April Fools Again?

Ken O’Brien

For going on four years now I’ve been preaching that the wailing and gnashing of teeth that comes every December when the tax rate is set is pointless.

Once the town budget is approved by the town council the tax rate is effectively set.

It has been shown repeatedly that Southbridge has the highest tax rate of all local communities.

What we hear in response is that the tax rate has to be viewed in relation to the assessed valuation of the properties in the community. We can’t judge simply on the basis of the tax rate because it doesn’t tell the whole story.

In reality that’s what the less politically correct of us call bullshit.

How Many Illegal Subcommittee Meetings Has The Southbridge Town Council Held?

Ken O’Brien

Rule Number 18 of The Southbridge Town Council Rules and Regulations states:

“All rules of procedure not considered herein shall be governed by ‘Roberts Rules of Parliamentary Procedure’.”

It has recently been brought to my attention that on a number of occasions meetings of various subcommittees have been held where there was not a quorum of the subcommittee membership in attendance. In order to resolve this problem the council chair or vice-chair has been called upon to meet quorum requirements in their status as ex-officio members of all subcommittees as provided for in Town Council rule #4:

Breaking Rumor: Increasing Conflict On Southbridge School Committee

Ken O’Brien

As many know, I have shied away from reporting rumors.

However, when they portend a potentially entertaining showdown to be broadcast live, well the truth will be borne out in less than five hours for all to view and judge.

From what I have been able to garner, the minority members of the school committee are engaging in the same kind of stonewalling that we have seen for the last year and a half in the U.S. Congress.

The reports I have are that the Fab Four minus one have failed to respond to the chair’s inquiries regarding their preferences for subcommittee assignments. As a result the chair was compelled to make assignments on her own initiative. 

Put A Sock In It!

Ken O’Brien

In my earlier post “More Southbridge Town Council Sleight Of Hand” I remarked “Don’t snow us with the typical excuse that ‘this was discussed in subcommittee’”.

Well, sure enough, that’s exactly what we heard at last night’s town council meeting when the issue of a transfer from the Cable Committee budget to the school department came up.

Southbridge School Committee Reconstituted – Moves Aggressively for Change - Ely's Contract Extended

Ken O’Brien

The Southbridge School Committee held its reorganizational meeting tonight following the June 26^th town elections.

Committee member Scott Lazo was excused from the meeting.

Patricia Woodruff was elected as committee chairman and Mary Ellen Prencipe was elected as vice chairman.

The committee also eliminated the collective bargaining subcommittee. Preference regarding the latter seemed to lean toward a negotiating panel consisting of a member of the school committee, the school superintendent, the school business manager and, when appropriate, a legal advisor. It established a new subcommittee on Communication and Family Engagement to facilitate community wide communication and enhance citizen participation in school affairs.