Notes From The Old Noank Jail

As we approach Monday May 2nd and the Referendum Vote, here is a brief update on items that are new along with some that have been reviewed previously, relating primarily to Phase II.

Some of you may have noted the recent letters and articles, pro and con, in the local papers. In today’s DAY, they favored Phase II but this was based only upon figures provided to them by the Groton Board of Education (BOE). The Accounting firm mentioned was working from those same figures. No other alternative plan or alternative set of numbers was utilized. In that regard, I received some interesting comments, which I summarize below.

There was the mention of an audit. Chuck (Potter) says “the school district commissioned an accounting firm ….” I believe this could be in violation of state statutes (9-369 and PA 00-92 of Oct 1, 2000) and the interpretations of the State Elections Enforcement Commission. These generally prohibit the expenditure of public funds to advocate for or against the subject of a referendum, once the referendum has been set. An audit conducted before the referendum was set would be OK, but if done afterwards would appear to be a violation….

How would an audit of future events be accomplished? If you tell an auditor you are going to eliminate an $80,000 position, then he will say “yes, that will equal $1,600,000 over 20 years.” Should we actually assume that will this will hold true for 20 years? Who can project ahead for that long?…..

The BOE can say that, without Phase II, they will add a new music room and an art room to S B Butler. The accountant will say that this item would cost $X,000. The BOE then says that they will save that amount with Phase II by NOT doing the add-on. They never have to answer the question of would they ACTUALLY, absent Phase II, DO the addition. As an example, who believes that the BOE would spend over $20 million, un-reimbursed, on Fitch Middle in the next 20 years. The BOE, though, has now taken credit for avoiding that cost.

I received comments by a person who was promised raw data to review, to be furnished by a Groton school parent actively involved in promoting Phase II. Supposedly, this was to come from either the Superintendent or the BOE. This information never came. The Phase II promoters are making claims with no data available to substantiate them other than the numbers they themselves present to us. Show us the numbers they are using so we can make an informed decision. If this was a business investment for us to consider, most of us would probably decline it due to a lack of disclosure.

Basically, I find it ironic that a newspaper that is actively downsizing for economic reasons would favor a School expansion project that would cost the taxpayers so much money. And in one of today’s articles, they actually mention that the State may only extend $57 million, not $66 million as the promoters claim!

In today’s mail, I received yet another “scare tactic” postcard…bright orange…from the Phase II promoters… and was amused by the following statement under “A No Vote Will Cast You”… “The Board of Education will be forced to consolidate schools to undergo town-wide redistricting to meet the current school budget.”

OK, folks….so what exactly are the promoters presenting to us with Phase II? Wouldn’t you say, offhand, that they ARE basically consolidating three upper middle schools into one?

The existing objections remain; (1) Chester Location is wrong and WILL create problems for Rt 117 and Route 1 Traffic and this is based on my 20 years as a professional student transport driver in this area, and NOT on a “professional engineers” opinion. (2) The same area IS prone to flooding…most of us have seen this. (3) Why do we expand in an aircraft flight path? (4) Why are we expanding in an area where there is only room for ONE playing field? (5) Why are we not MAINTAINING and using existing buildings more effectively? (5) Why do we have to support Pre-K education out of OUR OWN POCKETS when it is NOT being supported by the State? (6) If our buildings are not up to code, WHY NOT? etc., etc.

I have also read opinions regarding businesses in Groton and how this Phase II plan will affect them. All the comments I have received, which I did not solicit, are very negative towards Phase II. Below is one summary of multiple viewpoint which I will leave as closing remarks. In the meantime, I hope you will all go to the polls Monday May 2nd and Vote NO on Phase II.

And for that matter, Vote YES on the Thames Street project. It really needs to be done.

Thank you, Ed Johnson, at the Old Noank Jail……

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“In addition to my Groton home and personal property taxes, I own and operate a business in Groton. Our annual payroll is in excess of $1M, almost none of which (except for taxes) is spent in Groton. Our facility lease is triple net, so we see any real estate and personal property tax increases directly. Our markets are very competitive and sometimes marginally profitable, so any additional taxes imposed are a real burden to continuing operations and a threat to the jobs of our employees. Some of our vendors recently moved to Rhode Island because Connecticut (Groton) presents such an unfriendly business environment. If Groton continues to increase my business taxes to benefit only the BOE, my company will be looking too…..”

” Of our 23 employees, 3 live and own homes in Groton. The 20 who live outside Groton are aghast at the property taxes that businesses and individuals must pay. There are a number of them that would like to be closer to the office (fuel prices), but will not move here because of these outrageous taxes. We have people moving further away, not closer…..”

“None of my friends children moved back to Groton after school…………it’s too expensive. It is very difficult for a parent to leave a Groton home to a son or daughter because the taxes are so high…..”

” The Groton voters spent money with a consultant and approved a phased school improvement plan in 2003?? How does this new Superintendent get to fund another study (estimated at approximately $50,000) with our tax money and come up with his own plan that does not comply with what the voters already approved?”

“…..A piece of this puzzle that bothers me is the obvious lack of maintenance the BOE performs on their current assets. It should not be the BOE’s responsibility to maintain school buildings as they obviously do not know how. Just compare the condition of the Town Hall (maintained by the Town) to any of our schools . The BOE maintenance department could definitely learn a lesson or two from the Town. Although we pay for duplicated services, the BOE services are obviously substandard (but more expensive and apparently not accountable to anyone). Turn the responsibility for maintenance and associated budget over to the Town…”

“How can any logical person vote for another multi-million dollar asset for the Board of Education to ruin in 25 or 30 years?”

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