FHS Talkfest Runs 3+ Hours

There was much talk on both sides of the override question last night,  with yeas likely edging nays in terms of total number of citizen comments but at least one councilor opining  that most of the calls received on the question prior to the meeting had been 'nos'...Those urging a no vote also, in many cases, qualified their opposition by stressing that a "rushed" override vote in June (sought by the pro-override supporters) would be at odds with the usual process of including the question at the November general election and thus, itself, an additional cost and unfair to voters seeking to weigh all aspects of the matter.

The first hour or so was a series of presentations by the town administration and the school department outlining the need for more money or sharp cuts, as well as an overview of how the town ended up with a need for an override. At one point, Town Administrator Jamie Hellen acknowledge that unlike many Massachusetts communities operating under the constraints of Proposition 2 1/2, Franklin had always raised its taxes annually but the maximum amount allowed -- 2.5 percent -- leaving no room for further increases without an override.

On the 'positive' side, Hellen pointed out that some of the 'debt-exlcusion' overrides, the 'temporary' measures instituted to pay for new school buildings, were now approaching the end of their lives as the debts were finally discharged, though he did say the bill for the high school would be part of the tax burden for a long time to come.

Those in favor, particularly parents, emphasized not only the overall risk to programs and services if an override is not passed but the specific risks of disruption to the education process if teachers are cut over the summer and newer and perhaps fewer students face students in the fall. A few middle and high school students also came to the microphones to offer pleas, often emotional, to pass the override to preserve their favorite school programs

One of the 'yes' speakers -- an educator -- faulted the town for waiting so long, possibly forcing teachers, if an override isn't passed soon, to scramble for a new job with only weeks before the start of the Massachusetts school year. Several further asserted that the nearly annual brinksmanship surrounding school budgets and overrides over the years had earned Franklin a  reputation for instability with educators, making many disinclined to seek employment with the district.

Meaghan Benson, who spoke on the "no" side, focused, primarily on the question of whether or not the vote should be in June. She cited data obtained from the state indicating that June votes were extremely rare and also that the amount of the requested override was an an extreme outlier among all such votes in the state since the 1980 passage of Proposition 2 1/2. Most overrides had been for $1-2 million, she said.

Another 'no' speakers said her CPA husband's analysis of the proposed override showed it would be more costly to taxpayers than claimed by the town.

Many on both sides raised the history of overrides in town, excepting the ones for new buildings, only one had ever been successful, all agreed. That one, in 2007, according to Steve Sherlock, who had covered the process with his Franklin Matters website, was in fact held 'early -- in May of that year, he said.

A full video of the whole event is available here.

[Editor's Note: Ruthann O'Sullivan, founder of the One Franklin pro-override group, commented on the Observer article, Wednesday morning, noting that the statement, "As to numbers, the pro-override folks, with assistance from the public schools that have strongly urged override support from parents, are likely to be a majority in attendance..." --is not correct. The point, O'Sullivan made, is that there is no assistance or coordination with the schools on the matter. O'Sullivan is, of course, correct. However, for reasons of its own, the schools did strongly urged attendance at the FHS event.]