School Committee Supports Bringing Athletic Complex Project To Voters
School board members speak unanimously in support of FOTCAC project, but School Committee votes only to support putting the question on an April ballot.
Photos
All five members of the Tewksbury School Committee publicly declared their support for the Friends of Tewksbury Community Athletic Complex (FOTCAC) quest to build an enhanced athletic stadium at the new Tewksbury High School next year, but the board stopped short of formerly endorsing the project Wednesday night.
In a move that was largely symbolic, the School Committee voted, 5-0, in favor of placing a question on the April town election ballot that would permit the town to borrow $2.2 million to upgrade current plans for a high school athletic field to include a synthetic turf field, lights, larger stands, a scoreboard and a press box, as well as several tennis courts.
Two weeks ago, Tewksbury's Board of Selectmen passed a similar measure, paving the way for the athletic complex question to appear on the town's general election ballot on April 7.
FOTCAC had originally sought to raise enough money from donations and sponsorships to build the enhanced athletic complex without using taxpayer dollars. But after a year's worth of fundraising netted the group only $50,000, FOTCAC approached both the selectmen and the School Committee in recent weeks and asked for support in placing a measure on the April ballot that would seek voter approval to have the town borrow the money for the project.
According to FOTCAC spokesman Paul Hibner, the ballot initiative, if passed, would result in an increase of just $20 per year on the average Tewksbury homeowner's real estate tax bill. The debt would be paid off in 10 years, at which point the additional taxes would be eliminated.
"I support what (FOTCAC) was trying to do and I understand their predicament," School Committee member Joseph Russell said. "I think that this new high school needs a field where more of our students can use that field and a turf field would do that.
"I know it's a difficult time right now," Russell added. "But I think $20 a year for 10 years is well worth it for what this town is going to get out of it."
"This field is important for many reasons," agreed committee member Dennis Francis. "This is more than just a sports field, this is a field for the entire community. It can be used year round, and I think it completes the project.
"I think it's the way to go and I think it's the right time, because sooner or later, this project will be done," Francis added.
Committee member Jayne Miller expressed concern that other, equally important town needs have not been addressed ahead of the athletic complex.
"I'm a little conflicted about building an enhanced field when we aren't putting in full day kindergarten, and when we have other budget constraints that are facing us," Miller said. "But that being said, I look forward to my kids running on this field. I look forward to that enhancement to our community."
Committee member Brian Dick, who also serves on the FOTCAC committee, reiterated his support for the project.
"It's going to affect a lot of students for many years to come," Dick said. "I think it's a special opportunity to kind of put the candle on the cake. I think it should have been part of the original plan."
School Committee Chairperson Krissy Polimeno commended FOTCAC for their hard work and dedication to seeing the project through.
"I wholeheartedly support this effort. I think it's a great thing," Polimeno said. "I think it's the right thing for Tewksbury and I think it's the right thing for this new high school."
Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor also spoke in favor of the FOTCAC project.
"This initiative will benefit the school district for generations," O'Connor said. "So I hope people will take the time to read (the ballot question) very carefully and then vote the way they feel they should vote."
The school committee stopped short, however, of voting to support the passage of the measure, but rather voted in support of bringing the question to the April ballot.
But Dick, who has been the board's most outspoken advocate of the project, expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the School Committee.
"I think it was important for the board to endorse bringing the measure before the voters to allow transparency and to allow everybody to weigh in," Dick said. "Endorsements are great. I think we're all in it for the same goal and that is to represent the kids of Tewksbury. Every vote should be for those kids to have a better experience in our district.
"I think it was clear and evident that we're all together on this," Dick added. "We want to see this come to fruition."
billvill
12:24 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Of course they do...
Brian Dick
1:24 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Just a correction in the article, the amount on the ballot question to be borrowed is up to $1.9 million not the 2.2 million that was mentioned in the article.
Jake P
1:43 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Thats 1.9 million too much!!
R Miano
1:46 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
1.9 Million? We have lived without it this long take that 1.9 million and put it towards our water/sewer bill. Give me a break.
Listen i'd love a complex. I have 3 kids under 14. But come on.
Jon Pratt
2:26 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
You'll have to replace the field in 8 years if it's going to get all that use. Then what??
How about spending money improving the education so kids don't leave the district. This committee gives the impression that sports complex will improve community. How about improving the school system!
I'm not going to vote for it until I see a cost analysis of what is being spent. Looks like a pie in the sky figures for tennis courts, foootball field ,lights and an extra seating that constantly changes. These guys will spend every dime.
bk
11:10 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
"How about spending money improving the education so kids don't leave the district. This committee gives the impression that sports complex will improve community. How about improving the school system!"
I agree with this.
--B
Christian Panasuk
3:44 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
speaking of full day kindergarten... I've heard that there will be an article on the town meeting warrant asking the town to appropriate $500k for five-day kindergarten. Not from the school budget, but from the town-side of the budget. Any one know about this? School Committee? Select Board?
Douglas Hood
4:53 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Putting the candle on the cake...... Voting YES !!!!
illegal alien
5:37 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Blowing out that candle....Voting NO!
Splice
6:12 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Blowing out the candle and voting NO.
Then throw the cake into the trash.
StephFace
7:59 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
@splice The cake represents the new school in this analogy. Throwing the new school in the trash would be a bit weird.
billvill
8:35 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
It's a metaphor Steph, and I'm still voting no.
Tewksbury2001
7:15 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Voting yes. Why would you vote no? $20 per year?
illegal alien
7:44 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
$20 for this...$40 for that...excise tax, sales tax, tolls, property tax, meals tax, water tax, sewer tax, gasoline tax, fee's for everything...yes...why would I vote NO?? I wonder...HMMMM
jo
8:18 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
I totally understand the school committee supporting this measure, however it illustrates the inconsistencies of reality. A year ago Mrs. Polimeno took some heat for rejecting a negotian proposal that would give the teachers a 1% increase over a couple of years. Her reasoning was that taxpayers should not be supporting a salary increase. That couldn't have been an easy decision. However now she wants taxpayers to vote to support an athletic complex. Isn't that a contradiction of policy, or am I reading too much into this.
Sean Czarniecki
7:15 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
I think that a lot of people are missing what the support of the BOS and SC means. As this is an outside group bringing forward an article, the BOS and SC are supporting the efforts put forth....and if the residents vote to approve it, it certainly would be a nice thing to have....supporting the effort is reasonable. This is outside the SC's budget. The 1% increase example you provided is within the SC's budget. If the increase happens, either cuts have to be made elsewhere or an override for operational costs needs to occur. If the SC puts out an article for a tax increase for salary increases, they take the heat, especially since people don't like that kind of override (for salary reasons vs. getting something like a building or fields).
Jake P
8:32 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
The water bills couldn't have come at a better time right before this goes to vote. I personally will vote against every incumbent school commitee person as their term expires for direlection of duty
Salon1475
12:24 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
As much as I would love to see a state of the art sports complex, I feel our education for the kids is lacking. All the towns surrounding us have full day kindergarten, it's a shame that we are allowing the sports stadium to go on the ballot and we are just pushing full day kindergarten to the side yet again. We have kids every year that go on and succeed in collegiate sports from this town with the services they receive here in town...lets put education first!
bk
11:17 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
Well said DF.
Education first!!
-B
Bill. S
8:17 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
Clearly a "no" vote is the only thing worth voting for in April
Sam is right $20 here $40there. where does it end? But like I said before, when you own a giant home, giant car and spend summers on the cape. Whats another $20 per year
jo
9:09 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
Was a mistake made in this article? If Mr. Dick serves on the "Friends Committee" is he allowed to vote as a school committee member on the "Friends Committee" request?
bk
11:15 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
I might vote YES but if they were to link this addition/improvement to also improving the education standards in Tewksbury, mine would be definitely YES and also they would get even more support.
I wont mind paying little over what they are asking for this
athletic project if that expense also improves our schools' standing.
There is just too much emphasis on the sports here. BTW, how many sports stars have we produced?. With some good education, at list our kids will get some good paying jobs in this knowledge based economy.
--B
Ella F
1:11 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
It's funny, I voted for the new high school the way it is, can someone tell me 'how' it's suppose to make my childrens education any better if and when this state of the art athletic complex is built? Their education stinks at the lower levels, and nothing is done about that, and by voting on this it's going to make it beeter when they get to the high school? None of my kids even play sports!
Also, I feel that if monies need to be put into anything it should be police and fire, what about them? They have been getting the shaft for years. Keep the plans the way that they currently are and fundraise and put it in later. JMO
Marc
1:29 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
How can anyone afford to pay anymore taxes in this town..I agree with Ella, my kids dont even go to the high school and im paying the price of the new building..Now they want a very extravagant athletic complex..bull....
Joe Bill
9:33 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
My kids don't go to the high school as well but you have to realize your home value is tied to the school system. If the town failed to pass the high school initiative your home value would have suffered.
Dave
2:18 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
High school enterprise fund....just saying
Anne O
5:25 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
How can anybody support any town project until the water situation is under control? Tripling the water rates would be crippling to the businesses & residents.of Tewksbury. What good is a new athletic field, if you can't afford the water to maintain it?
Jay
10:08 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012
Why are we trying to fund new projects when we are spinning out of control trying to pay off previous projects? As much as a new athletic complex would be nice, our sewer/water rates are absurd and with 25% increase over the next 3 yrs and 5% each year after that we all know the money is not going to the debt of the sewer construction project. I like how they tell us it's only $20 per tax bill for 10 years then the tax would be eliminated, hahaha. The tax will just side step into another tax, the town will feel since we are already used to paying it why not just roll it into something else. Let's focus more on education.
Karyn
1:32 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
All well and good to leave your opinions against it here but please don't stop at that. Make sure you follow through and get to the ballot vote on April 14th and encourage like-minded neighbors, friends, etc. to get there too. You can BE SURE the pro-side along with some confused sheep following that buy into this unnecessary dream project will be doing just that. This is DESPERATELY wanted by some but totally UN-needed by many!
Jon Pratt
8:12 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
This sends a bad message to town employees that we value spending on a Taj Mahal sports complex after crying how poor we are when it comes to having no money.
As nice as it would be to drive a Mercedes and having my neighbors subsidize it for it would be great but I can only afford a ford focus.
Alex Ro
10:22 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Sorry but there are other areas in town that need fixing, like others said put this towards the sewer bill. Its not all about sports. What about the school that has no LIBRARIAN and cannot even use the library, why does it have to be about this sports place. And in how many years we will have to all pitch in on another $20 to fix the field, give me a break. Look what happened to our high school and other elelmentary schools, all went down hill with no maintance, same thing will happen with this. unbelievable.
Gordon Pickguard
10:38 am on Saturday, March 17, 2012
Why do we all think that we can eat just one more piece of that chocolate cake ? Just ask the Greeks. The day of financial reckonging is inevitable. Why are communities like Tewksbury, with so little resources so self deluded ? The day of federal and state aid to cities and towns is coming to an end. Then how do we finance bloated municipal saleries,retirement,health plans and the municipal unions that always get more ? We should be cutting costs now ! "Please, may I have just one more small piece of cake ?" OPA !