Letter to the Editor: Choose New School Committee Member Wisely

Hamilton resident Robert Sica writes with his take on the candidates for Hamilton-Wenham Regional School Committee.

To the Editor: If you prefer “budgeting by override” over fiscal responsibility… If you favor additional tax burden over controlled spending… If you prefer secret and illegal meetings to openness and transparency…. If you believe that $75 million in cumulative override costs (thus far) are preferable to efficient budgeting… If you prefer rudeness and obstructionism over cooperation and compromise… If you want to go back to the way things were rather than forward in the positive direction we are headed… …Then vote for the guy that used to be on the School Committee when our community was divided and spending was spiraling out of control. But if you want to keep moving forward as a community united in common and constructive goals, please …

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Jim Smith

2:38 am on Thursday, April 4, 2013

Anonymous is true freedom, Anonymous is the new revolution against the tyranny brought about by our police state and the Oligarchs who control Wall Street and the World Bankers who steal the value of our money. The federal government is no longer our government, no longer a government of the people and by the people. We no longer have representative government. It is people like the one's living …   more ›

Letter to the Editor: Great Strides Made in Eliminating 'Us-Them' Attitude

School Committee member Bill Dery writes about the collaboration between school and town officials and his run for the Hamilton Board of Selectmen.

To the Editor: Two years ago the citizens voted me in to the School Committee. From the start I have advocated that we need to remove the adversarial relationship that was prevalent at the time. I think with the first effort to collaborate with the town on maintenance, coupled with the new working School Committee relationship, got us started. We have made great strides in eliminating the old “us–them” attitude. Further, we the School Committee were elected as representatives of the community, of which we are an integral part. As Roger Kuebel has pointed out, this year’s budget reflects this change in relationship. I should like also to also point out the (Superintendent) Dr. (Michael) Harvey, through his due diligence, has cleaned up the …

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Jay Burnham

6:48 am on Tuesday, April 2, 2013

I've read and re-read the letter Bill submitted, and for the life of me I can not find where he refers to members of the School Committee as "You people". In fact, he says "we the School Committee". He also says, "we are an integral part" (of the community). He talks about nurturing "a level of trust". So the real question seems to be, Michelle... How are YOU correcting the divide? Serving on the…   more ›

Letter to the Editor: School Committee Candidates Have 'Unique Skills and Insights'

The chairman of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School Committee comes out in support of several candidates for the Committee in next month's election.

To the Editor: Two years ago the Town of Hamilton rejected the School Committee’s proposed budget at Town Meeting, a budget that did not have the support of either town’s Finance Committee. In that same month, Hamilton-Wenham voters sent a signal that they wanted change, electing three new School Committee members. Now, two years later, the School Committee’s budget has the unanimous support of both Finance Committees, as well as both Boards of Selectmen.  This success is the result of hard work, close collaboration between the School District and the towns, and a commitment to building trust between the leaders of all three entities.  The bottom line is that the cost to the towns has been reduced by over $1 million from its peak in fiscal…

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Jay Burnham

2:18 pm on Friday, April 5, 2013

And support it you did last night, in the final few minutes of your term on the School Committee. I was impressed when you said, in opening your statement: "I love the first Amendment. I love the Constitution." (all good there) But what most impressed me was what you said next, and I quote: "I'm concerned that if, for example, if Richard Boroff wins, that would create kind of a toxic atmosphere …   more ›

Candidates Night Planned for Contested Seats

The League of Women Voters has planned a candidates night for early March for candidates seeking contested local positions.

A candidates night is planned for early March so voters can hear from the local candidates in contested races, including the Board of Selectmen in both Hamilton and Wenham and the School Committee. The League of Women Voters of Hamilton-Wenham is hosting its annual Candidates Night on Wednesday, March 6 in the Multipurpose Room at Buker Elementary School in Wenham. In April voters cast their ballots in the election of local officials where three races are contested; the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School Committee and the Board of Selectmen in Hamilton and Wenham. At the Candidate's night, residents running for the these offices will have the opportunity to make a statement and answer questions posed by our moderator, other candidates and …

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Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on Feb. 14: Speak Out on School Budget

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Thursday, Feb. 14. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Clouds: Thursday is forecasted to start cloudy with an increasing chance of sun coming out later. Temperatures should again get up into the 40s. 2. Pool: The second of two open forums to talk about the Patton Park pool is coming up on Thursday afternoon. The forum will be at 1 p.m. in the meeting room at Hamilton-Wenham Library where the pool committee wants to hear from the public what it would want in a new aquatic facility at the park. 3. Chocolate: The 11th annual Salem So Sweet, Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival had originally been planned to wrap up on Thursday, but due to last weekend’s blizzard it has been extended through the coming …

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Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on Feb. 7: Basketball Game Rescheduled in Advance of Storm

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Thursday, Feb. 7. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Sun: Thursday will be the calm before the storm, with partly sunny skies and temperatures in the 20s. 2. Read to a Dog: Is your child learning to read? A great way to strengthen their reading skills is to read to a dog. Tessie, a certified therapy dog, will be at Hamilton-Wenham Library on Thursday from 4-5 p.m. for kindergarteners through third graders to read to. Sign up ahead of time at the children’s desk. 3. Girls Hoops: The approaching snowstorm has forced Friday night’s Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School girls basketball game to be rescheduled to Thursday night. The post-season bound girls team takes on Newburyport at home, with the JV game…

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Schools Should Not Count on Additional State Money from Tax Increase

State Rep. Brad Hill has cautioned local school leaders not to count on any additional state funding in fiscal 2014.

School leaders should not plan on any increase in state funding in the coming year, state Rep. Brad Hill has told the School Committee. Hill said the additional $44,000 that would come to the regional school district Other communities on the North Shore are slated for “huge increases,” Hill said. For example, the plan calls for $500,000 more for Ipswich, where Hill lives. While Hamilton-Wenham’s increase is rather small, Hill warned that they School Committee should still not plan on the money right now. “A lot of those dollars are related to raising a lot of taxes,” Hill said. Typically, Hill’s message to the School Committee’s in his district is that the governor’s proposed budget is the ceiling for possible state aid. But this year, he …

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Anne Sweeney

2:00 am on Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Reid told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that "without any question," more revenue needs to be part of a follow-up deal. "The American people are on our side," he said. "The American people don't believe in these austere things. We believe that the rich should contribute. We believe we should fill those tax loopholes - get rid of them, I should say. And that's where we need to go." With Democrats …   more ›

Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on Jan. 14: Free Bruins Tickets

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Monday, Jan. 14. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Warm: Monday’s weather forecast serves up a mix of all sorts – above all it will be warm, with a high temperature close to 50 degrees. The day will start out with fog and clouds and the sun is expected to come out in the afternoon. It will also be gusty. 2. Bullying: Elementary parents on Monday night will get a look at the new anti-bullying program that is being adopted in the schools, called Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. The evening session, which starts at 7 p.m. at Buker Elementary School, will introduce the program and go over baseline data collected in October. 3. Bruins: The return of professional hockey has some people excited, while …

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Letter to the Editor: Schools Need Plan Before Making Any Cuts

A Buker Elementary School parents writes with her opinion about the fiscal 2014 school budget.

To the Editor: I am just hearing, as many others are, that there is a request from the two towns for the School Committee and (Superintendent) Dr. (Michael) Harvey to cut $500,00 from the school's budget, due early February. It sounds like cuts are going to be made at the high school level and could result, for one, in larger class sizes as a result of scheduling changes. I know we are proud of our current high school's ranking but we need to remember that our ranking is an aggregate achievement and not a single year's efforts. Our district attained that ranking by having a strategy, forethought, commitment, an accurate and sound budget and consistency in leadership that was in line with the community's standard for quality education. I …

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Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on Jan. 3: Pan-Mass Challenge Registration Opens

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Thursday, Jan. 3. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Freezing: Thursday morning is expected to be the coldest start to the day in a year, with temperatures not forecasted to even get all that high during the day. The sky will be sunny, the high temperature will be in the mid-20s and the wind chill will be as low as -5 degrees. 2. Sky Watch: The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks in the early morning hours of Jan. 4. Your next chance to spot a meteor is to look north (and a little east) and find the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) then look farther north (which would be roughly "up" if the Big Dipper were holding liquid). The constellation Draco ("Dragon") has a "head" of four bright stars that look a little bit …

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