Needs, Conflict and Opportunity: The Vote on Sudbury's Country School
Jay Merluzzi (Sudbury)
In addressing the town meeting in Sudbury on the fate of Sudbury's Country school, I would like to suggest that the vote should center on "needs" only. In times of conflict and tension around a decision, if the underlying needs of all parties are addressed, the issue can be adequately resolved. In times of conflict, if the underlying needs are not addressed, it is inevitable that the tension leads to anger. Anger is not a way to take a position and ultimately a town vote. In priority, here are the needs:
1. Students: Students need a comfortable, excellent academic atmosphere and need an adequate number of students in their school for socialization and learning. These needs are not met with the present student enrollment. This, I believe, may also be true for a school very close by, The Whiting Elementary school.
2. Parents: Parents need to know that their children are receiving a good education and that their children are well prepared to enter a larger school which is inevitable (e.g. Otter Valley) with the adequate social skills and exposure to activities (e.g. sports etc).
3. Taxpayers: The citizens of Sudbury should know what the liability is for their pocketbooks. In addition, the citizens should weigh whether not having an elementary school in their town is the best alternative in the long run. A small town like Sudbury simply has homes and a school. A school in a small town, more often than not, is a plus to property values and in the future (albeit not in this recession) a plus to homeowners.
These are the needs. How can we address them with a solution that meets all? I suggest re-visiting the merging of Sudbury's and Whiting's elementary schools with a sharing of both buildings. While this has been voted on in the past, the votes were based largely on emotions and not on needs. The schools are very close to each other and this option addresses all the needs but leaves out emotions and self-serving agendas. While tuitioning out students may address the student's needs and some parent's wishes, it does not address all the needs. And, tuitioning out students may save some money immediately but seems to be a "wash" in the long run.
If one can leave behind the world views, emotions and personal agendas, the merging of the Whiting and Sudbury schools makes the most sense for students, parents and taxpayers.
Thanks!
Jennifer
Larry tells me that his email capability is down, so I'm hoping this
"piggyback" onto Jennifer's email will reach "the list of local folks".
Sudbury Congregational Church is organizing an Antique Appraisal and
Silent Auction. The date is Thursday evening, August 12, 2010 at the
Sudbury Meeting House. Antique Appraisals will begin at 7 p.m. with Jim
Marquis of Wallingford, VT doing verbal appraisals. The cost is $5.00 for
one item or $10.00 for three items. No inflation here! These are the same
fees as the 2008 appraisal event we held!
The committee will be there and ready to go by 6 p.m. so come early and
browse the silent auctions! There will be refreshments for sale too.
If anyone has an item from your business or personal crafting that
you'd like to donate to the silent auction, please contact either Beth Brown
Limmer or Cathy Sgorbati. We appreciate your support!
Thanks,
Beth Brown Limmer
> Just a reminder:
>
> Sudbury Town-Wide Yard Sale
> August 21st from 8a-4p
> Town Green
>
> Donations welcome for bake sale table, proceeds to benefit the Meeting
> House Renovation Fund
>
> Bring your own table, set up, and sell your stuff!
>
> Please tell your friends, neighbors, and anyone else who might want to
> come to a great yard sale!
>
> Any questions, please call or e-mail Jennifer Brown: 802-623-6352.
>
> Thanks!
Sudbury Town-Wide Yard Sale
August 21st from 8a-4p
Town Green
Donations welcome for bake sale table, proceeds to benefit the
Meeting House Renovation Fund
Bring your own table, set up, and sell your stuff!
Please tell your friends, neighbors, and anyone else who might want
to come to a great yard sale!
Any questions, please call or e-mail Jennifer Brown: 802-623-6352.
Thanks!
Please come and join the students and staff at Sudbury Country School
for a Thanksgiving meal at the School on Tuesday, Nov.17th at 12noon.
(We thought we would give you a little recovery time before you sit
down to your dinner at home!) We will have fresh Vermont Turkey with
all the fixings, good coffee and great company. This is a free
dinner, just for fun and to share with our neighbors.
As an added treat, the kids are having a Scholastic book fair on the
same day. Its a great way to pick up some Christmas gifts in a
relaxed shopping venue. Stop by and check out the selection!
And, if you are in the mood on Monday night, Nov 16th,between 6 and
8pm, we will be at school preparing for the next day! Feel free to
stop by and peel some potatoes, or join us for a cup of tea and a
visit. It will be fun!
Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all can come and share some good fun
with us!
Friends of Sudbury School
(any questions, please contact Colleen Wright (opsarge@earthlink.net)
If we did it on the green, we could have a bake sale, too...
Thoughts?
I was feeling the need to divest in the "stuff" that has accumulated
in our years at our house, and am thinking of planning a town-wide
yard sale for some time in mid- to late August. Anyone else
interested? Make a few bucks, and clean up your home by getting rid
of things you don't need!
Leave me a comment or send me an e-mail (jennb33@gmail.com) if you're
interested, and what date would work best for you - August 15 & 16 or
22 & 23.
Thanks!
Jenn Brown
From: Vermont Natural Resources Council <jmiller@vnrc.org>
Date: Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Subject: URGENT: Help Protect Vermont's Farms and Forests
Dear VNRC members, activists and friends,
We need your help.
The Legislature is considering a policy that would undermine a crucial land conservation program that supports Vermont's rural economy. Attempting to fill a budget gap, lawmakers are looking to make a significant and sudden shift in Vermont's long-standing policy to protect and enhance our world-renowned farms, forests, and working landscape.
Undoubtedly, the state must make very difficult decisions about how to balance a budget in these challenging economic times. But targeting a program that contributes over $4 billion to Vermont's economy is counterproductive.
Lawmakers need to hear right now from Vermonters like you who care about the future of our farm and forestland. Please contact Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, House Speaker Shap Smith and your legislator. Leadership especially needs to hear that Vermonters want to protect this program.
Vermont would be a drastically different place without the Current Use Program. The program has helped conserve approximately 15,000 properties by taxing them at their "use" value — their working value — not their development value. This has not only helped keep 2 million acres, or one-third of Vermont's total land area intact, but keeping this land in production has contributed billions to our rural economy.
The Legislature is moving swiftly to cap the applicability of the program based on the value of one's property. If a parcel of land is valued at more than $4,000 an acre, a landowner will need to pay taxes on the development value above $4,000 even though the land is conserved through the Current Use Program.
Multi-generation farms and forests owned by hard working Vermonters would be affected by this provision and it would unfairly tax landowners who are land rich and cash poor in areas that happen to have high property values, a move that runs counter to the stated goals of the program.
Legislators who are negotiating this deal need to hear loud and clear from constituents that they should NOT cap the current use program. Please contact your legislator today!
Peter Shumlin, Senate President Pro Tem — senprespt@leg.state.vt.us or 828-3806
Shap Smith, Speaker of the House — speaker@leg.state.vt.us or 828-2245
Your legislator
Call and leave a message for legislators at the Sergeant of Arms office at 802-828-2228. Make sure to leave your name, town of residence and phone number with your message.
For more information on what you can do to help or on the Current Use Program in general contact VNRC Forest Program Director Jamey Fidel at 802-223-2328 ext. 117 or jfidel@vnrc.org or click here.
Thanks for your help on this important issue!
Sincerely,
The VNRC Team
