Dracut Forum

By Dennis Shaughnessey Lowell Sun
DRACUT — About 50 parents, teachers and administrators sat silently as the School Committee last night voted to begin the search process for a new superintendent.
Newly elected committee member Mike Miles asked Superintendent of Schools Elaine Espindle, point-blank, if she would accept a one-year extension on her contract, which expires in [...]

The Community Preservation Committee decided not to support the article on the Town Meeting Warrent that would require a minimum of 5% of CPA funds be spent or put aside annually for recreation. Earlier they had decided to recommend a 10% annual cap, but they re-convened this week to discuss the ramifications of that decision.
During [...]

 

 Recreation spending is already allowed legally [2:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 CPC had a choice [3:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 CPC, what is required for this Town Meeting? [1:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I expected the usual suspects.. 7 to 10 people might show..
Pride Night at the High School was scheduled for 7:00, yet the School Committee planned a special meeting to work out a process on starting a selection process for a new Superintendent at 6:00 pm.
Instead of only a few, over 50 Parents, PTO Leaders, past [...]

 

 Lowell Sun Editor discusses Espindle Situation on WCAP [16:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tom Tierney’s joining the race for the 5th congressional district improves the situation for Dracut’s Jim Ogonowski.
While the Democratic candidates have been having ongoing debates and forums, the lone Republican has tended to be overlooked (intentionally or not), while he has to wait for the primary election to be over to have his place in [...]

By Matt Murphy, mmurphy@lowellsun.com Lowell Sun
LOWELL — Republican Thomas Tierney is wading into the 5th District race for Congress, deciding to wage a fourth campaign for the seat that has eluded him since 2000.
Tierney, a 64-year-old actuary from Framingham, will challenge Dracut farmer Jim Ogonowski for the Republican nomination.
He said yesterday he has been gathering [...]

You gotta wonder..
It was announced during the last Board of Selectmen meeting that Gary McCarthy could not attend the first Town Meeting this year because he has to be operated on that day (a situation he found out about on election day).
Now, as the Sun Reports today, Kathy Graham plans to start off the Town [...]

By Dennis Shaughnessey, Lowell Sun
DRACUT — When Town Meeting convenes on Monday night, the first order of business will be to choose a moderator.
Gary McCarthy, who was elected to the position on May 7, will undergo major surgery on Monday.
“It’s something that I just could not put off. I didn’t plan it this way,” said [...]

The Lowell Sun
DRACUT — It is a three-minute walk from Lakeview Jr. High School to the high school, and School Committee members are hoping to make it to Dracut Pride Night with plenty of time to spare.
Eyebrows were raised late last week when it was announced that the School Committee had scheduled a special meeting [...]

A special meeting of the Dracut School Committee is being held on Wednesday, May 30th at 6:00pm at the Community Room of the Lakeview JHS.
A posting on the calendar at the town website lists the purpose of the meeting as “Discussing selection process of hiring a new Superintendent of Schools”
As noted elsewhere, this meeting is [...]