Residents Speak Out at North Branford Public Hearing on Budget

The public hearing regarding the and the was moved to the cafeteria–and it's a good thing as about 150 people attended. 

Concerns and opinions voiced by the 31 residents who stood to speak ranged in topic from full-day kindergarten and education to emergency services to limiting spending. Most who spoke thanked members of the Town Council what they do for the town and acknowledged that difficult decisions need to be made. 

Here's a sampling of what was said.

Full-Day Kindergarten

Sara Querfeld
North Branford Schools director of curriculum and instruction
“The Common Core has been adopted by the state and we need increase the rigor of our education to make sure our kids are ready for college. [Without full-day kindergarten] they’ll be behind children in surrounding towns and across the nation by 1st grade. Our children will be behind from the start. As difficult as your job is, I know you will take the time, think it through and do the right thing for our children.” 

Kristen Hart
Educator and parent of students at JHS, NBIS and NBHS
“[With Common Core upcoming], we are on the ridge of the biggest paradigm shift we have seen in education. If I were a kindergarten teacher right now, to think I’d have half the amount of time that other systems have–it’s unnerving.” 

Chris Manna
Former BOE member
“Most schools in our area have all-day kindergarten. My wife teaches in East Haven and those kids are about half a year ahead academically as well as socially. I ask you to fund all-day kindergarten before the state makes you do it.” 

Megan Peterson
TVES special ed teacher, resident, mother to a kindergartener
“Having a kindergartener, I’m amazed at how much they do in a day with only two hours of instruction. When you look at the Common Core and how it will change things, those two hours will never be enough.” 

Shannon Miscio
BOE member
“It’s very important that all-day kindergarten is in place. As a board, we saw the opportunity to move a 1st and 2nd-grade teacher to kindergarten at no added cost with only slightly larger classes to use our resources more effectively. I’m afraid if we don’t put all day kindergarten into place next year, we won’t be able to do it in the future. They have to work from the moment they enter the classroom to the moment they put their coats on at the end of the day. My mom has a poster in her office that says, ‘Childhood should be a journey, not a race’ and I believe wholeheartedly.” 

Roger Munck
Senior citizen on fixed income
“Keep the budget the way it was last year. Don’t increase it one penny. I give you a certain amount of money and you budget it.  All-day kindergarten, as far as what I see, is all-day daycare paid for by the taxpayer. I’ve been on a fixed income for 10 years, but I budget what I can. I’m asking the Board of Ed to do the same thing. Some say house values are tied to education–they’re tied to taxes. That’s the first thing people look at, then they’ll look at education.” 

Lou Paternoster
Father of three NBHS graduates, BOE member
“I have no horse in this race because my kids are out of the school system. I was in kindergarten 51 years ago when it was a daycare with crayons and blocks so I arranged to sit in a classroom for 2 ½ hours. I was amazed–first by the teachers to see where Claudia Faughnan used her smartboards, the computers­–to see a senior teacher progress with our system. I felt sorry for those children because they didn’t have a second to themselves. By the time I was done, I was tired. That classroom is more intense than at the high school and middle school. I’ve looked into the school system more in last four months than in the last 25 years. I’m very proud of it. I have no problem cont to school system because they’re our future. All-day kindergarten has no impact on me personally, but it’s not daycare. You have to keep the budget the way it is. 

Lori Connelly 
NB teacher and parent
I moved here because I believe in my colleagues, the Board of Education and the Town Council. As a teacher, we didn’t ask for the Common Core, but we need to deal with it. We can’t ask our children to start behind. We’ll do what we can as educators, but we need help. We need to start with full-day kindergarten and keep the programs we have alive to see our kids succeed.

Andrew Hughaut
Father of AP NBHS student, special ed NBIS student and Bridgeport kindergarten teacher
“My children have been excellently supported from staff, but I’m also a kindergarten teacher in Bridgeport with full-day kindergarten. We don’t want to be behind Bridgeport. We don’t want to put them through two hours of torture. They need to enjoy school, they need to learn to read and they need to run and play. 

Education System

Brandi Little
Mother of students in TVES and NBIS
“We are a one-income household and we’ve made sacrifices in order for me to be home, but there’s one sacrifice we’re not willing to make—our children’s education. I am here to be their voice. By asking the board to make any cuts, you’re failing the students of North Branford. The increase is to maintain what we already have. Remember the youngest citizens of North Branford. 

Kristen Hart
Educator and parent of students at JHS, NBIS and NBHS
“As a parent of older children, I’ve been proud in my daily talks with people in the community that we have some great things going on and I’m so impressed with administration at the high school where there is a great plan in place with all kinds of offerings. For those who don’t have children in the system, keep in mind that the No. 1 driving force for marketability of your homes is the strength of the school system.” 

Pam Kendrick
Resident, teacher in neighboring town
“House values are directly tied to education. With educators coming under fire, it’s becoming a very difficult job and I applaud all of the teachers for how hard they’re working.” 

Carrie Sabetta
Mother of two
“We’re also a single-income family with tough financial decisions, but when it comes to our children, we make sure they have what they need. Our children don’t have years to wait. They have one shot with each year building on the foundation from the year before. People want to be part of a town that strives for excellence in education, not mediocrity.”

Daniel Armin
Father of 3rd-grader
“I understand we have a bad economy, but how do we help turn this around? We do what we, as a town, are obligated to do–support our town services, support our teachers who deliver high test scores at a below-average per pupil cost. My math shows it would cost $1.50 per day per homeowner. For such a little sacrifice, we could make such a difference for our town.” 

Marcella Ardine
North Branford alum, North Branford teacher
“There was no doubt where I wanted my career to be—North Branford. As a graduate, I walked away with a feeling knowing I received an outstanding education. When I look at my students, I try to instill that same level of pride. If we continually fight the education budget, what message does that send to our children.”

Joanne Palmieri
NBHS graduate, mother of two NBHS graduates, NBHS school nurse
“I’ve seen the progress over the years in the schools. North Branford gave my entire family an excellent education and I urge the Town Council to continue to give that to others in the future.” 

Maggie Augur
Mother of three NBIS students
“I have three middle school children who are receiving an excellent education. They would not be these students without support from the exceptional teachers in the system, developing as good citizens for now and the future. None of this would be possible if all we worry about is the bottom line. Be courageous and have a vested interest in the children of North Branford.” 

Ryan Dombrowski
NBHS senior, Student Council president
“I’d like to thank the staff, administration and teachers for allowing me to foster my leadership abilities. These schools are really flourishing and we’re learning not only facts and knowledge, but also to be committee members of society. I’d like everyone who works in the schools to stand up. You deserve a standing ovation. These are the people who inspire us every day.” 

Variety of Offerings at Schools

Greg Marak
NBHS senior, Student Council vice president
“I can’t wait for college and I have seven schools to choose from. I’m very interested in politics and my time in high school has helped me on my path to pursue it. Education deserves focus and attention. I hate to think that future students won’t have the same opportunities I’ve had.”

Lori Fontenault
Mother of students involved in arts
“I don’t understand why a lot of budget cuts don’t come from athletics. A lot of towns around us are charging for kids to play sports. I understand our town is geared toward sports, but with two kids in arts, I think there should be some money there, too.” 

Doreen Currie
Mother of two teenagers
“I know a lot of focus is all-day kindergarten, which I’m in full support of, but my focus is the older grades. Only now do I realize the importance of having honors and AP level classes. The school district is the heart of the community and North Branford epitomizes this. Our kids, thanks to the North Branford school district, are having a great education, academically and morally.” 

Tom Marak
Father of NBHS senior Greg Marak
“My son has had opportunity to participate in a variety of activities and we’re not only very proud of him, but very proud of the teachers, the Board of Education, the school system and the whole town for supporting him. Every student coming after him not only deserves those opportunities, but needs those opportunities. Education is an easy thing to cut incrementally over many years, but I urge you to resist that because it’s so hard to get it back. Our students need to compete against the rest of the world.” 

Lynn Riordan
Mother of four
“Someone mentioned cutting sports, but I wouldn’t talk about cutting anything. Anything that any child can do that keeps them busy and out of trouble is what they should be doing. It should all stay. If I had any stay, whatsoever, I’d say keep the budget as it stands now.” 

Grace Krom
Mother of NBHS senior
“I see people in this room people who love North Branford. Please fully fund and accept the budget as proposed. I’m a product of the North Branford school system, a parent of a student. I buy tickets, support fundraisers, volunteer. I just completed two months of falling in love with NBHS Drama Club, many of whom are here tonight to present how much they care about having a well-rounded student life that builds character. 

Special Education

Lawrence Hogan
Father to special needs son
“Special education is dictated by the federal government and all schools have the same programs, but not all of them are run the same. North Branford special education, from the top down, is really top notch. To cut that department for any reason would be a disaster. You’re so far ahead of other towns. It’s easy to give up on a student like this, but they don’t and his progress is just outstanding. I applaud them for what they do because they are fantastic.” 

Dave Lawson
Father of autistic NBHS student
“[Because of the services offered], my son has been able to experience school life with his friends and peers as well as raise awareness [of his disability] among his fellow students. These are vital services that have helped my son grown and achieve levels we weren’t sure possible.” 

Emergency Services

Debbie Seward
Mother of three NBHS graduates, Fire Chief William Seward’s wife
“I’m here to support my husband and the 127 volunteers in that fire department. My husband has been chief for six years, getting more than $1,000,000 donated to buy equipment for your volunteers to do the job safely–for you and for them. The education budget accounts for 65 percent of the budget, while the fire department gets 1.5 percent. We have tires older than my kids on fire trucks so I ask you not to cut the budget and allow him to make the changes to keep your town safe.” 

Tony DeLuise
NB Police Officer, Union president
“I’m here about manpower. Unfortunately unless something bad happens, it gets no attention. There’s a significant amount of time that there’s only two police officers on the road because–and I hate this saying–‘nothing happens in North Branford.’ Nothing I’m asking you about has anything to do with personal gain for any police officer. It’s about safety—the safety of the citizens and the safety of the officers.” 

Budget As a Whole

Liz Caplan
“I have some questions starting with can we please change this process? We need open dialogue when the budget begins. My heart is pounding because we don’t know what’s going to happen. Please fund the entire budget as is for every department–I feel it’s fair, I feel it’s equitable. 

Marcey Onofrio
BOE chair
“I figured out it would be about a $35 a month increase per household with these budgets passed. Maybe there’s some way to figure it out for those with hardships, but $35 is not that much to keep our town–not just our school district–moving forward. If we want people to come here, we have to provide the services.”

Ron Onofrio
Resident, NB detective
“We elect the Board of Education, the police commissioners are appointed by you [Town Council]. We have to trust in them. You need to believe what they’re presenting to you is fiscally responsible and have the trust in them that you put in them. If you need to cut on anything look at what’s being cut and make sure you make the appropriate ones.

Gary Cuzo
Father, business owner
“25 months ago I made a 911 call because I was delivering my son at home on my own and I had a great response and was very appreciative of that. But I’m also a realist. My son is a little over two and will probably go to the North Branford school system. We need to change the way we think about budgets and look at how things are operating. I wasn’t planning to speak, but from local to state to federal, it looks like we’re operating at deficits. Of course, I want my kid to have the bet opportunities he can, but as a business owner, I’m looking at the return on investment after spending money on college. When the money runs out, we’re going to have to make some catastrophic decisions. There’s a finite amount of money that people can afford to pay.

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The next step is the budget workshop process, which is also open to the public. There will be a budget workshop on Wednesday, April 4, which will be followed by the Town Council's regularly scheduled meeting. If necessary, there will be a second budget workshop on Thursday, April 5. Both workshops begin at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.