After a sometimes acrimonious battle between the Souhegan High School Board and a group of local residents (CAUSE), it looks like we can chalk one up for the “people”. It appears that, despite continuing ascertains to the contrary, electromagnetic fields from high-power transmission lines between the Middle School and the proposed site for the new high school are significantly higher than the public has been lead to believe.
Now, the Souhegan School Board is scrambling to acquire additional land from the Town Conservation Commission (fortunately requiring the voter’s blessing) in order to relocate the school building 200 feet from its proposed siting … at a projected cost of between $200,000 and $300,000. Not to be lost in the fallout from this relocation is the still unresolved matter of Mr. Bristol’s suit against the School District … with it’s potential financial impact unknown.
Without debating the merits of whether a new high school was needed, it is apparent many proponents of the school as well as members of the Souhegan School Board have been hell-bent on rushing the design and construction of their “very own” temple of education … possibly without proper regard for the full ramifications of their actions. In
the process, they have also made several arbitrary policy decisions affecting Amherst and Mont Vernon students which are, at best, questionable.
However, the chickens are coming home to roost!
One big question which must now be answered is who’s going to pick up the tab? Predictably, local taxpayers (once again spelled “US”) will inevitably be told they must “dig deep” and underwrite all additional costs resulting from the inadequate knowledge, mismanagement and/or incompetence of their elected representatives.
It’s beginning to sound like Amherst’s version of the S&L bailout!
A better solution is to direct the Souhegan School Board to find the $200,000 to $300,000 to relocate the building, plus whatever costs may be associated with any mandated court settlements in the Bristol case, from within the monies already authorized. For starters, maybe “luxuries” like extensive student parking areas (not really necessary) could be eliminated … the list is, while not endless, is lengthy.
We must stop excusing mismanagement from elected civic officials and hold them answerable for each of their public actions! Nobody forces any individual to seek elected office. Each runs on his/her own accord, some for idealistic reasons, others for less noble rationales. Whatever their motivations, now that the “you-know-what” has hit the proverbial fan, responsibility for past actions must be publicly identified, and those responsible held accountable for their actions.
Concurrently, we must give our “local” government a loud and clear message that the taxpayer’s pocketbooks are closed when it comes to paying for the mistakes of others. Only by tightly controlling their access to our bank accounts … and thus reigning in their power … will we finally approach that nirvana of a kinder, gentler, less intrusive and less costly society.
