Say Yes to CCS
 
We are writing to ask you to vote “YES” on the third vote of the Charlotte Central School Budget on May 18. We are writing as  parents of two sons, one about to enter Kindergarten this fall and our youngest to follow in 2011. We are concerned that their educational  experience will not be of the same high quality CCS is known for if there are any more cuts in the school budget.  Please “Say Yes to CCS”!

Matthew and Michelle Hough

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“ITBYWOM”

In his recent letter to The Charlotte News, Hans Ohanian suggests renewable energy stands alone in receiving taxpayer dollars and as a result should be shunned. He seems to be one of those bamboozled by the power industry to believe their electricity bill is actually an accurate assessment of their total electric expenditure. Assuming he pays taxes, he is actually paying a portion of his electricity bill to Uncle Sam every April 15 to keep the heavily-taxpayer-subsidized nuclear and coal industries from collapsing. These costs usually fly under the radar as most citizens don’t pay attention as they are veiled in slimy American politics. Many people have been duped as a result. Powerful lobbies want to keep it that way. The recent boost given to renewables is an open disclosure of leveling of the playing field against a deeply entrenched industry with very deep taxpayer-filled pockets.
Those of us who have decided to take our energy production into our own hands have a variety of reasons to do so. I have yet to meet one who is looking for a way to make an easy buck on one dime. Entergy has already done enough of that. Personal ethic aside, many realize that decades of bureaucratic bumbling at the state and federal level have left us with an aging, decaying power infrastructure that buckles under the demand on hot summer days. Vermont has been sequestered but will soon be at the mercy of the Northeast grid where volatile prices and rolling brownouts are part of everyday life. The vast majority of our power will soon be purchased on the spot market.
Assuming the sun is not going to fizzle out and my use remains stable, I know exactly what my electricity bill will be next year and in 2022. Zero. I will also not be party to brownouts and grid failure.
Given my current power usage and today’s rates, I will be doing all of this with about 20 taxpayer dollars in incentives. I promise to return it to the Charlotte economy with purchases at the Brick. Given what I send to Washington every year, this kickback is almost an imperceptible amount of money. I argue let us keep the tax money in Vermont with our neighbors rather than sending it to Quebec and Lousiana to big industry benefiting from sweetheart deals on our tax dollar.
Anders Holm

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Education affects values

When my husband and I were looking to buy a home in the area, our #1 priority was the quality of the public school. We are not alone. In fact, a great deal of research has been conducted to prove the relationship between the quality of public schools and home valuation.
The 1997 landmark study conducted by Sandra Black for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that for every 5% increase in children’s test scores there was a 2.1% increase in home value. Subsequent studies supported the same premise. In 2007, the William Penn Foundation found that for every 1-point increase in test scores, housing prices increased an average of $.52 per square foot.
So, it shouldn’t be surprising to find that the median price of sold homes in Charlotte is up +35% from Q1 2007 – Q1 2010 while Chittenden County is down -1%. After all, Charlotte Central School is the leading school in the area (according to NECAP scores, an imperfect yet standard measurement device). It is #1 for math. It is #1 for reading. And, it is #1 for science, beating Shelburne, Williston and Hinesburg. Writing was the only area it came in second, and it was to Shelburne. As the neighboring schools all pass flat-to-higher budgets without fail, it begs the question, “Will Charlotte Central be able to maintain its #1 rating?” I urge the community to consider the importance of their actions. Charlotte is the town that just sent a teacher to Washington, D.C., to be acknowledged by the President. It is home to a geography wiz student who will compete nationally. This is Charlotte today. Your vote will determine who Charlotte is tomorrow. Vote yes on the school budget and preserve the excellence this town has worked so hard to create.

Marybeth Gilliam

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Vote YES!

Charlotte is a wonderful place to live.  We have a wonderful school.  In these hard economic times we need to prioritize our spending. Our school and our town’s children are a great investment. Talk to any Charlotte student and you will hear the amazing things happening every day at CCS. Our students are also making impacts on others.  Take for example, musician and environmentalist Jer Coons who, in his interview with Planet Green, was quoted after a visit to a 4th grade class at CCS. “I left the room, two hours later, completely floored by their level of comprehension and respect.... and the fact that they are cognizant of so many relevant issues instilled in me a huge sense of hope for the future.”  I share this hope. CCS is doing a great job educating our town’s youth and that is why I will be voting “YES.”
Lori Racha

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Board deserves thanks.

I want to publicly applaud the current CCS School Board. Over the past year, they have needed to deal with some very challenging issues: a new school administration, a severe economic crisis, a major change in school board membership/leadership and a failing school building, among other issues. None of these are simple. All are multifaceted and have understandably controversial elements. In spite of this, the board has taken very thoughtful (and courageous) actions to move our local school on.
These committed local volunteers should be trusted and thanked. Check them out at the meetings! They are honest; they are conscientious; they encourage open community dialogue; they are respectful of dissenting views; and they never waver from a sincere commitment to seek solutions to problems that best meet the needs of our kids, while simultaneously honoring the sentiments of the community. I have been impressed that they have based decisions on a wide variety of factors--available relevant information, research when appropriate, feedback from educators, comments from community members, experience of other schools, etc. They have had the guts to ask for professional expertise when appropriate, rather than pretend that they, as laypeople, have all the answers.
I know that some people have been critical of the board for adopting a Code of Ethics, citing that this curtails dissenting views. I frankly haven’t noticed that dissenting views have been lacking. The Code of Ethics asks that people who are elected to the school board conduct themselves in ethical and professional ways. It encourages board members to work collaboratively and honor basic principles of democracy. Majority rules. That is, board members are requested to accept the majority opinion and not work publicly to negate boards’ decisions after the fact. This is basic professional and respectful behavior for board members--not too much to expect. I personally find independent grandstanding among board members distasteful and embarrassing.
Part of the appeal of Charlotte is that we have had, for decades, an exceptional local school, governed by committed, caring local citizens. CCS continues to be an outstanding public school…but its future is in jeopardy. Let’s rally to support our kids, our school and our board members. They all deserve it.

Lorna Jimerson

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Reasons to support Old Lantern

I am assisting Lisa and Roland Gaujac to obtain a permit for an Inn at the Old Lantern for a number of reasons: I participated in the purchase and planning of the Burns property. Throughout the process the preservation and continuation of the Old Lantern was a high goal. It was recognized that an owner-occupied inn or bed and breakfast would help the Old Lantern meet today’s market opportunities, weddings and special events. The Guajacs share Peter Coleman’s and Jim Dickerson’s dream, and have had a long term experience with such events. They have chosen to focus on such low impact to the community events rather than large-scale concerts which happened in the past and could happen now.During subdivision hearings Peter and Jim had selected the exact location that the Guajacs are proposing for the Inn. Town and neighbors’ septic easements as well as town trail and parking easements limit the Inn location.
As we have seen in this year’s Town Meeting and CCS budget rejections, Charlotte landowners are feeling a pinch. The Town Plan promotes home occupations and enhancements of existing buildings. The proposed Inn at the Old Lantern meets such goals and meets all Town regulations. Lisa and Roland are folks who have already shown their commitment to the Vermont community at Roland’s Place by providing local jobs and purchasing local foods. I have no question that Charlotte will be a better place for all Charlotters to live when the Gaujacs get all their permits to build the Inn at the Old Lantern
The Planning Commission hearing is May 20. Come and support the Old Lantern Inn and the Gaujacs. Or e-mail a letter of support to dean@townofcharlotte.com.

David Miskell
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To the voters in Charlotte

We need to pass a school budget. There is no doubt that issues/concerns regarding the school should be addressed. We have available forums for these discussions, repeated rejections of an already paired-down budget is not constructive and is a disservice to our kids.

Bob Hyams

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Photographer replaced–

For the past three years I have had the honor of providing the Charlotte Central students with their school pictures. Having lived in the community for the past 19 years, and sending my four children to CCS, I know many of the students at the school and have come to look forward to offering my services as the school photographer. Sadly, I was advised last week, that the interim administraters, Sandy Jump and Maria Horton, decided not to renew my contract, but instead chose to return to the national chain, Lifetouch, to provide this service.
I have loved getting to know your children over the years and have been grateful for the opportunity to document their growth. I want to thank the community for its support and encouragement, and in particular, I would like to thank those that sent letters of support to the interim administration.
I will still be photographing the Recreation Department sports and will certainly be available for retakes in the fall!

Sarah McGarghan
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Every voter should vote.

I found the two-time defeat of the CCS budget by Charlotte voters to be disconcerting on several counts.  To begin with, despite the very hard work by the board to submit a budget that was 1.6% lower than the previous year’s budget the first time and 2.4% lower the second time, their efforts were not seen as good enough. 
Another is that, despite the importance we ascribe to the quality of education provided by CCS, only 617 people showed up for the second vote. Too many people I’ve spoken to either took for granted that it would pass or simply forgot to vote.
In addition, there seems to be a contingent of voters in Charlotte who are never satisfied with the proposed budgets, and who vote “No” on principle.  This is pure obstructionism that has no positive value and is counterproductive to the interests of all residents of Charlotte. 
Our elected school board members are not out to “screw” us; the teachers are not an enemy to be defeated; and the administration is trying to hold costs down and improve the day-to-day operations of the school with innovative ideas developed in a collaborative manner.  Apparently they do a good job because CCS students consistently outperform their peers in the state and in our CSSU district.  Isn’t this the outcome we want from our school?  If performance is the measure of success, the staff, administration and school board of CCS are doing a great job.  Let’s not undercut their work by requiring further cuts in the budget.
EVERY registered voter in Charlotte should mark their calendar today to vote on May 18.  If you will not be able to vote in person, call the Town Office (425-3071) and request an absentee ballot.  I hope you will vote “YES,” but vote! 
Mike Yantachka

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Not gender discrimination

In a recent letter Clyde Baldwin implies that the salaries for our incoming Charlotte Central School co-principals are biased on the basis of gender and suggests that Gregory Marino will receive a higher salary than Audrey Boutaugh based on the fact that he is male.
This is the kind of misleading statement that can so easily cause damage to the reputation of the board and the community. We are surprised that Mr. Baldwin chose to raise this issue at this late date, without providing other relevant information. As an informed school board member he should be well aware that teachers and administrators are paid according to a scale based on professional experience and educational qualifications. Gregory Marino will receive a higher salary because he has more experience as an educator and has completed more graduate work in educational leadership, not because the board is discriminating on the basis of gender. 
We are thrilled to be welcoming such highly qualified and motivated individuals to CCS and are confident that they will inspire the entire school community. We are fortunate to have been able to attract them and believe that this is a very positive move for CCS. Please join us in supporting the school by voting “YES” to approve the school budget on May 18.

Martha Ming Whitfield and
Jonathan Silverman
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It takes a village.

Let’s come together as a village and pass a budget. It does take a community of committed citizens to raise children, but in this case it also takes a school budget that has taken into account the best interests of Charlotte children. I commend the board for being thoughtful and deliberate throughout this process and seriously considering the difficult economic times, as well as the high cost of living in this beautiful town. The teachers, administrators and the board have cut what they can without dramatically impacting the educational experience for all children. The next level of cuts will have a far greater impact:
• Staffing cuts will result in less accessibility to what research has shown makes the most difference in children’s education: Teachers
• Fewer extra-curricular and enrichment experiences that allow for equity in our community. All CCS children historically have had access to theatre and B sports. If these vital programs are taken out of the budget, drama and sports are left for only those who have the opportunity to take advantage of them outside of school.
I also praise the board for being visionary enough to see the potential impact the co-principal model can have on the entire school. Strong leadership that is well structured is the best investment we can make.

From Hillary Clinton, It Takes A Village: And Other
Lessons Children Teach Us, 2006:
“…children are what matter--more than the size of our bank accounts or the kinds of cars we drive. As Jackie Kennedy Onassis said, “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do matters very much.” That goes for each of us, whether or not we are parents – Say Yes to CCS!

Sara Smith Blake

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“CCS Board considers code of conduct for members”

The article (The Charlotte News, April 8) described a proposed rule that once a school board decision is reached, all members would agree to support that decision and defer any public comment to “one person (who) would speak for the board.”
How nice;  how polite;  how opaque. Kudos to Clyde Baldwin who is quoted by The News saying that,”he would vote against it and that he would not abide by it if passed.” The proposal was likely generated as a result of an article on the CCS budget in The Burlington Free Press in which Mr. Baldwin and fellow board member, Sue Thibault, spoke on both sides of the issue.  I welcomed both comments, if only because I was made aware of their views. Suppression of conflicting or contrasting viewpoints serves whom? Certainly not the town.  How on earth are voters supposed to decide how to vote in elections for CCS board members if we are not made aware of their stands during deliberation?  I have no argument against the board’s right to hold executive session as long as the public is eventually made aware of their decision. There was a time when Charlotter Tom Gorman attended the board’s public meetings and reported to The Charlotte News. To his credit, Mr. Gorman was able to prepare a readable summary of the proceedings, but sadly, he no longer performs that task. We look to the newspapers of Charlotte for an unsanitized version of the School Board’s meetings complete with arguments made and positions taken.

Tom Bates

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Same budget or not?

I left the School Board budget meeting on April 19 shaking my head in bewilderment. If I am to understand Board Chair Lynne Jaunich’s explanation of the democratic process here in Charlotte, the recent vote where the budget was defeated needs to be held again because not enough yes voters came out to vote. This is akin to saying that Barack Obama won the presidential election in 2008 because the McCain voters did not vote in sufficient number, so the election should be held again to give them a second chance.
This just reinforces my opinion that the School Board, despite the fact that the members are elected to represent the residents of the town, does not listen to the desires of the citizens of this town. A no vote means no. To present the same budget, while stating that the yes voters need a second chance because they didn’t come out to vote the last time, marginalizes the will of the voters who DID take the time to make their opinions known. It is clear that one’s vote only counts if it is in accordance with the School Board’s wishes. That is not my definition of a democracy. The board cannot hand pick the electorate to further their own agenda. It is time for the School Board to listen to the voters and make significant changes in the budget before the next vote.

Thomas Nola

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AAU girls’ basketball team reahes Empire All-Star finals.

Over the past six years Ute Otley has quietly developed an outstanding team of young girl athletes from Charlotte to play basketball. In the early years these girls played as part of the local Charlotte recreation team, but the past couple of years Ute has pulled most of these same girls together (with a few additions) to play on a CVU mini metro and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. This year her AAU Vermont Cats team of U11 basketball players is having an outstanding season, winning two local Vermont tournaments and making it to the final round of the Empire All-Stars Albany Spring Shootout this past weekend at the University of Albany in New York. Their second place finish this weekend qualified the Cats for the Empire State Championships in May.
This weekend’s tournament in New York consisted of some very tough competition from the Albany, Saratoga Springs and surrounding New York area with the Vermont Cats the only local team represented. Our Charlotte and Williston girls poured their hearts out on the basketball courts on Saturday and Sunday, winning every game on Saturday including a tough overtime victory defeating the Saratoga Sparks team by 5 points. The Cats played three games on Sunday, easily winning their first two games 23 to 9 and 26 to 8 and setting up a second game against the Sparks for the championship. The Cats fell behind early with the score 14 to 9 at the half. The Cats started the second half play with a three-point winner from Coach Otley’s daughter Sadie, putting the Cats within 2. Sadie Otley’s three-pointer was the only basket scored during the first nine minutes of the second half play before the Cats scored again with just over five minutes to play, tying the game 14 to 14. The Cats ended up losing the defensive struggle by a single basket 21 to 19, but finishing first in the hearts of their fans and friends attending the weekend tournament.
Earlier this spring these gritty and determined 11-year-old girls from Charlotte and Williston were tournament champions winning both the 3rd Annual Spring Classic at UVM in April and Vermont Sting Ice Breaker tournament in Montpelier in late March.
Local Charlotte team members include:Malina Carroll, Laurel Jaunich, Emma Hess, Maeve Higgins, Rhian Murphy, Sadie Otley, Annabella Pugliese, Madison Randall.
John Murphy

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Please vote.

A friend recently told me that he will always vote against the school budget because he thinks that they always contain some fluff. Another friend said that he will never vote for a budget with co-principals. Some oppose the budget because they want teachers reinstated. Here lies the problem. How can we decipher the message of two failed budgets? How should the next budget be presented? We need to pass a school budget, but what kind of budget will appease the majority of voters? For those who will always vote no, further reductions will yield no more votes. For those who oppose the co-principals model, there is also no apparent recourse this year. The contracts are signed. These folks will continue to vote no. So who remains?
I have heard that re-presenting the same budget would be divisive and would further polarize our community. Although some people might change their vote if further reductions were made, this may further distance the folks who want teaching positions and programs reinstated. CCS had the largest reductions in its budget in our supervisory union this year, yet it is the only budget that failed. Would further reductions get it passed? I am not so sure.
What will it take to get this budget passed? Voters! Everyone in our community benefits from the success of our school. We know CCS is considered one of the best schools in Vermont. Please come to the polls or use an absentee ballot to support our community’s future. Your neighbors cannot do this for you. I believe the will of the community is to support its school. However, this cannot be realized without a large representation of voters. In our town, every vote counts. Please vote yes on May 18th.
Jeff Berkowitz
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Get rid of Act 60 - don’t punish school

Please don’t vote down the revised CCS budget because your property tax rate will increase. As pointed out in an excellent article headed “School Budget Tax Impact in the News April 22 issue, under Act 60 the residential tax rate will increase unless there is a 7.53% ($545,110) reduction from the level of the 2009 budget. Why is this?
The reason is that the Legislature keeps reducing the General Fund (income tax, sales tax, etc.) contribution to the Education Fund in order to make up for revenue shortfalls and for increased costs in other areas. This is not a new phenomenon. A decade ago the Vermont General Fund was contributing about 30% of local education costs when the national average was about 50%. I do not have current K-12 state aid statistics but can tell you, for example, that in 2009 Vermont was dead last (50th) in per capita contributions to higher education costs (UVM, VSC, VSAC).
The big money grab is in Montpelier and not in Charlotte. The Act 60 “educational equality” slogan is a smoke screen for the Act’s main purpose of tapping the local property tax base as an indirect source for payment of non-education costs. In other words, by maintaining a high state property tax rate (and not reducing it when property values rise) the Legislature frees up a pot of General Fund money which in other states would be used for state aid to local schools.
Get rid of Act 60. Don’t punish our great local school.
    Ed Amidon
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