The Belmont Citizen Herald is reporting that Belmont’s legal counsel has issued a response to the Middlesex District Attorney that claims town officials who met behind closed doors to formulate plans to discuss the consolidation of School and Town services were not doing so in violation of the State’s Open Meeting Laws.
Tag: politics
The Wellington victory: turning a page
If nothing else, the Wellington reminds us all that investing in our public schools — investing in the future of Belmont — is something that’s just…good. It enriches us all far beyond the meager costs we pay (around $1 a day, on average, for the new Wellington school).
Belmont family profiled in Globe story on cuts to social services
Bella English’s excellent story about Belmont’s Burke family and their struggle to raise three lovely daughters who were born with Sanfilippo syndrome, a very rare and fatal degenerative brain disease, put a very human face on the otherwise sterile and bureaucratic machinations on Beacon Hill, where talk of “reductions in services” and “necessary cuts” often mask a more brutal reality. Without help from the State, the caseworkers and educators who help them shoulder the load of caring for three profoundly disabled children will disappear, the lives of families like the Burkes, already hard, will get much harder.
Fed $ means no Prop 2 1/2 override this year
An estimated $1.3m in stimulus money will help stave off cuts to staffing and materials on the school side and, coupled with some savings from attrition, let the town squeak by for one more year without needing to raise property taxes.
Next week: Meeting on Belmont 2.0
Ready for Belmont 2.0? Mapping Belmont’s Renewal is a forum on Wed, April 16th. Sponsored by the Planning Committee and Office of Community Development, it will solicit residents’ input on important development considerations such as the need for economic development, building sustainable neighborhoods, quality of life issues, as well as parking, transportation, land use and open space/recreation.
A shout out for volunteers
Want to be a part of the grass roots? Together for Wellington, the citizen’s group that supports the construction of a new Wellington Elementary School, is looking for volunteers to help us do some canvassing and voter identification both in Prencinct 8 and in other precincts.
Wellington vote could come in April
A vote on a debt exclusion for the construction of Wellington Elementary School could make it onto the April ballot after all…if state and town officials can hammer out a funding agreement by the end of the day.
A poll and a survey…
A poll from the BCH and a survey from the town give you two opportunities to have your voice heard. Check them out!
Vote for Me for School Committee!
I’ve decided to run for what’s left of Diane Stafford’s three year term on School Committee.
Stand for Children: supporting Belmont’s schools from the grassroots
Going into 2009 Belmont’s schools are facing a tough budget crunch, and this is a great time for Belmont parents and supporters of the schools to get involved….Stand for Children is in the early stages of establishing a Belmont chapter, and we are looking for committed people to join the chapter and make a difference for Belmont kids.