Kathy Rago: Franklin municipal meetings are like watching a bad sitcom

To The Daily Sun,

Every few years we seem to be watching the latest version of the Hatfields vs McCoys, aka, the Franklin School Board vs the Franklin City Council as school mismanagement comes into full view as they reach out to the council to bail them out and break the tax cap that was put into place many, many years ago to protect the taxpayers. This year the school board demanded $2.25M over the tax cap. That was a big no, so now they are demanding the council give them a "measly" $618K over the tax cap.

Our current superintendent has been there well over 10+ years. During his tenure the district's proficiency rates and student population continue on a downward spiral and yet our illustrious school board continues to reward him year after year with a pay raise. Why? The school board approved an 8.5% pay raise to our teachers with zero idea on how they were going to pay for it. Oh right ... let’s just get the council to break the tax cap and bail us out yet again. The council has a well-established limitation that they do not direct the school board on how to spend their money.

I keep hearing "think outside the box" and yet when citizens speak at a public meeting with valid suggestions, they are heckled by teachers, school board members and parents. We, the taxpayers, might have more confidence in the school board if they were to take seriously how to properly manage the district, so until then I guess we will just continue to watch the Hatfields and McCoys go at it.

Kathy Rago

Franklin