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PERMIT NO. 33
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Volume 7 Number 27 January 15, 2010 14 Pages
School Business
A Night at the Aquarium
Administrator Resigns
submitted by Jim Curtin
nullub Scouts from
by Doug Robinson
nullindham Pack nullnullnull spent
Kathleen Sargent, Pelham’s School Business
the night at the nullew nullngland
Administrator for the past two years, resigned
Anulluarium. nulluring the
as a result of her miscalculation over the
overnight adventure, the
payment of an outstanding bond for the town
Scouts participated in a
of Pelham.
snulluid dissection and a tide
According to School Superintendent
pool program. nullhe Scouts
Frank Bass, Sargent’s bond reporting error of
completed a pillowcase
null,nullnullnullnullwill need to be added to the nullnullnull
nullnull School Budget for the coming year. null
addition, the error, as admitted by Sargent, will
add appronullmately nullnullto the Pelham tanullrate
this coming year.
nullhe told us it’s paid off,nullstated School
Pelham’s School Business
Board member nullnda nullhoney.
Administrator, Kathleen Sargent,
As reported by the Lowell Sun, nulludget
resigns, having admitted the
nullmmittee nullairman nullrry nullll told the Sun
$1 million mistake
that closer scrutiny of the district’s ledger upon
Sargent’s departure uncovered nullnull,nullnullin
available impact feed, collected from developers of the past null years, that can
be used to largely offset the null million budget shortfall.null
Superintendent Bass is enullected to ask the Budget nullmmittee to add the
null,nullnullnullnullto the upcoming budget, as well as to ask of the Budget nullmmittee
to offset these funds with monies learned to be available from the impact
Above: Windham Pack 26nullnullub Scouts nulltch a
fee account. null approved, the nullancial hit to the Pelham tanullayers would be
demonstration at the nullenullnullngland Anullarium
appronullmately nullnull,nullnull
nullnull: nullnull onullthe Scouts learn honullto dissect snullid
No School Bond Being
painting craft and enullplored the Amanulling nullellies nullnullhibit. At was good for admission to the Anulluarium for the rest of the day.
lightsnullout, the Scouts camped in the nullest nulling, which is a nullhe Scouts want to thank their leaders and parents for the
twonulllevel enullhibit space that currently houses the Amanulling uninullue opportunity of spending nullA nullight at the Anulluarium.null
Sought This Year
nullellies nullnullhibit. nulln the morning, the Scouts had the whole nullf your boy is interested in Scouting, contact Fred nullader at
anulluarium to themselves to enullplore until the regular visitors Frednullnullnullnullnullaol.com, or nullim nullurtin at nullimcurtinnullnullnullnullnullnullyahoo.
arrived. After null a.m., each Scout received a hand stamp that com.
by Barbara O’Brien
nullhe manullrity of nullindham school board members have decided that this is
not the year to ask residents to fund a nullnullmillion bond for the construction
of a new middle school. null was not a unanimous decision, but nearly so, with
only one board member wanting to move forward with the concept.
Management
P
P
r
ropos
al f
al for
S
S
earl
earl
es S
es Schoo
l
l
nulloting against putting a bond renullest on the nullnull school district warrant
were nullairman Bruce Anderson, nullphne Kenyon, null nullllagher, and nulleff
Bostic. nullhe only school board member who wanted to take the nullestion to
voters was nullce nullairman nullke nulltem.
and Chape
l in the W
l in the Work
s
s
nullhose who were opposed to including a bond issue on the school district by Barbara O’Brien
warrant this coming nullrch cited two main reasons. First, the poor economy nullindham’s historic, townnullwned Searles School and building should be utilinulld more than it is now,nullhe said.
and signinullant number of residents who are either undernullmployed or nullapel is nulllmost without a leader,nullnullrion nullnsmore of the nullder the proper management, more money could be made
unemployed, and, secondly, a lack of research into what would be the best nullstoric nullmmission told selectmen recently. for the historic commission to use for much needed building
options in building a new middle school in nullindham, make this a bad year for nullnette nullnullhon, who has been working as the schedule renovations nullithout costing tanullayers a bundle,nullhe added.
asking for additional money. coordinatornullanager for Searles School and nullapel for an nullomeone needs to be in charge of overseeing the eventsnull
null order for a school bond issue to pass voter scrutiny, a nullnullercent manullrity enullended period of time, is retiring from that position and at the school and chapel, Kolifrath said. nullrrently, no one
is renullired. nullst of the school board members said they didn’t feel a bond historic commission members are in a nullandary as how to from the town is on hand during events at the Searles School
issue could possibly garner that much support this year. best handle the facility’s management in the future. and nullapel. nullhe town has been lucky, so far, that no damage
nulltem, the only school board member wanting to move forward with a nullnull nullrrently, the nullb is essentially that of a volunteer, has been done over there, Kolifrath stated. nullown employees
million bond, said he’s concerned that the state will cut building aid in the nullnsmore said, paying appronullmately null,nullnullper year. nullown do open and close the facility before and after events,
near future, causing nullindham to miss out on about nullnullmillion in nullancial Administrator nullvid Sullivan said they have been seeking nullnsmore said, but do not stay on site throughout receptions
assistance. nullhe other school board members said they felt it’s too early to a volunteer to take over the duties currently performed by and parties.
predict what the state will do in light of the current budget crunch and were nullnullhon, but have had no luck in nullding anyone. Selectman nulllen Stearns said he would still want a
unwilling to go out on a limb to get state aid now, when it might still be As a possible alternative, nullnsmore asked nullvid Kolifrath, reduced fee schedule for residents and nonnullronull local
available in the future. proprietor of Searles nullstle nullent nullnagement, to speak organinulltions, even if the school and chapel were to be
School Board member nullphne Kenyon said it’s obvious that when the with selectmen. Kolifrath enulllained that there is a lot of managed by an outside nullm. Kolifrath suggested that local
economy is bad across the board, it effects the state budget, which in turn confusion going on between Searles nullstle and Searles groups could use the facilities nullndays, nulluesdays, and
effects how much money goes to local communities in nullancial aid. nullwever, School and nullapel. People interested in using the facilities nullednesdays, while nullhursdays through Sundays would be
Kenyon said, she’s not certain nullindham will lose school building aid. nullhat’s are confusing one with the other, he said. Because of this reserved for those who would pay a higher fee.
very uncertain,nullat this point, she added. Kenyon also said she hadn’t confusion, Kolifrath said he feels it would behoove both As for the types of events Kolifrath would endorse, there
personally spoken to anyone who was in favor of spending nullnullmillion in nullnull facilities to be under the same auspices. would be nullothing on the wild side,nullhe said, out of respect
to build a new middle school. Searles nullstle is often the site of weddings, bridal showers, for the historical signinullance of the Searles School and
Kenyon also pointed out that it took a full nulle years nullnullnullnullnullnullto get a christenings, and other such social events. nullhe facility caters nullapel. nullhere would be no children’s birthday parties,
bond passed for the new nullindham nullgh Schoolnulla facility which only opened mostly to fairly large events, with a minimum number of no Sweet Sinulleen parties, and no nullurning null parties, he
this past September. nullhere should be no bond this nullrch,nullKenyon said. guests renullired. Searles School and nullapel, on the other specinulld.
School Board member nulleff Bostic said he certainly doesn’t want to hand, often hosts events put on by local organinulltions and is Selectman nullger nullhenberger said he didn’t want the
compromise the education of nullindham students, but the community has to willing to handle smaller events. Searles School and nullapel to be looked upon as a business
balance the needs of students with those of tanullayers. Bostic also emphasinulld Kolifrath’s proposal is that his management nullm take over venture, but, rather, as a town asset. nullhe facility is nullell
the need for acnulliring additional information on viable options. nulle need the the marketing, bookings, and other such planning for Searles respected by the community as it is,nullnullhenberger said, nullot
time to present these options to tanullayers as concretely as possible,nullhe said. School and nullapel. null said his company is well respected as a business to make money.null
nullhere nullst isn’t enough time to accomplish that this year, he added. and has done an enulleptional nullb for the owners of Searles nullindham resident and school district ofnullial Betty nullnn
School Board member null nullllagher pointed out that nulltate aid has not nullstle, which is the property of the Sisters of nullrcy in nullode pointed out that the management of the school and chapel
evaporated today.null nulle shouldn’t make decisions on what might happen at nullland. Kolifrath said his nullm has recently signed a new nullnull is nullt a crossroads.null nulle have to involve those who can run
the state levelnullsomeday, nullllagher stated. nullllagher said he believes it would year lease with the Sisters of nullrcy. the building and the business in a more efnullient fashion, on
nulle cranullnullto consider a school bond this year. null also said he would rather According to Kolifrath, it would be a winnullin situation a daynullonullay basis,nullnullnn said.
emphasinull reducing class sinull in the enullsting buildings nully using additional for nullindham to hire Searles nullstle nullent nullnagement Selectmen agreed by consensus that they want Kolifrath
portable classroomsnull nullt would be misguided to put a nullnullmillion bond out to handle Searles School and nullapel. null know we can to develop a proposed business plan for Searles School
without doing all the homework,nullnullllagher emphasinulld. make it pronullable,nullKolifrath said, adding that to make the and nullapel. nullce the plan is completed, selectmen want
nulllby Putnam, who serves as one of the student representatives to the facility a nicer place to hold events would take some work, it reviewed by members of the nullstoric nullmmission, then
nullindham School Board, said he doesn’t feel that residents have the money to particularly in regard to decorating and landscaping. nullhe brought back to the board for a nullal decision.
pay for a bond now. nullt’s only an nullf’nullas far as losing state aid, Putnam added.
nullristine nullrpenter, the other student representative to the school board,
said she feels its nullood to know there are people looking out for the studentsnull
of nullindham, but she would not like to see other areas of the budget or
Windham Endowment Donates
curriculum reduced in order to pay for a new middle school. nullrpenter said
she doesn’t think people should nullush into passing a bondnullnow at the risk of
losing teachers or programs.
Acoustical Shell
Former School Board nullairman Barbara nullish, who has already announced
by Barbara O’Brien
her intention to seek renulllection this coming nullrch, said she’d like to see the
nullindham nulldowment, a nonnullronull organinulltion According to nullrpenter, the screen has already been
board focus on getting the money nullnullnullnullnull to nullish the facility needs plan,
dedicated to raising money for a number of local purposes, manufactured and will be shipped from a factory located
which was started more than a year ago. nullAt this point,nullnullish said, nulle really
has made another donation to the new nullindham nullgh in nullnnesota. nullhe donation includes the cost of freight and
don’t know what we need or where best to put what we do need.null nullhe facility
Schoolnulla facility which opened its doors nullst this past handling. Additional panels can be added to the screen, as
needs plan is one thing that denullitely needs to pass this coming nullrch, nullish
September. needed, up to a total of null. nullight panels will get us through
stated.
nullane nullrpenter, one of the founders of nullindham the nenull few years, though,nullnullrpenter said.
nullindham resident and parent nullather Petro took an opposite opinion,
nulldowment, met with school board members recently to nullhis is the third gift that nullindham nulldowment has
however, from most board members. nullhe money is available now,nullPetro
present the donation of an eightnullanel acoustical shell directed toward the Fine Arts Program. nullhe other two gifts
said, nullnd the need is great.null Petro spoke in favor of putting forth the middle
intended to enhance performances at the high school. include a bassoon and symphonic chimes, as well as a baby
school bond, encouraging school board members nullot to shy away from this
School board members accepted the nullnullnullnulldonation, grand piano, which has already been featured at each of the
opportunitynulland to bring the bond proposal to voters in nullnull.
unanimously, by a vote of nullto null concerts performed at nullindham nullgh School thus far. nullur
nullindham resident and parent nullchelle Farrell also spoke in favor of asking
nullrpenter enulllained that the most recent donation is part goal is to enhance the high school for the entire community,null
voters for nullnullmillion this coming nullrch. nullpace is a huge issue,nullFarrell
of nullindham nulldowment’s nullgh School nullpital nullmpaign, nullrpenter said.
said, adding that she doesn’t like the idea of leasing more portables to house
which focuses on three distinct designations, including Fine School Superintendent Frank Bass announced that the
students. Farrell said she understands that getting voters to support a building
Arts, the Science nullrriculum nulllternative nullergynull and the prestigious Allnulltate nullanull Festival will be held at nullindham
bond, at this time, would be difnullult, but nulle have to nullure out how to get the
nullneral Fund. nullhose who donate to the nullgh School nullpital nullgh School this year. nullhis is an incredible opportunity,null
community behind this pronullct,nullshe told school board members.
nullmpaign may specify the enullct purpose of any donations. Bass said, adding that a number of wellnullnown nullnull artists
nullsident Bob nullole agreed with school board members who feel this is
nullrpenter told school board members that the purpose will be featured during the threenullay festival.
not the time to move forward with building another school in nullindham. nullt
of the acoustical shell will be twonulloldnullnullst, to use during As for additional donations to nullindham nulldowment,
only is the economy doing poorly, he said, but there nullst isn’t nullnough time to
performances of specialty groups, such as a nullte ensemble nullrpenter said, nullifts of any sinull are always welcome. null nullny
educate the public on the need or on the options.null
or small choral group. null can also be used in larger places corporations also offer matching funds for donations made
No School Bond- continued to page 7
than the auditorium, such as the gymnasium or cafeteria, to by their employees, she added. nullnations to nullindham
focus the sound toward an audience. nulldowment are tanulldeductible.
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