MINUTEMAN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL CONTRACT CHANGES

MINUTEMAN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL CONTRACT CHANGES

First and foremost, taxpayers must clearly understand that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) never required nor requested any change to the existing Regional Agreement.  The changes are solely the work product of the Regional Agreement Amendment Subcommittee (RAAS).

Two (2) member towns voted or will vote to approve the changes based solely on assurances that their decisions to leave the Minuteman district would be facilitated, and unobstructed.

Four (4) member towns recognized the agreement changes’ shortcomings and either disapproved or indefinitely postponed voting on those changes until crucial information was provided including: Which towns would remain district members; Which non-member towns have committed in writing to join the district; Right-sizing of the underfunded non-member enrollment which is essential in determining member town costs to renovated Minuteman. 

There were also questions regarding which last minute promises to modify the changes would be made official in writing by the regional amendment subcommittee and codified by the DESE. So far, no promises have been put in writing and therefore nothing has changed to change minds.

There are now six (6) member towns that have either rejected or cannot accept the efficacy and relevance of the RAAS changes as currently written.

The proposed changes included several intended consequences to favor certain member towns and benefit all non-member towns.

1. The changes would have dictated that 49 cents of every assessments dollar (totaling $4 million) paid to Minuteman would be used to make up for underfunded non-member expanding operational and capital outlays for 34 non-member towns.

2. The changes would have benefited the cities of Arlington and Lexington.  Arlington’s capital debt shares would have decreased by $200,000 annually with the financial responsibility shifted to all other district members as another ad hoc subsidy.

3. A legal consequence is the loss of current protections under Mass General Law. Chapter 71, Section 16 subparagraph (d) that does not require a vocational district member to leave or forfeit rights because its taxpayers disapprove participation in unjustified capital debt.

The RAAS changes are disapproved.  Arlington and Lexington will not receive subsidies to reduce their capital debit shares.  The school committee will not be authorized to provide new members extraordinary subsidies beyond those already in the existing Regional Agreement that would have had to be paid for through increased assessments.

Taxpayers must call for RAAS changes that will benefit of all member towns and not just the privileged.  Stop allowing one-step forward, two-steps back proposals that characterize administration policies supported by a school committee majority that only create a pretense of progress.

Dave Manjarrez

Sudbury Appointee to the Minuteman school committee since 2008