Yesterday the MSTCA testified at the public hearing on the bills we initated about removing the control by RCC over the RLTAC. The hearing was well attended and many different groups spoke. The common theme weather you were in favor of this bill or against was the the existing administration of RCC was doing a very poor job.
The MSTCA members that spoke at the hearing were Frank Mooney, John Monz, Jim Hoar, Zach Lankow, Bryan Dunn , Lou Tozzi, Kent Taylor, Charlie Butterfield, Michael Budd, Linda Rowbotham , Mike Miller, Jeff Sousa, Keith McDermott and Sotirios Pintzopoulos. They did an outstanding job relating to the committee the frustrations we have had and RLTAC has had in running this great facility the proper way over the last 3 years. We stressed that since the new administration came into power it has been one struggle after another. IT was also stressed that the firing of Keith McDermott as the director of this facility has led to many other problems. Things like not openly supporting the renovation project with any serious efforts, not asking for impute on updating the electronic equipment we use for the facility, taking away our parking lot for a man to sell Christmas trees while we are hosting a number of large invitational, trying to force state police protection for the building when we have use Boston Police for the history of the building, misdirecting us on who would make the decisions related to the McIntyre Mooney fund that was created to help with future needs of the center and actually not informing us the money was in the RCC foundation a separate organization from the college( over $100,000), scheduling community activities while we have an invitational meet in progress, shutting the RLTAC center down because an elevator was down at the college and list goes on and on. Our intent was to share with them the types of decisions they make and make without any forethought or looking at the consequeses of that decision .
There was of course some opposition from the community but very little. There was some support for the move from the community knowing the history of the college and its failure to operate it and be financially sound . We stressed our concerns about their ability to be in charge of a college and this track facility at the same time. Keith McDermott stressed that he understood that some were making this a black/white issue and that this surely was not the case. He reminded the board again that this is a state wide facility not a Boston facility. His impute was extremely important.
A huge thank you goes to all of you who wrote supporting letters, emails etc. The fact that you sent them was recognized by the members of the Higher Education Committee. A huge thank you to those where able to attend and make a presentation. They gave up a personal day and spent most of it in Boston or in the long process of getting home from Boston on a work day.
We have no idea what will happen next. Of course we hope we convinced them that the move has to come about. Once we hear anything we will surely inform you.
No comments:
Post a Comment