July 22, 2005
On Monday, August 1st, Raynham will have a 6 Article Special Town Meeting. Five of the six items relate to Bridgewater-Raynham school funding.
1. To rescind prior Town Meeting vote on $300,000 from Stabilization to B-R.
2. Change appropriation from $10,500,000 to $10,000,071 for B-R Operations. (This figure was set to match Bridgewater's estimated pro-rated share.)
3. Appropriate $50,820 for Raynham's share of modulars. (To fund these costs separate from Operations.)
4. Gift $449,109 to B-R in accordance with MGL 71-S37A, to hire staff for Raynham buildings K-8 grades.
5. Appropriate $746,551 for debt service payments on bonds and notes for various school building projects.
6. Approve Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for Welter Primary Care Associates.
The first and second Articles are to match an estimate of Bridgewater's pro-rated share, as appropriated by Bridgewater at its June Annual Town Meeting. The reason I use 'estimate' is tied to Article 3 - Raynham having a separate Article for modulars/leases. Bridgewater (like Raynham) both originally voted a number that many believed included the modular/lease costs - and thus this Raynham Article to separate these costs.
The 4th Article on "Gifts" once again appears. This will be the third year in a row where Raynham has gifted additional money to the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School Committee with conditions. We are either a Regional System or not. Having these conditions on the money is not compatible with State law on how a Town may appropiate funds (and not direct any funds) nor is it consistent with the principle behind a regional shared school district.
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Joseph Gillis Jr.
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