You've reached Jeff Dieffenbach's blog, which I use to post, comment on, or respond to
Wayland school-related issues. The opinions
expressed here are my own and do not reflect an official position
of the Wayland School Committee.
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12/30/2004
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Dieffenbach: In a 12/30
letter to the editor,
Milton Bailey writes ...
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Bailey: [Editor-in-Chief] Richard Lodge's editorial on Dec. 23 discusses the open meeting law complaint of ex-town
officials Linda Segal and Pat Abramson filed with the Middlesex District Attorney against the Wayland High School
Application Review Committee, protesting the "secret proceedings" which selected the current High School Building
Committee (JHSBC). As you note, the district attorney found that the Review Committee broke the law.
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Mr. Bailey inadvertantly conflates "secret proceedings" and "broke the law." In fact, the Middlesex County
District Attorney found no merit in the charge that the meeting in question was secret. Editor-in-Chief Lodge
in fact noted an incorrect posting of an open meeting that constituted only a technical violation.
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As it stands, the High School Building Committee is tainted, if not illegal. It is a self-serving aggregate
representing about 25 percent of the taxpayers who would derive direct benefits from the school system,
excluding the 75 percent who do not.
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The HSBC is neither tainted nor illegal. Its members are not self-serving, but rather selfless in the
incredible donation of their time and talent. The HSBC, whose members were appointed by three separate boards,
represent all of Wayland's residents.
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This writer, no beneficiary, has no problem with supporting the proposed high school building construction,
despite the spate of its serious flaws, provided the School Committee offers a tangible, equitable trade-off
to the 75 percent who will be carrying the fiscal load well into the future.
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Through appreciation in the value of his home, Mr. Bailey will most definitely be a beneficiary of the project.
There has been no credible presentation of any "spate of serious flaws" by Mr. Bailey or anyone else. And school
officials are part of a Tax Relief Task Force whose current work is aimed at alleviating tax increases for those
residents least able to bear the cost of the necessary project. It is encouraging to hear Mr. Bailey's reasonableness
with respect to his potential support of the project.
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This writer is appalled by the arrogance and screeching hysterical response of the tainted HSBC proponents when
citizens expose fanciful, negative aspects of the HSBC's project.
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"... arrogance and screeching hysterical response" is a charge wholly without foundation. Mr. Bailey's point about "fanciful,
negative aspects" of the project is unclear.
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Unless they show a willingness to negotiate differences, this writer urges defeat of the Jan. 25 school proposal.
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The HSBC and the Wayland School Committee have been "negotiating differences" throughout the project. The result is a responsible but far from excessive plan. That responsibility, coupled with the work on the Tax Relief Tax Force, should serve to win Mr. Bailey's vote in favor of the project.
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12/23/2004
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Dieffenbach: Town Crier reporter John Hilliard writes in a 12/23
column about bias on the part
of the Wayland Voters Network (WVN). In that article, he quotes WVN head Margo Melnicove replying to charges
of being misleading.
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Hilliard: Network Chairwoman Melnicove strongly denied the accusation, saying the charges are an effort to
discredit her group. "They're trying to discredit us," she said. "They don't want people to read what we write."
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School officials are in no way trying to limit access to the writings of the WVN. This blog is certainly
evidence to the contrary.
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Melnicove said the Network has publicized a $780 a year increase in taxes based on the HSBC's own tax impact study,
which reviewed the impact on a median household of $498,000. Without state reimbursement, the HSBC study shows the
project's tax impact increases from $13 in 2006 to $780 in 2010, where it will remain to pay off the project's cost
for over 20 years. Melnicove said her group publicized the $780 figure because it is the amount taxpayers will see
on tax bills for several years after 2010.
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As Hilliard immediately points out, the $780 number is not what residents would pay each year under the worst
case of no reimbursement, only the peak amount.
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By contrast, the HSBC averaged each year's tax impact, starting from 2006, to find an average cost of $686
a year to tax bills without state reimbursement.
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That is, the only number that the WVN focuses on is the peak annual cost in the worst case. They mislead readers
as to the meaning of that number, and they rarely mention that they are focusing only on the worst case.
The HSBC analysis "Lower Cost" case shows that the average annual cost could be as low as $350 per year
(half of the number that the WVN falsely promotes) under reasonable assumptions.
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Network Treasurer Michael Short said his group is not trying to prove the HSBC estimates wrong.
"We're not saying our fingers are more accurate. These are only estimates," he said.
"All we're offering is alternatives."
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Alternatives, to be sure, but not relevant or accurate ones.
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[Wayland resident] Reichelt also criticized the Network for mailing out applications for absentee
ballots for the Jan. 25 special election to only people of retirement age, saying an unbiased group
should hand out the applications randomly. Melnicove had no response to the allegation, but said
she was disappointed the Town Meeting and special election vote were scheduled for Jan. 25.
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Interesting to note that the WVN still has no response to the question of how they chose recipients
of absentee ballot applications. Rather, they change the topic to the timing of the meeting,
which has been covered in this blog repeatedly (on 9/29, for instance).
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12/23/2004
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Dieffenbach: In a 12/23 Town Crier
letter,
Stewart Smith presents a laundry list of reasons not to support the project. Most (escalating costs, reimbursement
potential, property tax increases) have been addressed earlier in this blog. One item merits some attention, however:
the current facility's capacity in the early 1970s compared with today.
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Smith: When I was a junior at Wayland High School in 1973 I was one of 1,250 students. The only time we held classes
in the parking lot was the two weeks of bomb scares. The rest of the time we all seemed to fit within the confines
of the building. Now the School Committee is telling us that enrollment will reach 1,000 students in a few years
(funny it will happen before the new school is built). Actually if you add up the kids in the lower grades we should
top out at 970.
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Mr. Smith fails to take into account the increase in enrollment that occurs as students move through their school years.
A group of 200 students in grades K-3 can easily add another 10-20 by the time that they reach high school.
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All I have heard in the past year is how the school will be overcrowded with 1,000 students. Now this must be the new
fuzzy math because as I recall 1,000 should fit into 1,250 with room to spare. I must be a moron because as hard as
I try I just don't get it.
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In a 12/30
letter
to the Town Crier, WHS class of 2007 student Stephanie Sklar rebuts Mr. Smith's point quite competently.
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Sklar: If we could return to the yesterday of the 1970s, today's students would fit just fine. But that would
mean pulling up all the computers (which didn't exist in the '70s) out of the high school, getting rid of the
special spaces mandated by the special education programs, and eliminating most of the sports for girls and
some of the sports for boys, too. We'd also need to discourage students from taking so much math and science.
Legally, these changes just aren't options, and practically they wouldn't make sense anyway.
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Details of the changes from the 1970s until today can be found in this
School Committee document.
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12/23/2004
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Dieffenbach: In a 12/23 Town Crier
editorial,
Editor-in-Chief Richard Lodge reminds readers of the importance of the Open Meeting Law (OML). He brings up the OML complaint
lodged in January 2004 by two Wayland residents (discussed in this blog on 10/27/2004).
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Lodge: ..., as a private citizen, Segal and fellow Wayland resident Pat Abramson turned to the [Open Meeting] law earlier
this year after they concluded they had been illegally shut out of discussions by the Wayland High School
Application Review Committee, screening volunteer applicants for the Wayland High School Building Committee.
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The Middlesex District Attorney's office found no merit to this charge. Instead ...
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The women filed a complaint with the Middlesex District Attorney's office, which looked into the issue and
concluded in September that the Review Committee violated the Open Meeting Law by not properly posting the time,
date and place of the meeting to inform the public.
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One type of OML violation is the failure to post a meeting. The meeting in question was posted,
only the designation for the meeting was incorrect. The meeting date and time was posted months
before when the School Committee's schedule was first set. The only error was forgetting to correct
the designation once the purpose of the meeting changed shortly before the meeting date.
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12/22/2004
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Dieffenbach: The WVN has so far seen fit to ignore my repeated inquiries (2 by email,
1 by phone) as to the
nature of the recipients of the mailing that they sent out a week or two back. The
mailing, which consisted of a double-sided flyer (flaws in this blog on 12/14)
and an application for an absentee ballot appears only to have gone out to seniors.
If true, that's a curious choice from an organization that claims to be on the
mission of informing Wayland voters as a whole.
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12/22/2004
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Dieffenbach: One new wrinkle from
WVN #53,
then a recycling of old objections.
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WVN: Provisions will be made to handle town meeting attendance that
exceeds the capacity of the Field House, such as using other areas
(e.g., high school commons) and connecting the areas electronically.
Selectman Brian O'Herlihy said the overflow crowd provisions will
cost the town $12,000 whether or not they turn out to be needed.
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It is not clear whether Selectman O'Herlihy is objecting to the added cost,
or merely noting it. He is opposed to holding the Special Town Meeting in
January despite the compelling need to keep the project on schedule and not
delay it by a year. Regardless of when the meeting was set, the Town would
have needed to accommodate possible overflow crowds. Certainly, incurring
a $12,000 expense to help voters be better informed to make a decision on
a tens of millions project seems like money well spent.
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Selectmen spent considerable time debating whether or not to allow
the inclusion of a High School Building Committee document as an
appendix to the special town meeting warrant. This document is an
expanded version (12 pages vs. 8 pages) of the four-color mailer that
the HSBC sent to all town residents at taxpayer expense (approx.
$3,000). Executive Secretary Jeff Ritter said it would cost $450 in
extra printing costs to include the document in the warrant.
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Nothing new here, but it continues to be strange that the WVN with its
"informational" aims would object to ... well ... information. Yes, the
HSBC mailer was taxpayer-funded. The School Committee promised to get
information out to the voter when it proposed the current schematic
design study, the town approved the study, and the HSBC delivered. Again,
it seems wise to spend the extra $450 to increase the likelihood that
voters will have the relevant information at hand.
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O'Herlihy argued against allowing the appendix to the warrant because
the document duplicates the HSBC's town-wide mailing and presents
facts in an advocacy manner. He described the document as "slanted"
and provided several examples of slanted presentations of the facts,
such as the use of lower average numbers for tax impacts rather than
the higher numbers homeowners could pay once the project is fully
financed.
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From the start, Selectman O'Herlihy has been anti-school with respect to
the high school modernization and expansion effort. He has opposed the
project at every turn, constantly voting against it, frequently trying
to raise obstacles, and never with the suggestion of a responsible
alternative. To claim that the HSBC mailer "presents facts in an
advocacy manner" is simply a smokescreen on his part. Yes, there are opinions
sprinkled throughout the document, but all estimates are clearly denoted as such. The
mailer and other HSBC documents were reviewed by Town Counsel to ensure
that they met the letter and spirit of the law with respect to the appropriate
spending of public funds.
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12/17/2004
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Dieffenbach: The WVN's Margo Melnicove and Michael Short attempt in a
12/16 Town Crier letter
to deflect criticism raised in a
12/9 Town Crier guest column
by Building the Future's Kim Reichelt.
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WVN: The raw numbers and percentages we have reported are factually correct, and are based on the HSBC's own figures.
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While the raw numbers (those taken directly from HSBC reports) may be correct, WVN's percentages certainly are not.
They have variously and repetitively reported tax increases of 10.7% to 19% that do not take into account the time
value of money. It is meaningless to compare 2010 taxes to 2004 taxes and cite the percentage increase as anything
other than mathematical fantasy. Yet they persist.
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The same facts can be presented in different valid ways to cover a range of possible outcomes. The HSBC's presentation
tends to minimize the possible tax impact. Ours is designed to fit a typical reader's practical way of making judgments.
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The HSBC's presentation presents optimistic and conservative scenarios. Neither minimizes the possible tax impact.
Rather, they represent a reasonable range. The WVN chooses to report only a self-contrived "worst case" while ignoring
the equally likely lower cost case. This blog has no idea what "typical reader's
practical way of making judgements" means, or how it could possibly be arrived at.
Finally, the WVN presents both cases ... but only after again suggesting that a comparison of 2010 to 2004 tax bills
is sensible without taking into account the inflation that will take place over that period.
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The best-case scenario (including state reimbursement of $18.7 million to $21.4 million) yields an additional average
annual tax payment of $352 to $468 for the owner of a house assessed at $498,000. ... To estimate the impact of the high
school proposal on your taxes, multiply your current tax bill by the percentage you think it will rise by 2010. Then add
your share of the high school project. The HSBC's minimum estimate of the share when long-term financing takes effect -
$71 per $100,000 of assessed value. The HSBC's higher cost estimate - $156.56 per $100,000 - $780 on a $498,000 house.
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And finally,
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... we have tried to provide [absentee ballot] applications for those who may be away on Jan. 25 or may have physical
problems in getting to the polls. Ms. Reichelt criticizes us for not reporting the useful information that remained in the mailing. Well, after all, every household received it.
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It is not at all clear that every household received the WVN mailer. Some far from scientific preliminary investigating suggests
that the WVN mailer has only gone to elderly households and not to a more general cross-section of voters. If this finding holds,
it certainly brings into question the WVN's objectivity.
[12/30/2004 note: I originally wrote "elderly households and houseolds of school supporters." As the WVN points out in their
12/29 letter to the Town Crier, that wording was careless on my part. School officials are fully aware and appreciative
that many senior residents are strong school supporters.]
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12/17/2004
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Dieffenbach: 12/16 Town Crier
letter writer
Jim Morrissey provides a rote repetition of the enrollment question.
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Morrissey: Why is a 45 percent increase in space (72,000 square ft.) proposed when high school population is projected to actually
decline (after a temporary slight increase)?
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"Temporary slight increase" is a statement without basis. It would be just as correct to say that in the 2010-2013 time frame,
Wayland High School will experience a temporary slight decrease. The truth is, it would be irresponsible to base the
size of a large project with an expected fifty year life on what is estimated for the first four years of that life.
As has been documented
here, the facility feels as crowded
today as it did during its peak of close to 1,300 students in the early 1970s.
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The plans call for photocopier rooms, and rooms for conferences, phone calls and testing, not to mention an
850-seat auditorium and larger classrooms. None of these are needs; they are wants.
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A small amount of space is designed for photocopiers and multi-purpose conference/phone call/testing needs.
The auditorium will serve an important academic function. Mr. Morrissey's objection to larger classrooms is particularly
off base.
The proposed design calls for classrooms that meet the minimum standard for reimbursement.
They will take the facility from cramped to workable, and certainly not excessive as he implies.
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Does demolishing the buildings which have adequately housed a decades-long consistently top performing student body
make sense just because they are "old"? The colleges the graduates will be attending will have buildings much
older than the high school. Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Yale anyone?
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If only Wayland's capital budget were even a fraction of that of the institutions that he cites. Yes, the
building exteriors may be old, but the spaces inside certainly are not. The current condition of Wayland High School
is deteriorating in ways that are well documented in the
HSBC Phase 1 report.
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Why, when we have no guarantees of reimbursement from the state, are we in such a hurry? Said differently,
aren't the taxpayers entitled to know with certainty what they are committing to?
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School officials would be ecstatic if they could find out about reimbursement without spending another penny.
Unfortunately, the process does not work that way. In order to apply for reimbursement, we must first conduct
the proposed $4.232 million detailed design project.
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As Michael Patterson pointed out in his guest column, Wayland's budget has increased 81 percent since 1996,
while the Consumer Price Index has averaged only 2.32 percent.
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As this blog pointed out on 12/10/2004, Michael Patterson's juxtaposition of 81% and 2.32% is false in two ways:
first, the two numbers don't begin to represent the same period of time, exaggerating the difference, and second,
the 2.32% CPI number isn't relevant for municipal expenses in a time of strong enrollment growth.
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12/14/2004
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Dieffenbach: Some Wayland residents have received in the mail a two-page flier from the Wayland Voters Network.
(It is not clear which residents have received them, but anecdotal reports suggest that the flyer, accompanied
by an absentee ballot application, is not going out to all households. If that's the case,
it would be interesting to know how the WVN selects its receipients.)
The front of the flyer is purely informational ... with one critical exception. The flyer touts the two
WVN officers as representing "no special interest." The WVN has taken a clear anti-school position on the
high school modernization and expansion project. Judge for yourself by reading this blog.
And, judge for yourself by reading the back of the very same flyer that professes no bias.
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WVN: What would be the high school project's impact on my taxes?
The latest draft (11/16/2004) distributed by the High School Building Committee calculates additional taxes
to finance this project according to various scenarios ranging from optimistic to conservative.
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As a reader, you might well expect to learn the tax impact for the optimistic and conservative scenarios.
You should not hold your breath.
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Their worst-case scenario (no state aid, highest interest rate) shows an annual tax for the median $498,000 house
of $780. This translates into $156.56 per $100,000 of assessed value. To see what this means for you, multiply your
current tax bill by 11.6%. This addition to your tax bill would be due every year for 25 years once the project is
completed (over and above increases as a result of annual tax growth and any future operational and capital
overrides).
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On 12/09/2004, this very blog wondered when the original false 10.7% tax increase, which had grown to 11% in Pat
Abramson's 12/9 letter to the Town Crier, would reach 12%. Well, it's ratcheted up again, to 11.6%! Can 12% really
be far behind? And why was the original 10.7% false? Because it shows a 2010 tax bill compared with a 2004 tax bill.
The High School Building Committee's estimate for the tax increase for the median home is between 3.5% and 4.9%
if MSBA reimbursement is available, and between 5.5% and 7.2% if reimbursement is not available.
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This estimate [the 11.6%] is far from worst case, however.
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"Worst case" is the WVN's terminology, not the HSBC's. The HSBC labeled its higher cost case "conservative."
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The HSBC uses 5% as its highest long-term interest rate.
While this is currently realistic, rates at the time that long-term financing begins could be higher. In the early
1980s municipal bond rates exceeded 11%. Were this level to be reached again, it would result in an additional
tax bill of more than 19% of current year taxes.
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19%! The WVN obliterates the 12% mark with its latest fiction. Were the HSBC to resort to the distortion tactics
of the WVN, it might drag out interest rates from the 1950s, which frequently dropped below 2%.
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12/12/2004
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Dieffenbach:
Today's Metrowest Daily News
Sunday Crier
article by John Hilliard quotes WVN member and school project opponent Tom Sciacca on several matters:
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Hilliard: Tom Sciacca, a supporter of Rosenthal's warrant article [to delay the high school project by several years],
said concerns over rising construction costs due to inflation only tell half the story.
"It's a wash, it's zero," said Sciacca of the specter of rising costs.
"In general, inflation in the economy matches inflation in construction costs."
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According to both
Education Week (9/1/2004)
and McGraw-Hill Construction's
Engineering News-Record
(9/27/2004), construction inflation
is currently much higher than inflation in the overall economy.
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Education Week: The prices for nearly every construction material, particularly steel and concrete,
have been rising at double-digit percentages in recent months, reminiscent of inflation levels in the 1970s.
Even the costs of asphalt, plywood, and paint have been rising, according to data from McGraw-Hill Construction,
a New York City-based research group for industry professionals. ... "In the last 12 months, we’ve seen an increase
between 15 and 20 percent" on the cost of completed projects, said Dale Scheideman,
the director of new schools and facility planning for the 270,000-student Clark County, Nev., district. ...
Nationally, steel prices have risen more than 30 percent in the past year.
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ENR: Preliminary data indicate that inflation has not yet peaked, with several indexes already breaching the
double-digit barrier. ENR’s Building Cost Index rose from a 9.0% annual rate in July to 10.4% in September.
Marshall & Swift predicts inflation tracked by its index will climb from 10.4% in July to 11.5% by October,
while Boeckh sees its index going from 6.2% to 8.5% during the same period. The annual rate of increase for the
SmithGroup’s index went from 7.6% in July to 8.3% in August.
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Waiting threatens to increase the project's cost, not save the town
money.
Mr. Sciacca continues:
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... the high school will not come close to filling out the proposed school's 1,200-student capacity,
pointing to current enrollment figures as an indicator of things to come.
"It's not the thousand they like to talk about, it's in the neighborhood of 960" high school students in 2013, he said.
"(Enrollment) drops precipitously after 2009," when new construction is completed.
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2013 may sound like a long way off in the future, but it will only be 4 years into the finished new project's life
of 50 years. The school is overcrowded today at 897 students. Designing a long-term project to be full on opening day
turns a blind eye to the unknowns of the first half of the 21st century. To put just one unknown into a bit of
perspective, Lani Ravin's
enrollment report
that accompanied the High School Feasibility Study report in November of 2002 cited the Executive Office of
Environmental Affairs analysis showing a potential for an additional 913 students in Wayland. Should even
a portion of these students arrive, the difference between 960 and 1,000 will fade into the noise.
The 1,200 number that Mr. Sciacca cites merits some explanation.
Experienced educators advise that schools run best at 85% capacity. The classroom portion of theproposed project has been
designed for 1,100 (not 1,200) students with an average class size of 20. Should additional classroom space be needed
in the distant future, relatively inexpensive modulars or other space could be added. The same is not true for core
facility space, which does not lend itself to incrementalism. For that reason, that space (and only that space)
was designed for a higher enrollment out of respect for the unknowns
over the next 50 years.
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12/11/2004
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Dieffenbach:
Wayland Voters Network #051
starts off well with useful information.
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Two new ballot question committees have registered with the Town
Clerk, to campaign for and against the Jan. 25 tax override ballot
question for $4.2 million to design the proposed high school
project.
The vote `yes' committee is Building the Future, chaired by Kim
Reichelt. BuildingTheFuture@WaylandEducation.org
The vote `no' committee is Citizens for Sensible Planning, chaired by
Patricia Abramson. PABRAMSON@bentley.edu 508-358-2138
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But, it was only a matter of time before the subtle (or not so subtle) barbs come out.
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As for the longer Phase-1 document, the School Committee, in a letter
to the selectmen, described it as "factual" and "objective." Yet it
contains tax impact figures that are merely estimates, and
projections -- on enrollment growth, for example -- that have been
questioned.
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The tax impact figures are of course "merely estimates," and clearly labeled as such. The HSBC document
in question is a fantastic resource for the voter, and one that bends over backwards to be fair. For the WVN--an advocacy group wrapped in the sheep's clothing of information dissemination--to take the committee
to task for the informational Phase-1 document is hypocrisy of the highest sort.
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It's not clear if the cost of printing the additional pages to be
inserted in the warrant would be covered by the HSBC, the School
Committee, the Board of Selectmen or another entity; regardless, the
money would still be public funds.
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Again, the criticism from an organization touting itself (however misleadingly) as an information outlet about
the dissemination of useful information is "through the looking glass" territory. At the November 2003 Special Town
Meeting, Wayland voters overwhelmingly approved the funding for the current design project, including a communication
effort to get distribute relevant information. The WVN's implication that the use of public funds for such a purpose
is somehow inappropriate is absurd.
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12/10/2004
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Dieffenbach: Michael Patterson's measured
12/9 letter
to the Wayland Town Crier requires a bit of attention.
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Patterson: The Finance Committee now reports the operating budget request for next year will be $48.6 million,
an 81 percent increase since FY96. This amount excludes any capital expenditures; however,
it does assume a Proposition 2-1/2 override of $1.5 million.
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This increase averages 6.1% per year.
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During this period, inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) averaged only 2.32 percent per year,
yet our budget went up 81 percent.
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Mr. Patterson's math is correct, but by juxtaposing the annual 2.32 percent with the cumulative 81 percent,
he distorts the difference. A fairer comparison is 2.32% versus 6.1%, but
even then, the comparison fails to take into account
several relevant factors.
1. The average base salary increase for the schools in fiscal years 1996 through 2004 was 3.5%. Adding in
increases for steps (additional service) and lanes (continuing education) adds another 1.5% or so, for a total
of about 5%. Municipal increases were similar. And those increases
exclude consideration of growth on the non-personnel side of the
budget. Health insurance and utility increases, to name just few, have also exerted considerable pressure on the budget.
To put Wayland in perspective, town-wide increases were competitive with
peer communities (less than Sudbury and Weston, more than Lincoln and commercial-rich Natick).
The conclusion? CPI may not be the right measure against which to
judge town budget increases.
2. While Mr. Patterson is correct to note the overall town population, his assertion that
it has "remained virtually unchanged at approximately 13,000 residents" isn't quite right: it's grown by nearly 1,000,
or 6%. More significantly, the time period that Mr. Patterson examines, FY96 to FY04, is right in the middle of a
period of significant enrollment growth. From FY96 to FY04, Wayland's school enrollment grew by 2.4% per year, from
2,443 to 2,927. Over the span of FY96 to FY01 (the latest for which the Department of Revenue has data posted),
per pupil expenditure (a better measure) increased by 3.8% per year, an impressive mark given the larger
increase in salaries.
In short, the increases, while undeniably larger than anyone would have liked or hoped, are not
due to wasteful spending, but rather the reality of providing needed services.
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An unsympathetic and disturbing comment we often hear is, "If they don't like it in Wayland, they can move."
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Shame on Mr. Patterson for tossing out such an inflammatory statement without attribution. I have never heard
even the most
ardent of school supporters come close to saying any such thing. As he
presents it, it is bombastic, unchallengeable, and apocryphal.
He continues:
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This view is troubling for two reasons. First, the older residents are the people who helped build the fabric of our town.
They volunteered in the schools, led girl scout troops, coached youth teams, served on town committees and boards.
They are the citizens who helped develop the strong school system that is now a cornerstone of our community.
The suggestion that they leave ignores all the contributions they have made - contributions the rest of us currently enjoy.
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I agree that the "they can move" statement is troubling, and I agree with his reasons why. School officials
repeatedly make the same point about the "inter-generational contract."
We value that contract, and we do not take it likely.
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12/09/2004
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Dieffenbach: Town Crier letter writer Patricia Abramson misstates the
case in the first sentence of her
12/9 letter.
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Abramson: On Jan. 25, Wayland voters will probably have their only opportunity to stop the proposed $57.3
million high school project if they vote against the $4.2 million override request to fund the project's
design and construction documents. After that, there will be no turning back.
| |
To go ahead with the proposed construction, the School Committee will need another vote
(most likely in the spring of 2006) for
the vast majority of the project cost. While it would be unfortunate to
spend the $4.232 million and then choose not to go forward, it is
necessary that this amount be spent in order to generate the drawings
and documents necessary to apply for reimbursement.
She continues:
| |
Citizens for Sensible Planning is a group of Wayland residents who are alarmed by this extravagant proposal ...
| |
The project is far from extravagant. There is no hockey rink or pool. Low to mid-range priced materials are planned.
Classroom sizes are at the minimum in order qualify for reimbursement. Multi-use spaces figure
throughout the design.
| |
... that is not only the most expensive proposal in Wayland history.
| |
As for expense, a high school is the largest building that a town like Wayland
might contemplate. Given that construction costs increase with time, it is only natural that the proposed project
would be large relative to past buildings. Using the consumer price index (CPI) for housing as an inflation factor,
one can calculate that the current high school has cost the town about
$35 million in today's dollars. With changes in the way that education is delivered, including more square feet per student, the
introduction of technology, accommodations for special education, and increased extracurricular activities including
female sports, the price tag of the proposed project is quite realistic, and not
over the top as Ms. Abramson suggests.
| |
There is general agreement that the high school needs improvements and upgrading in some areas.
However, the proposed plan is flawed. The cost is too high.
| |
The proposed plan is not flawed, it is responsible. The cost is not high relative to similar projects, nor
is the educational program excessive. In fact, what is irresponsible is a "stop-gap" band-aid
(proposed by project opponents) that would only last on the
order of ten years and would not qualify for reimbursement. The stop-gap would cost nearly as much as the full project,
yet not deliver nearly as much.
| |
There are too many unknowns. There is no urgency.
Wayland schools are consistently ranked the best in the state.
| |
Yes, there are unknowns, most notably the amount of reimbursement for which
the new high school will qualify. Defeating the $4.232 million detailed design project will not eliminate
that unknown, which can only be answered by spending the $4.232 million as a requirement needed to apply
for reimbursement. The need is urgent, as the current space is deteriorating,
over-crowded,
and unable to deliver a 21st century education. The fact that Wayland schools are well-regarded is no argument
for failing to invest and letting them degrade.
| |
Existing buildings are structurally sound and last renovated in 1992. Critical needs, such as science labs,
can be met with comparatively inexpensive modulars that would serve for several years until state funding is
established ...
| |
It apparently bears repeating: state funds will not be made available to Wayland until a detailed design project
such as the proposed $4.232 million effort is completed.
| |
... and the town has a feasible spending plan in place.
In any case, under the best of circumstances, the new buildings wouldn't be ready in time to meet a
projected temporary population bubble.
| |
Calling it a "temporary population bubble" doesn't make it true. Yes, projections based on students already in the
system show what appears to be a peak occurring relatively soon. However, the years that follow don't see a
dramatic drop in enrollment. More importantly, the proposed project isn't intended to address only near-term
enrollment needs, but also long term enrollment uncertainty. New housing development could
significantly increase school enrollments. With existing conditions poor and unable to deliver an appropriate
educational programs, it makes no sense to spend a considerable sum now and then again in as few as ten years.
| |
With no target budget, the High School Building Committee (HSBC) carried out its mandate from the School Committee
to design a facility that satisfies a list of wishes and wants rather than actual needs.
| |
With respect to "wishes and wants," not true. The educational plan developed by the school administration and the
School Committee is in fact
needed in order to continue the successes delivered to date by the Wayland Public Schools. Anything less
would begin a decline.
| |
It was not asked to put the project in the fiscal context of many other worthy and,
in some cases, essential projects dictated by the town's Master Plan.
| |
Certainly, the role of the High School Building Committee should not have been to put the project into context
with non-school projects. Nor does the Master Plan dictate anything. Rather, it is an excellent compilation of
needs and wants that will be prioritized over time.
| |
The high school proposal calls for a facility that is about 72,000 square feet larger than the existing campus,
increasing classroom size, creating an 850-seat auditorium, and adding such things as rooms for photocopiers,
"focus rooms" for private phone calls and conferences, and testing rooms.
| |
The amount of added space for such uses as "photocopiers, focus rooms, and testing spaces is only a small
fraction of the overall addition, the vast majority of which goes to classrooms, commons space, athletics, and
the performing arts.
| |
An examination of Wayland's current school population indicates that high school
enrollment presently at 897 will peak at 969 in 2009 then decline to 816 in 2013.
| |
Ms. Abramson appears to get her 2013 (actually, FY2014) number of 816 by counting the current number of
K-3 students. She misses a critical consideration, however. As a group of students moves through the system,
their number increases as new students move into town. For instance, consider the current 897 students in grades 9-12.
In K-3, that same group
numbered 849. The gain was almost 6%. A look back at the last 5 groups of students in grades 9-12 shows an average
increase as they move through the system from K-3 of 7.1%. Using that average, the current K-3 group of 816 students
would grow to 874 students by the time that they reach grades 9-12. Compare 874 to the over-crowding suffered by this
year's 897 students, and it becomes clear that enrollment remains a key driver for the project.
| |
Property taxes have increased more than 30 percent on average in the past five years.
| |
Property values have on average increased more than 50 percent in the past five years, meaning that tax increases
have been dwarfed by asset gains. In short, taxes paid have been a great investment.
That said, school officials are working diligently to keep the cost of
the project as low as possible while still delivering an appropriate
educational program.
| |
As for this proposal's impact on taxes, your guess is as good as ours.
Some calculate a 4 percent increase overall while others calculate the impact as high as 11 percent.
| |
The "infamous" 10.7% (see the 11/18 and 11/05 entries below) has now become 11%. Is it only a matter of time
before we see 12%? Yes, "others" (the Wayland Voters Network) have "calculated" a number almost as high
as 11 percent, but only by virtue of a calculation method that is manifestly misleading.
| |
From what we hear from neighbors, Wayland citizens are more than willing to support appropriate physical
improvements at the high school. It is not "anti-school" to be fiscally prudent.
| |
It is certainly not "anti-school" to be fiscally prudent. But it is both anti-school and anti-town to be
fiscally irresponsible, as Ms. Abramson proposes. With expected state reimbursement, the $57.3 million project
is likely to end up costing the town on the order of $36-39$ million. Compare that to $32-$33 million for the
stop-gap band-aid that doesn't begin to meet the standard of "appropriate." The additional $3-$7 million
pays for a wealth of educational benefits: sufficiently large classrooms, modern but not lavish athletic facilities,
performing arts space, multi-function commons areas, and so on.
Ms. Abramson concludes:
| |
Wayland deserves a sensible project that its people can afford.
| |
On this last point, she and school officials agree.
The difference is, the $57.3 million proposal *is* the sensible
project: it meets the three needs (deteriorating existing condition, inadequate size, and inability to
delivery a 21st century education), it does so in a time frame that will benefit the maximum number of students,
it does so at as low a cost as possible while still being expected to qualify for reimbursement, and it
will help to continue to drive property values in a favorable direction.
|
|
12/05/2004
|
Dieffenbach: The Boston Globe's Matt McDonald discusses the
upcoming school vote. In his article, he quotes Wayland Voters Network chair Margo Melnicove describing the WVN's
mission.
| |
WVN: "All we are trying to do is present complete and accurate information, so that voters can make well-informed choices,"
she said.
| |
As readers of this blog can see, the WVN almost never presents complete information (choosing instead to show
worst case scenarios), and often fails on the accuracy measure as well. In addition, the WVN never publishes
corrections or apologies. On the other hand, I am happy to
publish corrections where I am factually or otherwise in error.
Ms. Melnicove responds to criticism of the WVN.
| |
"What they're trying to do is discredit the Wayland Voters Network newsletter because they're
threatened by it," Melnicove said.
| |
The only threat that the WVN poses is when it distributes misinformation. The high school modernization and
expansion effort has been open and forthright since it's inception with the High School Feasibility Study that
was completed in November of 2002 and continues with the outstanding effort of the High School Building Committee
today. Supporters of the project have been working diligently to get as much information out to the public as
possible. Added information from the WVN to its list of 500 members helps in that effort ... when that information
is fairly and accurately portrayed. Sadly, that isn't always the case.
Ms. Melnicove almost says as much in talking about a recent tax impact projection made by the WVN
(WVN #044 and
WVN #047,
discussed below on 11/05/2004 and 11/18/2004).
| |
Melnicove said newsletter contributors simply took the building committee's numbers
and presented them a different way.
| |
A "different way?!" Well, that's certainly putting a favorable spin on their distortion.
Frequent WVN contributor Tom Sciacca continues the attempt to polish the WVN's tarnished image.
| |
"They're used to presenting information to the public with a positive spin, meaning in their direction,"
Sciacca said. "And we balance that."
| |
School project supporters present information fairly and accurately. The fact that said information speaks
in favor of the project is inconvenient to the WVN. "Balance" is only a worthwhile goal if it's fairly weighted.
The "balance" that the WVN provides is sometimes analogous to the Flat Earth Society being given half of the time
devoted to a scientific discussion on the evidence and implications of the earth being (almost) spherical. Balance, yes.
But fair? Hardly.
|
|
12/3/2004
|
Dieffenbach: The WVN uses
Wayland Voters Network #051
to weigh in several topics.
| |
WVN: We would like to send absentee ballot applications to a large number
of households, because unfortunately the majority of Selectmen voted
against including the application form in their recent town-wide
mailing about the Jan. 25 election on the high school proposal.
| |
An informational group (as opposed to an advocacy group) would not have used the word "unfortunately"
to describe the Board of Selectmen's action.
The WVN comments on the November 29 meeting at which the High School Building Committee presented its
findings to the School Committee, the Board of Selectmen, and the Finance Committee.
| |
Sacra showed that the latest plans place the Waste Water Treatment
Plant on the other side of the Field House, away from the abutting
neighborhood, in response to neighbors' complaints about having it in
their back yards. This also puts it closer to the Happy Hollow
wells, a primary source of drinking water for the town, as well as
the wetlands associated with Dudley Brook and the Sudbury River. It
also puts it at a lower elevation with respect to the required
leaching fields. Sacra did not explain why these factors, which were
responsible for the original placement of the plant, are no longer an
impediment.
| |
While it is certainly true that the movement of the Waste Water Treatment Plant over towards the southwest corner
of the Field House puts it closer to the Happy Hollow wells and the Dudley Brook wetlands, the WVN's
statement is not clear with respect to the Sudbury River. The new proposed location puts it no closer to the
Sudbury River. And, the new location does not put it within any of the identified "off limits" zones on the project map.
Whatever location is chosen will only be approved if the location does not create a potential
environmental problem, of course.
| |
Discussing the state's School Building Assistance situation, Metzger
said that "although none of us has a crystal ball," conversations
with state officials lead him to believe that the general
regulations "are not to change significantly." Contrary to prior
expectations, no one attended from the State Treasurer's Office or
the new SBA Board to provide any information on the new program.
| |
This statement should not be construed to mean that new information was not conveyed. In fact, nothing has
changed since the MSBA legislation was passed this past summer, nor since several School Committee and HSBC members
attended a presentation by the State Treasurer's presentation on the topic in Ashland. At that time, the State
Treasurer reiterated prior statements to the effect that reimbursement could not be guaranteed until after July 1,
2007, but also that projects proceeding in the interim would continue to be eligible for reimbursement.
With respect to the question of whether there will be enough funding available in 2007, ...
| |
[...] Wayland will be competing with in mid-2007 when the current
moratorium will be lifted and schools will be allowed to apply for
state funds under the new program. There is a $500 million/year cap
on funding. School Superintendent Gary Burton has made some
preliminary inquiries and been told there are about 40 school
construction projects being considered in various towns. He expects
to have more information by the end of the month. (If, for example,
there were 40 projects applying for an average of $20 million in
reimbursement, the requests could total $800 million, far exceeding
the available funds.)
| |
In it's "glass is always half empty ... and leaking" way, the the WVN again harps only on a "worst case" that
pretends to make their point. It is just as accurate to say that if the 40 projects applied for an average of $10 million,
the requests could total $400 million, leaving plenty of room for Wayland. (The current estimate is that
Wayland might receive about $20 million. What is not known is how the
magnitude of the Wayland project stacks up against the other projects
that Dr. Burton identified.) And, it is important to note that Dr. Burton's information
was only with respect to contemplated projects, not necessarily ones that will be submitted. If they are submitted in
advance of the July 2007 moratorium end, then a similar decision by Wayland would not appear to be risky or unwarranted.
If they are not submitted, then Wayland will face less "competition."
| |
In response to suggestions that by getting started now Wayland would
be "first in line," Metzger explained that funding priorities are
expected to continue to be based on need in terms of facilities, not
on who applies first. He said that under the old regulations, a
proposed project dealing with condemned or unsound buildings was
given first priority; a project dealing with large enrollment
increases was given second priority.
| |
Architect Metzger's comments in no way change the reality that applying for reimbursement as early as possible
is the best strategy. It is quite possible that there will be relatively few projects submitted in the first year
that the moratorium is lifted (2007-2008). If that is the case, then early submission is favored. If there are many
projects the first year, Wayland would do well to have a chance then as well as in the following year (2008-2009) when
unfunded 2007-2008 applications from other towns are likely to be resubmitted.
| |
(High school student population
growth was a major rationale for initiating Wayland's project, but
actual growth in the last few years is substantially lower than
earlier predictions.)
| |
"Substantially?" The first detailed predictions associated with the proposed high school modernization and expansion
were those of Lani Ravin as part of the High School Feasibility Study that was completed in November of 2002.
Ms. Ravin's projection for the 2003-2004 school year was 889 at the high school and 3,008 systemwide. Actual
enrollments for 2003-2004 were 881 (only 0.9% lower than the original projection) and 2,965 (1.5% lower). Ms. Ravin
projected the 2004-2005 high school enrollment at 922 and the systemwide enrollment at 3,021. Actual enrollments for
2004-2005 were 898 at the high school (2.7% lower) and 3,021 systemwide (3.2% lower). Not only are the differences
far smaller than "substantial," with only two years of data, they can hardly be called a trend. More importantly,
the proposal is not just to build new space for short-term enrollment
fluctuations, but also to accommodate unknown enrollments
past the ten year "horizon" and as far out as fifty years (a reasonable life for the new facility).
| |
(In light of this discussion, it was interesting to note the Globe
West story on 12/2, School Building Plans on Hold, about Shrewsbury's
decision to put a school construction plan on hold until the SBA
reimbursement situation becomes clear. The article quotes School
Committee member Deborah Peeples: "We're really slowing things down
until we know what the state situation looks like." The schools'
business manager, Patrick Collins, is also quoted: "If Shrewsbury
wanted to build a brand new school before 2007, it would probably not
be entitled for reimbursement. So we're proceeding very slowly.")
| |
Mr. Collins' remark goes counter to everything that has been written in and about the new MSBA legislation, as well
as to everything that has been said by the State Treasurer. Communities that choose to proceed during the
moratorium will be eligible for funding no differently than if they had waited.
|
|
12/01/2004
|
Dieffenbach: Apparently, the 11/23 coverage in WVN #048 of the 11/18 HSBC meeting didn't fan enough flames, so
Wayland Voters Network #050
is back at it. I'll include the substance of the WVN newsletter on the topic of the 11/18 meeting
in its entirety (so that readers of this blog can judge the presentation), then comment at the end.
| |
WVN: Nearly two dozen residents voiced passionate criticism at the 30th
and most contentious meeting of the High School Building Committee.
Residents of the Charena Farms neighborhood near Wayland High School
said they are disturbed about three aspects of the proposed three-
year, $57.3 million project, which would replace seven existing
buildings with two larger buildings and renovate the field house.
Among the comments:
"You don't want a lawsuit, so why are you doing this?"
"This is a bad, bad proposal. I will actively oppose it."
"What you're hearing is dismay turning into anger."
"Why a waste water facility next to an established neighborhood?"
"I've never voted against a school project before."
Referring frequently to their long and passionate devotion to their
neighborhood as well as their hope to have a school project they can
support, speakers named expected impacts of the project: 1) a waste
water treatment plant near their homes, 2) an emergency access road
cutting through their neighborhood, and 3) a grassy area they fear
would negatively affect them if eventually used for athletics.
One speaker noted that the Preliminary Design Report of more than 50
pages never mentions the impacts on the neighborhood.
Most of the committee sat in silence and seemed surprised by the
public comments; two members later rebuked the neighbors. Chair Lea
Anderson repeatedly thanked the citizens for expressing their views
and diplomatically moderated a vigorous discussion between the
neighbors and representatives of HMFH Architects and Turner
Construction Co. HSBC member Eric Sheffels told the neighbors, "You
are 100 percent right...We'll fix it."
And fix it Turner and HMFH agreed to do. They erased the sewage
treatment plant and the access road from preliminary drawings. Dick
Amster of Turner suggested locating the plant near the field house.
Doug Sacra of HMFH dealt with the third item by explaining that the
grassy area was not intended as an athletic field, but simply a place
for students to relax in good weather.
Still, the neighbors spoke of a "slippery slope." What if the grassy
area is later developed into a playing field, resulting in crowds,
noise and lights? What if the emergency access road becomes a short
cut for people attending athletic events?
Any major construction will require a waste water treatment plant;
environmental concerns, including nearby wetlands and town wells,
limit flexibility. It is unlikely that the Wayland police and fire
chiefs would endorse a project lacking a lockable emergency access
road somewhere. Given these constraints, can designers satisfy the
neighbors?
HSBC member Dianne Bladon told the neighbors she found the tone of
their comments "very offensive." And member Josh Bekenstein reminded
them that earlier complaints from Charena Farms residents already
resulted in design changes that added nearly $2 million to the total
cost estimate.
| |
What is perhaps most remarkable about the diatribe above is that it spends 80% of its energy
focusing on the "fight" and only 20% on the "fix." Even then, the fix discussion is couched as if
it were a deception: "And fix it Turner [the project manager] and HMFH [the architect] agreed to do.
They erased the sewage treatment
plans and the access road from preliminary drawings." Only someone who actually attended the meeting
would know that Turner and HMFH removed the items from the drawings as
the first step in addressing them.
Since the meeting on the 18th (but before the publication of WVN #050 on 12/1), Turner and HMFH did in fact move
the proposed location of the Waste Water Treatment Plant away from the Charena Farms neighborhood. The emergency
access road (on an easement that has long been in existence) will not become "a short cut for people attending
athletic events" since there will be a locked gate.
The "slippery slope" argument about future use of the daytime unlit playing fields in question (with no goals or lines,
most likely to be used for lunchtime frisbee) is a bit curious. The high school has been on its current
location since before most if not all of the current residents purchased their homes. The prospect of changed use cannot
be said to be a new concept. That said, the intent of both the HSBC and the WSC is to respect the neighbors (as Josh
Bekenstein reminded the meeting), and in the
case of the playing fields, not use them for athletic events.
|
|
11/26/2004
|
Dieffenbach: Finally responding to constructive criticism, the WVN addresses its performance in
Wayland Voters Network #049:
| |
WVN: The two officers of Wayland Voters Network have been professional
journalists for a total of 67 years, reporting and editing for public
radio, The Associated Press, Newsweek and other news organizations.
We do not publish misinformation.
| |
Impressive credentials, yes. WVN performance up to the journalist standards of those fine media outlets? No.
As repeatedly documented in detail on this blog, the WVN often publishes misinformation
(errors of fact, methodology, and/or context).
| |
We do not advocate a yes or no vote on any particular issue.
| |
Technically, this is true, in that the newsletters have not yet advocated voting one way or another.
An objective reader, however, would certainly and instantly note the slant that the WVN brings to the table.
| |
We do provide background and put issues into context. We believe
voters are entitled to know the risks involved in
a particular project, so they can decide whether it is worth the risk. We
believe voters are entitled to know all the costs, so they can decide
whether they can afford it. We believe voters are entitled to know the
assumptions at work, so they can decide whether they are valid. We
believe voters are entitled to know other alternatives, so they can
better evaluate the one at hand.
| |
Actually, the WVN frequently takes issues out of context. Whether
through citing only worst case numbers or
selectively quoting HSBC and especially School Committee members, they often fail to apply context. A prime
example is the characterization of the 11/18 HSBC meeting in WVN #050 (above) as that of a conflict, without
prominently mentioning the steps that the HSBC took to rectify the concerns of the residents in question.
Of course, the HSBC and the School Committee could say exactly the same thing as the third quote above.
The HSBC and WSC are confident that they have delivered on such a
statement.
|
|
11/23/2004
|
Dieffenbach: The WVN now appears to be endorsing bad behavior.
Wayland Voters Network #048
reports on the 11/18/2004 HSBC meeting, noting:
| |
WVN: ... two dozen citizens present[ed] their case against
certain design features of the proposed high school project because of
impacts on their neighborhood, ... As one participant
said later, this was democracy in action, "and democracy can be a little
messy at times."
| |
Democracy may be messy, but that doesn't excuse behavior that was described by many in attendance as simply rude.
Said behavior was particularly inappropriate given the attention that the HSBC has paid to the residents in question,
who live in the abutting Charena Farms neighborhood.
|
|
11/18/2004
|
Dieffenbach: In
Wayland Voters Network #047,
the WVN simply won't give up on their misleading 10.7% increase number.
| |
WVN: Wayland Voters Network had determined that the outer range could add 10.7
percent of current year taxes to a homeowner's tax bills. HSBC members
criticized WVN for publishing this information. (In a letter to WVN, Lentz
called the figure "misleading.") But WVN's estimated outer range was
accurate, as it was based on the HSBC's own figures at the time for the tax
impact if there is no state aid for the project.
WVN's estimate of an increase of as much as 10.7 percent is now outdated by
the latest tax impact draft statement discussed at the Nov. 10 meeting.
Those figures estimate that without state reimbursement, a house assessed at
$498,000 (said to be the Wayland median) would be taxed an extra $755, or
11.3 percent of presumed 2005 taxes.
| |
Their error is two-fold. First, they care comparing later expenses (2009 and onward) with 2005 taxes to generate
an artificially inflated number. Second, even if their math were relevant, it would be one-sided in presenting
only the worst case assumptions. Nowhere to they show the more realistic or best case numbers.
|
|
11/05/2004
|
Dieffenbach: In
Wayland Voters Network #044,
WVN Chair Margo Melnicove writes:
| |
WVN: Mary Lentz and Lea Anderson of the High School Building Committee and Cherry
Karlson of the Finance Committee presented a draft analysis of the tax
impact of the proposed high school project to the Board of Selectmen on
Monday, Nov. 1. The draft shows that debt payments for the high school
project could increase current year taxes by as much as 10.7 percent.
| |
According to Ms. Lentz and Ms. Karlson, the WVN number of 10.7 percent is misleading and incorrect for several reasons.
- 10.7 is a WVN number, not an HSBC number
- WVN's 10.7 was based on comparing a 2004 tax bill with a 2010 increment, failing to account for the time value of money
- WVN's 10.7 assumed the worst case scenario for all variables; they did not report a best-case number
The HSBC's estimate for the tax increase on the median home is between 3.5% and 4.9% if MSBA reimbursement is available,
and between 5.5% and 7.2% if reimbursement is not available.
|
|
10/27/2004
|
Dieffenbach: Patricia Abramson writes in a
10/27 Town crier letter:
| |
Abramson: On Sept. 20, 2004, the Middlesex District Attorney's office ruled that the candidate review panel,
orchestrated and convened by the School Committee to select the members of the High School Building Committee,
violated the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. ... The fact that the candidate review panel was a "special purpose"
subcommittee did not relieve either the School Committee or that subcommittee of its legal obligation to comply
with the Open Meeting Law by providing advance public notice of the date, time and place of a meeting.
The meeting and deliberations were required to be open to the public. This is a substantial finding.
| |
The Middlesex District Attorney's finding was not "substantial;" no serious wrong was committed. The only violation
was a technicality: the description of a posted meeting was inadvertantly incorrect. Nothing more.
Assistant District Attorney Lillian Chang concluded that, “this violation needs no further action because it was
ruled as 1) unintentional and 2) the minutes of the January 8, 2004, meeting have been made public and have been
available to the public since February 2004.”
Ms. Abramson continues:
| |
Government should be working for us and not doing things in secret.
Poor process leads to poor decisions and erodes the ethical standards of the town government that
we have enjoyed in the past. I hope that this official finding of the District Attorney will breathe life
into the democratic process in Wayland's town government.
| |
Neither the School Committee nor the resulting High School Building Committee did anything "in secret."
As any observer has seen (and there have been many), the process of moving towards a decision about how to
modernize and expand Wayland High School has not only been remarkably open, it has been remarkably inclusionary.
An incredibly gifted, dedicated, and hard-working building committee has met in open meeting countless times.
The School Committee is proud of the life that the high school question has breathed into Wayland’s democratic process.
|
|
10/22/2004
|
Dieffenbach: Commenting on the January 27 Special Town Meeting,
Wayland Voters Network #041
writes:
| |
WVN: Since the Selectmen have now scheduled these for January 25 and 27th, Gordon
exhorted the Committee to insist that the High School article be first on
the warrant. This would avoid any inconvenience to those who only attend
Town Meeting to vote on their special interest by not forcing them to deal
with any other Town business.
| |
The School Committee requested the January 27 Special Town Meeting because of pressing time constraints on the
proposed high school project. Discussing the high school question ensures that this important debate will not
begin late in the evening when patience, attention, and endurance are low.
|
|
10/12/2004
|
Dieffenbach: Commenting on financial projections regarding the high school modernization and expansion project,
Margo Melnicove writes in
Wayland Voters Network #040:
| |
WVN: Lentz' latest charts don't specify interest rates -- a key to any projection
far into the future -- but she said that the "higher cost assumption"
assumed 5 percent interest on long-term debt. Unfortunately, as anybody
thinking of refinancing a home mortgage knows, not even Alan Greenspan can
produce a reliable guess about 2010 and beyond. Given the record federal
debt, respected economists have suggested that in a worst-case scenario
other countries would cease to be major buyers of U.S Treasuries and interest rates
would rise to levels not seen since the early 1980s.
| |
Ms. Melnicove makes an excellent point ... in favor of starting the project soon, while interest rates are low.
As anybody thinking of financing a home mortgage knows, fixed interest rates are available to insulate the homebuyer
from future interest rate fluctuations. Municipal borrowing is done on a fixed interest rate basis.
The newsletter continues:
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Any drawings the HSBC shows to voters will convey only a rough idea of what
the finished project would look like. Schematic diagrams have changed
almost weekly, evolving into this: Demolishing all but the field house on a
campus with the uncrowded ambience of a small college (much praised by
students) ...
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The schools simply can't win with the WVN, who interrupt their complaints about high costs to argue
in favor of a more expensive campus-style modernization and expansion.
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09/29/2004
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Dieffenbach: Anette Lewis writes in a
9/29 Town Crier letter:
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Lewis: Although I was not and am not aware of the need for a special Town Meeting
anytime before Wayland's regularly scheduled annual Town Meeting, I am assuming
that inclusion of this item on your agenda means that you may have other
thoughts.
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This position is a bit surprising given that Ms. Lewis herself speculated on 8/19 about the possibility of a Winter 2005
Special Town Meeting (WVN #031).
Ms. Lewis continues:
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Changes from the normal routine for "special Town Meetings" at other times of
the year should be reserved only for true emergency situations. Such "special"
Town Meetings are disruptive to the lives of our citizens who cannot and should
not be expected to reschedule their busy lives to accommodate what might be
perceived as poor planning on the part of those requesting the special Town
Meeting.
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The proposed January 2005
Special Town Meeting is not the result of poor planning, but rather the
circumstances surrounding the February 2003 School Building Assistance
moratorium and the desire to have the classroom portion of the modernized and
expanded high school open as targeted in September of 2007.
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In addition, the time required to
prepare for and attend these special Town Meetings in months other than April
are an impediment to other of our town boards, committees and departments
accomplishing their own goals and their regularly scheduled business.
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Other than the Board of
Selectmen and the Finance Committee, a Special Town Meeting need not have much
impact at all on the operations of town boards.
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09/29/2004
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Dieffenbach:
Wayland Voters Network #038
offers a host of topics on which to comment:
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WVN: At Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting, the School Committee recommended that
a Special Election be scheduled in January for voters to approve or reject
$4.2 million to design a new $56 million high school to replace the current
complex. The High School Building Committee also recommended a January vote,
despite repeated comments by many members of the public to both the School
Committee and the HSBC, pointing out the obvious: January is the worst
possible time for an election (unless one of your goals is to have low
voter turnout.)
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The School Committee's
goal is to have the classroom portion of the high school modernization and
expansion effort online by September 2007. As the HSBC and School Committee made
clear in the 9/27 meeting with the Board of Selectmen, the need for the architectural drawings and waste water treatment testing steps to begin
in March 2005 is necessary to meet the 2007 objective.
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What is consistent in the push for a January vote is the assumption that it
is "critical" in order to meet the Wayland High School "educational program"
- frequently used terms - to have new classrooms ready in September 2007. The
plan's backers didn't explain why it is considered critical; voters will have
to decide whether it makes sense to replace everything except the field
house and expand square footage by 80 percent when enrollment may
decline after 2007.
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The actual increase is
closer to 45%, based on a current square footage of roughly 160,000sf and a
proposed new square footage of about 232,000sf.
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After hearing the HSBC and School Committee recommendations, Selectman Brian
O'Herlihy raised several concerns:
[1] Could the proposed schedule be
delayed a year so that we might know more about the chances of receiving
state aid? Modular classrooms are already planned to deal with the expected
increase in enrollment.
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The actual delay would
more likely be two years and as much as three to four years for the
non-classroom spaces: commons, athletics, and arts.
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[2] If an early vote is so vital,
O'Herlihy said he is "quite disappointed" that it won't be on the Nov. 2
ballot, when the turnout is expected to be huge. A special election in
January would "put a strain" on voters who might be out of town, he said.
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The HSBC has put in an
incredible effort to be ready by the middle of November. To have been ready for
the November 2 general election, they would have had to cut two to three months
off of the project, a shortening of more than 20%. The School Committee was
disappointed when the SBA moratorium went into affect in February of 2003, but
being disappointed wasn't enough to change the reality.
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[3] When will voters be able to learn
the impact on their property taxes? (In about two weeks, said Finance
Director Bob Hilliard.)
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Preliminary estimates
generated by the HSBC and reviewed by the Finance Committee were released at the
September 23 HSBC meeting. Those estimates included an annual cost between $388
and $465 for the median household (value: $498,300) assuming SBA reimbursement
in the 40% to 46% range. Without reimbursement, the annual cost for the
median household would be between $582 and $697.
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The Finance Committee attended Monday's meeting and endorsed the two- vote
strategy recommended by the School Committee. The FinCom did not discuss its
earlier analysis based on a high-end project then estimated at $40 million.
Eight months ago the FinCom reported that a project of even that size would
exhaust Wayland's debt capacity.
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The concept of debt
capacity is misleading. The amount of borrowing that the town might undertake is
limited to the amount of debt exempt bonds that it could sell.
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When Selectmen asked about state aid,
School Committee members avoided their previous position (
Town Crier 9/15
) of
saying flatly and untruthfully that Wayland would receive it.
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As described in more
detail in the response to
WVN #036
the School Committee's 9/15 Town Crier article
could have been worded more clearly. Elsewhere in the article, however, the
School Committee correctly said that it "expected" reimbursement. So, the WVN
charge of "flatly and untruthfully" is unnecessarily bombastic.
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As citizens have pointed out, in letters to newspapers and elsewhere, the
state will undertake its first school needs study in many years. When the
state begins doling out money again, a new body will decide who is funded.
If, for example, the roof of a school building in Lawrence or Fall River is
leaking like a sieve, will state bureaucrats favor a town that has already
undertaken tens of millions of dollars in debt and completed a new
building?
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Jeff Stearns of the State
Treasurer's office (who will oversee the new SBA program) has repeatedly said
that towns that move ahead in advance of the moratorium end on July 1, 2007,
will in no way be penalized. The WVN is quick to point out SBA uncertainties but
fails to discuss all of the information available.
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As many WVN readers have suggested, a middle position would be to build
something like the plan once pegged at $20 million and pursue reimbursement
aggressively when it is available.
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The only evidence of a
$20M "solution" is a brief paper exercise that was part of the November 2002
High School Feasibility Study. Any solution--including a $20M band-aid--that
does not support the full (but responsible) educational program will be a
backwards step for the town, its children, and its real estate values. The
November 2003 Town Meeting decisively rejected the notion of considering an
aribtrarily defined $20M design.
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09/27/2004
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Dieffenbach: The WVN comments on topics ranging from modular science classrooms to email to building design:
Wayland Voters Network #037.
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WVN: Modular Science Labs - Burton announced that he plans to ask for
modular
science labs at Annual Town Meeting in the spring. The modulars would
accommodate the peak student population at the high school, projected to be
reached before the proposed new classrooms can be completed (begging the
question: so what's the rush to tear down the high school and build a new one
if the use of modulars will accommodate the peak student population?).
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The educational program consists of far more than temporary science classrooms.
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Email Lists - Pineault reported
that the schools are planning to collect email addresses to be used for
information dissemination ("News and Views") by the School Committee. They
will be used for "pre-ballot" information, but cannot legally be used
for political purposes once the ballot is actually scheduled.
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Public funds may not be
used for communications on a ballot question. Any communications not paid for by
public funds have no such limitation.
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The design of the building has changed with every recent HSBC meeting and
the committee is pushing the architects and project manager to move faster to
a final version.
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The designs that the HSBC
and its architect and project management team are working on (and modifying
frequently) are preliminary and for planning/example purposes. The actual design
work will be done in the next phase of the project.
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Even perspective drawings of the
buildings - scheduled to be ready before the end of October –won't
necessarily resemble the final project closely. (WVN readers may recall the
difference between architect drawings of the Public Safety Building and the
final product.)
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Assuming that HMFH's
current work is approved in a peer review process by an independent entity, it
is the stated intention of the School Committee to continue with them. As such,
the PSB issue to which the WVN alludes is not relevant, as the PSB project
changed architects between the first set of designs and the second.
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09/22/2004
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Dieffenbach: Milton Bailey's second letter in three weeks (
9/8 Town Crier letter
and
9/22 Town Crier letter)
suggests implementing a tax abatement program for Wayland residents 60 years or older and who have lived in town
20 years or more. Should the Board of Selectmen or the Finance Committee explore such an option, I would be
surprised if the School Committee were not supportive.
There is an "intergenerational contract" that has those without children in the schools paying taxes to support the
schools. In return, those residents benefit from property value appreciation. Schools and other spending have not been
a bad investment in Wayland. Based on Massachusetts Department of Revenue data, the cumulative increase in average
tax bills over the 14 year period from 1989 to 2003 has been about $29,000.
Over that same period, the assessed value of the average house has increased by about $290,000, a factor of ten more
than the tax increase.
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09/17/2004
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Dieffenbach: The WVN takes exception to a School Committee contribution to the Town Crier:
Wayland Voters Network #036.
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WVN: In a guest column in yesterday's Town Crier, the School Committee misleads
voters regarding the impact on taxpayers of the proposed $56 million project
to demolish Wayland High School (except the Field House) and replace it with
a new structure. In the column, the School Committee states: "We are
delighted that the new School Building Assistance legislation under Chapter
70B of the Mass. General Laws will provide significant reimbursement to the
town after 2007. This will significantly lessen the financial burden on our
taxpayers."
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The WVN is correct but
selective in pointing that the School Committee could have been clearer in its
language. They (and WVN member Tom Sciacca, in a
9/22 letter to the Town Crier)
are selective in quoting a later paragraph in the
original piece
while ignoring an earlier one that indicates that the School Committee expects
(but is not assured of) reimbursement.
The full cost of this project
has been estimated at $55.5 million, and we expect reimbursement, at least 40
percent, of the approved cost from the state under the Massachusetts School
Building Authority.
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If the total sought by applicants exceeds the amount available, then certain
applicants will not receive SBA funds.
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Here, the WVN is guilty of the same lack of clarity of which they accuse the School Committee. A
community not receiving funding in a given year after July 1, 2007, would be
fully eligible to reapply the following year.
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And yet School Committee members would have you believe that
state reimbursement is guaranteed and that your tax burden will be
eased. Shame on them.
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With the one exception
that the WVN chooses to cite, the School Committee has been consistently clear
that there is no guarantee of reimbursement. Certainly, while the language could
have been clearer, the intent of the committee was not to mislead.
Wayland residents may wish to compare the School Committee's performance with respect to acknowledging
errors in how it has communicated with that of the WVN. On several occasions, School Committee members have
written the WVN requesting clarification, with no response.
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09/15/2004
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Dieffenbach: Carson and Judy Canty Graves, in a
9/15 letter
to the Wayland Town Crier, twice laud
the WVN newsletters as being "objective." While the newsletters have certainly been informative, they can
hardly be called objective, taking a clear advocacy stance against a high school project designed to meet
the educational program defined by the Wayland Public School administration. Moreover, while the newsletters routinely
take exception to the actions of the School Committee (and in a few cases the High School Building Committee), they
never counter-balance their criticism with words of support.
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09/14/2004
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Dieffenbach: More from the WVN:
Wayland Voters Network #035.
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WVN: Citizens who haven't been won over by the appearance of the new Public Safety
Building may be just as skeptical of a new library or a new high school
campus.
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The WVN again confuses other projects with school projects. The appearance of the
Public Safety Building has nothing to do with the appearance of an as-yet
undesigned modernization and expansion of Wayland High School.
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The HSBC, on the other hand [compared to a new committee charged with evaluating library improvements],
was chosen primarily by the School Committee, which ignored many applicants ...
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The School Committee hardly "ignored many applicants." In fact, the applications of approximately 40
applicants were carefully reviewed by the School Committee, as discussed in the
Town Crier
on February 25, 2004. Given that there were nine School Committee appointed seats on the High School Building Committee
a number of excellent applications were necessarily precluded from HSBC service.
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... and installed a heavy representation of residents with construction expertise and
children in Wayland schools.
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It appears that the WVN is suggesting that construction expertise is somehow undesirable on a building committee.
Certainly, they are not suggesting that having children in the schools should be a disqualifying factor. Regardless,
no weight in the application process was given by the School Committee to whether or not the applicant was a parent
or not.
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School Committee members attend HSBC meetings and are closely involved with the building committee.
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Yes, in addition to its regular committee work, some members of the School Committee have contributed
valuable additional hours following the project at HSBC meetings.
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Nobody should be surprised that the combined effort resulted in a $56 million
plan that would destroy even the soundest of the existing high school
buildings.
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"Destroy" is used by the WVN as if it were a bad thing. As the HSBC clearly explained, it was faced with selecting
from options ranging from substantial renovation to substantial new construction.
The new construction option presented approximately the same cost but with much less risk with
respect to construction cost and time overruns. To have opted not to "destroy" the obsolete buildings
after the new space is constructed would have been irresponsible with respect to the taxpayer.
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On Sept. 30, after a long delay,
the architects and builders will present what they call a "stopgap"
plan requested by citizens.
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The School Committee never charged the HSBC with developing a "stop-gap" option.
The idea that there was a "long delay" is hyperbole.
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The HSBC already says a cheaper alternative cannot meet the "program" prescribed by school
officials. Unsurprisingly, the high school project has become controversial.
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The high school project is not controversial. While the price may be higher than any Wayland resident
might have hoped for, the need has been repeatedly demonstrated. The School Committee and the HSBC
have worked tirelessly to make sure that Wayland does not pay anything more than necessary
to deliver the educational program deserved by Wayland's children and taxpayers.
Opponents of the project may deem it controversial, but that does not make it so.
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09/11/2004
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Dieffenbach: The WVN weighs in on reimbursement guarantees and project management history
(Wayland Voters Network #034
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WVN: Under the old program, Wayland
had received SBA project approval before breaking ground.
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While it is true that under the old SBA program, towns generally received approval before breaking ground,
it was also true that approval did not guarantee funding.
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Wayland's record at bringing in recent construction projects on time and on budget is
not encouraging.
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Regardless of the accuracy of this broad statement, the Wayland Public Schools have an excellent record at bringing
in projects in a timely and cost effective manner. The most recent large project, the Middle School renovation,
is an example of this record. To recap, the original appropriation for that project was $9.7M (1999).
With support from the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee, the School Committee agreed to request
an additional $1M to cover energy efficient windows, technology, and other equipment. Although the
School Committee had originally decided to forego these items to keep the program cost down, they also saw
the benefit to the town in folding them into the reimbursable project amount. The additional items were approved
in 2001 before any expenditures were made. In the end, the project ran over the $10.7M total by a mere 1.3%.
The Middle School opened as planned in the fall of 2002 with only minor punch-list items remaining to be completed.
The schools excellent project record also includes the early 1990s work at the High School, the addition of modular
classrooms at the Claypit Hill and Loker elementary schools, the renovation of the Town Building space for the
Children's Way program, and they Claypit Hill gym and roof replacement projects.
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08/23/2004
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Dieffenbach: The WVN reports on comments made at the August 19 HSBC meeting
(WVN #031):
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A member of the Wayland Planning Board accused the High School
Building Committee of playing politics with questions involving the cost to
taxpayers of the $55 million project.
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The Wayland resident in question, Anette Lewis, was speaking on her own behalf and not representing
the Planning Board, as the WVN mention implies.
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08/17/2004
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Dieffenbach: The recent editions of the WVN newsletters (
WVN #025,
WVN #026,
WVN #027,
WVN #028,
WVN #029,
WVN #030,
) have done an excellent job of returning to the organization's stated mission,
dissemination of information, with only minimal advocacy. It is disappointing, however, that the WVN
never elects to compliment the HSBC on the dedication and excellent work of its members.
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07/11/2004
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Dieffenbach: In
Wayland Voters Network #024,
the WVN reports on public comments made at the end of the July 8 HSBC forum.
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WVN: -- I did a rough calculation of the effect that new debt of more than $50
million would have on my taxes. It would add about $1500 a year to my bill.
That is an awful lot of money to ask people to pay year after year. I just
don't think the voters can afford this.
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The member of the public who made this comment must live in a very expensive
home, be making worst-case assumptions, or both.
Assuming 25 years of borrowing at 5% on a $56 million dollar project with no reimbursement,
the median household would pay about $650 per year. (To pay $1,500 per
year, the resident who made the comment would have to live in a $1.1M
home.) A longer term (30 years is
possible) and a lower rate (it could just as likely be 4%) would drop the average annual payment
on the median home to about $540. With a reimbursement of 40%, the
number drops to about $360.
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