Sunday, February 19, 2012
A look at the top Stoughton Patch headlines from February 12 – February 18, 2012.
* Pre-Prom Event at Stoughton High Brings Fashion, Responsibility Together OASIS (Organizing Against Substances in Stoughton) sponsored a pre-prom event at Stoughton High School on February 13. The goal of the event, held for the second consecutive year, is to reduce youth substance abuse on Prom night. And have some fun—there was also a fashion show, with a group of students modeling the latest prom fashions. OASIS and SHS have tried to make the prom safer by requiring all those attending to sign a "Prom Contract" Read more by clicking here. --- * Soldier Stationed in Afghanistan Speaks with 2nd Graders at Stoughton’s South School [VIDEO] Lt. Col. John Lee of the Army National Guard recently spoke with second graders at the South …
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Welcome to "About Town with Mark Snyder," a column that will keep you up to the minute with what's what, who's who and what's going on around town. If you see or hear something we could use here, let us know by sending an e-mail to pmpco@aol.com.
JONES SCHOOL ROOF PROJECT VENDOR APPROVED: The Jones Early Childhood Education Center roof—which was the catalyst for a bitter battle between the schools and municipal sides of government—is finally going to get repaired. Tuesday night the School Committee approved the lowest bidder, SOM Construction Enterprises, with a bid of $455,247. A couple of weeks ago, Acting Procurement Officer Lindsay Pope had accused the School Committee and Superintendent of Schools with "knowingly breaking the law" with accepting illegal bids on the project. Pope wrote (on January 26, 2012) that "A low bidder was chosen without an applicable CPO present or signing off on it." The low bid was actually accepted on February 14, 2012. Despite Selectmen …
Friday, February 3, 2012
The School Committee drafted a response to Procurement Officer Lindsay Pope’s January 26th Procurement Memo. As this issue continues to play out, Superintendent Rizzi said school bills are not being paid.
A difference in opinion in procurement laws and procedures continues to divide the municipal side of government and the Stoughton School Department. On the surface, the issue centers on contract bidding for the Jones School roof, but at its root, the issue is procurement (purchasing) powers itself, and whether or not the schools have procurement rights. As this dispute plays out, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marguerite Rizzi said that this procurement issue is impacting current orders the school department is trying to place and bills they are trying to pay. She said bills—ranging from $21.76 to Home Depot to $8,300 to Apple Computers to milk for the food services department to a $1,000 phone bill to Verizon, currently are not being paid…
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Town claims schools are in violation of procurement laws; Schools deny wrongdoing. Legal action may be taken if a resolution cannot be reached.
A difference in opinion in procurement laws and procedures may result in the Town of Stoughton seeking an injunction against its own school system if the two sides cannot reach a resolution. Procurement is essentially purchasing powers. Since becoming Stoughton Town Manager, Francis T. Crimmins, Jr, who serves as chief procurement officer for the town, has sought to tighten procurement policies and centralize purchasing for all departments in town, the schools included. As stated in a memo Crimmins sent to all department heads, boards and committees on Dec. 7, 2011: Section C4-2(H) of the Town Charter states that the powers of the Town Manager are “To purchase all supplies for every department of the Town, except books for the schools or …
DJ
9:40 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
Questions: Why do we invest considerable funds on legal review and representation only to ignore it? Why did Crimmins remove Hardings procurement powers if he is certified? Transfer them to Rizzi, but mandate certification to empower her and allow no transition period to accomplish this change? What are the precise issues Pope and Crimmins claim to remain out of compliance? more ›