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Brought to Accountability

For too long, the local Board of Education (BOE) has been able to get whatever they want, no matter how costly and without accountability. Their budgets only increase despite declining enrollment. Do you know that the BOE is responsible to the BOE, not the public? Why are these elected positions if the tax-paying public has no representation?

The BOE needs to be mindful and considerate of the burden they are placing on individuals' taxes and on the Town budgets. What we have now is unreasonable, irresponsible, and unsustainable.

The $10 million that was approved for yet more athletic fields and to remedy years of lack of maintenance was even more deceptive since they knew full well of the mold issues that were just about to be made public. Again, this entire problem has been allowed to worsen due to a lack of maintenance and failure to address the issue for years.

In articles on mold remediation costs at John Winthrop Middle School, an important point was left out regarding state contributions to fund solutions; the declining enrollment is why they do not qualify! The paying public needs to know this.

What they are proposing is another short-sighted non-fix that will end up costing even more. They should consolidate the middle school with the high school, as has also been proposed.

Why they let this mold problem go on makes no sense. Evidently, they could care less about any costs. This is a complete lack of stewardship. The BOE does not deserve and should not be allowed to continue their irresponsible dynasty at our expense any longer. They need to be brought into reality and accountability.

Karin Badger

Chester