Dear Friends and Neighbors — With Town Meeting Day less than 48 hours away, I am writing to remind everyone that the Burlington School District has three items on this year’s ballot:

* the annual school budget [Item #1]
* a school safety and critical needs bond [Item #2]
* a proposed increase in the District’s annual borrowing capacity for ongoing capital needs [Item #5]

Taken together, these items represent the Board’s efforts to address the past, present, and future needs of the Burlington schools. Each is an important investment in a different aspect of the District’s continued success, and I hope that you will vote “YES” on each one.

If you have any questions about the specifics of the proposals, please review the materials on the District’s website, www.bsdvt.org. A variety of op-ed pieces in support of the initiatives have also been posted to the blog for the Burlington Friends of Education at http://burlingtonfriendsofeducation.wordpress.com.

As this long process draws to a close, I would like to express my thanks to the Burlington Friends of Education and its supporters (many of whom are listed on the BFOE blog page). Over the years, BFOE members have played an instrumental role in improving the Burlington schools, and they continue to do so.

I would also like to thank the three mayoral candidates who have expressed their support for the District’s ballot items–Bob Kiss, Andy Montroll, and Dan Smith–along with the many city council members who have done so as well. Each recognizes the critical role that a strong and forward-looking educational system plays in the economic and social vitality of the city.

If you have any final questions about any of these proposals, please do not hesitate to contact me.

See you at the polls!
Fred Lane
Ward 5 School Commissioner and Chair of the Finance Subcommittee
12 Catherine Street
FLane@bsdvt.org