Thursday, March 1, 2007 Older Editions

LETTERS

Let's be clear: Teachers did not get same boost as superintendent

Editor, Townsman:

In his Op-ed letter to the editor of the Townsman printed on Feb. 15, School Committee candidate Robert Coffill Jr. states at the end of his letter, "Finally, remember it is a year for teacher negotiations. This is another reason for change on our School Committee. Twenty-four percent in three years in a time when folks are being taxed out of our community."

I would like to clarify a few of the assertions made by Coffill with clear irrefutable facts. First, Coffill mentions in his article that the superintendent of schools, Dr. Claudia Bach received a raise of 24 percent for three years, yet his ending paragraph infers that teachers may be getting the same deal. The above quote attempts to place the teachers contract negotiations within the realm of a 24-percent, three-year raise. While Bach may have received 24 percent, teachers received an 8-percent increase over a three year time period. This raise translates into a 9.4 percent on the salary scale. In addition, the teachers contact increased the doctor visit and emergency room co-payments as part of the settlement. This clearly was a benefit to the town with an approximate savings of $179,000.

I hope this clarifies any misunderstanding regarding teacher compensation that may have been created by Coffill's letter.

Tom Meyers

Lawrence

President of the Andover Education Association (teachers' union)

For selectman, re-elect Vispoli

Editor, Townsman:

We are writing to urge Andover voters to re-elect Alex Vispoli as one of our selectmen. During the past three years he has distinguished himself on the board. He has worked many hours listening to the citizens of Andover and making the tough decisions required with his intellect, logic and sense of fairness. As chairman, Vispoli has demonstrated his leadership abilities and deserves to be re-elected.

We first met Vispoli several years ago when spoke to the Service Club of Andover. When he learned about the mission of the Service Club - to make a difference - he immediately joined. Vispoli has made a difference. In our opinion, the three most important things he accomplished during his first term are:

1. Open communications and seeking more resident input: Initiated mid-year Departmental Fiscal Reviews for residents to be better informed. They are now held every year.

2. Protecting Andover's interests: Initiated I-93 Interchange Task Force

3. Fiscal Discipline: Continue to fund department requests within the operating budget and aggressively examine ways to deliver services more efficiently.

As we move forward, we need Vispoli's leadership to tackle the important areas of continued focus on fiscal discipline and realizing the building of a youth/community center. Andover needs his thought leadership, energy and fiscal responsibility.

Len & Donna D'Innocenzo

18 Dale St.

Candidate Robb speaks for self

Editor, Townsman:

I know it is customary for supporters of candidates to write letters of endorsement, but today, I'd like to speak, if I may, for myself.

I'm running for selectman this year because I am concerned about our town's finances.

Our schools have needs that are not being met, our police and fire are understaffed, our youth, senior, and community services experience cutbacks, our sidewalks are in disrepair, roofs need replacement, our library spends less each year on books.

We can point to outside causes for these difficulties: a drop in state support, rising costs of insurance and special education, and so on. There is very little we can do about any of those issues.

We can, however, look to ourselves for solutions. Specifically, we can stop talking about setting priorities and instead actually set them. We can stop planning to cover essential costs with debt exclusion overrides and start funding adequate ongoing maintenance. We can stop depleting financial reserves and begin to create a rainy day fund. These are concrete steps that we can, and should, begin to take right now.

The best vehicle, long-range, for such a plan is a zero-based budgeting approach, in which every expenditure is reexamined to determine its value and its priority. What we do now is "level-service" budgeting, which assumes that everything we are doing this year should be done again next year, and in the same way. We need to question that assumption across the board, and plan next year's budget in a different way.

From my experience on both the School Committee and the Finance Committee, I believe there are ways in which we can work together to meet the needs of our community. I ask your vote to allow me to help set that process in motion.

Don Robb

36 York St.

Stabile a fresh face

Editor, Townsman:

A bright and refreshing face has entered the race to be your Andover selectman. Gerald (Jerry) Stabile, an Andover educated young man, has extremely good credentials and we highly endorse his candidacy for one of your two votes on March 27 for the Board of Selectmen.

Stabile, the father of four beautiful girls and the husband of Amy Guerrera Stabile, has lived in Andover for most of his life. He is a graduate of the Andover Public Schools and a member of the Andover Athletic Hall of Fame. Dick Collins told us that he was the very best linebacker that he coached in all of his years coaching Andover football teams.

Stabile has a strong business background as a member of senior management teams for over ten years within the Massachusetts High Tech Industry. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Boston College where he was awarded the prestigious Thomas F. Scanlon Award in his senior year for outstanding scholastics, athletics, and leadership. He is currently the senior vice president for a privately held Massachusetts High Tech Firm.

Stabile's slogan "Better Together" epitomizes his concept of success for the citizens of Andover.

Charlie and Mary Wesson

13 Marwood Drive

Trip shows Samuels is creative problem-solver, planner

Editor, Townsman:

In an effort to show support to my friend David Samuels, I am writing to explain why I believe he would make a great moderator. I met Samuels in 1996 when he joined the coaching staff of the Merrimack Valley Pirates Swim Team (now known as Magnus). It didn't take me long to learn that he was an interesting, high powered, multifaceted individual. He owns and operates one of the most reputable periodontal practices in the state, he is a leader of the Massachusetts Dental Society and he is a founding father and active member of the Service Club of Andover whose motto happens to be "Make a Difference." Samuels lives his life by those words. I have witnessed Samuels make a difference in the lives of his family, friends, swimmers, patients, students, individuals with disabilities and the Andover community in general.

If you have been reading the many letters in the Townsman, then you have learned that Samuels is a creative thinker, analytical, an experienced negotiator, problem-solver and planner. He thinks "outside the box." There are many examples of this, but the story I want to share is the time he took his family on vacation deep into the Amazon River Basin in Ecuador. It took months for them to prepare. He made it a learning experience for his whole family by doing research about the culture, mapping their route, purchasing crucial supplies, and making all the other preparations necessary. They set out and found themselves camping alongside the savage tribe called the Huaorani. Samuels took this experience to the next level by befriending the tribal chief, Moi, and he invited him to visit Andover. Moi accepted and came to Andover a few months later as Samuels' guest. Samuels shared this experience with Andover by arranging for Moi to visit Andover High, Wood Hill Middle and High Plain Elementary. This is just one example of how Samuels uses every situation he faces as an opportunity to learn, grow, reach out and give back, in order to "Make a Difference."

Samuels currently serves as a member of the School Committee. He has had an opportunity to learn first hand about town politics. Having worked along our role model Jim Doherty, he fully understands the responsibilities facing him if elected moderator. When you consider Samuels' many accomplishments, professionally and personally, I believe his open minded and creative approach to problem-solving is what makes him a unique and worthy candidate for moderator.

Meg Leahy

2 Dawn Circle