Fall out from news segment

By Mary Kronholm

BLANDFORD– Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Rob Nichols introduced Jackie Dolby, temporarily serving as selectmen’s secretary until such time as a permanent candidate has been selected. Dolby later informed the 27 residents attending the board meeting that it was she who contacted Channel 22 News.
Nichols said that there had been emails sent to the town regarding taxes, and at that point Brennan said that after due deliberation, he’d like to take the opportunity to get the word to people who have paid taxes but have not had checks cashed to come forward and present a new check to the town; and for those people who have paid their taxes and have had checks clear, but receive notification of taxes owed, to come forward as well.
“It’s taken us a long time to get where we are, it’s going to take a while to get out. We have not heard anything new in the past couple of weeks. Channel 22 had us on the news, but it’s old news,” he said.
Fran Jensen wanted to know if it would be advisable to have someone explain to the town, “how this happened…people’s reputations have been ruined. It is time to clear the deck.”
Brennan said, “It’s a mystery to me how a simple transaction” can go wrong.
Nichols said that as things are now, “We just want people to clear up their accounts.”
References were made to the Channel 22 News report aired at 6 p.m. on Monday.
Nichols said that he had his own recording of his interview with Channel 22. Maureen Dion asked if he had informed the television crew that he was recording the interview, to which he responded that he could not remember. “I am not saying I did, or I didn’t,” he said.
He said he could record anything he wanted to for himself.
Dion said he was obligated to inform them that they were being recording.
Dion continued saying “The truth will come out, residents will understand … the good people ….in town are standing up” she referred to a loud minority who have been getting away with too much for too long. “That’s going to change,” she said.
The discussion of the recording of the interview continued, Nichols repeatedly said, “we’re done,” while Dion said, “The truth will come out.”
Nichols failed to recognize Fran Jensen. When this was called to his attention by Kate Fletcher, he recognized Jensen who questioned a statement purportedly from Nichols that former selectboards must have had knowledge of what was going on in the tax collector’s office.
She said that her late husband had spent the last two years of his life on the board “running, cleaning up what was going on with the selectboard,” and called Nichol’s statement “reprehensible.”
Jackie Dolby then said that she was the party who emailed Channel 22. “I told the truth to 22 News as I saw it. This not only affected me personally, and I felt that if someone didn’t come forward…” things would continue.
After repeated failed attempts to resolve the issue with the town, she felt the problem needed to be taken care of. She said this was her own action and was not instructed by Nichols. She had heard from others that they were afraid to come forward.
Dolby had been pulled over by a police officer because, she learned, the excise tax had not been paid, the registration had been revoked, and was directed to “drive straight home” and clear the matter.
Selectman Bill Levakis motioned to close the meeting amid conflicting comments. The discussion continued afterwards.

Early school budget figures jolt officials

By Mike Donovan

RUSSELL– The Gateway Regional School District’s tight budgeting hasn’t offset lower state contributions to the schools, which could add to a structural deficit the town has been struggling with for over a decade, Town Accountant Nancy Boersig told the selectboard last week.
“Right at the start I’m in the hole again,” she said at a selectboard meeting Feb. 7. Last year the town used $215,000 in free cash to balance the town budget, and the Gateway increase could add another $190,000. Boersig said the problem appears to be a reduction in revenue the state sends the district, which is neutralizing efforts to keep school spending down.
“[Gateway’s] budget is only up by 1.1 percent,” she said, “but the average increase for the towns is 5.6 percent.”
(A subsequent Gateway Regional School Committee meeting has voted to look at level funding the budget, which would cut town assessments overall to 3.14 percent.)
Boersig later said that the $190,000 increase would add $1.40 to the current $18.40 tax rate if the increase were not offset by free cash. The level funded budget now under consideration would increase the town’s assessment by $135,000.
She noted too that the town’s cost for vocational education is an unknown because students planning to attend vocational schools don’t sign up until next month. Even then, it’s sometimes doubtful whether all who signed up will actually attend. Some students change their minds, and others may not be accepted until they’ve completed a summer program to bring their grades up. In other cases vocational students may move into the district during the summer, adding to the town’s vocational education bill.
“The hardest part is the students pending” as the town waits for a final number, Boersig said. The town pays vocational costs separately from its Gateway assessment. Vocational tuition costs about $14,000 per student, paid directly to the schools, and also must pay for transportation, which it does in cooperation with other Gateway towns.
Also included in the town’s anticipated assessment is a contribution to a stabilization fund Gateway Superintendent David Hopson hopes to set up for capital projects that will be needed in the future, such as a new Middle School roof and improvements to the water supply at the schools.
According to Boersig, the number of school choice students opting for schools outside the district is “way up,” which also impacts district revenues because funding for the students follows them to their chosen schools.
Another reduction in district revenue is an unfortunate result of the district’s success in improving the efficiency of its busing routes. The state reimburses the district for a percentage of its transportation outlays, and the district’s reduced costs will result in a reduced reimbursement figure. Although the two reductions should balance out, a significant increase in transportation for special education (SPED) students will boost overall transportation costs in the coming year. The state does not reimburse the district for SPED transportation.
Boersig feels, however, that the district is not taking responsibility for its revenue losses.
“When the town’s revenue is down, I have to cut,” she said. “Gateway just shifts its losses to the towns.”
She conceded the town has healthy free cash, which is money left over from a previous year’s budget, but said that was due to timber cuts and money remaining in the “overlay account,” which is set aside each year to fund tax abatements. She added that collections have also been highly successful, helping to increase the town’s reserves. The most recent timber cut brought the town $77,000, but Selectman Keith Cortis noted the market for wood is weak, driving prices down.
“You won’t get that this year unless prices go up,” he said.
At the same time the town has sustained cuts in state local aid of more than 30 percent over the past three years.
Selectwoman Pandora Hague said the district’s continuing decrease in enrollment should result in lower costs, but Boersig noted the opposite is happening.
“As the district shrinks the towns’ share is getting larger,” she said.
It should be noted here that the figures indicated are preliminary as the Gateway Regional School Committee continues to develop the district budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. At press time a 1.1 version of the budget became available on line.