Keyser: School Committee OKs Budget Figure

It's time for the rain to give up and allow summer to begin. We don’t need any more more rainy weather in this area.

In events and such happenings in both towns, with the to reflect the amount of $500,000 back to the towns, the need for a Special Town Meeting in Hamilton is no longer needed.

In a vote taken at the School Committee meeting on Thursday evening, a proposal was offered by the acting school head, Peter Gray, to recertify the school budget and change the giveback figure to $500,000. The board, after several comments from members of the board on why they were supporting the new motion, the entire board then voted to accept the new motion.

One hopes that the school board members will heed the feeling of not only town officials, but voters in both towns, that the school budget was “over budgeted” and that this amount was owed back to the towns.

If down the road in next year’s budget process it is found that there will be a shortage of funds to operate the schools, then this board can come before the town officials and state that they need a hand to fund the school system.

Now that the school issue is over, we find the next big news is up in Wenham where much - about its size, shape and size, among other details. The location is set to be on part of what as know as the car barn lot.

One does get the impression that maybe too many folks seem to have their say in this ongoing saga of the design and future of the war statue, and all these comments sort of muddy the business at hand.

Also, it would appear that the Board of Selectmen is pushing this project to get it completed shortly, before another year passes.

And speaking of the Wenham Selectmen pushing, this same board seems to be trying to get the committee studying the Iron Rail property for a report. Members of this board want to hold off, as information about adjacent property being sold is unknown and could have bearing on the Rail property. The feeling from most town folks is that there is no need to rush a decision about what to do with this valuable town property.

And with the school budget issue settled, now it's time for the School Committee to work on the operational audit and report on what measures they will take to save funds, as outlined in the audit report.

A word of warning to the School Committee chairman regarding the broadcast of meetings on cable TV - make sure the microphone is off as you sit there waiting for meeting to start. A “sharp” comment was heard just before a recent board meeting, which went out on the air. It doesn’t give a very good impression of folks in elected positions.

That’s all, and the green worms have gone and left the bare limbs of tree.