Andover Townsman, Andover, MA--Opinion

Editorial: Special crosswalks not a priority

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:16:00 EDT

Andover voters rejected setting aside money to buy open space, after hearing the Finance Committee suggest the town must refrain from spending on "nice to have" items. Meanwhile, workers are digging holes into perfectly good downtown ways to create brick-patterned crosswalks on Chestnut and Whittier streets.

Column by Bart Stefani: In 1941, a trial under fire

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:09:00 EDT

As a returnee from the wilds of New York City, I had lived through blackouts,transportation meltdowns and terrorist attacks. Being a city dweller, I became indifferent to these events; especially the many fires during the '60s and '70s. Once retired, I returned to Andover where my formative years were spent and wondered about a huge Andover fire witnessed as a child. I had a close up view of this dramatic conflagration as it occurred about 20 yards from our family property at 41 Red Spring Road.

Letter: What is the plan, reason for expended school day?

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:02:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
It's true parents will have no vote on Expanded Learning Time ("Parents have no vote on extended school day," Townsman letters, May 1). After attending both ELT meetings at Bancroft Elementary, that fact — although not much else — was clear.

Letter: Let's look before we leap into longer school day

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:02:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
The Andover School System is deciding whether to apply for ELT (expanded learning time) funding this year. If ELT is ultimately accepted, it will affect every aspect of our children's lives with unknown changes and outcomes. We are concerned the school system has not yet identified specific needs, benefits and risks for changing our school curriculum. Instead, ELT is intended to be an experiment on our children, who currently exceed state educational expectations and have a well-rounded opportunity for learning today. While the desire to improve our educational system is commendable, the reality of quickly charging forward to implement an unproven program with no specific goals is unwise.

Letter: Getting into the home-waste fast lane

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:02:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
This weekend Andover is holding its spring Household Hazardous Waste collection event at West Elementary School. Recent collections have suffered from long, slow lines, so here are a few suggestions to keep things moving.

Letter: League concerned about cutting debate short

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:01:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
At the recent Town Meeting, the League of Women Voters discerned a lack of the usual healthy debate that has characterized Andover's Town Meeting in the past. We are especially concerned about the frequent use of "moving the question" to cut off debate on Thursday evening.

Letter: Little dialogue allowed at Town Meeting

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:01:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
Andover Town Meeting 2008 was too much neither "Town" nor "Meeting." It more resembled kindergarten show-and-tell. The boards showed us what they planned to do; the designated spokesmen told us how it was going to be done. The "town" is the rest of us and we were effectively silenced for the most part. "Meeting" implies dialogue, of which there was opportunity for barely any.

Letter: Plugs needed for solar tax credit

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
I have learned from the American Solar Energy Society that leaders in Congress are planning to drop the renewable energy tax credit provisions, including the solar investment tax credit extension, from the Iraq War Supplemental legislation. The speaker's office had previously indicated that the Iraq War Supplemental, which is must-pass legislation, would contain a long-term ITC extension.

Editorial: Garage needed - in the right location

Thu, 01 May 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Andover's Parks & Grounds Division needs a new home. But selectmen are taking the correct approach in avoiding the pull of quickly sliding a new garage into serene Spring Grove Cemetery.
Open discussion about the best place to build a garage, and acknowledging cemetery trustees' and neighbors' concerns about keeping the cemetery as a peaceful location are proper approaches. And it does not seem appropriate to build something in the Spring Grove Road cemetery with money approved for Lewis Street town yard improvements.

Op-ed: 'A Modest Proposal' on traffic

Thu, 01 May 2008 05:59:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
It is a melancholy object to those who walk through this great town, when they see the streets crowded with cars so hindered by an outdated traffic system. These cars, instead of being able to move Swiftly to their destinations, are forced to employ all their time in slowing to signs and lights and the occasional street-crosser.

Letter: Parents have no vote on extended school day

Thu, 01 May 2008 05:55:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
Six of our elementary schools have received grants from the state Department of Education to conduct feasibility studies of whether Andover should adopt the Mass2020 initiative "Expanded Learning Time" (see www.mass2020.org ). In general, this initiative requires that school time be extended by an additional 300 hours per year (1.5-plus hours/day) for core academic subjects, additional enrichment activities and professional development and planning time for the teachers.

Letter: L'Italien stood up for elders in need

Thu, 01 May 2008 05:55:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
It takes a lot of courage to advocate for what is right, and state Rep. Barbara L'Italien, D-Andover, has a lot of courage. L'Italien is a strong, determined and thoughtful advocate for her constituents, particularly elders and disabled children and adults. Her passion for people in need is guided by a realistic vision; her advocacy for good, solid programs for folks in need is done with a commitment to using public dollars efficiently. Recently, I could not have been more proud of her for taking the lead in authoring an amendment that reflected this vision. While it was met with a round of applause from elder advocates — like me — from across the state, it was not well received by nursing home lobbyists.

Letter: Family appreciates community support

Thu, 01 May 2008 05:50:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
The family of Corinne Johnson would like to recognize the community of Andover for its outpouring of love and support during her recent sickness and death.
We can never forget the kindness of the police, firefighters and EMTs who came so quickly, and shoveled a path through the snow in February to get to the front door. The Andover High School administration, coaches and teachers; the Saint Augustine Church community; the owners and staff of Andover Country Club and Indian Ridge Country Club; and to all the parents who gave meals, rides, support with telephone calls and many other kindnesses during the winter months.

Letter: Class: Penny for your thoughts on Iraq

Thu, 01 May 2008 05:50:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
The fifth anniversary of the conflict in Iraq coincided with the 4,000th death of U.S. military personnel. Our Contemporary World Issues class would like to build a living memorial for all of the airmen, Marines, seamen and soldiers who comprise those 4,000 deaths. We are planning to commemorate each fallen service member through visual representation. Each person will be represented by a penny and the pennies will be assembled on a wall in Andover High School.

Editorial: Wait 'til next year: A familiar budget story

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:05:00 EDT

There will be no override this year. Andover High School sports will not be eliminated. Elementary school class sizes will stay within School Committee guidelines.
Barring an unexpected problem, it appears Andover officials will come together to support a budget that will not gut the schools or require a special election to pay for it. The dire predictions earlier this fiscal year are gone; the schools will receive a level services budget. Much of the work to shrink the approximately $2 million gap between the town manager's and school superintendent's recommended budgets was done by readjusting cost estimates for items related to retirements, insurance, special education and trash disposal.

Column: Direct democracy, if we can keep it

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:04:00 EDT

Ben Franklin knew something about liberty and democracy. They don't put your face on the $100 bill just because you're a good kite flier.
And to paraphrase dear Ben, without an informed citizenry, liberty doesn't stand a chance.

Letter: Time for new solution on budget

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:50:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
On Tuesday, April 1, I attended a School Committee meeting to hear a presentation about the school budget for next year. I have two children in Andover Public Schools and the school budget is a great concern of mine. After the budget was presented, there was an open question-and-answer period. Many speakers urged the committee to utilize the Phillips Academy Gift Fund and the Stabilization Fund to help balance the school budget. A member of the Finance Committee indicated that there were ongoing reviews of all budgets to find additional area where budgets could be reduced. Last year at Town Meeting, we had to cut an additional $1 million off the school budget. It seems that every year more ways are found to cut more from the schools.

Letter: Schools should solve their self-inflicted crisis

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:50:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
The leadership of our School Department, in their constant propagandizing for a school department budget the town cannot afford ("Principals lay out effects of proposed cuts," April 10), continue to ignore the elephantine root cause of this so-called budget crisis — the School Committee's recent approval of a new, gold-plated teachers contract.

Letter: The problem with 'doing something' on global warming

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:50:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
Some people believe we must "do something" about carbon dioxide-caused global warming. I believe that "doing something" about a problem that may not actually exist can often be a dangerous policy.

Letter: Vote for fiscal sanity, against golden parachutes

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:50:00 EDT

Editor, Townsman:
Each year, voters at Town Meeting vote to appropriate funds to the Accumulated Employee Benefit Account, likely not ever realizing what they are voting to fund. The money that is appropriated to the Accumulated Employee Benefit Account is used to pay employees for the unused sick time they have when they retire or otherwise end their employment with the town. This practice, which has been reported by the Townsman and The Eagle-Tribune, has caused much consternation among the Andover voters.