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Health & Fitness

The State of the Town

I attended the State of the Town assembly at Town Hall last evening. The evening began with Sarah Seeley giving a Darien pep talk. This went beyond what RTM moderators normally do and served to only increase speculation that Sarah has bigger plans for herself. Jayme has only started her second term and people are already speculating about her successor. Veteran Phil Craft gave a moving preview about this weekend's wreath laying ceremony. I will not comment on P&Z Chairman Cameron's presentation because she was inaudible. I couldn't hear her. BOE Chairman Haggerty-Ross recited the litany of special education horrors. It was interesting that she did not bring up any positive news about the school system. The special education horror show continued when BOF Chairman Mao got into funding the redemption program for special education. The $1 million number caused a gasp. The more upsetting discussion involved rising enrollment. The plans for expanding two schools has been put on hold because of expense. It is incredible to hear of the crowding issues at the high school given the expense in building it. The high school was inadequate on opening day. After all these years, the school system does not have an approach to flexing capacity to adjust to changing enrollments. The management, not necessarily the classroom experience, of the Darien school system is poor. I also do not understand the comments regarding the revaluation. Statements are made that valuations have declined 3% to 8% yet there are declines greater than 3% and other properties with very large increases. Jayme tried to be upbeat making even some positive comments about the high school's number one ranking and this weekend's championship football game. She did make an odd comment about personal challenges which I did not understand and won't speculate about. Jayme did mention efforts to manage our affordable housing albatross. The old town hall is being considered for expansion thus helping the effort to add points for another moratorium. All in all, the State of the Town is very busy. Special education, school overcrowding, higher spending, revaluation, affordable housing and the line of political succession will keep us busy. Stay tuned. Walter Casey.







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