Letters

Letters to the Editor...

The letters in this section and opinion articles do not reflect the views of the staff of The Rehoboth Reporter. It is not our intent to take sides on any issues, but to present all arguments from all points of view. If your point of view is not represented on an issue, it is only because you have not voiced your opinion. Let us hear from YOU!

VOTE - Saturday August 6 @ Francis Farm

In 2019, the Town of Rehoboth rejected an FY20 assessment presented by the DR School Committee at three separate Town meetings. With the School Committee and Administration unable to develop a budget that would pass approval by Rehoboth, the district fell into DESE oversight and Rehoboth was ultimately required to pay more than was approved at Town Meeting.

By withdrawing Rehoboth K-8 from the district, the taxpayers of Rehoboth will, through Town meeting, have final say over the Palmer River and Beckwith budgets, likely preventing a drawn-out battle over the budgets of these two schools in the future. BUT: - The DR School Committee is still in control of the High School budget. The FY20 situation could play out again over just the high school budget. That being said, the goal of the current SC and Administration is to prevent any repeat of this debacle by working diligently to present an annual budget for the entire district that is affordable to both towns as we did for FY23. - The cost of running the K-8 on our own could exceed what we can afford anyway. Even though we have the “final say”, we may not be able to fit the K-8 budget into our town budget while keeping the services we have now. - Everything could work out perfectly and Rehoboth will be able to achieve financial savings while at the same time giving our kids a better education than they are getting now.

The point is we don’t know the full extent of the consequences of a withdrawal. The cost of the unknown is too high for me and what WILL happen is that a community that has grown together for my entire lifetime, and long before that, will be torn apart. We are, and have been for decades, DR.

I also question why a mailer came to my house claiming that we pay for 65% of Dighton’s schools, when I know this to be untrue. Is it because the juice isn’t worth the squeeze? Is the price of this control more than we can afford, requiring misleading language to get a passing vote? Why not be straight-forward about what this vote will achieve and what it will not? Because NO ONE knows if this will achieve a cost savings. The only thing we know is it will achieve the ability to veto a K-8 budget via Town Meeting.

To me, the solution to our control problem is what it has always been. Vote in elected officials who will listen to and act for their constituency. If you are worried about losing control, get out and vote in every town election. Vote for candidates who will follow the will of their constituents. Question candidates endlessly. Show up at School Committee meetings and question the budget. Run yourself if there are no better options. But don’t vote to withdraw K-8 and expect it to be a fix.

I didn’t expect to be against this withdrawal. But after serving on the School Committee for a year and understanding the budgeting and assessment processes, I do not think that K-8 withdrawal is right for our town. It could very well be the cause of problems we cannot even foresee, and certainly is not a silver bullet that will solve our financial woes. And in case it isn’t clear, Rehoboth will always be mandated by the state to pay more toward our schools than Dighton is, whether we are in a district with Dighton or on our own. The “wealth factor” does not just apply to regionalized school systems.

Please, please, please come to the Special Town Meeting on August 6 at 1 PM – listen to the debate, hear the implications, and VOTE as if the future of the community you love depends on it. Don’t regret not having a say in the future of your home and wishing you had done more.

Sincerely, Victoria Silvia

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Old Woodpile

The old woodpile Sleeps through Summer. It could Charge rent To mice And chipmunks. It waits For a woodstove To end Future plans. It does Not know The farmer Has gone.

Don Gardner Seekonk, MA

Inside This Issue

Business Directory......................68 Church News..............................48 Classifieds...............................67 Club Announcements.................24 Events....................................34 Farm & Garden.........................64 Food & Dining..............................62 Letters...................................5 Library...................................... Blanding.......................38 Seekonk.......................39 Obituaries................................65 People.....................................31 Rehoboth COA............................52 Rehoboth Ramblings..................7 Rehoboth Town News.................8 School News..............................54 Seekonk Human Services..........50 Seekonk Town News...................18 Sour Grapes...............................55 Sports..................................60 State House................................44

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The Letters to the Editor and opinion articles do not reflect the views of the staff of The Rehoboth Reporter. It is not our intent to take sides on any issues, but to present all points of view.

I would like to correct some miss information that has been put out there. In parentheses are quotes from our regional agreement (July 1, 1987). “ The agreement entered into pursuant to CHAPTER 71 OF General Laws of Massachusetts, as amended, between the towns Dighton and Rehoboth, hereinafter referred to as member towns, is hereby amended in its entirety to read as hereinafter set forth. In consideration of the mutual promises herein contained, it is HEREBY AGREED as follows” (1st page)

“The foregoing Amended Agreement was duly accepted and approved (1) by vote of the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional District School Committee, duly adopted at a meeting said committee, duly called and held on February 12, 1987; (2) by vote of the Town of Dighton duly adopted under Article 10 of the Warrant at its town meeting duly called and held on May 4, 1987; and (3) by vote of the Town of Rehoboth duly adopted under Article 3 of the Warrant at its town meeting duly called held on June 22, 1987 (14th page)

“Section IX-Withdrawal of Elementary Grades K -8 A. Vote Required

All of the member towns of the District shall resume jurisdiction over the education of pupils in grades Kindergarten through eight, inclusive, residing in their respective towns if any member town, by vote at annual or special town meeting, votes to resume jurisdiction over the education of pupils in grades kindergarten through eight, inclusive, residing in such town and follows the procedure hereinafter set forth.” (9th page)

We do not need Dighton to agree, they already have, just as we have.

The Regional Agreement will answer many of your questions. Go to the Town’s website, click on Boards and Committees, scroll to K-8 Withdrawal Study Committee.

Another document dated April 16, 2015 sent to our regional School Committee from The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, addressed to David Katseff and Chris Andrade who were on our regional school committee then.

“RE: Unilateral Withdrawal of Dighton or Rehoboth Grades PK-8 I had a conversation with Chris Lynch at DESE yesterday. She recently met with Jeff Wulfson and DESE legal counsel regarding the current language in the Dighton- Rehoboth Regional Agreement. That is, the issue of whether either Dighton or Rehoboth are able to unilaterally withdraw from the grades PK-8 region.

The bottom line answer is a qualified “YES.” That is, the basic intent of this language is acceptable to DESE.”

Again refer to our website, this document is posted.

I hope this will answer any doubt the incorrect information that has been put out there by people who should know better. This information as you can see is factual.

This is too important of a vote to not have the facts. Please remember to attend the Town Meeting, Aug 6 at 1: 00 at Francis Farm to make your vote count

Jay Crandall, Member of the K-8 Withdrawal Study Committee

Seekonk Citizens Police Academy

My son and I had the privilege during the fall of 2021 to attend the Seekonk Citizens Police Academy (held for the first time in over 20 years). The classes met weekly over the course of twelve weeks. During that time there was both classroom teaching and many hands-on experiences (including participation in a mock active shooter scenario). We learned so much during these classes and have been able to share some of these experiences with both friends and family since that time. I have always had utmost respect for the police but now have even greater insight into some of what their job entails. Kudos to the police officers of Seekonk who do an outstanding job to serve and protect the citizens of Seekonk during this most difficult time. Carol Masterson