We publish this Letter to the Editor from Timberlane Regional School Board Member Donna Green as submitted. We encourage all candidates for office and or their supporters to submit their letters.
Dear Editor:
Green: Touts reelection record
My first year on the Timberlane School Board has been tumultuous, but not without its accomplishments. Here, for the consideration of voters, are things I was instrumental in helping to achieve:
- Raising the visibility of school board issues by monthly meetings with the Sandown Selectmen, and stimulated extensive newspaper coverage of issues.
- Bringing scrutiny of district budgets and their tax consequences which was critical in moderating taxes in Dec. 2014 as the school board made two major changes to its finances to mitigate tax impact.
- Getting the district to revoke school board rules that were unconstitutional limitations on free speech.
- Demanding greater financial transparency. Monthly revenue and expenditure reports are now publicly posted when previously had to be obtained through Right to Know.
- Getting the district to publicly post respected and vital third party 10-year enrollment projections when previously the budget committee didn’t know they existed.
- As a budget committee member in 2012, I requested and obtained the elimination of a private Budcom webpage so all information is now public.
- Bringing the district’s receipt of millions of dollars of insurance refund of surplus to public and district elected official awareness.
- Getting corrected a major financial error in calculating the cost of full-time kindergarten that probably prevented the program from being pushed forward as a free program next year.
- Surfacing issue of crony hiring and late audits
- Stalling, by protests on my blog, the Policy Committee’s plan to restrict public comment at meetings to items on the agenda only.
- Hosting a Town Hall forum on the school budget in Dec. 2014 along with other Sandown Timberlane representatives.
Those who think a concern over district finances does not show a concern for education should understand that what seem like minor financial and ethical issues can ultimately corrode our ability to deliver a quality education.
Timberlane needs a watchdog and if you agree, I ask for your vote.
Donna Green
Sandown incumbent on the Timberlane Regional School Board
