My name is Donna McCalla, and my username on this site is DSAdmin. The last I remember, because it’s been such a long time, my “title” was Spokesperson for Hebron Dollars and Sense.
Just a few months ago, members of Hebron Dollars and Sense actually discussed disbanding and removing the website. But with the holidays and some personal health issues, we never got around to making that final decision.
Then, about two weeks ago, January 28th to be exact, we (or at least I) began receiving phone calls and emails from parents and residents troubled about next year’s budget (FY 2010-2011).
“Trouble” was not something we anticipated, because of course the December meeting of the BOS/BOF with the BOE discussed in detail a 0% budget increase mandate, and, with that conversation strongly reiterated at the January 9th All Boards meeting, we fully believed that the message had been strongly delivered and clearly understood by everyone.
Apparently, that was an unfortunate and incorrect assumption on our part, as evidenced by the first approved budget coming in at a 3.99% increase. After those phone calls and emails to us (or me) personally began, and because we had not yet disbanded, we felt a responsibility to offer the community an opportunity to voice concerns or to voice support for the issues at hand. That was our mission in 2004, and that mission has not changed.
For a long time now, we have had a feature on the homepage called "Submit An Article" or "Submit a WebLink." Most of the submitted articles and weblinks for the past five years have been valuable, but not necessarily innocuous. The webmaster had been approving submitted articles and weblinks, knowing that my own personal priorities had shifted almost exclusively to maintaining and documenting Hebron’s important role in history. The site pretty much ran itself without intervention.
This, as in 2004, is an important time in Hebron. Things have changed dramatically since 2004, including, but not limited to, little newspaper coverage of Hebron (remember: in 2004-2005, there was actually a Courant reporter assigned to cover Hebron!); the economy and our housing values have tanked (it is estimated that it could take another 8-10 years for the value of our homes to reach those 2004-2006 values); the unemployment rate has declined an additional 4% (in 2004, Connecticut’s unemployment rate was 4.6%; today it is 8.5%); and our local resources are being stressed to the max (the increase in people needing food has caused our Hebron Interfaith Food Services to constantly be issuing statements that they need more food or financial contributions; many aren’t aware that HIHS also offers residents in need emergency fuel assistance.)
Therefore, things in 2010 have changed dramatically, and Hebron residents need an avenue for learning more about what's going on. In addition, Hebron residents need a public forum where they can discuss the issues among themselves (for example, just look at some of the ridiculous comments from "outsiders" on the Courant post on the story about the former finance director.) Hebron residents need to have a place where we can voice ideas, suggestions, criticisms, and support for various elements of the budget without someone who’s never lived in our town interjecting their own thoughts, even though they have no idea or understanding of what they’re even talking about. The D&S website can provide that forum.
However, the rules have also not changed since 2004. This is an issues-oriented site based on facts and data; it is a site for research that people can study and review prior to voting in May. It is not the place for personal bashing, whether that personal bashing is an elected official, a superintendent, a resident, or another poster on the site.
Let us also emphasize that this is not a political site -- it is a taxpayer site, dedicated to the taxpayers of the Town of Hebron. Anyone attempting to use the site for party affiliation purposes or to promote personal agendas will be blocked.
So. That's our job. We'll ensure any published article/issue – whether ours or submitted by other residents – is based on solid research and facts. The tone of the forums has been quite civil, and opposing ideas have, so far, been respectfully debated. Yes, I understand that I am using the Aristotelian perspective regarding the interpretation of the words "civil" and "respectful;” what is classified as civil/respectful to one is not classified as civil/respectful to another. We will do our best to take the high road, and err on the side of caution.
I personally wrote Budget Issue #15, because I feel it is important that we all understand the budget process in Hebron. No matter how much research is posted on this site, the best place to voice your concerns is to the elected officials, whether by attending the meetings (which we post on the homepage) or by sending emails and/or letters to the members of the various boards.
That being said, you'd have to be living in a Saskatchewan igloo NOT to know how our fellow Hebron residents have been affected by the economy. The individual stories I hear are heartbreaking, and I can not be the only individual in town to personally know at least one friend or neighbor who has been negatively affected by the economic decline, and sometimes dramatically affected.
It is important that we all analyze the budgets this year, and as citizens, understand the process and voice our concerns on certain line items and our support for other line items. BUT... we have to know what we're talking about in order to be taken seriously. That's why reading and understanding both the research and the issues are important.
We welcome the opportunity to hear your ideas and suggestions; we welcome your questions about what’s happening and about the budgets in general; and we encourage you to do research on your own which can be presented to the public, both on our site (www.HebronDollarsandSense.com) and/or at a public meeting of the BOS/BOF/BOE and RHAM. For those able to attend meetings, we especially appreciate you sending a summary of the discussions to share with your fellow residents who are not able to attend the meetings. As we all know, the minutes of meetings just don’t do the job in capturing the discussions held by Board members.