4 - March 2, 2012 | Salem Community Patriot


The Word Around Town... Letters to our Editor


Elect Jim Keller to the Board of Selectmen


I am writing in support of Jim Keller’s run for the office of


Selectman. I have watched Jim as Chairman of the Planning Board for years. He has a direct, no-nonsense approach. His leadership was fair and honest. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time in front of the Planning Board dealing with an issue in my neighborhood. I then saw first- hand, over the course of five meetings, how Jim managed the board, followed the procedures and regulations and brought the case to a conclusion. Since that time, I have worked with Jim on another project,


away from the glare of channel 23, and he works the same way, fair, direct and well thought out. In these challenging times, we need Selectmen who can deal with the issues in the best possible manner. Te answer is not the “say no to everything” crowd. We need intelligent and experienced people like Jim Keller.


Keith Belair - Salem Vote for Bob Bryant,


Budget Committee in Salem I want to thank the Patriot for the opportunity to address


you before the election. In an effort to keep this brief I will not review everything that I worked on over the past eight years of my School Board tenure. Suffice it to say I am proud of the work we have done, and I hope the effort to make our schools


safe, secure, and a place to receive an exceptional education continues. Mrs. Berry, Mrs. Corbett, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Morgan and in the future Mr. Carney will continue to provide the needed guidance and flexibility which is needed to keep the District on task for the goals that are chosen. Salem schools have been blessed with wonderful administrators, incredible staff, and some of the best parent groups I have witnessed. Te reason I have chosen to seek yet another public office


is simple. Many detractors of the School and Town budgets have used “It’s not a good time” as an excuse to not make progress on repairs and needed changes to the school and town infrastructure. I believe that reasonable progress can be made and with the appropriate oversight can be less painful than in the past. I have worked on Budgets in excess of $100 million, have handled in excess of 100 employees, and have always done so seriously, creatively, and with financial restraint. I believe I have worked hard for you and the children of this community and would like to continue that effort on the Budget Committee. Please vote on March 13. If you would cast your vote for me when you get to the Budget Committee section of the ballot I would appreciate it. Tank you for the opportunity to serve thus far.


Bob Bryant - Salem Changes Need to Come to Salem


Once again it is election time and the Town of Salem faces many important choices. Can we continue spending the way we have been with the town taxes going up 41 percent in six


Who sits on the Town of Salem Solid Waste Committee


To Dave Kincman-


It was sad watching you on tv at the Board of Selectman’s meeting last Monday Night. Again a great job of Story Telling about your sign being missing on Shannon Road across from the en- trance of the Salem Transfer Station.


Did you ever (THINK) of asking permission from the landowner??


(PROBABLY NOT) Your sign was placed on private property behind the stone wall. That’s why your sign was removed!


Also a sad job on your story telling about the Town of Salem saving 600K by going to curbside collection. If You can’t even watch your signs- how can you watch where the money is going on curbside collection.


If you like, I’ll have my committee watch over your signs as we’re watching out for the voters on curbside collection, at no charge.


VOTE NO TO CURBSIDE COLLECTION!


Approved by United States Constitution, under First Amendment Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression


Political ad- Paid for by FJ Leccese, 31 Cove Road, Salem, NH


years and the school taxes up 30 percent in the same period? On the school side there is a $21.5 million bond for three


schools. If the school board would have listened to School Board Member Bernard Campbell and renovated two schools and closed the Haigh School we could have saved $1 million a year and I would have supported that plan. Te current plan is too expensive and should be defeated. Te school and town both have “Sanbornized” contracts which means if passed the raises for two and three years are guaranteed. Why should government employees have that kind of security when most people in Salem do not and are worried about paying their mortgage and what the price of gas will be next week let alone three years from now. I am in favor of Art 12 for the town. It would change the


town to Senate Bill 2 which would eliminate Town Meeting and special interests ability to overturn the vote on Election Day.


I am against making the Planning Board and the ZBA being appointed by the Selectmen. Let people continue to vote. We will have two new members on the Board of Selectmen and I think that means a more conservative board after the election. It would be nice to have new people on the Budget Committee since it has been ineffective the last few years. I believe that Richard Baillargeon, Dane Hoover and Paul Welch should be considered for the three-year seats. If you are tired of out of control spending, if you are tired of special interests raising the town portion of your tax like last years 16 percent then you need to get out to vote. Do not let the big spenders and special interests make it so only the rich can afford to live in Salem. Please vote on March 13. Salem should be for everyone and not just the special interests that raise your taxes.


Stephen Campbell – Salem Keep the Renovations Coming


for the Benefit of the Community As a school board member for the Salem School District, one of my proudest days was the first day of school in 2011. On this day, students of the Lancaster, Barron, and North Salem Elementary Schools entered their renovated buildings ready to learn. As we welcomed students, parents, and community members into these buildings for open houses, I could not have been happier. Tese are truly schools this community deserves. Te newly renovated buildings have monitored entryways, sprinkler systems, stairwells up to code, additional classrooms for kindergarten, and individual spaces for special education services. On March 13, the Salem School Board will be asking for


your support to renovate the remaining three elementary schools: Fisk, Soule, and Haigh. Tis renovation project constitutes Phase II of the Master Facilities Plan. Tis project is necessary to provide the same educational opportunities for all elementary school children in the district. Further, it would be irresponsible of the Salem School Board to leave three schools without renovations. What would this do to the value of the homes in these neighborhoods? As an educator, parent, and property owner, I would certainly consider the physical qualities of a school in a neighborhood before buying a home. Tis is also true for a community’s middle and high schools. According to the Facilities Master Plan, in coming years Salem High School and Woodbury Middle School will - receive the necessary renovations to provide this community with the schools they deserve. It is important that we complete Phase II before moving to these buildings. I am also asking for your support of the collective bargaining agreements put before you on the ballot. Modest wage increases are included in the warrants for the teachers, para-educators, secretaries, custodians and food service personnel. I believe these contracts are fair for the community and the employees. Further, it has been my pleasure over the past five years as a board member to work closely with many school district employees on a variety of initiatives. Also, as a parent, I entrust the staff with the care of my son, five days a week, 180 days a year. I am consistently impressed with the dedication of these individuals. I recently attended a meeting at the Department of


Education in Concord. Many influential educators from the state were present. When asked what school district I represented on the school board, I proudly stated, “Salem.” I then added, “the best school district in the state!” I truly believe this. Te renovation project for Phase II of the Facilities Master Plan and the union contracts before you on March 13, will keep Salem thriving, as a school district and a community. Please join me in voting “yes” on March 13.


Patricia Corbett – Salem


Lifelong Benefit for Adequate Learning Environment


I have a child with Sensory Integration Disorder and


ADD. Te Phase 1 school renovations have had a major positive impact on her and our family. Last year at school she received OT in a supply closet. It was overcrowded and over stimulating, both of which limited its effectiveness. And her academic performance suffered. Tis year, her school has a large OT room where she can get the help she needs in a space that works. Her grades have improved, and she is better able to function in school and at home. Tis is priceless to us. Tere are almost a thousand students in our district who need special education or accommodations. Te proposed renovations for the Phase 2 elementary schools would meet these students’ needs much more appropriately, just as they have in the renovated Phase 1 schools. In the un-renovated


Phase 2 elementary schools, kids who can’t focus in class are still removed to even more distracting areas to learn – like hallways and stairwells – because there are no other available spaces. Tis is not effective and can set these students up for failure. Small groups are instructed in shared areas, where specialists have to compete with each other to be heard. Teachers are amazing, but they’re not magicians; they can’t create space where there is none, or create quiet in a crowded space, or attend to each student’s needs in an overcrowded setting.


What happens to kids who don’t reach their learning potential because their school environment can’t meet their needs? Many of these kids would never finish high school or go on to college. Teir skills, as well as their ability to cope with life’s challenges, would remain limited. Tey may end up in low-paying jobs or unemployed. Some may end up on welfare. Tere is a huge cost to society for this. We all pay for that. Voting for adequate facilities costs us a lot less in the long run. Many in our community are not familiar with the enormous need for specialized services and education. Tese are things that barely existed thirty years ago when I was in school, never mind 40 or 50 years ago. Our world has changed considerably since then, as has the needs of our students. Most careers now require a college degree, and many an advanced degree. By providing students of all needs and abilities an appropriate education in an environment where they are able to do their best, we increase the chance that these students will be successfully employed as adults, something that benefits us all. When we speak about the costs of not renovating our schools now, we generally look at the added construction and interest expense of waiting two or five or ten years. But there is an additional cost to students. Tey can’t wait five years between second and third grades. Tey can’t wait for the schools to catch up with them when the economy improves. Today’s students need the proposed renovations now. Te cost to them of not voting for school renovations is very real and could affect them for years to come. Tey can’t afford that, and neither can we. On March 13, we all need to go to the polls and vote in favor of our schools and staff. Vote “yes” on School Articles 2 through 10.


Rebecca Daniels - Salem Investment in our Children and Community We have all read multiple letters and comments on Warrant


Article 2. I know everyone has heard all the arguments over the school renovations. We have been made aware of all the “pros” for renovations- improving safety, alleviating overcrowding, updating outdated structures and the “cons”- higher taxes in a bad economy. Historically this country has always rebounded from “recession like” times and it would only be a matter of time until that does happen again. So then what would we say when that happens and we did not continue with our plan? Would you invest your money into a stock market that was high and your return was going to be minimal or would you try to get in on a market that was at a low and profit when the values climb? Of course the cons would tell you that you could “lose your money in a stock market,” but where do we all have our money invested now for our future and are we still investing? Here is some different insight, let’s look at some


surrounding communities facing school issues and their tax rates from 2011: • Windham - $23.08/thousand, broken down as follows: Local School Rate $15.77, State School Rate $2.46, Town Rate $3.79, and County Rate $1.06.


• Pelham - $21.41/thousand, broken down as follows: Local School Rate $11.37, State School Rate $2.50, Town Rate $6.38, and County Rate $1.16.


• Salem - $20.14/thousand, broken down as follows: Local School Rate $9.39, State School Rate $2.39, Town Rate $7.33, and County Rate $1.03. One of these neighboring communities is facing


overpopulation of schools due to the fact that they have grown in excess of 25 percent over the last decade and have shown “overwhelming support” in their community to resolve these issues by putting forth their own Master Plans of renovations. Te other faces issues with their high school in which there has even been talk of combining them with Salem High. But yet our tax rate still remained lower, noticeably in the school rates even with Phase 1 complete. Te “common sense” thing to do would be to actually


improve our community and bring it up to standard. Tink about this - who purchases a three-bedroom home (what the majority of Salem homes consist of) but a family? What does a family look for first in a community they want to “call home” but a quality, up to date school for their children. Wouldn’t you want to possibly reap the benefit of your property being valued at tens of thousands more because of the fact that you invested in your communities’ schools? Maybe a small investment now will produce a greater dividend in the future. Bottom line is we possess an estimated twenty thousand adults in our community that could register to vote. Let’s cast a new light and create a brighter future for our children. As the saying goes, ”Leave the world a little better than you


found it.” “Voice your choice” and support Warrant Article 2. (My views and opinions are solely that and should have


no reflection on any of the organizations I represent or am involved within the Salem community.)


Tony Fabrizio – Salem continued to page 5 - Letters to our Editor


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