WWW.ENOUGHISENOUGHHW.ORG

November 11, 2008

To The Hamilton Board of Selectmen To The Wenham Board of Selectmen

Hamilton Town Hall Wenham Town Hall

577 Bay Road 138 Main Street

PO Box 429 Wenham, MA 01984

Hamilton, MA, 01936

Selectmen,

Enough is Enough (EiE) members have attended many meetings since the 1.8 Million-Dollar school override was passed last spring. The meetings we attended have been Fincom, School Committee/School Administration and Blue Ribbon Committee with Selectmen in attendance as well as a Special Town meeting.

During these months EiE has attempted to communicate with Selectmen of both towns via letters and other media and to date there has been virtually no meaningful response to EiE from Selectmen relative to corrective measures being put into place to prevent another override request from the Hamilton-Wenham school system next spring.

It has become quite clear to us that the school budget for the next year will contain another override request. We have heard nothing to date that would convince us otherwise.

We can assure you of two things (1) Another override request is unacceptable and (2) Another override request will be strongly opposed by the citizens of both towns.

We also want to let you know that EiE plans to submit two petitions to the Hamilton Selectmen and one to the Wenham Selectmen as follows:

1. A petition to hold Hamilton Town Meetings on Saturday afternoon, as Wenham does, to allow better attendance.

2. A petition for the Selectmen of both towns to appropriate funding to have an “Operating Audit” done on the Hamilton/Wenham Regional School System.

The Operating Audit would be performed by a totally independent audit firm that has experience with school systems and would provide an in-depth evaluation of existing operating procedures, staffing, accounting practices, budgeting process/procedures and financial reporting.

The results of the audit would provide recommendations for changes to the school system to improve efficiencies and the expected cost savings when the changes are implemented.

This audit should be performed as soon as possible and should reveal substantial cost saving recommendations and have a favorable impact on next year’s budget process and going forward.

EiE requests a formal written response to this letter no later than November 30, 2008.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert F. Sica – Co-Chair Edwin Howard – Treasurer

339 Essex St, Hamilton

Robert Gray – Membership

James Kent – Co- Chair

34 Hamilton Ave, Hamilton Bruce Wadleigh – Contributor

Elizabeth Dunbar – Secretary George LaMontagne – Contributor

Jay Burnham – Contributor