Top Ten

Moments

To the Editor:

Top Ten Political Moments IPN Wants Us to Forget:

10. IPN boasts their mantra of communication, transparency, and working together, but IPN Board of Education leadership removes public participation in their meeting agendas.

 9. IPN Board of Education leadership spends in excess of $42,000 on a dispute with a town resident involving a single bus stop issue.

 8. IPN Board of Education leadership institutes a policy on financial transfers which is based on a meeting that was never warned, with no associated minutes, and no public vote in violation of the state statute as determined by the town auditor creating less transparency for the voter.

 7. IPN Board of Education leadership drags Board of Education member into illegally warned executive session because they don’t like her opinion of the superintendent’s budget options “A” and “B.” Over a year later, the IPN Board of Education leadership still has not fulfilled all of the directives of the State of Connecticut Freedom of Information commission.

 6. IPN promotes charter revision and listening to public, but ignores the public outcome, and advocates for an alternative that could circumvent the public vote.

 5. Bill Furrier and Po Murray, candidates for the Board of Selectman, advocate for autonomy of the Board of Education, but advocate for ideas, such as charter revision, which can only be accomplished if on the Legislative Council.

 4. Hard to know what the IPN thinks as Po Murray is the only one speaking for them.

 3. IPN first selectman candidate Bill Furrier advocates in his election platform for a five percent reduction over two years, but votes for every single line item in the Board of Selectman budget for the last two years and doesn’t offer any reductions while in office or when asked to give more detail during the debate. (See minutes and audio tape.) Running mate Po Murray offers “Please be patient” and “Please stay tuned.”

 2. When asked for more detail on the new accounting system of “Track, Score, Report,” first selectman candidate Bill Furrier said it means “Traaaaack, Scooooore, and Reeeeepooooort.”

 1. IPN Board of Education leadership responsible for putting 32 local bus driver businesses and 18 educational assistants out of work, but advocates for administrative positions and a raise for the superintendent. IPN is silent on the issue while the Republicans, Democrats, and many citizens express disagreement in the decision.

Dennis Bloom

25 Philo Curtis Road, Sandy Hook                            October 25,2011