Region 12 disregrds voters wishes

Region 12 disregards voters' wishes

News-Times Staff
Article Last Updated: 05/29/2008 05:04:12 PM EDT

To the Editor:

"Green schools," those constructed as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building rating system), are the direction
desired by the Connecticut state Department of Education for new buildings.

It is outstanding that there are "Green School Advocates" in the town of Washington.

The new construction for the Booth and Burnham proposals are both green LEED.

All of the classrooms and the Media/Computer center, where the students spend most of their time, are planned as new.

Unfortunately, Washington's elementary school would be mostly renovation, and "green" LEED construction becomes impossible. That is why a new school was proposed.

The new Washington elementary school --green LEED proposal -- presented to the town of Washington is a good proposal for a local school, except for the following:

1. The location should be at another site, not Shepaug.

2. The inclusion of $2.5 million for the replacement of the Shepaug septic system.

3. The gym should be reduced from 5,850 square feet to 4,300 square feet.

That would bring the net cost down to $12 million, with the site location to be determined.

This is the plan that the Green School Advocates should be concentrating on instead of pursuing consolidation.

I agree to shame on the Region 12 Board:

1. For not respecting the voters of 1967 who
inserted the term -- "Elementary grades K-5 to
remain in their present home town schools"
before approving the Region formation "Plan."

2. For disregarding the voters of March 2006
who overwhelmingly rejected consolidation again
as they did in 1986 -- Bridgewater, 80 percent;
Roxbury, 65 percent; and Washington, 35
percent.

I also agree to shame on the Region 12 Building Committee:

1. For not completing its work on the proposals presented in a timely manner. Shame also on the Washington leadership for not selecting a final
proposal and then endorsing it as a local school plan for the town of Washington.

2. For missing the June 30, 2008 deadline for the state aid grant.

Since the parents, residents and voters of Roxbury and Bridgewater will not allow their local schools to be closed, the six board members who are pushing consolidation better re-evaluate their thinking because they are pushing Region 12 toward de-regionalization.

Jerry Ronan
Bridgewater