Adapting To Change

To the Editor:

I am typically not one to go against the grain, but feel compelled to state the obvious. The entire appropriation for the high school is unnecessary, not just the additional six million dollars. These monies are being spent to create a simple solution, not the least-cost approach. Any basic management model (forget about common sense) would indicate utilizing the assets on a 24-hour basis before even contemplating the expenses at hand. This is not just another tax increase, it is indicative of our inability to make difficult decisions that benefit all, not just those that have the resources to choose the easy choice. Much less, use our children’s perceived “well-being” as leverage to get what those that are for the expense and those that don’t care how much our tax base goes up, feel we need. While I certainly don’t feel that it is of malicious intent, it does not consider those who are truly finding it difficult to remain in town, as our tax rate increases as a result of decisions like these. I won’t muddy up the issue with our town’s version of disallowing a line item veto, by lumping other expenditures in with the school appropriation referendum.

We (humans) usually revert to experiential solutions as they are most obvious. I managed a facility that initially operated a standard eight-hour-day shift, as this is the perceived social norm. At the prospect of increased need for product, do you think we added square footage and assets to the facility or simply “crewed up” to effectively utilize the current assets efficiently? I know you already know the punch line, so I will not elaborate. This did not require the addition of administrative staff, just reallocation, and a willingness to embrace change for the good of the organization.

The simple solution (expense avoidance) is to schedule use of the building during hours that are not utilized. I realize this may inconvenience some folks, but that in reality, is just too bad. If we didn’t have the option to borrow against our future and raise taxes, what would we do? Make the children suffer? No, then we would be forced to make truly difficult decisions. The true problem is how to choose those who are to be inconvenienced. I am reasonably sure that there are families that would actually benefit from evening classes/utilization, as this would alleviate child care challenges. Teachers and administrators with lesser longevity or those hired in for that purpose would surely be accepting of our needs, or, as in the real world, would have to make their own personal decisions as to their ability to adapt/adopt the change.

Respectfully submitted,

Ed Bryan

89 Riverside Road, Sandy Hook                         September 22, 2008