Selectman Floats Idea for Public School Task Force

WINSTED — The fate of The Gilbert School and the rest of Winsted’s education system have become such divisive, hot-button issues that town leaders may need to form an independent task force to examine them, said Democratic Selectman Candy Perez this week.

Perez said at Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting that recent proposals — to purchase Gilbert, abandon the town’s three public K-8 schools and build a new K-8 facility — have come during a period of deepening political divide in Winsted, particularly with regard to The Gilbert School.

"Many people who are currently engaged in comments about education seem to be emotionally invested, politically charged and have allegiances and prejudices to a particular point of view," Perez said. "I think it’s important that we look at it from a neutral position."

Last week, Superintenent of Schools Blaise Salerno publicly suggested that the town should purchase The Gilbert School and the Winchester Board of Education should be charged with running the facility. Representatives from Gilbert responded in a press release that the school is not for sale.

Perez suggested that a five-member, independent task force could be formed, consisting of a business leader, a representative from Northwestern Connecticut Community College, a former Winchester superintendent of schools and two other members of the community to gather information from the community and deliver a report on the school system’s future options.

Members of all three of the board’s political parties expressed their initial support for Perez’s suggestion, agreeing that school-related issues have become more politically charged in recent years.

"I totally agree a task force is a good idea," said Winsted Independent Party member Barbara Wilkes, who said taxpayer concerns should be a priority for the group, including finding out if the town can even qualify for a bond to build a new school.

Republican Jay Case also supported the idea, but questioned whether it should come from the Board of Selectmen or the Board of Education.

"I agree with the task force," he said, adding that the group should consist of "people who are not involved in the everyday stuff that goes on."

Case also noted there are other inactive committees, including a long-rage planning committee for Gilbert, which have overlapping responsibilities and may need to be disbanded before a task force can be appointed.

Selectman Russell Dutton Buchner, an outspoken critic of Gilbert, said he is "totally in favor" of appointing a task force.

"You have over $5 million in taxpayer money that comes through this board and taxpayers have no say," he said. "It’s unbelievable that this much money cannot be under elected officials."

Perez noted that members of both the school board and Board of Selectmen have publicly expressed their opinions about what needs to happen in the town’s schools and that representatives from different camps have become firmly entrenched in their positions.

"Just tonight a member of a negotiating group stood before us with a very strong opinion one way and did not seem to be very open to opionions other ways," she said.

Perez said the implications are not just financial but also psychological for the town’s student population.

Selectmen Art Melycher and David Cappabianca disagreed over which town board should have ultimate responsibility for the task force. Melycher said the Board of Selectmen is the ultimate decision-making authority for the town but Cappabianca pointed out that the school board makes final decisions pertaining to education issues.

Board members agreed to spend the next two weeks thinking about the task force idea and to include the item on the agenda for their next meeting Feb. 5. In the meantime, the Winchester Board of Education and the Gilbert School Corp. remain in mediation as they attempt to negotiate a new 10-year contract for the high school.

Perez said a number of people have already made up their minds on the issue and that’s what she’s trying to avoid.

"People have already stated what their preferences are," she said. "I’ve read statements in the paper and they’ve already made their decisions. I think the ultimate decision belongs to the citizens of the town."