This blog would say it is Honesty, Personal Integrity, and a desire to do the RIGHT THING, popular or not! That would be defined as Courage. Now lets take a look at our Candidates;
Fred Childs, Incumbent- Experience, yes; integrity?...... maybe, maybe not; here is a man who was found to have violated the town's cofe of ethics ordinance. He violated it twice, stated that he knew he was doing it but would "wait and see what thry say"; They being the Code of Ethics committee. What they(neighbor, Dick Smith, and longtime friend, Berg Norris) said was no problem, the first time. After the Court Ordered Consentino to step aside on police and town employee matters they decided to "take a more literal reading of the ordinance."(Mr. Smith's words). You have a man who when the voters said put the vietnam honor roll in front of the town hall but outside of the flagpoles, He said I dont agree and fought it in court with taxpayer money. Here is a man who when the voters said we don't want town employees serving as selectmen, he evidently replied by signing up anyway in the hopes of getting the article overturned. If you are going to thumb your nose at the voters, you dont derserve to be elected!
Harold Morse, Candidate- He has been on the planning board for 12 years, and has predominantly stepped aside whenever a Lewis project has come before the board. Yes this IS the honorable thing to do. Will he have a conflict in serving as selectman, probably, only time will tell, but there will always be the perception. Mr. Morse has long been one of the prime sponsors, coach, board member of Atkinson Youth Baseball, and has donated considerably of his time, and effort.
Valerie Tobin, Candidate- She is the only candidate with clearly no conflicts. This blog does not know Ms. Tobin but she has been forthright, and steadfast in public meetings over the past few years. She always has had hard, insightful questions, and has usually followed those up with more. She has brought forward points that often made those she was questioning uncomfortable, but in the end provided much needed information to the voters.
The choices here are clear.
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ATKINSON's Vietnam HONOR ROLL as VOTED and PASSED by 2005 Town Meeting and re-approved at Special Town Meeting Sept. 12
EDITORIAL-
A voice of compassion, an example of fairness and reasonable government.
One who believes in the strength and comfort you, your children and your family can draw from good government leadership.
A person who knows Atkinson is our home -- our most important possession that must be preserved and protected through fair taxes and sound community planning and where our children must be safe to grow to become a new generation of leaders.
One who knows that the citizens of Atkinson are all neighbors with her leadership to be dedicated and responsive to all.
One who believes that when those from Atkinson have served our nation and honors are deserved, those honors must be given.
In Valerie Tobin, we now have a leader we know we can entrust with these responsibilities because they are part of her character.
It is our honor to endorse Valerie for election to Atkinson’s Board of Selectmen.
Just a note for those who wish to count the deer.
In January 08 this blog had 16,000 hits and 1,500 unique visitors (for the month).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
EDITORIAL-
"I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense . . ." [TP, 1776]
We take no small measure of umbrage at such a hostile official act against this BLOG’s patron. Therefore, a timely Editorial comment is both appropriate and necessary.
Discussion of Atkinson’s financial direction, from any viewpoint, is fundamental and encouraged and we will always attempt to limit and correct errors.
However, Righteous indignation towards purported error of such inconsequential nature is not appropriate.
The ENTIRE car deal is problematic. If it was caused by poor judgement, improper exercise of authority, neglect or mistake or even specious reasoning, this will never trump the facts that the entire questionable transaction started and ended within a very small circle of confidants.
We find the entire circumstances surrounding the disposition of the police Cruiser highly irregular at the least and the "explanations" somewhat trifling and exhaustive of our intellect.
Mr. Consentino: It’s time to go. Being Chief of Atkinson’s Police Department is NOT a birthright. That is a fabled legend of yesteryear.
Historically in Atkinson, police chief appointments were made "under the hand of the selectmen" for terms of one year at a time, as was also the case in the beginning of Mr. Consentino’s assorted and discontinuous stream of appointments to this position.
Your only remaining credential established on a claim of indispensability has faded.
So time is neigh. Plan a graceful exit, Clean out your desk, Accept the gratitude and tearful sentiments from some. We plan no editorial recriminations. It is time. Thank you for your service, We wish you a long and happy retirement. Bon Voyage.
LETTER
"To All Atkinson Residents,
I am writing to ask for your help. A member of the Atkinson Police Department needs our help. I am here to ask for your help in Corporal John Lapham's fight for his life. As you are aware, John has been diagnosed with Leukemia. He has been once again hospitalized with an infection that is threatening his life. He is one of the bravest people that I have ever met. He has never asked of anything from the residents of the town. Now is our chance to step up and help both him and his family out. As everyone is aware John has been out of work for a few months. His family has been busy helping John to get better. He needs our help, and I am hoping that this town can step up to the plate and help. From the moment that I met John, I have admired him. He does alot, but never asks for anything in return. He has helped so many people in this town. I for one am one of those people. Please help him.
There is a fund set-up in his name at TDBanknorth in Plaistow. Any amount will help John, while he is out of work. It would be great if this town could help ease a burden off his wife.
Thank You
Also if anyone would like to send a card, please address it to:
John Lapham
c/o Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Ctr.
Inpatient mail
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
United States
Please show Corporal John Lapham, that this community can stand up and show our support to those in need. I for one, miss John and can not wait until he can get better and return to work. Please show him that we support him. "
12 comments:
Lets us not forget that Mr. Childs isn't alone in thumbing his nose at the voters. Virginia Morelli...also an employee, is running again for Budget Committee.
Not sure if it was intentional or an oversight but Harold Morse refused to step down from a planning board hearing last year. This after being asked by another member of the board if he had a conflict. That member felt that there was a conflict with Harold Morse's employer and former father-in-law Peter Lewis. Subsequently, Harold Morse was found by the code of ethics committee to have violated Atkinson's code of ethics. At one of the hearings of the committee, he went on record as saying that the code of ethics adopted by the town of Atkinson is ileagal.
Cant we just throw the bums out and start from scratch?
too Bad Mrs. Grant wasn't successful! Town meeting was a disgrace. In 32 years of going to this meeting I have never seen a performance like this year. Mr. Sapia should be ashamed!
The choice is not clear....Val Tobin is too negative....and too late in the game she tried to get a quick Selectman 101 course at town meeting. She was unfamiliar with the budgetary process and the warrant articles that did not include roads. We do not need a new Road Agent we need an ethical and municipally educated Selectman. Electing another person for Selectman who has absolutely no town experience is a mistake.
Mr. Morse has been an active participant in town. Even though he has the misfortune to be related to Peter Lewis it is only by marriage.
Getting away from conflict of interest in a town this size is very difficult but Mr. Sullivan's integrity and class can easily keep Mr. Morse in line.
I think the most important qualiy for a selectman is INTEGRITY!!! Childs has shown that he has none. He is putting his desire to be important ahead of the voters will.
Morse has usually stepped aside when in conflict. and that is in keeping with the example set by Mr. Sullivan.
Ms. Tobin has demonstrated her intelligence and willingness to ask hard questions. Even this small thing is an improvement over Childs and Sapia's performance over the last two years.
I agree with Anonymous number 4!!! I am sick and tired of Ms Tobin being invisible all yearlong and then showing up at town meeting and being rude and negative about our road agent Ted Stewart. Who does she think she is and what skils does she have to question his expertise. Ted has served the town very well for many years and so did his father. I could care less if Harold Morse was Peter Lewis's son in law or that he works for Peter. Peter Lewis has done more for this town than anyone I can think of. His water system provides cleam water to many of the people that live in Atkinson, he built a huge number of the house here and you probably live in one and don't even realize it. Peter built a beautiful country club that we should all be proud of and if I had more money I would probably buy one his new elderly condos on the golf course. My vote is for Harold Morse! He lives and works in Atkinson and he will support those of us that have spent our lives here and want to dies here!
I'll give you another reason for no town employees on the board of selectmen;
Last year, the board was responsible for negotiating the union contract with the police union. Who represented the town in the negotiations?
Chief Consentino and Town Administrator McAllister.
The result: The most lucrative contract for the union in town history. For the next three years the officers will get double raises. They will get step increases, AND COLA raises!
OK, I know this is a "life safety issue", but why do we have to pay more than any other town of 7000 people in NH, for the same or less protection?
And why? during the negotiations, the selectmen voted to give the PD administration the same benefits as the union got! Is this a conflict?
You can't be your own boss it is that simple!
And MR. Childs you knew beforehand you couldn't vote on your own raise and you did it anyway!
Bloggers,
We have received a apoplectic anonymous comment to this article, that, funny enough, addressed nothing in this article. It was, however, filled with hate, invective, and spurious allegations of legal mishaps, and traffic tickets, and other brushes with the local police by numerous town officials, and believe it or not, their mothers! This blog finds it interesting that all of the slanderous, and libelous comments in that post dealt with brushes with Atkinson Police.
let me be very clear; THIS TYPE OF POST HAS NO PLACE ON THIS BLOG!!! If the poster wishes to discuss ideas, or valid observations on anything contained in the related article you will be welcome, but your post was none of these things, and reflects poorly on your debating skills and will not be represented here.
We will treat content discussions, and actual public event discussions liberally, but personal airings of dirty laundry will not occur here, and are best left to the venue in which they have occurred over recent years, the selectmen's meetings.
you should post that comment that you refer to above. Let us be the judge of the author's intent. If as you say the comments all deal with Police inside baseball, it would be no worse than any of the other pressures and harrassment perpetrated by Atkinson's Police Administration.
Free speech means never having to be persecuted for an opinion.
I agree with the last commentor. It might enlighten those of us who aren't already.
Reply to the last commentators. The short answer is NO! The longer answer is that this one anonymous comment was particularly egregious in that it dealt with people and subjects not in the public domain. I have rejected other submissions, without comment, that are in the public domain but require supporting documentation and less than anonymity before publication. This policy shall remain.
To Anonymous with the egregious postings,
The Definition of insanity is to keeping repeating the same action while expecting a different result.
So, in light of that, I will issue you a challenge;
If you wish your infantile slanderous attacks of Town officials, their children, wives, and mothers to be posted on this site, than you need to do a couple of things;
1.) Your comments need to bear some relation to an article posted on this site that you wish to respond to.
2.) Since a discussion of Ideas, or even public events, seems to be beyond your ken, than your attacks must be backed up by ACTUAL QUOTES from ACTUAL PUBLIC DOCUMENTS(i.e. Minutes of public meetings, newspaper articles, court documents) NOT your praphrase of what you believe they contain but ACTUAL QUOTES.
3.) You must be willing to take the return fire from those who you seek to destroy.
Oh, and as a matter of honor, if you are launching personal attacks on people and their families, please have the courtesy and courage to attach your name to it. Otherwise it is the rantings of a child who can't get his way.
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