Letters to the editor may be submitted to steve@shrewsbury.net
All letters must be signed. We reserve the right to print or not print letters as we deem appropriate.
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April 16, 2010
On behalf of the Town of Shrewsbury Parks & Recreation Department, the Board of Health, and the Highway Department I’d like to thank the following groups for helping with town clean up held on Saturday, April 10th.
Boy Scout Troop 114, Daisy Girl Scout Troop 30996, Parker Road PTO, Shrewsbury Pop Warner Football, Shrewsbury American Youth Football, Lynn Mar, the Huang Family, Spring Street School 4th grade Student Council, Cub Scouts Pack 62, Den 1, Cub Scout Pack 146 and individuals who helped at various locations.
Thanks to their efforts the following areas were cleaned up: Oak Island, Jordan Pond, Spring Street School, Sherwood Middle School access trails & Crescent Street, Oak Middle Tennis courts and fields, Dean Park, Parker Road preschool, the Town Common, Shrewsbury Library, and other public areas along roadways.
Everyone who volunteer individually or with a community group, their efforts are appreciated by many and help make a difference in our town. Thank you for spending time helping the Town of Shrewsbury.
Sincerely,
Angela Snell
Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cemetery Departments
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Shrewsbury voters have an important investment decision to make on Tuesday, March 2nd. While there has been substantial rhetoric offered by folks who do not support the project, there are actual facts that should govern the decision making process of voters. First – the MSBA/state could have chosen not to support the new building plan – they are under no obligation to select the Town’s preference. They could have instead chosen the renovation/addition, or elected to choose none of the 4 renovation options designed and sent Shrewsbury back to the drawing board. They did not – the MSBA agreed that the new building plan is the most cost effective and educationally sound choice. Additionally, the square footage cuts to the classrooms and core structure of the building proposed by the no committee would prohibit us from being reimbursed at all as the MSBA will not invest in a building that does not provide a 50 plus years solution for the population. While births will decrease in this decade, with our existing housing stock in Shrewsbury the Sherwood students have exceeded 960 in recent years. Second – critics contend that like Oak, Sherwood could be renovated for approximately $25M, a number based on no architectural or cost estimating support, just unsubstantiated beliefs. Oak, built in the 1950’s, underwent a significant, multi-million dollar renovation from 1978-1982, including new building systems, fire protection and new roof. Sherwood, built in 1964, has not had any investment other than maintenance in the years since. Please vote Yes on Tuesday.
Hannah Kane
Chair, Community Supporters for Sherwood
32 Main Circle, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
508-842-2894 (H) 617-448-7304 (cell)
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An open letter to the residents of Shrewsbury from Selectmen Moira Miller, John Lebeaux, Maurice DePalo and Jim Kane.
We support the construction of a new Sherwood Middle School because it balances the educational needs of students with a fiscally responsible building design that will serve our town for decades. It is the most cost-effective solution for taxpayers.
The Building Committee has thoroughly vetted the options under the highly structured and rigorous process required by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).
Though the MSBA generally prefers renovations over new construction, it concluded that in the case of Sherwood, building a new school is “the most cost-effective and educationally sound option”. With voter approval this project will receive over 50% state reimbursement.
A Yes vote will bring state funds to Shrewsbury and allow us to build a new school that meets current education and building efficiency standards with the flexibility to accommodate changes for decades to come.
If we reject the state’s offer to reimburse us $23.9M for this project, we will still need to invest nearly $22M to provide only basic renovations and new systems to the 46 year old existing building.
The facts make it clear that the plan for Sherwood is a reasonable, long-term solution, respectful towards taxpayers and worthy of taxpayer support.
We ask that you please join us in voting Yes on Tuesday March 2nd.
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The School Committee voted unanimously in favor of a new building project for three important reasons. First, the new Sherwood is a thoughtfully planned, compact building with efficient, modern and sustainable building systems that will result in 20% lower operating costs in comparison to an add/reno. While it has been designed to meet the needs of the current program and staffing, it also has the flexibility of space and design to last over 50 years. Secondly, the new building will be able to implement the current educational programming more efficiently because there will be adequate and appropriate classroom space, which will provide instruction to all the diverse learners in the Shrewsbury school system. The core facilities, such as the gym and cafeteria, will allow 900 students to access schedule in a timely fashion. Finally, this is the most cost efficient project for the taxpayers. With less maintenance than an add/reno and more opportunity to adapt to the changes that will arise in education, the new building will be reimbursed 54% of the $47.3M project, which after other debt is paid off, will mean an impact of $106/year for an average homeowner. Flexible, efficient, and cost-effective. Please vote YES for Sherwood on March 2nd.
Erin Canzano
Chair of the Shrewsbury School Committee
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STAND TOGETHER FOR SHREWSBURY
As the spot light shifts from our recent historic state election, we can focus on a value proposition here in Shrewsbury by receiving state funding for one of our town buildings that has significant end-of-life systems and structural issues and over-crowding.
In fact, the state will reimburse the town of Shrewsbury over 50% of the cost to replace Sherwood Middle School. This town building is over 46 years old and has a failing electrical system, a failing HVAC system, a failing plumbing system (4 bathrooms for over 900 students ) and is over-crowded. The building’s infrastructure issues are widespread and even with basic renovations would continue to drain resources from the town’s operational budget which could be re-allocated to other town needs. However, the state will ONLY give Shrewsbury the funds, if the community (voters) will support a debt exclusion (temporary tax increase) on average a net cost of $106 dollars a year. This tax increase translates to 29 cents a day and will not occur until FY 2014.
The value for your money is unprecedented. Although voting YES would seem obvious, unfortunately there are some voters that may not be aware of the facts and get mislead by erroneous information. The facts speak for themselves and can reviewed on the www.SupportSherwood.com web site. The money received from the state can be thought of as “free money” that the town will receive. This is the only 5th and 6th grade middle school in Shrewsbury and it is common knowledge that when people make a purchasing decision on where to live, the number one question posed to real estate agents is how are the schools? Whether you have children that utilize the middle school or not, this is a pure investment in your property value. A minimal investment that will yield a very large return on your money.
Stand together for Shrewsbury and make this investment in our community. Support the Sherwood Middle School project by voting YES on March 2, 2010.
Bretta M. Karp
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To: The Editor
Subject: Shrewsbury’s Sherwood Middle School,
We are asking the Shrewsbury Finance Committee and the Town Meeting Members to approve building a new Sherwood Middle School. The Massachusetts School Building Authority has approved reimbursing Shrewsbury for over 54% of the $46.8 million cost – meaning the cost to Shrewsbury taxpayers will be approximately $21.5M.
Compared to the equal or possibly even greater cost to the Town of upgrading the old school, building new is far and away the most financially and socially responsible course to take. Building a new school will be a thoughtful, long-term investment in both the children and in the protection of the tax base of our Town. We are senior citizens and believe that we, as a Town, must re-invest in the future if we are to protect what we have today.
This recommended proposal has been thoroughly investigated and researched by a wide cross section of intelligent and resourceful, citizen volunteers. They have and continue to make a significant contribution to our Town and it would be both a shame and an insult to ignore their endorsed and well considered proposal.
We respectfully thank the volunteer members of both the Finance Comittee and theTown Meeting Members for your thoughtful consideration and hopefully for your support of this most necessary and fiscally responsible proposal.
Dean and Sherry Clark
390 Walnut Street
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
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To the Editor
Building a new school for the students of Shrewsbury makes the most economic sense for a very aged Sherwood Middle School. If we don’t vote yes on March 2nd, we will have to come up with the funding ourselves to repair an over forty year old building. The repairs and updating the school will cost over $20 million and take more than five years to complete. The town will end up with an older building with some bandages. If we build a new middle school this year the state will reimburse us over 50% of the total costs. If we don’t take advantage of the state funding it will be giving to another town. Please do the right thing for our students and our town. Be fiducially responsible and vote yes on March 2nd.
David Lowy
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Dear Friends,
The Finance Committee voted on the Sherwood new building proposal this evening after listening to testimony in the public hearing from 30 speakers in support of the project, including four members of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee members and School Superintendent, members of the Sherwood Building Committee, the Chair of the original Sherwood Building Committee, our state Senator, teachers, parents of children in the school system , as well as parents with children in private or parochial schools, parents with children have already graduated, members of the business community and senior members of our community – all spoke with credibility and distinct view points on the merit of the proposal, and urged the Finance Committee and Shrewsbury voters to support this project. There were 3 individuals who spoke in opposition of the proposal. There were also many additional people in the audience in support of the proposal who helped fill the room with Sherwood Supporters.
Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting this evening and spoke to the merits of the plan! This is an important vote and our public show of support and the Finance Committees’ vote indicate that our community is recognizing the strong merits of this plan.
Special Town Meeting is Tuesday evening at 7pm at Oak Middle School where the Town Meeting members will discuss and vote on the proposed new building plan. There is also an information session being hosted by the Community Supporters for Sherwood this Saturday from 10:30-11:30am at the library for Town Meeting Members to answer any questions they may have on the proposal.
Information Session on Sunday February 7th from 11am-12pm at Shrewsbury Health and Racquet Club
Darline Thorp Yatim and Adam Healy from Shrewsbury Health and Racquet Club have offered to host a meeting on Sunday February 7th from 11am-12pm to discuss the Sherwood proposal. They are offering to have their staff work in the kids club room so that parents can attend the information session and they are donating those services so that there is not a charge for the kids club services, they only ask that if people wish to use the kids club that they call or email their children’s ages and number of children attending so that they can staff properly.
Erin Canzano, School Committee Chair, Moira Miller, Board of Selectmen Chair and John Lebeaux, Vice-Chair of the Board of Selectmen and Sherwood Building Committee member will present the new building proposal and answer questions. If you have questions or know friends or neighbors who want to learn the facts please pass along this generous opportunity from Shrewsbury Health and Racquet. They are located at 3 Tennis Drive off of Walnut Street and you can email Darline at darliney@shrewsburyclub.com, or call her at 508-845-1000 x16.
Thank you for your continued support.
Be well, Jim
