The school bond issue for the addition of classroom space, cafeteria, energy and safety upgrades may be partially necessary. Safety is imperative. All aspects of this issue should be addressed immediately. The School Board should have corrected these issues as they became known. This includes fire sprinklers, electrical panels and lock down devices. The board replaced the gym floor and some windows as the need arose.

Energy savings is another reason for the bond. I’m all in, but I never heard a word on the cost savings this would create. Are we insulating for nothing? How do we measure the savings? Is the oil budget next year going down? Is the electric bill going down?

Very large single pane windows that extend above the suspended ceiling are in the 1934 building. No thought of replacing these hugely inefficient windows was planned. The corrected heating system will just run continuously. Where’s the savings?

An option to send students to another middle school was turned down by the School Board without a proper vetting of the issue. Did we get a cost estimate? Would another school take our students? Is transportation possible and at what cost? All I heard was wild guesses. Four classrooms could be freed up by sending the 7th and 8th grade students to another school. The opportunities at a dedicated middle school far outweigh what’s available at our school, ie: Lab’s, music, language arts and greater athletic competition. I found as a young person this experience was a stimulant to learning, changing classrooms every 45 minutes with all new classmates and instructors. Socializing with other groups, grows character. Maybe this will improve the statewide assessment tests.

Such a large project, with a flat or projected lower student enrollment needs more study. This is not ready for primetime. I believe the estimate from the architect is almost two years old by the time bids are solicited. What will happen if there’s a price increase that isn’t covered by the bond? Who decides what is eliminated? Can you build half a cafeteria?

The School Board refuses to split the bond issue into segments that the town could vote-on, on an individual basis i.e.: Safety, Energy savings, additional classrooms, cafeteria. This all or nothing approach, makes a taxpayer nervous. Everybody wants to keep students safe, but we want options. Not all or nothing!

It’s my understanding that the committee was not unanimous. What was the vote and the reasons for descent?

Twenty-five percent of the population of this town is over age 65. Most are head-of-households. This is a huge burden to a fixed income person. Are we forcing the elderly to sell? I think this bond should be withdrawn and resubmitted when the committee can inform the electorate on these issues. Let the townspeople decide.

Education is the most important thing a young person can get. Opportunity, experience, and inspiration make good students.

John Bourdon