Inter-Lakes School Meeting changes day

[fatlazyless]

Today's October 13, page 12 www.laconiadailysun.com article titled "Annual Inter-Lakes School District meeting moved from traditional Wednesday date to Saturday", is a very long time coming....like years and years....and cannot be dismissed for its' potential in increasing the number of voters who show up to vote.

"We got hosed by Sandwich" was reported in the LaDaSun what was said by former Meredith Selectman Bob Flanders after the March 2010 annual school meeting and vote where a large number of concerned Sandwich voters cast their vote to continue teaching a 6th grade class in the Sandwich Elemantary School, as opposed to busing the 6th grade Sandwich students to the elementary school that's located in Meredith.

Last night's Inter-Lake School Board meeting voted to change the day and time from Wednesday, starting at 7-pm, to the new time on Saturday, March 12, 2011, starting at 10-am.
......

So, if Saturday is a good time for the annual school meeting and vote, then why-O-why not do the same for the annual Meredith town meeting? If Saturday is a good time for the school meeting, then isn't it also a good time for the town meeting? For example, schedule the town for the first Saturday, and the school for the second Saturday in March!

[summersux]

Now a whole Saturday is wreaked, 10AM {removed}? March is prime ski time lets make it 8PM then. At least if its a weekday I know my day is already wreaked by work. What a bad idea. I guess its great if you are a couch potato with nothing to do on a Saturday in March.

[no-engine]

Will voicing an opinion here be seen by the board decision makers?
I doubt it. I think a "message" will be heard when you show up at citizen input time on the agenda. I did many years ago, and changes were made!

[fatlazyless]

Changing the voting day from a Tuesday night to a Saturday morning for the annual School Administrative Unit #3, Meredith, Center Harbor, Sandwich, and Ashland Elementary (if I remember correctly) is like a major change. What it does is to make the meeting much more convenient for people to attend. All residents from the towns can vote, and not just those with students in the school.

Yesterday's Oct 19 LaDaSun has a front page article on the big increases coming in Meredith town water and sewer rates which quotes a local woman: "I could cry that there are not more people here tonight,' said Dorothy Brown, one of only four residents to appear at the hearing. She recalled that in March the people of Meredith failed to attend the annual meeting of the Inter-Lakes School District in sufficient numbers to prevent a contingent from Sandwich adding $1.2-million to the budget. 'We're still not awake.' she declared."

It's probably not just a coincidence that the last annual meeting and vote, held in March 2010, had the Sandwich residents rolling down from the hills of Sandwich in a long line of cars and pickups, and into the Inter-Lakes High School like a large 'phalanx.' Phalanx is the word that was used by the Laconia Daily Sun, and is not a word that is part of my regular vocabulary.

Phalanx (definition)

-A compact or close-knit body of people.

-A formation of ancient Roman infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears, as it moves forward to engage the enemy.

Reading through the Oct 13, LaDaSun article, tells you that is was not a unanimous vote but a close vote between the school board members from the different towns. This vote on making the meeting take place on a Saturday had come up before and was always voted down, until just now at the latest school board meeting, when it got the big green light of a majority vote.

Who knows, but if a Saturday morning school meeting turns out to be well received by Meredith voters, then perhaps a Saturday will also be considered for their annual town meetings as well. If it is good for the goose, then is it good for the gander?