JAY – With communication said to be the key to a positive and productive relationship, school and town officials plan to work together before problems arise. The boards also plan to get the communities more involved in what’s going on in the tri-town area.
One way to do that School Superintendent Robert Wall and Town Manager Ruth Marden said is to work together with SAD 36 and Livermore Falls officials to get Channel 7, a local education and government cable channel for Jay, Livermore Falls and Livermore, to move forward.
The existing programming includes an ongoing message-wheel that displays names of various board members, times and dates of meetings, school honor rolls, hours of some activities.
Jay officials said they would like to see more programming that includes showing of selectmen and school board meetings from the various towns to get the community more involved in what’s going on.
Marden said Monday that officials had great expectations for the local channel but a lack of volunteers and updated equipment has hindered the program operated by SAD 36 and Jay Adult Education.
The program is funded by $5,100 in Adelphia franchise fees from Jay and $2,700 from the fees for Livermore Falls, Marden said.
Livermore has declined to participate, Marden said.
The bottom line is that operating the station has come to a point “either we need to do something or we need to fold,” Marden said.
Selectman Ray Pineau asked if the school could use the station as part of its curriculum.
Wall said it could if there was a class offered.
The existing program is housed in a downstairs room in the Community Building. The existing capacity is unavailable now to operate the programs live off-site, said School Committee member Tim Toothaker said.
“I really and truly think that (the channel) has the potential to be something great,” Selectman Parker Kinney said.
He and resident Al Landry volunteered in the past to be on a board overseeing the program and showed up for an advertised meeting but no one else turned up, both men said.
Landry said when he volunteered to be on the board he was “gung ho” but that enthusiasm dwindled with lack of involvement.
School Committee Chairman Jim Durrell suggested that an inventory be done of equipment and to find out what the money contributed by the towns is being spent on.
Selectmen’s Chairman Bill Harlow said in this day and age, it’s hard to get people to come to a meeting but offering coverage of taped meetings, if not live, would be one way to get people more involved.
Wall said he is used to live broadcasting and has seen people watch a meeting and jump in their vehicles to come down and participate if they see something of interest.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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