Sad to say but we are stuck with Taymore and Lambright for a while. Just google their names before "civil rights" and you'll see why. No school committee would ever hire such a potential liability to run their schools: Except the Melrose school committee members.

Preschool Teacher $35,460
Kindergarten Teacher $67,640
Elementary School Teacher $71,380
Middle School Teacher $71,400
High School Teacher $73,090
PE Teacher $44,140
Substitute Teacher (Hourly) $16.84/hr
Teaching Assistant $30,090

Sorry for scattering these. It has taken a bit of time and work to get it all together but another comparable school system. Melrose stays right with them with better testing results.

A little clarification - the City joined GIC in 2008, and in the first year alone saved over $1,200,000.00 in premium costs. Prior to that, the City paid 82% of far more expensive plans like HMO Blue, so what the City pays now is actually less than what they paid prior to that. Now add in the wage freeze, which is sort of an override in reverse. That 0% year carries over into every following year, just as an override does, saving the City millions more every year.

Interesting sidebar - it took a 70% approval vote from the unions for the City to implement GIC. Of course, being the largest union, it was the teacher's union that sort of drove that, but three organizations did vote against it, both Police unions and the retirees. That's one of the reasons Dolan hated the Police. It wasn't long after that that he initiated that ill-fated (from his perspective) police study, and then that cockamamie overtime abuse allegation was made, which proved to be totally untrue. Both of those things made him hate the Police even more because they made him look really bad by exposing his truly petty and vindictive nature.

Which brings us to the so-called "public safety" plan. There has never been and there is not now any serious consideration of a new police station. It was and still is a smoke screen, cynically designed to garner support for the last, and now this override. It may happen at some point down the road, but as long as Dolan was Mayor, it was political bull$hit, and with the current Mayor, nothing has changed.

Correction - there were five groups (of thirteen) who voted against GIC, including both police unions and retirees, and two much smaller unions that I forgot about.

As someone in the know in Malden, I can say that both the super and her imported right-hand MA were considered blights and liabilities in that district, leaving behind an extensive legacy of lawsuits and legal actions that were costly and unnecessary, arising directly out of their incompetence and attitudes of arrogance and contempt. In fact the Malden district flat out rejected CT's attempt to advance to ASSISTANT super, and we made that call based on facts and a truly negative history that cost vulnerable students and certainly taxpayers. We urged the only one in your city who'd listen to consider this, and she made an articulate case for why that super should not have been hired and why the impressively qualified other finalist (with a legitimate academic ph.D and actual experience as a sitting superintendent) was the only logical choice.

Instead of listening to facts and choosing the other totally qualified and distinguished candidate, the SC opted to bulldoze CT through with its cheerleading squad of virulent (ignorant) parents and their scripted talking points (led by law-breaking chair and vice chair of SC, along with mayor, who should have had nothing whatsoever to do with the matter). Watching the proceedings intently we were quite astonished to see that not only did they hire the grossly unqualified finalist, who then hired MA immediately (and at ridiculous unjustified salaries), the SC did this via a process that was as vile as the person they chose. Reading the public accounts of all the legal challenges to the process and hearing what transpired, it painted a clear picture of comprehensive corruption and abuse, starting with how the selection committee was gerryrigged around the rules/policies/laws and then having the incompetent mayor-appointed city solicitor there to lend an appearance (false) of legality to the whole thing. At every stage the one individual stood up and tried to represent to the public she served with distinction what was happening, meeting with continuous obfuscation and contempt by the rest of the committee, city solicitor, mayor. It was quite something to watch, and we wondered where in the dickens the public was that they weren't in there at every meeting raising the stink that surely would have occurred in most other places. The rest of the SC (and the ever-slumbering BOA who should have raised big questions, especially about the money and the legal bills being created at every turn) seemed to have forgotten they represent the public, and that is obviously still in evidence with the continuing contempt and arrogance both the SC and BOA show to your city residents.

Now we see some of the same virulent, ignorant characters back in front of the public, with their newly scripted talking points, trying to cram yet another money (and power) grab down the throats of the residents. Even the newly elected ones are reflecting the same contempt for facts and legitimate process, opting for their snotty facial expressions and haughty rebuts when challenged with anyone from the public coming before them to ask for the truth and responsible accounting. The parent group seems even more misled, like wind-up toys, only with bad attitude. The fear-mongering by the officials seems to have worked so far, but hopefully the sensible ones will prevail again. You've got smart and articulate people there who are telling you the truth. How come so many choose to listen to the bobbleheads instead?

Maybe it's something in your water? Or is it the sewer that just keeps backing up?

I can't add one single thing to that.

What does that even mean?

Right??? So many conspiracy theorists here. SMH.

Insinuating an affair between her and Dolan because and earlier post in another thread was hinting at it. Any proof of this? Not been provided, and, most likely, doesn't exist. It is personal, rude, and, quite likely, libelous.

But, keep in mind, it's the cabal of powerful libs that are the mean ones to all the fiscally-responsible, sensitive souls on this board. Such a joke! This place is a hole.

I am not sure about rumors although I have heard them and I think what people are saying is that this town has an issue in the hierarchy. People are nervous of their alderman, mayor, super and school committee and that is a tragedy. I am not trying to get into party stuff here just drop some information but their is a disconnect between the people on this matter. I have met most and yes with some I felt they had zero to no answers to even present an override. The Mayor is very nice but I have a hard time with a person not voted on by the people of Melrose presenting such a large override. Regardless of the charter it should have waited for someone we all had a part in choosing or hearing. I will say I have had some meetings wit the Liberal party in Melrose on the subject and yes it was scary, I heard some nasty name calling. But this is far from party politics its about truth and facts. the facts support a NO. if people will listen the No is not for the override itself i believe the No is for the number. 5.18 million is not the number. We have other areas in town too that need to be addressed. We just took an increase of 175. this is to much at once..

I will be gathering some more information that is relevent to the topic. Hope we can keep talking through it and finding a solid solution. Thank you everyone for chiming in.