Fairhaven MA - new school vote

photo by mslavick


I needed to know more about the process that brought us to our upcoming votes about the new Fairhaven schools. The presentations by the School Building Committee adamantly state that the facts point only to the solution they represent, however I've heard enough opposition to warrant some research.

Complaints that the School Building Committee (SBC) had their mind made up before the process began are borne out by the Mass School Building Authority (MSBA) letter (1) linked below.

I thought I could learn a lot about the process from the meeting minutes of the SBC. My wife attended some of these meetings and was frustrated by the committee's handling of public commentary and concern.

A select few of  the SBC's minutes are available at the their website (2). But where meetings were contentious or public opposition was voiced, no meeting minutes are posted. 


The Superintendent's office informed me that the minutes of the School Building Committee could be found at the Town Clerk's office. The clerk's office does have minutes of a few of this years' meetings not available at the SBC site (3), but only meeting agendas for meetings of February 1, 15 and 16 and nothing for the months leading up to the Town Meeting in May (March April and May). These meetings were filled with resident opposition to the Board's actions and decisions. 

The clerk's office does have meeting minutes and/or agendas from June 16 through September.

The minutes from Feb. 9 mention meetings with MSBA. I've written the MSBA to try to view minutes of their meetings with the Fairhaven SBC, but have not heard from them yet.


Conclusion:
The SBC has carefully considered only one option, and their conclusion points to their one-school solution. I'm disturbed by the Fairhaven School Building Committee's continued lack of transparency and manipulation of information.

Thanks for your time
-mat coes



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