Comments

• On the article LETTER: Unite And Vote 'No' On Question 1

  

  

  Brian Dick

  9:12 am on Friday, April 13, 2012

  I appreciate your comment. I feel the same way on your comment on family.

  Not sure on the elementary plan. Let's see what the new facility study committee. I know they are working hard on this and we have plenty of community participation in the committee.

  I am happy the teachers got their contract. It's good to invest in our teachers and to improve moral. Let them know they are doing a good job. What's nice is the schools can focus over the next three years on making the schools even better without both sides worrying about a new contract. They are doing a good job and the community sees that and the contract was good for the town and the union.

  All unions seem to be working well with the town in my eyes.

• On the article LETTER: Unite And Vote 'No' On Question 1

  

  

  Brian Dick

  8:59 am on Friday, April 13, 2012

  Marc, you and I have to do a little work this morning, but I'll give you what I have from our discussion regarding the note with the Town Manager. It's a cut and paste from our presentation to the abutters last Monday night.
  What will the cost to the taxpayers for the proposed complex be each year until the debt is paid off?
  •The average household will experience a ~ $20 / year tax increase for 10 years.
  –10,158 (households) * $20 * 10 years = $2,031,600 (includes interest)
  –The average house is valued at $315,582
  –These figures will vary based on your appraised property value
  •How many years will the taxpayer loan be for before it is paid off?
  –The proposal is 10 years but this will be up to the town
  •This cost will be reduced by any private funding or grants that FTCAC may collect in contributions in an effort to defer these expenses .

• On the article LETTER: Unite And Vote 'No' On Question 1

  

  

  Brian Dick

  8:59 am on Friday, April 13, 2012

  Just a point on the last bullet, with the money raised to date by FTCAC and future money from TD Bank brings the average tax payer cost down to $18.70.
  Every contribution helps bring that number lower. Our sponsorship program will continue to whittle this even lower through the life of the complex.

  Also, there will be credits given back to the new high school project if we do it now, roughly $140k from what the H.S. project manager stated. These credits are from the cost of sod/dirt/bleachers that will not be used in current design. Those credits reduces the money needed to be borrowed for completion of the new high school project .

• On the article LETTER: Unite And Vote 'No' On Question 1

  

  

  Brian Dick

  8:57 am on Friday, April 13, 2012

  Just a point on the last bullet, with the money raised to date by FTCAC and future money from TD Bank brings the average tax payer cost down to $18.70.
  Every contribution helps bring that number lower. Our sponsorship program will continue to whittle this even lower through the life of the complex.

  Also, there will be credits given back to the new high school project if we do it now, roughly $140k from what the H.S. project manager stated. These credits are from the cost of sod/dirt/bleachers that will not be used in current design. Those credits reduces the money needed to be borrowed for completion of the new high school project.

• On the article LETTER: Unite And Vote 'No' On Question 1

  

  

  Brian Dick

  8:58 am on Friday, April 13, 2012

  Marc, you and I have to do a little work this morning, but I'll give you what I have from our discussion regarding the note with the Town Manager. It's a cut and paste from our presentation to the abutters last Monday night.

  What will the cost to the taxpayers for the proposed complex be each year until the debt is paid off?
  •The average household will experience a ~ $20 / year tax increase for 10 years.
  –10,158 (households) * $20 * 10 years = $2,031,600 (includes interest)
  –The average house is valued at $315,582
  –These figures will vary based on your appraised property value
  •How many years will the taxpayer loan be for before it is paid off?
  –The proposal is 10 years but this will be up to the town
  •This cost will be reduced by any private funding or grants that FTCAC may collect in contributions in an effort to defer these expenses.

• On the article LETTER: Unite And Vote 'No' On Question 1

  

  Brian Dick

  9:14 pm on Thursday, April 12, 2012

  I disagree with Marc’s letter but appreciate his opinion. It’s okay to disagree and debate. I need to correct him on the "turf" costing $2 million. The turf costs $400k and the fabric and drainage system under the field is $300K. Total $700k. Here is a link with good info regarding the project and many questions and answers from residents if people need clarification.

  http://www.ftcac.org/uploads/ftcac_presentation_abutters_and_community_04_09_2102.pdf

  His comment regarding “For the Children” starts at home, I agree it starts at home but it doesn't have to stop when they step out of the house or when they are at school away from mom and dad.

  We have great teachers and coaches who are tremendous role models for our students. Every parent can reflect and pick out a few (or many) that have helped their child and family or themselves through their education years. There are role models at home and in the classroom or on the court/field.

  This upgraded athletic facility along with our new 21 century high school, our commitment to technology, our recent investment in our teachers (yesterday’s contract vote); and our recent elementary facility community initiative can only help keep and attract those positive role models for our school district.

  All of it can help bring more pride to Tewksbury.

  Reply

• On the article LETTER: Voting 'Yes' on Question 1 Will Set A Good Example For Students

  

  

  Brian Dick

  1:02 pm on Sunday, April 8, 2012

  Happy Easter to everyone. Before I go off to an egg hunt. Here are a few things...

  I disagree with your financial assumptions . Ballot question request is for $1.935 million - not $4 million.To save the town the most money on this project is to do it now before the track goes in. The decision to do this or not needs to be now to get on the building schedule.

  To get it in the schedule would be to vote on it now. To do it now, will save money on building the new high school. For example, there would be reimbursment money for the natural sod and materials, roughly $75k going back to town project. Another reimbursement is the 500 seat bleachers. Roughly 75k would also be given back to town project for this. A total of roughly $140k given back to the town of tewksbury if changes are done now.

  Regarding participation, the numbers I posted above are true numbers from the Athletic department. For example, there are close to 100 kids just on the spring track teams alone. From our athletic department, sport participation rate is over 60%. That means 60% of our high school students particpate on an athletic team during the year.

  That's just High School, never mind community/youth sport participation.

  Bottom line is many people will use this facility.

• On the article LETTER: Voting 'Yes' on Question 1 Will Set A Good Example For Students

  

  

  Brian Dick

  9:30 pm on Saturday, April 7, 2012

  Take a look at the Wynn School field. It's getting beat up this spring with no rain water or irrigation and only boys lax playing on it.

• On the article LETTER: Voting 'Yes' on Question 1 Will Set A Good Example For Students

  

  

  Brian Dick

  9:28 pm on Saturday, April 7, 2012

  What does the $20,000 consist of?

  The number to maintain a grass field - lining(multiple sports), cutting, mowing, etc. will be up over $20,000 a year. however, you would be saving on water since no irrigation will be installed. If you did water it though, which I would think we would want to our it would turn into a dust bowl, then your talking much bigger numbers as we all know.

• On the article LETTER: Voting 'Yes' on Question 1 Will Set A Good Example For Students

  

  

  Brian Dick

  9:15 pm on Saturday, April 7, 2012

  Cost:
  Directly from Town Officials:

  The anticipated cost of the project is 1.935 million dollars. The estimate for impact to the tax levy is $270,000.00 in the first year. The estimate for tax rate impact is $20.00 a year for a home value at $315,000.00.

  That is $20 a year for 10 years.

  For homes valued more it would be a little more, for those homes valued under it would be less.