tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post5049897776635002943..comments2023-10-17T22:56:42.784-04:00Comments on Only in The Republic of Amherst: Override Post MortemLarry Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-60711107556679959942007-05-04T06:09:00.000-04:002007-05-04T06:09:00.000-04:00Hey Izzy,Well as you know, like Sylvester Stallone...Hey Izzy,<BR/><BR/>Well as you know, like Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky, they will be back (although they will not be in as good shape). Fortunately, because of Eric the Rat’s lawsuit the town does not hold elections in the summer so we're safe until the Fall.<BR/><BR/>Hey James,<BR/>Yes Town Meeting approves the budget but now we have a group that has gotten their attention (and most of us are Town Meeting members). The Amherst Citizens for Responsible Change will offer a package of cuts, redirections and some money from the $4.3 million we have stashed in reserves.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-15205104514774701022007-05-03T23:38:00.000-04:002007-05-03T23:38:00.000-04:00Hey Lar, this is great news! I didn't think there ...Hey Lar, this is great news! I didn't think there was enough people left in Amherst with that much commonsense. I stand corrected. Congrats on the victory.TCChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16229761783409159724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-33074531766146314302007-05-03T14:07:00.000-04:002007-05-03T14:07:00.000-04:00(new here, hi)I am looking forward to seeing the o...(new here, hi)<BR/><BR/>I am looking forward to seeing the other shoe drop - Town Meeting has to approve the budget, which should make for some interesting wrangling.<BR/><BR/>When I was a town meeting member in another town in Mass the school budget was worked out between the finance and school committees, and submitted to TM as a package. We could not, as a practical matter, open it up - although a faction would always try to knock out a few items just to show they cold do it.Xenoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07102195851970595827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-26162417258886725912007-05-03T10:08:00.000-04:002007-05-03T10:08:00.000-04:00Yeah, what’s funny is that Mr. Churchill IS the LE...Yeah, what’s funny is that Mr. Churchill IS the LEADER of the school committee. Kind of a "we have met the enenmy and he is us" routine. <BR/><BR/>Of course he was directing his ire at the Select board and town manager, but he’s as much to blame as anyone since he's in charge of the schools that consume the lions share of the town budget.<BR/><BR/>My wife, who only starting paying attention to politics a few months back when she was appointed to the Town Commercial Relations Committee (doesn’t hurt to be an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship) thinks the Override results demonstrate that the School Committee, Finance Committee, Town Manager, and three-fifths of the Select board are out of touch with the voters. <BR/><BR/>And they are cheerleaders for a select group. The town manager cheers for the Select board, the School Committee cheers for the schools, and the Finance Committee seems to cheer for anybody but the taxpayers.<BR/><BR/>I hate to say it (as Amherst has more committees than bees have buzz), but we need to form a Financial Task Force comprised of CRITICAL-thinking, business-minded individuals who will work for the taxpayers.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-21372241912804917392007-05-03T08:48:00.000-04:002007-05-03T08:48:00.000-04:00I've been waiting for you to comment on our school...I've been waiting for you to comment on our school committee chair saying, "We've got no money and we really don't have any leadership." It's interesting that the yes side blames the loss on parents not turning out even though we did. They still don't realize how many parents are not satisfied with how they are running the schools, mostly the middle school. I've heard suggestions that maybe they should do a survey but that would probably cost us another $30,000 or so.marydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03602654618005921631noreply@blogger.com