I get it.  I get it.  You "conservatives" believe that in the long run Natchaug School is going to need a lot more work and cost a good deal more.  You do not see this property as a town asset and want to  get rid of it and you're upset that we didn't spend more money on a referendum so your defeated vote against the building would have been counted.

There was a public vote.  It was in a quite large auditorium.  Where were your 300 then?  I know it was dark out.  And no one can drive.  But if it was really important, why didn't you get a bus to bring you all.  You would have been welcome to vote.  Expediency was necessary if those kids were not going to all be cramped into that middle school for another year.  So a public vote at a town meeting (in my mind) was not even needed.  This should have been budgeted by the BOE years ago.  But that's the BOE and I don't want to go there right now.

The point is that enough people on the council understood that in this specific case and with the support of an auditorium full of people we just needed to fix the damn roof and move on.  I think our council deserves kudos for their work on this singular point.  You don't need a committee, or chorus or a council or a town to figure out if a roof should be repaired.  If there's a bucket in the middle of the room when it rains, you fix it when it stops.  A three year old could tell you that.  It is shocking to me that we call you all conservatives when all you want to do is knock things down, drill baby drill, kill with your guns and not contribute a dime to the community.  I think we need a new nomenclature for what you guys are.  Destructionists seems about right.  

That said.  Apparently there were discussions amongst individuals, Ortiz among them, about the roof and Natchaug and its possible sale.  The exact terms of which were unknown to me personally until it was too late to do anything about by then.  Why, exactly, this information was not fully elucidated I do not know and this does make me angry on some level, but, and/or unless the council did have this information in full and still decided not to referendum, I don't blame them for the vote they cast, and neither should anyone else.  They did not usurp the voice of the minority, they fixed a roof because that's what needed to be done.  

What's done is done.  Let us instead move on to something about which we can actually do some necessary work.

Let's get rid of the BOE.

David

 P.S. What makes something historic? Longevity is certainly among the earmarks and Natchaug certainly has that. And, if you eat a little coleslaw now and then you might too.


David,

Please refrain from using "Dear Johnny" and "Conservative" in a nearby sentence. The last time I was a conservative Barry Goldwater was the Republican presidential nominee and I wasn't old enough to vote. When I disagree with you I don't call you a conservative. The difference between us is that I look at the big picture you don't.

"Kudos to the town council," when it's convenient you are flattering a body that is at the root of Windham's education problems.   A body that  recently took away our speaking rights at meetings, a body still populated with members that go back to a similar situation when a 1000 signature petition was ignored concerning the magnet school. Tell me David, when was the last time the town council criticized the board of education?  When was the last time they asked the board of education why they were short changing our students? The answer is never, never has the council/board of selectman even remotely questioned that inept body.

With town elections around the corner and the Democrats preparing to introduce their candidate, Dawn Niles, (Yes David, you led me astray) for mayor we are heading into more bleakness. Fifteen year chairmen of the Democrats and what has she done? She has assured that Windham continues, at best, its mediocrity. She has assured that those serving on the board of education have remained and have continued to cheat the future of our students. It has never occurred to her that 
 others may serve the students, not the party. If elected the only thing that the electorate can look forward too is her ability to take up more space than the present space taker.

Sweeney School went through extensive renovations in 1963, Windham Center in 1968 and North Windham in 1986. We had no "swing space" then. Windham did what every other town does, we utilized temporary class rooms. You would think that Natchaug students presently attending the middle school were schooled in a hovel. Give me a break, even as incompetent as our BOE is, they wouldn't endanger a child. If they did the state would move in . If there is a need for more room, which there isn't, add temporary class rooms. 

I envision Natchaug as a future community center or even a rehabilitated school. The east end of Willimantic needs such. It could be the genesis for a successful renewal  and redevelopment project. Unfortunately, after sharing my ideas with central office I received a reply stating that when the schools were finished with Natchaug it would be handed back to the town. So much for thinking outside  the box.

And no David, I'm not a driller nor am I killer. I did spend six years of life in the U.S. Army during an incident in Southeast Asia and because of that I do appreciate democracy and the freedoms that comes with it.

Did you even go to summer camp?