The School Committee voted unanimously at its last meeting to create a liaison position to the Devens Economic Analysis Team (DEAT). But neither the committee nor DEAT Chairman Victor Normand was certain that this solution would meet the requirements of the Board of Selectmen, who wanted someone endorsed by the School Committee on the DEAT. After the vote, Normand said he would report to the BOS and get their reaction.
School Committee member Virginia Justicz asked whether the DEAT had members from other town boards. “Is there a reason the Board of Selectmen is so intent on having a School Committee member but is not looking at members of other boards?” she asked. “Is this a politicized thing—an effort to keep other people off the committee? … I am a little concerned about the intent.”
Normand responded, “I’ll take it as it has been represented to me—that education is a big part of the town budget, and there should be some direct input from the School Committee.”
Early last month, in a tie vote, the BOS rejected the candidate who had originally volunteered for the DEAT slot, Willie Wickman, who served for 11 years on the School Committee and 5 years on the Devens Educational Advisory Committee (DEAC), as well as having negotiated the first two educational contracts between Devens and the Harvard schools.
The DEAT currently has five members, Normand said, but the BOS would like it to have seven, with one from the School Committee and another from Devens.
Normand gave the School Committee an overview of the DEAT’s task, which he defined as “looking at the numbers” for revenues and expenses related to Devens. The numbers for Devens as a municipality, he said, would not be the same as they have been for Devens as a development project. One of the areas that could be most heavily impacted is education. “The Board of Selectmen feels strongly that we [the DEAT] should have as much input from the School Committee as possible,” Normand concluded, “and wants someone endorsed by the School Committee to work with us.”
Because of the workload already facing School Committee members, including budget deadlines and upcoming contract negotiations, Patricia Wenger and Maureen Babcock will share the new DEAT liaison position. Wenger is vice-chairman of the School Committee, and Babcock represents the DEAC at School Committee meetings.
