School Committee candidate: Michael Flaherty

Mar 7, 2012

Preparing a Town Meeting warrant article for a bylaw aimed to combat crime exposed newcomer Michael Flaherty to the intricacies of the political process.

That bylaw, overwhelmingly approved at last April's Town Meeting, allows the police chief to place police details at locations with repeated criminal activity at the expense of the owners of those properties.

Energized by that success, Flaherty now is looking to bring his skills and ideas to the School Committee.

Flaherty, whose 9-year-old son Joshua is a 4th grader in Wareham Public Schools, said his priorities if elected are finding ways to lower the teacher-to-student ratio, helping his fellow parents better understand the workings of the school district, and working to highlight what he says is among the best things the schools have going: the sports program.

The district's difficult budget situation is one of the biggest issues that Flaherty sees is facing both town officials and taxpayers.

The strapped budget contributes to a teacher-to-student ratio that is in the high 20s, Flaherty said. That is, there are nearly 30 students in one classroom with one teacher in some instances.

"Ideally, you want it to be in the low 20s," Flaherty said.

The situation is contributing to low enrollment in the school system, he said, and he wants to work to find ways to get more teachers in the classrooms.

"We [Flaherty and wife, Cheryl] know many people, our friends, who took their kids out of the [public school] system and put them in private school," Flaherty said. "I don't fault them at all."

Flaherty said he and his wife had conversations about whether to keep their son in Wareham schools and ultimately decided to do so. Now Flaherty wants to help.

"You're at the soccer field watching a game and you're talking to parents who have the same concerns that you have, or you're at a basketball game [with a different set of parents] and they're saying the same things: 'nothing is getting done,'" Flaherty said. "I'm tired of talking. I want to start doing."

Flaherty pointed out that his son comes home with photo-copied textbooks, which illustrates the need for basic materials in the schools.

"There's a debt exclusion that [school officials are] asking for, for textbooks. Textbooks, of all things!" Flaherty said. "You need textbooks. These are just fundamental things. ... Just getting the fundamentals shouldn't be an issue."

The problem? Putting off purchases because of tight budgets.

"I don't just hate taxes, I disdain them," Flaherty said.

But, he noted that with a debt exclusion, the money is earmarked for a specific purpose, so taxpayers will know where the money is going.

"You're going to have something to show for [the taxes]. If people vote 'yes' on the school bus article, then we're going to get school buses," he said. "I can't believe I'm saying this. ... I want to keep all options on the table, but I don't see any other options. Status quo is not an option. We need to do something."

He added: "Would I rather pay [an estimated] $30 a year in taxes or $3,000 a year at a private school? This isn't for anything fancy. This is for things that we've been kicking down the road."

Flaherty says he wants to help parents understand these and other issues and how district decisions are being made.

"There needs to be a lot more parent involvement," he said. "People need to be engaged. A lot of [the procedure] goes over people's heads."

Flaherty pointed out that School Committee member Rhonda Veugen recently suggested that a guide to the budget be created for parents.

"That's something I would be happy to champion," Flaherty said, adding that he would like to supply information about all sorts of subjects to help parents be engaged and involved.

Flaherty, who works in information technology, said he also hopes to engage the community if elected. Noting that Wareham has an excellent sports program that the community should be proud of, he pointed out that there is no specific website for Wareham sports.

"There's got to be some way to get some kids together and make a Wareham sports website. That's something I'd be happy to help with," he said. "We can even sell advertising up there and bring in money that way."

Flaherty said that perhaps the school district could work with the various PTAs and youth sports organizations to make an all-inclusive website.

"A central spot for all of Wareham sports ... I really think would help bring the community together," he said.

A volunteer on and current chair of the Wareham Free Library Board of Trustees, Flaherty did a similar project for the library. After a strategic planning session with community members, the board learned that people didn't really like the library's website. So, Flaherty made a new one. (Check it out at WarehamFreeLibrary.org!)

Flaherty, whose term on the library Board of Trustees is up in June, said he'd like to finish his term, but will not seek another term if elected to the School Committee.

"I'm going to immerse myself in School Committee," he said.

Flaherty said his service on that board and service as vice-chair of the Massachusetts Striped Bass Association, which had him involved with lobbying at the state and federal level, has prepared him for work on the School Committee.

"I can find common ground and work with anyone. Just look beyond the nonsense and look at the prize, the common goal," he said, but noted: "I'm not going to be a rubber stamp. I'm not afraid to speak up."

Flaherty grew up in Woburn and graduated from Woburn Senior High. He holds a degree in computer information systems from Bentley College and has taken master's-level classes in software engineering at Brandeis University. He lives on Harkins Way with his wife and son.

"I bring new and fresh ideas," Flaherty said. "It's fine to complain, but if I'm not going to do anything about it, it does no good."