Middl Town Council Presentation June 22, 2020

One year ago in June, representatives from Newport, supported by a roomful of Middletown residents, requested that the Middletown Town Council agree to begin discussions about school regionalization.  The TC refused to discuss the issue.

A month later, in July, the issue was resurrected with even more resident support, and the TC refused.

Beginning in September, a committee was formed in another effort to convince the TC that there was support throughout the town for discussions. A petition was developed, substantial number of signatures were collected, and the petition was presented to the TC in January asking again for discussions. The TC declined.

Undeterred, CESU (Citizens for Exploring School Unification) formulated a petition that included an Ordinance as required under the Town Charter in an effort to initiate discussions that would result in a proposal. 

Several drafts were reviewed, and a final draft was sent to 2 separate local attorneys for advice, both of whom possessing specific knowledge and understanding of the requirements under the Town Charter.

Eventually one of them connected directly with the current Town Solicitor who reviewed the proposed Petition and Ordinance, made a few edits, and returned the final copy to one of the attorneys who then forwarded it to me as the final version.

Using that final version, CESU began collecting signatures. They used every opportunity to connect with people, collecting signatures one-by-one, even going door-to-door.

Then the virus hit and personal contact was forbidden so they used other strategies to collect the signatures, including costly mailers and setting up areas in open spaces - to protect both themselves and the public - near businesses who gave them permission.

Over a 6 month period, they collected the signatures of the required 10% of the voters and they submitted the petition to the TC for 2 Public Hearings.

Now, however, the Town Solicitor – the same person who wrote the final version as related to the Town Charter and sent it to the attorney who was helping CESU -  has declared that the process is flawed and cannot go forward as was previously scripted by his own hand.

In spite of the above circumstances, it would seem ethical and honorable at this time to recognize that almost 1200 voters petitioned the TC to form a study committee for discussion with Newport and to identify representatives.

Therefore, I make a motion that the TC approve joint discussions with Newport in a study committee focused on potential school regionalization and appoint 2 members of the TC and one member of the SC as representatives.

The Town Council disregarded the 1183 Middletown petitioners and defeated the motion 6 to 1.