High School Consolidation? Why not?

In June 2018, The Newport Daily News and Newport This Week published my letter as follows:

I made a motion to initiate discussion. All I asked them to do was talk. There was no second to my motion.

What does that say?  It tells me (and the public) that the Middletown Town Council thinks it intrinsically knows best and doesn’t need or want any information that might clarify the issue or even cause them to change their minds. How arrogant!  But it’s not new.

Councilpersons generally have some area of expertise that they bring to the Council, and that’s usually a good thing because it adds personal perspective to what is often a complicated matter. It becomes a problem, however, when a councilperson regards him/herself as the ultimate expert who expects the rest of the Council to follow suit “because I know best.” It is a trap we must all be aware of and ensure that what we contribute is expansive rather than prescriptive.

So the motion for discussion of the possibility of consolidating the high schools was intended to expand knowledge to assure an informed decision.

Logical reasons were provided, of course, to affect the decision to talk or not to talk with a potential partner.  The enrollments of the 2 schools is comparable (approx. 630 students in each school) so an appropriate legislated agreement would provide equal control. 

MHS enrollment itself is only 69% of capacity; RHS has been described as having the worst condition in the state.

Educators will agree that a school of 1,200 could possibly re-instate many of the lost educational opportunities for students. Some current councilmen should be able to relate to the choices they could make when they were high schoolers as opposed to what is now available.

A 2014 referendum was approved in Newport while it was defeated in Middletown by 460 of a total of 5,198 votes and the Council leaned toward favorable funding.

Recently, however, after some questionable expenditures, this Council has been more tight-handed, approving a zero increase for FY18 and merely granting the equivalent of the lost FY19 state aid. Expenses will go up, but the funding is not likely to get better.  There is a good chance that more Middetowners would now prefer consolidation to increased taxes for schools when they are not always sure the money is being spent wisely.

Finally, it should be hard to argue with a 58% state reimbursement as identified by Senator DiPalma.

Yet, obviously, the Middletown Town Council must know best since it totally disregarded the aforementioned logic and chose to remain in the dark. One can only hope that something will happen to get them to see the light.

Thanks to the writer who said, “…Stay with it. The others on the council need to go back to school!!”

Change Is An Inevitable Occurence

In August 2018, The Newport Daily News and Newport This Week published my letter as follows:

Recently the members of the Middletown Economic Development Advisory Committee (MEDAC) received a report on the activities of Connect Greater Newport - sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce with representation from 6 East Bay communities, local businesses, and non-profits -  which is intended to provide an integrated approach to economic growth.  

Discussion centered around how to raise statewide awareness of regional opportunities, but the topic that generated the most interest related to the barriers that undermine those efforts.

There was general agreement regarding the following:

11. The local culture was repeatedly identified by potential investors as “provincial,” reflecting an unwillingness to change.

22. Residents in the area prefer small businesses, which presents a challenge. Individual larger retailers or corporations – who would only make substantial investment if it could ensure profit – have found the region to be resistant.

33. Internet services – particularly the absence of broadband – present a challenge for companies that depend on the rapid exchange of information.

44   The cost of housing in the region is prohibitive for middle-level employees with young families.

55.The sense of “community” has dissipated.

I was impressed with the efforts of the Connect Greater Newport initiative to meet with the regional partners to collect information. Clearly there are goals, and an attempt is underway to stimulate interest in promoting economic development in the area. But I’ve been around too long to be satisfied with just a vision.  I want a strategic plan – and I don’t mean more meetings.

I want to see the above issues addressed in a concrete meaningful way.

11.What can we do to change the culture so residents regard change as a positive?  An advertising campaign? A media blitz? Public meetings?

22. Have the prospective areas in the region been identified for potential development, and has that information been distributed in a concerted manner to potential investors?

33. What efforts have been undertaken to resolve the broadband issue and how can they be expedited?

44. What areas of the region could be developed into small neighborhoods of medium-priced homes, and has there been contact with developers?

55. What efforts have been made to re-engage the residents in resurrecting community spirit?

 It’s not enough to go to meetings attended by a dozen or so people. Currently the only time large numbers of residents come out is to protest some perceived infringement of their “way of life.” How about coming out to join together to make things better?

We live in an area that is aging; the young people will leave as soon as they can unless we can offer opportunity that will make them want to stay. The beaches are for our summers and the tourists, not an all-year-round way of life. We need to weigh the alternatives. We can stay the same or we can grow. But we have to be willing to change – at least a little bit.

Us vs. Them

In February 2018, The Newport Daily News and Newport This Week published my letter as follows:

When my children grew up in Middletown, it had a larger population that appreciated the benefits of differences. The military had a heavier presence then, and families from many different places brought a cosmopolitan element to the community from which we all benefitted, not just financially but also culturally. As a high school teacher, I knew students who had never left Aquidneck Island, but they had the good fortune to share friendships and common goals, such as athletic competitions, with others from across the country and even from other parts of the world.

With the decline in military presence came a decline in the birth rate and, over the years, the community changed, both culturally and financially. The local population was gradually aging, school enrollment was dropping, and Middletown had to regroup to ensure that it remained vibrant and financially stable. It did so by expanding opportunities – the Corporate Park, for example – and by promoting tourism.  The business and manufacturing worlds have had their ups and downs, but the tourist economy has continued to grow to the extent that the Town now recognizes its importance. 

Unfortunately, in some quarters, there is still an us and them mentality. While the locals do not enjoy the crowds, the increased traffic, and the competition for services, most grudgingly endure the minor discomforts of the high seasons and appreciate such benefits that accrue from hospitality taxes and increased patronage at retail establishments.

Nevertheless, there is a vocal minority that seems reminiscent of the tribalism that has asserted itself in some other areas of the country. I am concerned that we are becoming a town that has misplaced our heritage of fair and equal treatment in favor of fair treatment for us and unfair treatment for them.  

The controversy related to the Sachuest Beach campground is an example of this dual mentality. Following a break-in and loss of beach receipts, a committee was formed to review all aspects related to the beach, conduct interviews with both employees and patrons, and bring recommendations to the Town Council.

Other issues aside, parking had been a hot button issue for many years with residents complaining about a lack of preferential parking.  The committee responded to their concerns with reconfigurations, including resident parking areas, generally considered a positive move.  

The problem came with the recommendation that the campground be converted to a parking area, displacing summer residents, many of whom considered the campground their second homes. There was a public outcry – a deluge of letters followed by campers coming long distances to express their dismay.

Responding not only to their concerns but also to the point that increased parking would mean undesirably larger crowds, the Town Council chose not to close the campground but, instead, recommended fee increases of $2,000 this year and $2,000 next year.

The proposal restored the $97,500 that would have been sacrificed with the closing of the campground and provided a $4,000 per campsite increase ($2,000 per year) to appease those locals who had advocated for more resident parking and improved beach amenities while the fee increase blindsided the campers.

It’s important to recognize that campers generally cannot afford long stays in hotel rooms. I remember camping when my children were young, and it was all we could afford, not to mention the elderly that the Town Council claims to care about when it talks about local residents. Who will speak for the elderly campers, some of whom have summered here for decades?

The point?   Middletown has basically a tourist economy. Would we like more businesses or corporations to invest in our town? Yes. But we need to recognize that tourists are our bread and butter, and long-term campers are just as important as short-term wealthier visitors in hotel rooms if not more so because of what they contribute seasonally to our economy.

As several writers suggested, modest increases over time would be acceptable, but such a huge increase with little warning reeks of locals vs campers -  us vs them.

A town is not purely a business, concerning itself merely with profit and loss. It is a community where economics affect the people who live there as well as those who engage with them. If locals are to accept the financial benefits of the tourist economy, integrity demands a balance where we consider how our actions affect those who are at our mercy. 

Sometimes a relatively small issue can make us think about who we are and whom we want to be.