By Pattie Pacella, Neighb News Correspondent
The Acushnet Selectboard met on October 28, to review the Warrant Articles slated for the Special Town Meeting on November 14. With 15 articles to review, Selectboard chairperson Kevin Gaspar said he believed the meeting would be less than 90 minutes, but it went to nearly two hours.
Mr. Gaspar stated the first article and also the main focus for the Special Town Meeting was to approve the article for the roof repair at the Acushnet Elementary School. School Department Business Manager Kristin Flynn explained the process that she stated started two years ago.
Ms. Flynn said many studies and consultants have stated that the original section of the Elementary School roof “is on borrowed time.”
She said the MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) has awarded Acushnet $1,334,232 for the project with the balance coming from Acushnet taxpayers. The total project cost for the 67,000 square feet of original roofing, is $2,570,759. The town will need to pay the costs and then will be reimbursed by the MSBA. Town Meeting will be asked to authorize borrowing the full amount.
After the project is finished and paid for, about $1 million will be bonded by the town. Town Meeting could then vote to lower the bond amount using free cash or other revenue sources. The bond will be spread out over 15 years and paid out of the solar fund.
Mr. Gaspar stated his main concern was the escalating prices of lumber and materials in the past few months due to the pandemic.
“I’m concerned if bids come in dramatically higher than what we are expecting, I’m not sure where the project will stand,” said Mr. Gaspar.
The board voted to approve the article to Town Meeting.
The Selectboard also reviewed an article with the School Department on updating the school’s curriculum.
Superintendent Paula Bailey stated the School Department has had curriculum audits and studies and the curriculum is outdated in all areas. Curriculum Director Kerri Stowfield stated the article targets reading and science.
Mr. Gaspar stated he was unsure how they started funding a curriculum out of articles versus the School budget. He said that Acushnet right now does not have all the funds available to go around.
He added that he was disappointed to hear that Acushnet students have only a 65% efficiency rating all the way up to the seventh grade.
“In my world of philosophy, if I spend a dollar I expect my return on my dollar and I’m not so sure that is happening, especially when we hear that students are reading at only a 65-70% efficiency rating,” said Mr. Gaspar.
He asked why they should spend the money now versus the spring when the children are potentially back in the classroom.
Ms. Stowfield stated it was her professional opinion that students were accessing the curriculum on site and on digital platforms currently to access their learning both at home and at school.
“DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) has firm mandates for school learning and Acushnet is committed to providing this uninterrupted learning experience,” said Ms. Stowfield. “And we need to have digital access to make that happen.”
Selectboard member, David Wojnar stated he too would like to see this discussion slated for the Spring budget and Town Meeting.
Mr. Gaspar asked how often the curriculum is updated and Dr. Bailey said it had not been done in years.
“Well that’s shameful too,” Mr. Gaspar stated. The reading deficiencies are very troubling to me.”
Mr. Gaspar stated he felt they might not be able to fund everything they were asking for. By the end of the meeting, the Selectboard had decided there they could find $77,000 to put toward the school department’s request.
In other business, the Selectboard heard from Town Planner Henry Young for a $15,750 request to prepare the 2021-2031 Master Plan for the Town of Acushnet.
Mr. Young reviewed his request in funding a new master plan as the last Master Plan was completed in 2008.
Mr. Gaspar asked if the $15,750 was asked to fund his salary additionally or to use to pay whatever work is necessary to put into the Master Plan.
Mr. Young stated it was requested to add to his salary to put the work into the Master Plan.
Mr. Gaspar stated he was “One hundred percent against spending an additional $15,750 to supplement your income.”
He said that Mr. Young gets a base salary of $36,000 and an additional $11,000 in the Selectboard’s budget for “special projects,” and perhaps the Master Plan should be considered a “special project.”
Mr. Gaspar added that he has not seen or heard of anything that Mr. Young has done in the last several years to earn the $11,000 as a special project.
“So to ask for an additional $16,000 to an already salary of $47,000 for a part-time Town Planner makes absolutely no sense to me,” Mr. Gaspar said.
Mr. Young explained that communities usually hire a consultant to put together their Master Plan, and that is usually outside the realm of the Town Planner. He said a master plan is a monumental project and a worthwhile one to move the town forward.
Mr. Gaspar argued that there are people working for the Town on a full-time basis at forty hours a week that make $40,000 and yet Mr. Young is asking for a $60,000 salary and is only part-time .
“I see this as a huge problem,” Mr. Gaspar said.
Mr. Wojnar stated he was looking at it from a different point of view and explained the history behind the part-time Town Planner position.
He said he was previously on the Selectboard when they hired the part-time planner and then put in the additional money in their budget if there were special projects that came up that the Selectboard wanted the Town Planner to do.
Mr. Wojnar stated that the previous Master Plan was very well written and has been a great document for the Town of Acushnet to move forward with. He said he was in favor of a good project and thinks the Town needs it.
Mr. Gaspar stated he was not opposed to the master plan but he did not feel there was a need to pay the additional $16,000 to Mr. Young.
Mr. Desroches stated he did not know what the alternative was.
Mr. Gaspar stated he would rather see the Master Plan under the “special project” line item of $11,000 as they have already been paying Mr. Young.
“What are you getting for your $11,000 now,” Mr. Gaspar asked.
“You are getting a part-time planner,” Mr. Wojnar said.
“We can agree to disagree,” Mr. Gaspar said.
Mr. Desroches and Mr. Wojnar agreed to move the article forward to Town Meeting to allow Town Meeting to decide.
“No disrespect, Mr. Young, but I’m a ‘no,’” Mr. Gaspar said.
The Selectboard planned to meet briefly on Wednesday, 11/4, at 10:30 a.m. to discuss reducing the Town Meeting quorum due to the pandemic.
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