"We've Got a Lot of Work to Do"

This concluding remark to last night's Exeter meeting, made by the Board Chair, is unfortunately true, too true.

As might have been predicted, turnout was low, with less than 15 non-school citizen attendees. Good questions were asked, as they are just about always when concerned citizens attend. The roof design, the referendum timeline, the options for the gym, the parking configuration were all questioned.

Here's the big news of the evening. For most who attended, the delay of the straw vote -- announced at newschoolproject.info at 12:26 Wednesday afternoon -- was news. The previously scheduled Hearing and Straw Vote on January 4 has been postponed. This postponement probably means, as explained by the Superintendent, that the concept design, assuming it's approved when the Straw Vote is held, will come before the State Board of Education in February (likely date: February 14).

The District hopes to move the Referendum Vote to early to mid-March. Since Ripley Town Meeting is the first Saturday of March (March 3 in 2007) and Garland Town Meeting is the second Saturday (March 10 this year), can we expect presentations on the new school project at these meetings?