Category Archives: POSTS, COMMENTS, VIDEO AND AUDIO

Hmmm, The Kent Board seems to be on to something here…..maybe a crack in the foundation? Reply

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An excerpt from the Republican-American today

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/11/04/news/local/681535.txt

(full story available at above link)

KENT — The Region 1 school district is debating whether three-year administrator contracts should be adjusted annually. The All Boards Chairmen Committee of the region, which serves Canaan, Cornwall, Falls Village, Kent, Salisbury and Sharon, asked its members to survey their local school boards determine if members want to change the process. The Kent Board of Education weighed in Thursday. The Region 1 Board of Education will likely address the question at its meeting at 6 p.m. today. The region currently maintains three-year contracts for each of the five administrators paid through the central office, also known as the Regional School Services Center. Because each contract includes salary figures for only one year, the contracts are revised yearly.
After the Region 1 budget was defeated, the administrators voluntarily agreed in May to forego the extension so the current contracts expire June 2014. The budget was approved May 31.
Kent’s board discussed hav­ng a more formal process for the multiple-year contracts that would include a timetable of raises similar to the one used in teacher contracts. Member CiCi Nielsen said that she supported setting the salary for more than one year because reopening the contracts creates such public discourse, discussion and disagreement. “It gets tiring,” she said. Chairman Paul Cortese noted that the ABC Committee and the Region 1 board have done nothing wrong by granting a one-year extension to the contracts each year, but he listened as board members said they didn’t want to get into salary discussions every year. Member Allan Priaux said that a three-year contract would make it easier for towns to plan ahead. Member Dana Slaughter said she didn’t think a one-year contract was fair and said renegotiating extensions did not seem to be a good use of time.
Others in the region are looking closely at the wording of the contracts. Patricia A. Mechare of Falls Village has all five contracts for this year and the previous one and has noticed some changes in wording that she thinks were done without board approval.

Gale C. Toensing, the town’s represen­tative to the Region 1 Board of Education, has filed a griev­ance with the Statewide Grievance Committee of the State Bar Counsel against Region 1 board attorney Gary Brochu 1

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From this mornings Republican-American
FALLS VILLAGE — Gale C. Toensing, the town’s represen­tative to the Region 1 Board of Education, has filed a griev­ance with the Statewide Grievance Committee of the State Bar Counsel against Region 1 board attorney Gary Brochu alleging his representation shows a lack of professionalism and competency and that he has failed to perform due diligence in carrying out his duties.
She believes that despite his assurance he represents the board, he appears to represent the superintendent. Brochu, of the firm of Shipman and Goodwin, said he had no comment on the matter.

Full story at this link

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/10/18/news/local/677424.txt

 

From this mornings Republican-American…..Will Kent come in to the 21 Century? 3

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KENT — Residents who turn out for Thursday’s town meet­ing to discuss the idea of chang­ing the town’s representative to the Region 1 Board of Educa­tion from an appointed to an elected position will now be voting on the proposal. First Selectman Bruce K. Adams said Monday the select­men changed the town meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday to include wording for a vote on the issue.
Resident Edward Epstein submitted a petition with the required 50 certified signatures to Town Clerk Darlene F. Brady on Oct. 1. The Board of Selectmen discussed the issue and set the date the next day, with a plan to have just a hearing first, fol­lowed by a vote in January.
A special selectmen’s meeting was called Oct. 4 to further clarify the wording on the meeting notice.
Adams sent out a notice to the town by email Friday to alert townspeople of the town meeting and that it was being called to “discuss and vote on making the Kent representative to the Region 1 BOE an elected position.” The change to an elected position would require alteration of a town ordinance. “If the vote is affirmative, an ordinance change will be brought to the annual town meeting in January,”
The Kent Board of Education has said it opposes the change. Members stated Thursday evening that they are happy with the current setup with an appointed representative. Jonathan Moore has served as the representative for over two years. Four of the six towns in Region 1 — Canaan, Falls Village, Salisbury and Sharon — have elected rep­resentatives. Only Cornwall and Kent continue to appoint their representatives.

Take A Letter Maria…. Reply

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At last nights Region One Board Of Education meeting, Chair Phil Hart of  Cornwall read a letter into the record from five of the 6 First Selectmen in the region. It is interesting to note, the 5 First Selectmen who signed the letter have NEVER been to a board meeting in the year and a half we have been attending the meetings. The only regular First Selectman to show up at the meetings…Falls Village, and they did not sign the letter. Marshall Miles pointed out to the board that just because concerned citizens show up and voice their discontent with certain board actions and the apparent dysfunction of the board (which, by the way, was noted by the Assistant Superintendent in the Waterbury Republican just yesterday), does not mean that they do not wish the same success for the students, board, administration, and district. as a matter of fact, it shows their concern for the operation of the system.

Region One Community Forum, Cornwall, CT September 28 Cornwall Library Reply

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When you click on the video clip, a message will come up, please click “watch on YouTube! Thanks.

A great turnout, a positive meeting! Great job Ed! As you will see, Phil Hart just does not get it. And, as long as that is the case, the Three Musketeers who almost 100% of the time vote with Phil YES on everything the administration presents, will continue to decide everything BEFORE hearing the public input. Let us hope that will change.

Republican American storu on last nights PUBLIC FORUM on Region One Reply

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Here is a link to the Republican American’s story on last nights public forum on Region One

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2012/09/29/news/local/672930.txt

 

About 60-70 people representing every town in the region (except North Canaan) attended the meeting. Video of the meeting will follow on the catv6 YouTube page, adn also be posted here.

 

BY BRUNO MATARAZZO JR.

REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

CORNWALL — A forum set up to air concerns over the administration of Region 1 school district didn’t resolve any underlying issues on Friday but it did generate a consensus: Let’s meet again.

Edward Epstein, a resident of Kent and a former longtime principal of Kent Center School, set up the meeting because he feels like dealing with the regional board is like “talking to a wall.”

“You say what you say and somebody says thank you. I never hear another word,” Epstein said.

The meeting was held at Cornwall Library and residents from Region 1 school district — Falls Village, Cornwall, Sharon, North Canaan, Salisbury and Kent — central office adminis­trators and local and regional board of education members packed into a meeting room.

While no future date was set, Friday’s meeting was civil and there was no yelling or shouting but there were loud groans after Philip Hart, chairman of the Region 1 Board of Educa­tion, offered up his opinion on what “code words” to look out for.

“We’re frequently accused of not listening and we don’t understand,” Hart said. “Those are code words. Let me tell you what you mean: ‘We don’t agree with you.’ The fact we don’t agree doesn’t mean we don’t lis­ten.”