Can You "Pass The Buck"?

We've all heard the term. It means blaming someone else rather than accepting responsibility yourself. We see a lot of that kind of activity in politics, especially on the national level.

At least one Hamilton Selectman has shown us that he too knows how to "Pass the Buck".

That's exactly what he did, as reported in a recent article in the Hamilton/Wenham Chronicle, when he stated that:

"the operational audit (of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District) was approved pursuant to a citizens' petition, so the approval of funding should have been part of the citizens' motion but was not".

Excuse me?

The truth is that the citizen petitioners negotiated in good faith with the Selectmen of both Hamilton and Wenham, as well as the Finance and Advisory Committees of both towns, and they were assured at public meetings that the towns were going to step up and and fund the Operational Audit of the HWRSD. That placed the responsibility squarely on the town leadership...not the petitioners. And the Selectman mentioned above knew that, at least two weeks prior to the Annual Town Meeting, and said and did nothing.

The truth is that all that was left for the citizen petitioners was to see to it that the motion for the audit was approved at both the Wenham and Hamilton Town meetings. They did that.

The truth is that the motion passed overwhelmingly in Wenham with the FULL support of the Wenham Board of Selectmen and the Wenham FinCom and the Wenham FinCom addressed the issue of their portion of the funding for the Operational Audit at the Town Meeting and how the appropriation would take place.

The truth is that the IDENTICAL motion was made and overwhelmingly approved by the voters one week later at the Hamilton Annual Town Meeting.

The truth is that there was only ONE Selectman in both towns that consistently opposed the motion for the Operational Audit from day one to the day the voters approved the motion.

Guess who?

And now that same Selectman has the audacity to suggest that it is the petitioners' fault that a Special Town Meeting is necessary in order to appropriate Hamilton's share of the cost of the audit.

That's called "passing the buck".

The petitioners and the voters did their part. Even Town Manager Michael Lombardo has graciously stepped up and accepted responsibility for the unexpected need of a Special Town Meeting. But Michael is not to blame.

Apparently the only elected official not willing to accept responsibility, despite nearly six years as a Selectman and with more than two weeks notice in which to address the appropriation issue, is the sole dissenter from both towns' Boards of Selectmen...the only one who voted against the operational audit.

Hmmmm...imagine that.

Pricing Myths That Slow the Sale of Your Home

Putting your house on the market can be an emotionally exhausting task. You have to confront questions that involve not only big money, but also an intensely personal asset - your home.

Questions like: What's my house really worth? Should I sell on my own to save the agent's commission? How can I be certain I'm getting the right advice about listing, negotiating, and selling smart in today's market?

Along with these tough questions, you come face-to-face with some enduring myths about the homeselling process. They're so widespread that it's wise to know about them in advance. If you make moves based on facts, not myths, you'll fare far better in the selling process.

MYTH: The real estate agent will set the price for my home.

Agents don't set any price. However, they'll suggest a price based on their assessment of not only your home but also the current state of the market. Most agents are careful to suggest a range rather than a dollar amount, and it's then up to you to accept or reject that recommendation. Their recommendation is usually based on a rigorous review of comparables - houses similar to yours that have sold in recent months.

MYTH: I should always list with the agent who recommends

the highest selling price in the Comparable Market Analysis (CMA).

Wrong. The CMA is just one of many factors on which to base a listing decision. The CMAs from several agents competing for your listing will probably all fall within a similar range. But if one agent's CMA is significantly outside that range - especially on the high side - don't make that the key reason for giving that agent your listing. Go with the agent whose total marketing presentation, track record, and rapport with you adds up best.

MYTH: If I sell my house myself, I'll net more money

because I won't be paying the agent's commision.

Many people look at the fee an agent stands to earn on a home sale and wonder whether there's a cheaper way to sell. In some red-hot real estate markets, where buyers are lining up outside your door with offers and competing for your home, it's possible to do just that. But most markets aren't anywhere near red-hot these days. Many are soft, sluggish, and slow (or steady at best) - the very worst climate for solo sellers of For-Sale-By-Owners (FSBOs).

The experience of sellers I've spoken with in the past year around the North Shore confirms the fact that when you go on your own in the current market, you stack the odds against yourself terribly. For starters, your home won't be listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is the number one sales tool for marketing a home. And despite your best desire to avoid having to pay a commision, most buyers who respond to your newspaper ad will discount out the commission you hope to pocket. That is, they'll subtract it from your asking price even before they start to really negotiate with you on your list price. The result is that you will receive far more low-ball offers than if you were working with an agent.

Then there are the sheer practical aspects of selling on your own. Do you have the time or the flexibility to show the home during your regular working hours? That happens to be when many buyers want to visit properties and spend time walking through them with their agent.

Another important flaw in the I-can-save-by-selling-it-myself theory is that although you may think your negotiating abilities will stand you in good stead when you deal one-on-one with potential buyers, the odds are that you're mistaken. Face-to-face negotiating in the kitchen or living room blows up more FSBO sales than almost any other cause. Rather than having a cool, unemotional buffer - that is, an agent - between yourself and the buyer, you're all alone, and the buyer's demands almost inevitably get you steamed up. After all, the buyer's negotiating strategy will always be to knock down your price by pointing out every imperfection, real or otherwise, in your home.

The hard reality is that if you want to get maximum value for your home, it makes little sense to fly solo. That's why a lot of FSBOs come in out of the cold after a few weeks or months and list with a professional.*

*Here's an interesting note: A national survey has shown that sellers that list with a real estate agent realize nearly 3% more for their homes, even after considering the commission.

MYTH: Homes always appreciate.

Spoiled by real estate markets in which values had been going up for years, many homeowners incorrectly assume that their home will appreciate at levels far in excess of other investments. Yet real estate, like every other important segment of our economy, runs in cycles...and I think everyone knows what cycle we are in right now! If you bought a home at the top of the market cycle but sell it at the bottom, you may end up taking a loss. On the other hand, you might have bought at the bottom of the cycle and can now realize a significant gain.

MYTH: There's no need to make sure I'm setting an accurate

and reasonable price for my home because I can always lower it later.

Sure you can. But in the meantime, you've blown your chance of selling it within a reasonable time frame to buyers who would have been interested if your initial price had been realistic.

Pricing too high - leaving too much padding for later negotiating - is the surest technique for leaving your home dead in the water for months or even years. And when you finally correct your asking price to the true market level, you'll probably end up with a lower selling figure than you'd have obtained by having a realistic price from the start.

The truth is: The longer a home remains unsold and on the market, the less the seller will ultimately net.

Anonymity Cause For Animosity

If you are a blogger, you know that readers' comments mean alot. The same holds true for news reporters whose columns and articles appear online and allow for commenting from the public. Often the comments are supportive of the writer's opinion. Sometimes they are not. Often commenters use their own names when signing. Sometimes they do not, choosing instead an alias or simply posting as "anonymous".

All of that is fine and good...until you come across an anonymous commenter who lacks civility, honesty and integrity.

You know the type...the ones who compare you, the blogger, or even other commenters on your blog to Nazis, or terrorists, or the Klu Klux Klan, or the "village idiot". They claim you are ignorant or misguided or stupid or arrogant. They condemn in the most negative and egregious manner with complete disregard for facts or truth. But they never tell us who they are, do they?

This type of commenter is the real village idiot...and more. This kind of person lacks integrity and spews foolish nonsense and personal insults knowing all along that he/she has no accountability because he/she hides behind a protected wall of anonymity and therefore never "owns" what they write. They accept no responsibility for their dishonesty, negativity and inauthenticity.

In my previous blog I discussed the unfortunate amount of "hate and fake" emails that make their way around the Internet. The anonymous commenters whose conscienceless deceit makes its way onto bloggers' comments sections is the same kind of dishonest and ethically challenged individual. They are pathetic and cowardly.

Fortunately for the bloggers, reasonable and rational people recognize the difference between diatribe and substance and are unwilling to accept the former as the latter.

This blog is dedicated to the anonymous commenter "REmavens".

Patriotism Is a Virtue

Greetings...

Is anyone else sick and tired of receiving emails from extremists with messages that are completely false and often degrading and insulting? And then they ask you to forward the message to everyone you know?

Do you want to know who the worst terrorists are in our country?

They are those who spread wild lies and totally false information on the Internet about anyone and anything that opposes their beliefs and false claims of patriotism.

They attempt to spread fear about the leadership of our country by propagating fabrications that have necessitated the creation of rumor debunking sites such as SNOPES.com, FACTCHECK.org, TRUTHORFICTION.com and others.

They have even gone so far as to attempt to cast doubt on the validity of the research done by the above fact-checking sites by making false claims about those sites!

And all in the name of "truth" when what they do is actually all in the name of wild exaggerations, lies and fear-mongering. The conscienceless deceit involved crosses the line of honesty, integrity and ethical standards.

It is terrorism of the worse kind because it spreads lies in the name of patriotism. It's shameful, disgraceful, and anything BUT patriotic. (remember Timothy McVeigh?)

Fortunately, most reasonable people can differentiate between appearance and substance.

Patriotism is a virtue that can not exist on a foundation of lies, false innuendo and diatribe.

Real Estate: A Bumpy Road Ahead?

Imagine if we only had a crystal ball. Our major financial and life decisions would be so simple to make, and there would be no risk and no worries. Unfortunately, we do not have that luxury. Our decisions must be made upon solid data and information.

Over the past year, you may have heard a repeated message; now is a good time to buy. From the data we have, we do in fact know that it is a buyer’s market, and a good one. A wide variety of inventory is available, and interest rates are still low, making this an unprecedented time for buyers to take advantage of the market, and many already have.

In its latest release, the National Association of Realtors® states, "pending home sales rose in February, potentially signaling a second surge of home sales in response to the home buyer tax credit. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in February, rose 8.2 percent" compared to the same time last year.

Unfortunately, there are several factors that could impact the future direction of this market, making the road ahead a bumpy one, and uncertain at the very least.

The tax credit has expired and many industry analysts and economists agree that sales will slowly dwindle into the coming months. To quote an article in the Wall Street Journal, on home sales, curb your enthusiasm, "While there might be strong data in future weeks, industry experts have long said that softness could follow once the incentive - essentially free money - to buy is taken away."

We are also uncertain what the Fed will do to interest rates. Rates have held quite steady, but it is anticipated that the Fed will increase them, and to what extent is uncertain. If the rates do increase, it could impact the type and size of home a buyer could purchase. Buyers could be priced out of the market with an increase of rates by only a few points.

Yet another unknown variable is the amount of shadow inventory that could come onto the market at any given time. Shadow inventory are homes that have undergone foreclosure, but the banks have yet to place on the market. According to an MSN Money article, home seizures by banks set a new record and "prices have stabilized in many areas because banks have kept these properties off the market, adding that banks will likely continue to do so until the economy picks up again."

Of course every local real estate market has slight variables. To determine exactly what has taken place in your market over the past month consult with your local REALTOR.

If you’re seriously looking to purchase a property, now truly is the time to buy. Don’t gamble on the future with so many unknowns up ahead.

And f you didn’t have a chance to take advantage of the Tax Credit, just visit NewEnglandMoves.com. There are many homes participating in the Coldwell Banker Buyer Bonus program offering a credit up to $8,000, or speak directly to me and I will be happy to assist you.

Regards,

Jay Burnham, VP

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

North Shore, Massachusetts

Direct Line: 978.233.2828

Great Party...No Friends!

Imagine you are planning a great party for your closest friends. You want to save money where you can, so instead of paying for printing you buy some generic invitations. Then to save time you write "occupant" on the envelopes and take them to post office to be delivered.

When the big day arrives, you are in for a surprise. Your guests begin arriving but you don't recognize a single one of them. You planned an elegant black-tie affair, but they're all dressed for a back-yard barbecue. Before long, you realize that every one is a stranger, not at all the guests you had planned to spend the evening with.

Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But when homeowners decide to sell "by owner," they create a scenario just as improbable. The generic sign appears in the front yard as an invitation to complete strangers to knock on the door at all hours for information. Another invitation, an ad, goes into the local newspaper.

The "guests" arrive all right, whenever they feel like it. They are an interesting collection of bargain hunters, investors, and "tire-kickers." Each plans to feast off the homeowner's equity – by making a low offer to purchase the home or, in the case of the tire-kicker, to just enjoy some free hospitality.

When it's time to sell your home, choose an agent who understands the invitation process. "Black-tie" buyers work with agents who can introduce them to homes that are the "talk of the town."

Regards,

Jay Burnham, VP
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Citizens Win Operational Audit of Schools at Town Meeting

The following is the text of the presentation made by Enough Is Enough at the Hamilton Town Meeting on Saturday, May 8th. After minor debate the motion was passed by a margin of more than 5 to 1.

* * *

Presented by Jay Burnham

Thank you Mr. Moderator… and greetings fellow residents of Hamilton. Last week I had the privilege of speaking to this same motion at the Wenham Annual Town Meeting. Because we are a Regional School District, the motion needs to pass in both towns. It passed by an overwhelming majority in Wenham and it had the unanimous support of both the Wenham Board of Selectmen and the Wenham Finance and Advisory Committee. In fact, it was reported in the Salem News the following day:

“Any lingering doubts that a proposal for an operational audit of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional District enjoys broad-based community support were buried under a blizzard of white voter cards at Wenham’s Annual Town Meeting on Saturday afternoon.”

I understand that the Hamilton Board of Selectmen and the Hamilton Finance and Advisory Committee also support this motion and you will hear from them shortly. It should also be noted that all the current candidates for election to the BoS and the School Committee that spoke recently at the League of Women Voters Candidate’s night stated support for this motion as well.

A little more than a year ago Enough Is Enough was sufficiently concerned with the costs associated with our schools that we suggested that an operational, or efficiency audit, of the school district would be advisable. Shortly after that the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) was formed and began investigating school costs. When they reported their findings last June, we discovered that our school operating costs were much higher than comparable school districts. Unfortunately, nothing was ever done about it.

Then in February of this year, Dave Reid and other members of the BRC received new, current and updated information, working directly with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). That updated information showed that our costs were now even HIGHER than they were in last year’s study. It was reported that we spend between $2 to $4 million more a year than comparable or cohort school districts…or nearly $2,000 more per student…without the benefit of a better education as measured by scholastic test scoring.

Once again, nothing was done about it. The School District set about denying the results, defending the spending and delaying a solution. It was clear that something had to be done and the district was not going to be the one to initiate the process.

As a result Enough Is Enough prepared and began circulating a Citizen’s Petition requesting an amendment to the Regional School Agreement calling for an Operational Audit. An amendment of the Regional School Agreement is the ONLY recourse that citizens have when it comes to the school district, which is otherwise autonomous.

The motion before you is different than what was originally proposed. Despite claims of support for an operational audit, the School District placed numerous roadblocks in the path of the Citizens Petition. In an effort to find common ground and compromise, EiE voluntarily modified the original motion as follows:

1. We have removed the obligation of the Superintendent or School Committee to adopt the recommendations of the Operational Audit.


2. We have removed the obligations of the Superintendent or School Committee to present a plan for such adoption.


3. We now only require the Superintendent or School Committee to report to the Selectmen, at an advertised Public Hearing, their response to the recommendations made in the Operational Audit.


4. We have removed, as a result of agreement by the towns to fund the costs and expenses of the audit, the requirement that the School District pay for the Operational Audit.


5. We have added the requirement that the costs and expenses of the Operational audit shall not exceed $90k and that the Towns of Hamilton and Wenham will fund the costs according to the current fiscal year rolling average assessment percentage…which is roughly 1/3 Wenham, 2/3 Hamilton.


6. We removed the requirement that an Operational Audit be conducted every five (5) years.

What we have NOT changed and WILL NOT modify is the SCOPE of the Operational Audit or the MECHANISIM for assuring that the audit is performed.

The mechanism for that assurance is the Regional School District Agreement and the motion before you calls for amending that agreement so as to require the Operational Audit. The Regional Agreement is the CONTRACT between the District and our two communities. Bound only by the terms of that CONTRACT, the District is, as I mentioned before, otherwise autonomous. The School committee has suggested that the article should not be in the Regional Agreement because it is now a one time event and that we therefore somehow risk approval of the amendment by the Commissioner of DESE. We say that if the Commissioner considers denying this amendment, an amendment designed to improve the schools…at no cost to the schools…an amendment supported by the BoS and Finance Committees of both towns, an amendment that resulted from a citizens petition signed by 879 registered voters…and approved (at least so far…in Wenham) by more than 80% of the voters at Town Meeting…well then, ladies and gentlemen, our problems and far worse than we think. We’re willing and insist upon taking that alleged risk.

And lastly, we come to the SCOPE of the audit. The District wants to limit the focus to only a study of Instructional Services and SPED. That would be like asking the voters in this room to approve the Town Budget with only 2 line items presented. To the contrary, what is needed is a full and complete operational audit by an unbiased, professional auditing firm with expertise in exactly this kind of school operational study and review.

I have a copy of a full operational audit report. It is 331 pages in length…It’s a report of a school district with 3900 students, or a little less than twice our size. It is a study and complete review of an entire school system including:

• District Administration


• Financial Management


• Purchasing


• Education Service Delivery Costs


• Special Education


• Human Resources


• Facility Use & Management


• Transportation


• Technology Management


• Nutrition Services

The report is full of commendations, (yes…recognition of what the district is doing well and right) as well as “best practice” recommendations and fiscal recommendations for savings…in the case of that school district, $16 million over 5 years.

Being half the size, just imagine if we could save half that amount. Perhaps we could eliminate some User Fees…or make repairs to this auditorium…or fix up the high school lockers…or maybe all of those things.

The primary goal of the operational audit is to insure that non-instructional functions are running efficiently so that as much of school district funding as possible goes directly to the classroom and to identify savings that can be gained through best practices.

Making a positive difference…making our schools better…lies today with you and your vote.

I urge you to vote YES to the motion before you for an operational audit. We need it, it’s the fiscally responsible thing to do, and it’s the right time to do it.

And in closing, I’d like to offer one other quote from the Salem News, this one by Steve Landwehr the day before Wenham’s supportive Town Meeting vote.

He wrote:

“On its face, it’s a straightforward proposal for an independent examination of the finances and operations of the Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District. What’s at stake, however, is trust.”

You know, there just may be more truth in that statement than any one of us in this room would like to admit.

Let’s begin building trust back up within our community. It can begin if we all agree to a full and complete operational audit that will surely provide the transparency we all desire and deserve.

And along with that transparency… I believe we can find that missing trust.

Please vote YES… and make a positive difference.

Thank you for your consideration.

Wenham Voters Support Operational Audit at Town Meeting

"Any lingering doubts that a proposal for an operational audit of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District enjoys broad-based community support were buried under a blizzard of white voter cards at Wenham's Annual Town Meeting on Saturday afternoon."

...Steve Landwehr, SALEM NEWS

Town Meeting backs audit of school district

[click above for full story]

Wenham voters mull independent review of schools

Wenham voters mull independent review of schools

From the Salem News, April 30, 2010

by Steve Landwehr

Posted using ShareThis

How Do You Like It Now?

The fiscal watchdog group Enough Is Enough (EiE) in Hamilton and Wenham has released an amendment to their motion calling for an operational audit of the Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District (HWRSD)...to be presented to the voters in Wenham and Hamilton at their respective Town Meetings.

[click here to view the amendment]

When EiE's original citizen's petition warrant article was published, the HWRSD rushed to their attorney for an opinion of whether or not the article was allowable and enforceable. Their attorney's opinion was that it was NOT enforceable as it applied to the "requirement" that if audited, the school committee (SC) had to implement the recommendations of the audit firm. The HWRSD then announced that EiE's proposal was "illegal", a suggestion that represents spin at its worst. There is a distinct difference between "unenforceable" and "illegal". The suggestion that EiE was somehow attempting to "break the law" is clearly ridiculous.

Nonetheless, EiE then made attempts to reach common ground and compromise with the SC, but they received no response from that committee. So EiE forged ahead without a reply and have now made public their amended motion that addresses the issues raised by the HWRSD attorney (cause for his complaint has been eliminated), as well as other issues expressed by the SC.

The amended motion should put to rest all the concerns previously expressed by the SC...except for two: the funding for the operational audit and the SCOPE of the audit. Those issues have been fully discussed and justified here on this blog, other blogs and in the local newspapers so I see no point in beating that dead horse again.

Which brings to point one final question... Will the SC finally accept the will of the citizens and the reasonable and rational changes proposed by EiE's compromise amendment? Or will they simply find something else to object to and attempt to place additional roadblocks in the way of an initiative designed to make our schools more efficient and effective? Will they try to water it down and propose support only for a "mini" audit, or "audit-light" that will serve no other purpose than to waste additional taxpayer dollars on a restricted and SC controlled review of limited portions of the district school system and would inevitably result in failure to solve the district's problems at money management?

I guess we'll find out at Town Meeting.

Make a positive difference...

Attend Town Meeting and VOTE YES for the operational audit.

Wenham: May 1st at the Buker School

Hamilton: May 8th at the High School

The "Final Word"

Compliments of The Informed Hamilton Blog:

http://tinyurl.com/23tjkup

Seize the Day

School Superintendent States Support of Operational Audit

On Thursday, March 18, Hamilton Town Clerk Jane Wetson certified that a citizen's petition had the necessary 10% of the town's registered voter signatures, thereby qualifying it to be placed as an article on the warrant for the Annual Town Meetings...in both Hamilton and Wenham.

Because the petition calls for an amendment to the Regional School District Agreement, 10% of the registered voter's signatures, of EITHER town, was required. That number of signatures was 570 in Hamilton. As it turned out, the total number collected in Hamilton and Wenham exceeded 850.

By now, most know that the petition calls for an Operational Audit of the regional school district by an outside, unbiased, third-party company, to be determined by the Boards of Selectmen (BoS) of the two towns.

You can read more about the issue on this blog in articles below this one.

Here are a few new items regarding this initiative...

1. Some have asked why the amendment calls for the school district operating fund to pay for the audit. In fact, the current superintendent has indicated that she supports such an audit but that she feels the district should not pay for it. The answer is simple...the schools already do not pay for anything - the TAXPAYERS do. So whether the funding is in the school budget, or the town budget - you, the taxpayers of Hamilton and Wenham, pay the bill. So it does not matter which pocket it comes from, it's the same pair of pants.



2. School Committee member Don Gallant recently stated, "I find it difficult for a public entity to fund its own audit. My concern is if you had an operational audit and they came in with a, more or less, favorable report, it would look a little fishy because you were the one who paid for the report."
   
   But hold on a minute...
   
   Isn't that EXACTLY what the school district did when it paid nearly $45 thousand for a study and report by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)? The proposed amendment language of the citizen's petition eliminates Mr. Gallant's concern by granting the authority of who to hire to the Boards of Selectmen, not the school committee or administration.
   
   
3. The most often asked question is "How much is it going to cost?" That will depend upon what firm the selectmen choose to perform the operational audit. The tax watchdog group Enough Is Enough (EiE) has been in contact with one firm, MGT of America, that specializes in exactly this kind of audit and they have said the cost would likely be $75k to $95k for a complete and thorough examination, including specific recommendations for improvement and savings.
   
   You can view the company's website by [clicking here].
   
   School districts where MGT has performed audits have noted experiencing savings of from several times the cost of the audit to millions of dollars over the years, resulting from MGT recommendations that the schools implemented. Judging from the wide discrepancy of the costs of our school district compared to our "cohort" districts (estimated at $2 to $4 million more a year in Hamilton/Wenham) brought to light by the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) recently, it seems clear that an operational audit is overwhelmingly needed here.



4. Which brings me to my final point...There are those that would argue that the BRC has already shown us where we need to cut costs...that we need to simply look to the comparison schools to find the answers. Not according to Alexa McCloughan, vice-chairman of the School committee, who (Boston Globe North: 3/11/10) said that while the results of the study are interesting, jumping to the conclusion that Hamilton-Wenham could be remade in the image of another district would be an oversimplification and that closer observation of any community yields significant differences.

I agree with Ms. McCloughan. That is precisely why the HWRSD needs an operational audit of its own so its own values and philosophies, systems and processes, personnel and practices can be properly...and locally...evaluated and recommendations made to improve the delivery of services and save costs.

Even school superintendent McGrath admits supporting an operational audit.

Dr. McGrath publicly stated at the school committee meeting on 3/11/10:

"From the very first meeting, at every single
BRC meeting...Don (Gallant, SC member)

and I both said, 'Come on in! Come in

and do an operational audit.' I'm getting

rather tired of seeing it in print that

we are opposing an operational audit,

because that is NOT the case."

So there you have it. The school administration and the residents want the same thing - an operational audit that will improve our school district...for everyone. This should be cause not only for celebration but also for overwhelming support and passage of the request at both Town Meetings.

Vote YES for this amendment to the Regional School District Agreement at the Annual Town Meetings in May and let's get started.

Wenham's Annual Town Meeting is Saturday, May 1.

Hamilton's Annual Town Meeting is Saturday, May 8.

800+ Sign Petition in Support of Operational Audit

About a month ago I reported here that the grassroots tax group Enough Is Enough (EiE) was circulating a Citizen's Petition requesting an Operational Audit of the Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District (HWRSD). Within three weeks of that announcement the group had the required number of signatures to submit their request as an article for the Town Meeting warrants in both Hamilton and Wenham.

In fact, the total number of voter signatures required was 570 and the group gathered over 800...in just three weeks!

That's a testament not only to those that collected so many signatures in so little time, but also to the overwhelming support that this initiative has in both towns.

And why wouldn't it have that kind of support?

You will recall that two weeks after EiE began collecting signatures, the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) reported an update of data and information that spotlighted an alarming disparity between what we pay to the HWRSD and what similar/comparable school districts are costing. A Salem News article stated that our school district spends nearly $3.5 million dollars more than the comparable districts...without the benefit of higher educational test scoring from our students.

That knowledge is cause for grave concern and clearly supports and justifies the need for the operational audit. EiE has sought support for this study for more than a year and has tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to obtain information from the school department in order to find out where and how funding is being directed and spent in our school district. The school department's steadfast reluctance to provide the requested information left EiE no other choice than to seek the requested amendment to the Regional School District Agreement requiring an operational audit.

Fortunately, there has never been a more opportune time to perform this kind of audit. Changes within the school administration could likely result in savings to fund such an audit. School districts contacted by EiE that performed operational audits have positive testimonials about recommendations that were provided by the auditors and spoke of savings of millions of dollars...many times the original cost of their audits. Savings have been found in areas never considered by the school committees and new "best practice" systems and processes have been implemented that have been proven highly effective.

This is an initiative that should be welcomed and embraced by all. It is not punishment. It is an acknowledgement that professional, trained, experienced, outside, third party experts are better able discern solutions to our problems than those that, despite their best intentions, have caused the cost of our kids' education to soar beyond reason...without the benefit of enhanced educational excellence.

In other words, higher costs have NOT been shown to equal better education.

The amendment request for the operational audit will be voted upon at each individual Town Meeting. Wenham's meeting is on Saturday, May 1st, and Hamilton's is the following Saturday, May 8th. Be sure to attend and vote YES.

This amendment gives the residents real authority and stronger accountability.

It's about time for that.

To view a copy of the Citizen's Petition:
[CLICK HERE]

Aspiring to Excellence in Our Schools

The Annual Town Meetings for Hamilton and Wenham are scheduled for May 8th and May 1st respectively. With a winter coat of white still on the ground and more in the forecast, it may seem as though May is a long way away.

Not really, when you consider the time and effort that goes into preparing articles for the warrant, the budgets from the various departments and, of course, the school district budget which is currently in it's preliminary stage. To spice things up, there is also a new teacher contract that is currently being negotiated.

And let's not forget any citizen's petitions that may be working their way onto the warrant for a vote at the Annual Town Meetings.

Which brings me to the topic of this blog...

The citizen's tax-watchdog group Enough Is Enough (EiE) has prepared and is currently obtaining signatures for a petition requesting an amendment to the the Regional School District Agreement. According to that agreement, any such change request must be signed by at least 10% of the registered voters in EITHER of the member towns (not both). At this time that means 571 registered voter signatures in Hamilton... or 270 in Wenham.

The petition is requesting an amendment to the district agreement that would allow for an operational audit to be conducted within 6 months of approval and within every 5 years following that initial audit.

This is an initiative that is long overdue. Here is a link to a recent Salem News report about how the HWRSD significantly outspends comparable school systems: [Click Here]


FEATURES and BENEFITS of an Operational Audit:

• An operational audit is not to be confused with a financial audit. An operational audit's purpose is to appraise the effectiveness and efficiency of an entire organization...in this case the Hamilton/Wenham Regional School District (HWRSD). The entire HWRSD operations would be analyzed, including appraisal of structure, controls, procedures and processes. Recommendations to improve performance and save costs would result from such an audit.
  
• An Operational Audit should provide at least three deliverables:
  

1. Value-driven recommendations that would enhance the HWRSD's efficiency and ability to achieve specific and long range objectives and cut costs.
   
2. A clear road map of how to manage the change process during the implementation of those recommendations.
   
3. The ability to recognize the need for change in the future, coupled with the ability to do it right the first time.

Some of you will recall that last September I posted a poll asking how many readers supported the concept of an operational audit of the HWRSD and I announced the results here.

89% of all respondents voted YES to such an audit and since that time even more residents have embraced the idea, including parents, teachers, town employees and even some selectmen. Even the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) recommended a somewhat limited operational audit (SPED only). And now, with updated information from select members of the BRC about to be made public, it is the right time to consider and vote on this amendment at Town Meeting.

Over the next few weeks you are likely to encounter volunteers asking for your support, and signature, to place this request on the town meeting warrants so that voters can decide collectively at town meeting whether to approve the audit...or not. You are welcome to place comments here on this blog if you wish.

Your signature on the citizen's petition is not a "yea" or "nay" vote on the initiative...It simply guarantees that the article will make it to Town Meeting where open discussion can take place and the outcome decided by the majority of registered voters present.

To view a copy of the requested amendment: [CLICK HERE]

IN OTHER NEWS...
Many leaders seem to be
abandoning the Hamilton/Wenham School District

School superintendent Marinel McGrath has accepted the job of superintendent of schools for Andover, MA.

Assistant superintendent Paul Syzmanski has accepted the position of school business manager in Billerica.

Philip Conrad, associate principal at Miles River Middle School and Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School is leaving to go to Rockport.


And there are currently only two candidates for the three positions available on the School Committee.

Can you say "Abandon Ship!"?

Also... The SOS group is promoting what they refer to as the "Fair Share" initiative for the schools, demanding that the towns give the schools a minimum of 2.5 % increase (plus .05% from new growth) every year.

One might argue that giving the schools more than $40 million in cumulative override funding over the past 11 years was a "Fair Share".

What would you call the increase in school funding of 9.8% two years ago, if not a "Fair Share"? (Maybe taxpayers should demand a refund?)

Wouldn't you call the average increase in school funding of 5.6% a year over the past 10 years a "Fair Share"?

For more details about this issue [click here]

How about a "Fair Shake" for taxpayers for a change?

Lastly, the Education Fund group recently sponsored a "feasability" study on rebuilding the auditorium at the high school. The architectural firm Dore & Whittier presented two options before a meeting of the School Committee.

Option #1: $6.7 million

Option #2: $8.8 million

I'm not sure, but I get the sense that neither option is particularly palatable to the taxpayers, or even the School Committee for that matter, during this fragile economic period. But thanks should be extended to the Ed Fund folks for paying for the study and for giving us something nice to dream about. Too bad we could not have purchased the North Shore Music Theatre, which was just sold on February 3rd for only $3.6 million. That probably would have been more "feasible", even if you threw in the cost of bussing students there for rehearsals.

Use Your Cell Phone to Scan For Information!

We've all seen the bar codes that are used everywhere from grocery stores to department stores, from supply houses to small businesses. They are featured on nearly every product you buy and they look like the image above.

Well...get ready for a new bar code called a QR code (Quick Response) that is going to begin having a huge impact on business information and how it is delivered to you via your cell phone in the coming year.

While conventional bar codes are capable of storing a maximum of approximately 20 digits, QR code is capable of handling several hundred times more information.

Expect to see QR codes in magazine advertisements, on billboards, web pages or even on someone’s t-shirt. Once it is "scanned" to your cell phone, it can give you details about that business, or details about the person wearing the t-shirt, show you a URL which you can click to see a trailer for a movie, or it may give you a coupon which you can use in a local outlet.

The reason why QR codes are more useful than a standard bar code is that they can store (and digitally present) much more data, including URL links, pictures, GEO coordinates, and text. The other key feature of QR codes is that instead of requiring a chunky hand-held scanner to scan them, most recent cell phones can scan them. The full Wikipedia description is here.

For a short YouTube explanation by Marcello Di Pietro: click here

Any business, no matter how small or large, could use QR codes in a number of ways. You might auto generate one next to every product on your web site containing all the product details, the number to call and the URL link to the page so they can show their friends on their cell phone.

You could add one to your business card containing your contact details so its easy for someone to add you to their contacts on their cell phone, without any typing!

Below is an example of my business contact information, including a photo, company logo and link to my website. All you need is the READER application which is available for download to your phone at several Internet sites. The QR code can be as small as your thumbnail or as large as a billboard.

Add your QR code to any print advertising, flyers, posters, invites, tv ads etc. containing:

• product details
• contact details
• offer details
• event details
• a coupon
• Twitter, Facebook, MySpace IDs
• a link to a YouTube video
• Or, in my case...Access to individual homes for sale, mortgage information, Open Houses, mapping and more.

What is it really all about? Well, some may not see it, but its yet another example of the blurring of the edges of media, as we all continue our journey to a completely connected world.

Follow me on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/jayburnham

REMV for Marketing Homes For Sale?

REMV, or Real Estate Music Video, is the newest and hottest way of video marketing homes for sale. Like the music videos you see on TV and Youtube, this application can range from hard-hitting impact marketing like this:

...to soft (think James Taylor) and smooth video marketing like this:
(which one do you prefer?)

If you think the above marketing videos are cool, you should see what can be done with a single property REMV. A key component to creating this kind of video is looking at photography in a different way. It's not simply about posting pictures and adding a soundtrack, it's about telling a story and creating a sequence of photos that take the viewer on a ride complete with images of the area as well as the individual property.

If you are considering the sale of your home, now is the best time in years to do so. If you want the most comprehensive marketing available from a real estate company, you need Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. If you want the most unique and extensive marketing available from a North Shore real estate agent, you need me. Best of all, we are on the same team. Call me for a confidential consultation to discuss your options: 978.233.2828 (direct)

Follow me on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/jayburnham

Scan my QR Code Contact information to your cell phone:

A Nattering Nabob of Negativism

That's what one disgruntled reader recently called me after I wrote as a guest contributor on a well-known, well-written and well-read Hamilton blog site known as Unquestionably Questionable. Me? A "nattering nabob of negativism"? Ouch!

I did not even know what a "nabob" was so I went to the Internet for clarification. Here is what I found:

na·bob (noun):

1. A governor in India under the Mogul Empire. Also called nawab. (That can't be it)




2. A person of wealth and prominence. (Wealth...no. Prominence...I don't think so!)




3. A rich, powerful, or important man. (Definitely not)

So what exactly did this person mean? What was she implying?

I decided to seek enlightenment at the next most likely site to have an answer: Henderson's Cafe & Coffee Shop in Wenham.

For those unfamiliar with this hot spot of community culture and local politics, it's next to the Hamilton Shopping Center (aka: The Shoppes at Hamilton Crossing) on, as they say...the "other side of the tracks". If you really want to take the pulse of our two towns, you have to visit Henderson's where opinions are never in short supply and politicians that dare to enter can always find answers to their pressing problems.

Which is why I asked several members of what I call Henderson's "Breakfast Club" if anyone knew what a "nabob" was...as in "nattering nabob of negativism".

Wouldn't you know it? A couple of the attendees were familiar with the phrase and explained where it originated, even as a third member of the group looked it up on his Apple iPhone. It seems it is one of the most popular phrases associated with U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew who served under Richard Nixon until resigning in October 1974, after pleading no contest to charges of tax fraud. He is the only Vice President in U.S. history to resign because of criminal charges. Agnew, who had a particularly acrimonious relationship with the press, used this term to refer to the members of the media, whom he also deemed "an effete corps of impudent snobs."

Although the phrase "nattering nabob of negativism" is often credited to Agnew himself, one of the breakfast club members, Phil Stearns, knew that it was actually written by William Safire, the legendary columnist for The New York Times, who was a speechwriter for Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew.

So...Let's get back to one person's view that this blogger is a "nattering nabob of negativism".

Thank you for that description! Now that I know the phrase was used by an ex-vice president who resigned as a result of charges of fraud to describe the press corp that helped identify and report on those charges, I am quite pleased that you referred to me this way. I can only hope that my blogging will help identify similarly guilty individuals who need to be exposed and written about, for the betterment of our community.

If you think about it, negativism is actually quite important. We need it in order to know what is wrong so that we can correct it.

Perhaps once that is accomplished I will turn into a "Prime Pillar of Positiveness".

Follow me on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/jayburnham

Scan my QR Code contact information to your cell phone:

(Not So) Transparent Meeting in Process

By now, anyone living on the North Shore that has a pulse has likely heard about the letter of reprimand handed down to the Hamilton Board of Selectmen by Assistant District Attorney Grimes for violations of the Open Meeting rules. The news broke in two separate front page articles in the Salem News, followed by an editorial in the same paper a day later.

That's a lot of press for a small town, but then Hamilton has had more than its share of front page breaking news over the past year. Unfortunately, most of it has been unflattering.

So much has been written in the "Comments" section of the online versions of the three articles mentioned above that this writer feels there is little to add. Instead, I offer the following links to the articles for you to review and form your own opinion of the issue:


In the order in which they were published:

• http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_005222435.html



• http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_007001645.html



• http://www.salemnews.com/puopinion/local_story_007234327.html
  

And if you'd like to read another local blogger's take on the issue:

• http://unquestionablyquestionable.blogspot.com/

Let's all hope that we can keep our small town out of the headlines for awhile.

Even a week would be nice!

Uh oh!...We did not escape for even a week! Here's what was on the front page of the Salem News on January 12th:

• http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_011234056.html?dsq=29543067#comment-29543067

Follow me on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/jayburnham

Jay's Real Estate Predictions for 2010

There are a lot of sighs of relief now that 2009 is past, particularly coming from the real estate industry.

But will 2010 be any better?

I have just dusted off my crystal ball... and I can now offer my annual 10 predictions for real estate in the coming year:

1. The residential housing market will pick up early this year, but will dip again after mid-year.

2. Short sales will increase and foreclosure inventory will continue to rise.

3. Mortgage rates will rise and settle in around 6%+/-.

4. Appraisal guidelines will tighten and mortgage lenders will require stellar credit from buyers.

5. A lot of prospective move-up buyers will stay put.

6. Commercial real estate will continue to decline.

7. Builders will continue to be cautious and not in any particular hurry to gain project approvals or begin construction.

8. New construction prices will drop significantly.

9. Prices will continue to decline on higher end properties (over $1.5 million).

10. The terms "communication" and "service" will take on new meanings among real estate agents with the need for more direct contact with clients, such as phone and face-to-face contact as opposed to Internet, email and voicemail communication.

There you have it. Perhaps not the rosiest picture imaginable, but no one said that climbing out of a recession would be easy... or quick. Take a look at the graph below and you will see why. I would put us somewhere between the "depression" and "hope" positions of the graph.

The good news?

A lot of real estate transactions will take place in 2010, despite the market. Reasonable sellers, savvy buyers and service-centered real estate agents will win the day.

Carpe Diem! Make it a great year!

Follow me on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/jayburnham

Real Estate in 2010 vs 2009...Good News Ahead

Is This A Test?...A Quiz?...A Question?...A Poll?

This is a test.

Actually, it's more of a quiz.

Scratch that, it's really a question. Or perhaps a poll. It's for any and all real estate agents that may read this blog from time to time. Here's the set up:

It's the day before Christmas and Santa has agreed to give you any technology tool you want for your business. The cost range is $300 to $3,000. The question, therefore, is:

What single piece of real estate technology would you ask for and why?

All answers to this question will be posted on this blog for others to see and learn from.

I'll start it out with my own wish which would be to receive a new Palm PRE Smartphone...but with VERIZON as the carrier. Right now, Sprint is the only choice, but I have it on good authority that Verizon WILL be carrying it in 2010.

Here's why I like the Palm PRE...

1. The WebOS operating system. It's fast and smooth and allows you to keep multiple applications open at the same time.

2. Easy management of multiple email accounts, collectively or separately.

3. Contact management and scheduling are a breeze and information can be pulled together in one place from multiple sources.

4. Software updates come to you over the air...without having to log into your computer.

5. It has a slide-out tactile QWERTY board (as opposed to simply a digital screen version).

There's more that I like, but I don't want to sound too much like a Palm PRE advertisement.

So what's on your wish list?.....

Here's a link to Time Magazine's Top 10 gadgets.