flawed (tainted?) effort to date, it may be possible to win the public over with a more "open" approach.
Today's a new day. We need a new school. Don't let the effort be controlled by the "win at any cost" mindset. Let's take steps to make sure it's the community's school.
There was just a bit of a reunion-type atmosphere as people who hadn't seen each other for oh, say about a month, greeted each other and caught up on the latest.
Here's a good quote from the article:
District employees and their families who helped pack the house had received a personal invitation to attend from SAD 46 Superintendent Kevin Jordan in a letter dated July 25. Jordan asked that district employees make every effort to be present.Remember, you read about the letter here first!
Although the letter undoubtedly helped the pro-site effort in the short term, it may create problems in the future. It remains to be seen whether the State Board of Education will condone such an action, of course. More importantly, referendum voters may see it and the lack of publicity and information -- to this point -- as part of a pattern of cynical manipulation.
Here's an important point made by Jim Bunn last night:
"The biggest thing is the public has been left out...the board has not given us enough time to think about it...The best thing to do is vote this down and continue the conversation."While last night's crowd was in no mood to vote down the site, it's hard to see how too many citizens could oppose continued conversation.
The District has issued a call for volunteers for various committees.
We urge those committees to do their work in public, with published agendas (well before the actual meetings) and timely minutes and report-back sessions. In spite of the flawed (tainted?) effort to date, it may be possible to win the public over with a more "open" approach.
Today's a new day. We need a new school. Don't let the effort be controlled by the "win at any cost" mindset. Let's take steps to make sure it's the community's school.
posted by PP | 7/28/2006 06:27:00 AM
2 Comments:
Awe come on Mel. The vote and mood last night was strongly in favor. I estimated that no more than 1/3 of the crowd is district employees. There were a lot of people there that have no other interest other than getting a better school for this district. if you deduct the 1/3 (my estimate)of the attendance that was district personnel,(from both te yeahs and the few nays) it was still an overwhelming vote in favor.
Regarding Jum Bunns comments, as usual he slurred the truth about what has occurred over the last 15 years we hav been talking about this project. One comment of interest that Jim made was about Steve Blatts comment about no walkers, we dont have walkers now at the current hill top location, and I dont believe that too many kids walk to Garland and Exeter. And all of Exeter and Garland kids are bussed to the hill now (except those riding in cars). So in Jims smoke filled world, his comment about "energy" etc. will be no different now than it will be with the new location.
Several of Jims comments were also wrong and i think the crowd clearly understood the difference between Jims world and the rest of ours.
There never will be a solution that will satisfy all parties in this process, we have to take the best that we can get that satisfies the majority of the people voting for it. There has never been a school constructed that satisfied all constituents, but we move on. I dont support all of the things that the U of Me systems does, but i dont go camp out at there Trustee meetings and accuse them of mismanagement.
Get over your self and support this project as you did when you were the Board Chair!
I keep hearing references made to the fact that there are no children walking to or from the current schools on the hill. Where are you people looking? I see at least 50 kids walking to or from school each day during the school year. Due to our home being so close to the current schools, my child has been walking for the past year to and from school. The only times that she doesn't walk is during bad weather and even then I see quite a few children walking. What the issue is surrounding the walkers is a mystery to me. Children have been walking to school for years. Whether it's because they live within a certain mile radius from the school or they just want to, they walk. If it's such a big deal, why doesn't someone make the effort to get the correct numbers regarding the walkers. Then at least there can be a well informed discussion with CORRECT information!
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