Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/2019/03/)
I have written a number of op-eds on this subject and spoken at BOS meetings during public sessions over the past year or so. I acknowledge the objectives of a diverse public facility as proposed by the soliciting Facility Committee for the lease of Kearns School.
Granby residents are needed to fill vacancies on the Agricultural Commission and the Conservation Commission. If you are interested in serving on either of these commissions, contact the Democratic Town Committee Chair Christine Chinni at GranbyDemocrats@gmail.com, the Republican town committee Chair Mark Neumann at 860-653-9668, or the Town Manager at 860-844-5300.
The Connecticut Council of Small Towns (COST) is urging lawmakers to oppose bills that would force the consolidation of smaller school districts, including SB-457, which requires school districts serving less than 2,000 students to consolidate with larger school districts, and SB-454, which requires schools to be consolidated into mega districts serving 40,000 students. “Consolidation does not always produce cost savings.
The Boards of Selectmen and Education presented their Plus-One Budgets to the Board of Finance and town residents at the annual Three-Board Meeting held on Jan. 22.
On March 6, I will present the FY20 Administrative Budget to the Board of Education. The budget is a spending plan that is responsive to the needs of the district, a Board of Finance budget guideline of 4 percent, a huge State budget deficit, and a proposed Governor’s budget that reduces $254K in State educational funding to Granby.
Over the years, in response to the significant economic challenges, the district has taken steps to reduce its budget by realizing line-item efficiencies and closing a school.
Mrs. Diemer’s Kindergarten class lines up in front of the truck that picked up over 400 books collected by Kelly Lane students for the Read to Grow program.
New Chamber of Commerce officers installed are (from l.): John Laudati, president; Mary Anne Guarco, past president; Todd Baily, director; Lindsay Allen, director; Annelise Hurley, director; Frank Schoenrock, treasurer; Kevin Riggott, director; Scott Riley, first vice president; Jamie Rice, second vice president, Brian Guarco, director; Bob Marx, director. Missing from photo are: Vicky Mosteanu, Meg Statile, Tim Baker, Kathy Ungerleider, and Tony Roda.
Jonah T. Yeakley and Kyle Gilmore, class of 2020, were named to the fall 2018 Westfield State University dean’s list.
Granby was provided an opportunity at the town’s Senior Center, co-moderated by First Selectman Scott Kuhnly and Susan Patricelli Regan, to hear an exclusive presentation on the state’s fiscal status and challenges, given by Robert E. Patricelli, co-author of the document 2.0 Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth manifesto. Patricelli is the co-chairman on the State’s Fiscal Stability Commission along with Jim Smith, former president and CEO of Webster Bank.
March is proving to be a busy month for the PTO. The spring session of our after-school chess program begins on March 4 and will meet on consecutive Mondays through June 3.