At the most recent A.B.C. Meeting in Cornwall it was revealed that a new contract was negotiated by former Region One Board Chair Phil Hart of Cornwall, with the knowledge of  current Board Chair  Jonathan Moore of Kent that resulted in an average raise for the new administrative contract (the principal and assistant principal at the high school, the director of pupil services and the supervisor of special education) of 8.3%!

Now, mind you, spending money on a principal and assistant principal that are great leaders IS a great investment into the education of our children. The problem here is that the former and current chair of the Region One Board of Education kept these numbers hidden from not only the current board members, but from the A.B.C. as well until the meeting in Cornwall. For months we have heard the former and current board chair demand that any “shared service” goes first to the A.B.C. and then the A.B.C. passes on its advice to the Region One Board. WIth the director of pupil services and the supervisor of special education included in these raises that is exactly what should have happened according to Hart and Moore’s constant pleading to the board and public.

Well it did NOT happen, and at the meeting in Cornwall according to a story in the Litchfield County Times,  “the ABC Committee members expressed mild pique that they had not been made aware of the agreement before it was accepted by the Region 1 school board at its October meeting.” A video of this meeting can be viewed at the following link.

These figures were kept from public knowledge by both Moore and Hart with the blessing of the Superintendent.  Why did Moore, Hart and the superintendent keep these figures from the board, the A.B.C. and the public? How about the fact that they were concealing those numbers until AFTER the last budget vote. It seems that the “million dollar expense” each year now for 6 positions, and the fact that  fiscal news for some district towns like Canaan, which sends the largest number of students to the high school can expect to see tuition fees rise by another $171,000 next year, and the dollar figure in Sharon will also be up. Do you really think that North Canaan would have voted YES on the Region One budget last vote with this information? Do you really think that Sharon’s vote would have been as close as it was?

Yes, we NEED to invest in educators! But NO we do not need a board that is not honest and open with the public! Those numbers should have been put on the table, shown to the A.B.C., shown to the Region One Board, and shown to not only the public, but to the area towns Boards Of Finance as well BEFORE the last budget vote. When will the public finally say to the current board chair, the former board chair, and the superintendent that enough is enough?

Well, it’s now time for taxpayers to say to the board and the superintendent, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.