Dear Editor,
Our elected officials should be actively engaged in addressing the growing overcrowding in our schools and developing a clear, actionable plan to respond. Instead, what I have observed since January raises serious concerns about delays and a lack of transparency.
In January, First Selectman Rooney attended an Ad Hoc Committee meeting and recommended the formation of a building committee. By mid-February, the Board of Education had drafted a letter, eventually dated March 3, requesting that Town Council Chair Formichella establish such a committee.
Board of Education Chair Condon indicated that the letter was delivered to Town Hall on or before March 3 and repeatedly assured both the Board and the public that the matter was “moving through the process.” However, at the March 23 Town Council meeting, Chair Formichella stated that he had only received the letter that very day. At the same time, Chair Condon continued to suggest that the request had already been in the Council’s hands, without acknowledging this discrepancy.
Further confusion arose at the April 20 Town Council meeting, when First Selectman Rooney stated that he had never seen the letter and could not locate it in his office, prompting him to request an electronic copy from Superintendent Kobza on March 23.
This sequence of events raises important questions: Was the letter delivered when stated? If so, how was it lost? If not, why was the public led to believe the process was further along than it actually was?
Chair Condon was entrusted with both drafting and delivering this letter in a timely manner. Yet, from initiation to acknowledgment, the process spanned more than 90 days. I have reached out to the Board of Education multiple times via email and in public meetings seeking clarification, but have received no response.
The public deserves clear answers. Transparency and accountability are fundamental expectations of those elected to serve. If Chair Condon is unable to provide a satisfactory explanation or documentation to clarify these events, I respectfully believe he should consider stepping down from his position.
Marie Blake
Marie Blake is a retired Monroe teacher, who ran for the Board of Education last election.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
Marie Blake, thank you for your accurate description of the failed follow through on a most serious problem facing our town. Do we want to spend millions of dollars on portable classrooms to address the overcrowding or do we want to resolve the issue in a fiscally responsible manner? I see other towns applying for help with State grants. What have we done other than pass the buck and hope no one points it out?