There will be much to do at the selectmen's meeting tonight, but you will not see nearly as much On camera as has been happening behind the scenes.
It appears that Selectmen Chairman Sapia is still bent upon undermining our duly elected Road Agent, Teddy Stewart. In stark contrast to other depts. in town, the Highway dept. has sufferred a $100,000 reduction in its available funds this year, when both budget and road articles are combined, yet that is not enough for Jack. Teddy pissed him off! Therefore, his dept. is the place for the town to save money! Not the police dept. which would be almost $1,000,000 this year if the budget committee had not moved items into other budgets over the past two years, but the highway dept. which has been operating TWO MEN SHORT STAFFED SINCE NOVEMBER 2006!!! Fred admitted on camera last week that they have looked into firing him! And that if he refused a direct order from the selectmen they would have grounds. So is it Teddy's fault if they cut his staff in half, yet demand the same performance?
Normally a dept. head would come into the selectmen and advise them that someone was leaving, and they would advertise the position, and screen and hire someone within a fairly short time period. But not in Teddy's case. It seems that Fred who has harbored ill will for Teddy for years, and Jack who ran against Teddy because he was against speed bumps on crystal hill rd., have decided that Teddy does not need a deputy road agent! Never mind that we have had one since 1979, with the exception of 1992, a year in which, once again the selectmen were pissed at Teddy, and deprived him of an assistant to demonstrate their displeasure. They found that they needed one again, and nothing has changed since then. Jack wishes to conduct this sordid business behind closed doors. And that is the crux of the matter, You can not discuss policy behind closed doors! Jack claims that discussing doing away with the deputy road agents position is not policy, but he is wrong. It can not be a personell issue, because there is no "personell" currently filling the position.
According to the minutes the selectmen went into non-public session under the authority of RSA 91A:3, paragraph II. A.
II. Only the following matters shall be considered or acted upon in nonpublic session:
(a) The dismissal, promotion or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted.
The link to this statute is:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/VI/91-A/91-A-3.htm
This does not allow them to change the topic to eliminating the assisant road agents position. That is a policy matter because it deals with a position, not an employee.
Unfortunately, like so many other issues in this town, Jack will continue to get away with these egregious actions, until a court tells him to knock it off. He has obviously learned well from his mentor, Chief.
Monday, April 30
Friday, April 27
WINDS OF CHANGE
Another new contributor under the Publius byline.
Publius: Article Submission.
WINDS OF CHANGE
What will it take for change to occur?
How many more times does the will of Atkinson voters have to be ignored before the voters do something about it?
How many more laws must be broken by the extremists before the voters do something about it?
How many more times will our Freedom of Speech have to be infringed upon before Atkinson voters do something about it?
Sad that history repeats itself when residents are afraid of going to Selectman's meetings and asking hard questions.
How many more cell towers, failures on Vietnam memorials, threats to the town aquifer, abuse of taxpayer dollars, etc. etc. must occur before the voters do something about it?
How many more town reports will be missing critical information on payments to vendors/salaries which is a direct attempt to mislead voters on the TRUTH, before voters do something about it?
How many more insults from the extremists must Atkinson voters and other elected officials and employees endure before we do something about it?
We can whine, cajole and carry-on in this blog FOREVER. While the blog serves a valuable purpose to share information previously suppressed by the extremists, I predict the next election will be just more of the same: Chief will electioneer the town vote in March results by using taxpayer dollars and town resources to drive his elderly voters to the polls (of course he must save Elderly Affairs from the evil voters who - oh, by the way passed the article to buy a new handicapped van). I predict Sapia will get re-elected for another 3 years as the puppet to torture us and we will be living a nightmare. Our aquifer will be drained, the center of our town will be scarred by a monstrous cell tower and the Vietnam memorial will continue to collect dust (I realize this is just a subset of the insults).
We can all sit here and vent which makes us feel good. But nothing will change unless town taxpayers unite, organize, raise funds, file lawsuits and expose the extremists for what they are. That is the only way you can affect change. Those are the tools THEY are using. So unless you are ready to become a true Atkinson Minuteman, keep on blogging to your heart's content. It will make you feel good in the short term but nothing will change.
So the question becomes this: Do enough people in town have the guts and the fortitude to stand up to the evil empire or not? Do you want to take back control of your town or not?If you do, please comment accordingly.
(Anonymous)
Publius: Article Submission.
WINDS OF CHANGE
What will it take for change to occur?
How many more times does the will of Atkinson voters have to be ignored before the voters do something about it?
How many more laws must be broken by the extremists before the voters do something about it?
How many more times will our Freedom of Speech have to be infringed upon before Atkinson voters do something about it?
Sad that history repeats itself when residents are afraid of going to Selectman's meetings and asking hard questions.
How many more cell towers, failures on Vietnam memorials, threats to the town aquifer, abuse of taxpayer dollars, etc. etc. must occur before the voters do something about it?
How many more town reports will be missing critical information on payments to vendors/salaries which is a direct attempt to mislead voters on the TRUTH, before voters do something about it?
How many more insults from the extremists must Atkinson voters and other elected officials and employees endure before we do something about it?
We can whine, cajole and carry-on in this blog FOREVER. While the blog serves a valuable purpose to share information previously suppressed by the extremists, I predict the next election will be just more of the same: Chief will electioneer the town vote in March results by using taxpayer dollars and town resources to drive his elderly voters to the polls (of course he must save Elderly Affairs from the evil voters who - oh, by the way passed the article to buy a new handicapped van). I predict Sapia will get re-elected for another 3 years as the puppet to torture us and we will be living a nightmare. Our aquifer will be drained, the center of our town will be scarred by a monstrous cell tower and the Vietnam memorial will continue to collect dust (I realize this is just a subset of the insults).
We can all sit here and vent which makes us feel good. But nothing will change unless town taxpayers unite, organize, raise funds, file lawsuits and expose the extremists for what they are. That is the only way you can affect change. Those are the tools THEY are using. So unless you are ready to become a true Atkinson Minuteman, keep on blogging to your heart's content. It will make you feel good in the short term but nothing will change.
So the question becomes this: Do enough people in town have the guts and the fortitude to stand up to the evil empire or not? Do you want to take back control of your town or not?If you do, please comment accordingly.
(Anonymous)
Thursday, April 26
Flashbacks... Vietnam honor roll style
I remember it was a cold day in March 2005, when the majority of voters told the selectmen to allow the placement of the honor roll panels in front of the town hall, either side of, but outside the flagpoles, and not to spend more than a dollar of taxpayer money on them.
I remember it was a cowpie filled night in April of that same year when selectmen Consentino, Childs and Sapia told Mrs. Grant and the Historical Society to go ahead and try to raise the $9,000 privately, and they would place the panel as described when they were done.
It is now enterring May of 2007! To date the selectmen have steadfastly refused to place the panels, as described in the warrant articles! Yet they have spent THOUSANDS of taxpayer dollars litigating THEIR right to ignore the expressed will of the voters. They bullied the lovely young women from the historical society into agreeing to give up their fight, with the threat of another two years of litigation! They have even failed to pay the ONE DOLLAR ordered by the voters in the 2005 warrant article out of spite!
We are coming upon another memorial day, that the contributors to the panel drive are being deprived of the fruits of their time and investments, by our childish, recalcitrant selectmen. It is high time that these gentlemen act honorable and honor the men and women who have worn the uniform and shed blood for our country. Not to mention the simple democratic principle that you do what the voters tell you to do. In NH selectmen have NO RIGHT to ignore the wishes of voters as expressed in warrant articles. The voters are the selectmen's boss'.
I watch every Monday night as selectman Sapia pauses for a moment of silence in honor of the troops. Nice, but easy, try doing what the voters said, and doing something concrete(or should I say Marble) to honor those who have defended your priveldge, not right to sit there and deny us our due.
I remember it was a cowpie filled night in April of that same year when selectmen Consentino, Childs and Sapia told Mrs. Grant and the Historical Society to go ahead and try to raise the $9,000 privately, and they would place the panel as described when they were done.
It is now enterring May of 2007! To date the selectmen have steadfastly refused to place the panels, as described in the warrant articles! Yet they have spent THOUSANDS of taxpayer dollars litigating THEIR right to ignore the expressed will of the voters. They bullied the lovely young women from the historical society into agreeing to give up their fight, with the threat of another two years of litigation! They have even failed to pay the ONE DOLLAR ordered by the voters in the 2005 warrant article out of spite!
We are coming upon another memorial day, that the contributors to the panel drive are being deprived of the fruits of their time and investments, by our childish, recalcitrant selectmen. It is high time that these gentlemen act honorable and honor the men and women who have worn the uniform and shed blood for our country. Not to mention the simple democratic principle that you do what the voters tell you to do. In NH selectmen have NO RIGHT to ignore the wishes of voters as expressed in warrant articles. The voters are the selectmen's boss'.
I watch every Monday night as selectman Sapia pauses for a moment of silence in honor of the troops. Nice, but easy, try doing what the voters said, and doing something concrete(or should I say Marble) to honor those who have defended your priveldge, not right to sit there and deny us our due.
Tuesday, April 24
Selectman Choose tower committee members? Why?
So selectman Sapia feels that the selectmen could actually appoint the tower committee members as they appoint the highway safety committee members anyway. So what if town council actually told you to just follow the wording of the warrant article, and allow those committees to choose their own representatives, as stated in the warrant article. While not a life threatening issue, it is symptomatic of the general disdain for the will of the voters that this board of selectmen has. This is similar to the vietnam honor roll panels where the majority of voters said place them in front of the town hall, but outside of the flagpoles. The selectmen chose not to do this after consulting with town council who told them that there was no ambiguity in the two warrant articles, and to simply follow the wording of both. The selectmen, most notably Consentino and Childs did not want to do that, and therefore they STILL haven't been placed. The expressed will of the people be damned!
This year, the expressed will of the voters was to form a committee to investigate the police communications problem, and how best to solve it, and to provide the voters with TWO options. The warrant article spells out very specifically how the committee is to be staffed. Why is selectman Sapia evidently determined to have this committee stacked with people whose have already decided that we need a tower in the center of town? First it was to expand the article ordered committee by adding the former ad hoc members to this committee. Then it is putting as many former ad hoc members as possible to represent the various boards in town. This blogs question would be why are the selectmen, most notably Sapia, afraid to let the process go forward without influence from people whose minds are already made up? Is he afraid that an impartial investigation may not find that wee need a tower at all, let alone in the center of town?
The meeting progressed into a discussion of the relative costs of appointing an assistant road agent, with Fred going so far as to dig up minutes from 1992, where he claims that the selectmen failed to appoint an assistant road agent, as justification for not doing it now. Funny, how only boards peopled by selectmen with personal axes to grind with Teddy fail to appoint this position. Jack went on to state that this position would cost the town $4,000/yr. This from the very same man who was insistent upon hiring his long time buddy for upwards of $5,000 to act as consultant on the library project, even when he has no say over that project!
This blog thinks that if the selectmen are serious about being fiscally responsible, they should not hire a replacement for Fred's old position of town maintenance manager. This $26,000/yr. position has, for the last several years consisted mainly of Fred making phone calls to get the roofer, the painters, the plumbers, the electricians in to do work. It appears that Fred has done very little actual maintenance work himself. If a major percentage of the jobs work consists of making phone calls then Russ can do it. That would save the town $26,000/yr. plus insurance!
And by the way, what is going on with that reprimand that Jack was so adamant about giving Teddy for, get this..... insubordination! Jack; grow up! you are not Teddy's boss in that manner. he is also an elected official! If he fails to perform his work product in an acceptable fashion then write him up, but if he tells you to piss off! then suck it up and be a man and walk away! You probably earned it!
This year, the expressed will of the voters was to form a committee to investigate the police communications problem, and how best to solve it, and to provide the voters with TWO options. The warrant article spells out very specifically how the committee is to be staffed. Why is selectman Sapia evidently determined to have this committee stacked with people whose have already decided that we need a tower in the center of town? First it was to expand the article ordered committee by adding the former ad hoc members to this committee. Then it is putting as many former ad hoc members as possible to represent the various boards in town. This blogs question would be why are the selectmen, most notably Sapia, afraid to let the process go forward without influence from people whose minds are already made up? Is he afraid that an impartial investigation may not find that wee need a tower at all, let alone in the center of town?
The meeting progressed into a discussion of the relative costs of appointing an assistant road agent, with Fred going so far as to dig up minutes from 1992, where he claims that the selectmen failed to appoint an assistant road agent, as justification for not doing it now. Funny, how only boards peopled by selectmen with personal axes to grind with Teddy fail to appoint this position. Jack went on to state that this position would cost the town $4,000/yr. This from the very same man who was insistent upon hiring his long time buddy for upwards of $5,000 to act as consultant on the library project, even when he has no say over that project!
This blog thinks that if the selectmen are serious about being fiscally responsible, they should not hire a replacement for Fred's old position of town maintenance manager. This $26,000/yr. position has, for the last several years consisted mainly of Fred making phone calls to get the roofer, the painters, the plumbers, the electricians in to do work. It appears that Fred has done very little actual maintenance work himself. If a major percentage of the jobs work consists of making phone calls then Russ can do it. That would save the town $26,000/yr. plus insurance!
And by the way, what is going on with that reprimand that Jack was so adamant about giving Teddy for, get this..... insubordination! Jack; grow up! you are not Teddy's boss in that manner. he is also an elected official! If he fails to perform his work product in an acceptable fashion then write him up, but if he tells you to piss off! then suck it up and be a man and walk away! You probably earned it!
Friday, April 20
Water !! An alert Citizen
Resident Steps Forward When Selectmen Ignore Their Responsibilities
This blog wishes to commend and thank Atkinson resident John Wolter for stepping up to the plate when, once again, our selectmen dropped the ball and failed in their responsibilities to the residents of Atkinson.
The townspeople of Atkinson are facing a very serious and critical issue, with the potential for great harm to the residents of Atkinson: the pumping of large quantities of our Atkinson water out of town for sale and use out of town. The Hampstead Area Water Company, based in Atkinson, filed an application with the State of NH DES (Dept. of Environmental Services) for a permit to put in more wells in Atkinson, in addition to the existing wells owned and operated by the company in Atkinson.
The Board of Selectmen were advised of this application so that affected residents in town could be advised so that they would have the opportunity to imput on this application which directly affects them. Over 1/3 of the homes in town have private wells which can be seriously impacted by a lowering of the water table because of large-scale withdrawals of our Atkinson water for pumping out of town. Instead of advising the townspeople about this, the Selectmen have withheld from the people the information about this threat to Atkinson’s future groundwater supplies. They have also failed to call for a Public Hearing on the application for resident imput, which is their responsibility when such an impacting application is filed.
Step forward, resident John Wolter, who lives in the Wright Farm Condominium, and is current President of the Wright Farm Condominium Association. Wright Farm has its own private well and water system co-owned by the Wright Farm residents. Because Mr. Wolter is Condo President, he routinely received from the State an informational notification and copy of the Lewis re: Lewis’ new well applications.
Because the selectmen were shirking their responsibility to notify and alert the townspeople or to call for a public hearing, John Wolter, to his great credit, took the initiative. He engaged in intense information-gathering. He contacted DES officials for more information. He studied town maps of water lines and location of Lewis water wells. He singlehandedly arranged for DES officials to come to Atkinson this past Wednesday night to provide information to Atkinson residents about the permitting procedure and to answer questions. He arranged for the meeting to be held at the Community Center. He personally publicized the meeting with two notices in the Carriage Town News. He personally contacted the Eagle Tribune for publicity and for coverage of the meeting. He talked up the meeting with as many residents as possible. He got the meeting publicized on the Community Calendar on Cable TV and also arranged for Cable TV coverage of the meeting, with re-runs to also be broadcast. John also presided over the Wednesday night informational meeting which was to a packed room of concerned residents.
Finally, John is looking into other future avenues which can be pursued to protect Atkinson’s threatened precious water supplies for current and future town needs. John is looking into how to prevent our valuable Atkinson groundwater from being subjected to future massive water withdrawals and pumping out of town for sale out of town for private profit.
John Wolter represents the best of citizenship – of people power. He saw a critical situation developing for Atkinson which was being ignored by our do-nothing selectmen. John, as a concerned town resident, stepped up and showed citizen initiative to protect FOR ATKINSON WHAT BELONGS TO ATKINSON: our valuable ground water supplies.
This blog salutes this very caring activist town citizen. We offer John Wolter our thanks and our praise, and urge town residents to give John whatever help and support he needs in whatever future initiative he uses to protect our Atkinson water for current and future generations in Atkinson.
This blog wishes to commend and thank Atkinson resident John Wolter for stepping up to the plate when, once again, our selectmen dropped the ball and failed in their responsibilities to the residents of Atkinson.
The townspeople of Atkinson are facing a very serious and critical issue, with the potential for great harm to the residents of Atkinson: the pumping of large quantities of our Atkinson water out of town for sale and use out of town. The Hampstead Area Water Company, based in Atkinson, filed an application with the State of NH DES (Dept. of Environmental Services) for a permit to put in more wells in Atkinson, in addition to the existing wells owned and operated by the company in Atkinson.
The Board of Selectmen were advised of this application so that affected residents in town could be advised so that they would have the opportunity to imput on this application which directly affects them. Over 1/3 of the homes in town have private wells which can be seriously impacted by a lowering of the water table because of large-scale withdrawals of our Atkinson water for pumping out of town. Instead of advising the townspeople about this, the Selectmen have withheld from the people the information about this threat to Atkinson’s future groundwater supplies. They have also failed to call for a Public Hearing on the application for resident imput, which is their responsibility when such an impacting application is filed.
Step forward, resident John Wolter, who lives in the Wright Farm Condominium, and is current President of the Wright Farm Condominium Association. Wright Farm has its own private well and water system co-owned by the Wright Farm residents. Because Mr. Wolter is Condo President, he routinely received from the State an informational notification and copy of the Lewis re: Lewis’ new well applications.
Because the selectmen were shirking their responsibility to notify and alert the townspeople or to call for a public hearing, John Wolter, to his great credit, took the initiative. He engaged in intense information-gathering. He contacted DES officials for more information. He studied town maps of water lines and location of Lewis water wells. He singlehandedly arranged for DES officials to come to Atkinson this past Wednesday night to provide information to Atkinson residents about the permitting procedure and to answer questions. He arranged for the meeting to be held at the Community Center. He personally publicized the meeting with two notices in the Carriage Town News. He personally contacted the Eagle Tribune for publicity and for coverage of the meeting. He talked up the meeting with as many residents as possible. He got the meeting publicized on the Community Calendar on Cable TV and also arranged for Cable TV coverage of the meeting, with re-runs to also be broadcast. John also presided over the Wednesday night informational meeting which was to a packed room of concerned residents.
Finally, John is looking into other future avenues which can be pursued to protect Atkinson’s threatened precious water supplies for current and future town needs. John is looking into how to prevent our valuable Atkinson groundwater from being subjected to future massive water withdrawals and pumping out of town for sale out of town for private profit.
John Wolter represents the best of citizenship – of people power. He saw a critical situation developing for Atkinson which was being ignored by our do-nothing selectmen. John, as a concerned town resident, stepped up and showed citizen initiative to protect FOR ATKINSON WHAT BELONGS TO ATKINSON: our valuable ground water supplies.
This blog salutes this very caring activist town citizen. We offer John Wolter our thanks and our praise, and urge town residents to give John whatever help and support he needs in whatever future initiative he uses to protect our Atkinson water for current and future generations in Atkinson.
Wednesday, April 18
Heard in the Town Hall yesterday, part III
Apparently more went on behind the cameras at Monday night's meeting than we knew. Selectman Sapia and Town Administrator McAllister, we hear, were loudly chewing out Cable TV director Erica Jordan yesterday, DEMANDING that she reprimand one of her camera people for having an opinion.
As we hear it, during the portion of the selectmen's meeting where selectman Sullivan apprised Sapia of the legalities of what he was trying to do behind closed doors, one of the camera operators said under their breath; "yes!" This comment was evidently heard by mr. McAllister as he got up and told that operator that "as a town employee you shouldn't say that". But didn't Moderator Polito give us a short disertation at deliberative session that the camera people were not strictly employees they were "paid volunteers"?
Anyway, I digress, Both Sapia and McAllister were in the town hall on Tues. demanding the reprimand of the camera person by Ms. Jordan, and for what? for having an opinion, underthir breath, and allowing the gestapo to hear it.
Atkinsonians, this is getting insane. Sapia complains constantly about people being disresectful towards him and the board, yet noone could possibly be more disrespectful to them than they have been to so many critics. Their disrespect has been the subject of 6 separate legal actions! 4 of which they have lost!
Jack, you can't complain about others doing what you first do to them, Golden Rule! And this isn't George Orwell's 1984, You are not the thought police! Everyone does not have to march in lockstep to your thoughts(if you have any), whims and desires.
Notice the "part III" in the title, if you look back in the archives you will find where Mr. Sapia screamed insanely at Mr. Sullivan in the town hall; "F*** YOU, PAUL; F*** YOU, F*** YOU, F*** YOU! You will also find where he publicly demeaned and humiliated Town Clerk, Linda Jette, in HER office for allowing a resident behind the counter. And THIS is the guy who demands respect from everyone he meets?
A piece of advice, Jack; Respect can not be demanded, it must be earned! Try treating others as you wish to be treated, FIRST!
Why can't you just do your job in a moral, legal, and honorable fashion?
As we hear it, during the portion of the selectmen's meeting where selectman Sullivan apprised Sapia of the legalities of what he was trying to do behind closed doors, one of the camera operators said under their breath; "yes!" This comment was evidently heard by mr. McAllister as he got up and told that operator that "as a town employee you shouldn't say that". But didn't Moderator Polito give us a short disertation at deliberative session that the camera people were not strictly employees they were "paid volunteers"?
Anyway, I digress, Both Sapia and McAllister were in the town hall on Tues. demanding the reprimand of the camera person by Ms. Jordan, and for what? for having an opinion, underthir breath, and allowing the gestapo to hear it.
Atkinsonians, this is getting insane. Sapia complains constantly about people being disresectful towards him and the board, yet noone could possibly be more disrespectful to them than they have been to so many critics. Their disrespect has been the subject of 6 separate legal actions! 4 of which they have lost!
Jack, you can't complain about others doing what you first do to them, Golden Rule! And this isn't George Orwell's 1984, You are not the thought police! Everyone does not have to march in lockstep to your thoughts(if you have any), whims and desires.
Notice the "part III" in the title, if you look back in the archives you will find where Mr. Sapia screamed insanely at Mr. Sullivan in the town hall; "F*** YOU, PAUL; F*** YOU, F*** YOU, F*** YOU! You will also find where he publicly demeaned and humiliated Town Clerk, Linda Jette, in HER office for allowing a resident behind the counter. And THIS is the guy who demands respect from everyone he meets?
A piece of advice, Jack; Respect can not be demanded, it must be earned! Try treating others as you wish to be treated, FIRST!
Why can't you just do your job in a moral, legal, and honorable fashion?
Tuesday, April 17
WATER !! Yours, or the "WATER COMPANY's" ?
*** The Blog will do an update as soon as it can verify status of application and other facts******
Information Meeting Wednesday, April 18th, 7:00 PM at the Atkinson Community Center
Subject: Re: RSA 485-C:21 (Click Title to view RSA) Application for LARGE withdrawal of groundwater in Atkinson.
Are you a customer of a community water system ?,
Are you dependent on someone else for all of your water?
Do you own a home which is dependent on your own well for water?
Then the information which will be provided at this meeting will help you understand its affect on you. You need to attend this meeting !!
Links of interest:
BARNSTEAD WATER RIGHTS AND LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE
http://www.newrules.org/gov/nhwater.html
NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWN BANS CORPORATE WATER WITHDRAWALS
http://www.precaution.org/lib/06/prn_barnstead.htm
Vermont Journal of Environmental Law
http://www.vjel.org/articles/articles/Mulholland.htm
APPEAL - DES permit.
http://www.courts.state.nh.us/supreme/opinions/2006/notti054.pdf
AQUIFER MAP - Attribution-see comments section below
http://www.rpc-nh.org/PDFs/maps/Atk/SDA_Atk_24x36.pdf
NOTE:
We hope to keep the discussion on this article as informative and relevant as practical - Sooo, if a comment is missing…………., anyway, that is the current policy for this article, see how it goes.
Information Meeting Wednesday, April 18th, 7:00 PM at the Atkinson Community Center
Subject: Re: RSA 485-C:21 (Click Title to view RSA) Application for LARGE withdrawal of groundwater in Atkinson.
Are you a customer of a community water system ?,
Are you dependent on someone else for all of your water?
Do you own a home which is dependent on your own well for water?
Then the information which will be provided at this meeting will help you understand its affect on you. You need to attend this meeting !!
Links of interest:
BARNSTEAD WATER RIGHTS AND LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE
http://www.newrules.org/gov/nhwater.html
NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWN BANS CORPORATE WATER WITHDRAWALS
http://www.precaution.org/lib/06/prn_barnstead.htm
Vermont Journal of Environmental Law
http://www.vjel.org/articles/articles/Mulholland.htm
APPEAL - DES permit.
http://www.courts.state.nh.us/supreme/opinions/2006/notti054.pdf
AQUIFER MAP - Attribution-see comments section below
http://www.rpc-nh.org/PDFs/maps/Atk/SDA_Atk_24x36.pdf
NOTE:
We hope to keep the discussion on this article as informative and relevant as practical - Sooo, if a comment is missing…………., anyway, that is the current policy for this article, see how it goes.
Monday, April 16
Selectmen Infighting on Camera, What entertainment!
Less than an hour into last nights selectmen's meeting, Selectmen Sapia and Childs, and Selectman Sullivan had a little contretemps, over going into non-public session to ream our road agent once again. Mr. Sullivan rightly called public attention to the impropriety of the action. Mr. Stewart exercised his right to have the meeting conducted in the open, and apparently that really offended Jack and Fred.
Why cant these issues be dealt with in public, especially when the person being reamed asks for it to be conducted in public?
Why do Jack and Fred NOT want to hire an assistant road agent? What has changed? Why do we not need one now when we have needed one for the last 30 years? This is the same board that in the last three years has created the Town's FIRST FULL TIME police Lt. without even a consideration for the will of the voters, tried to make the community center director full time, increased spending across the board, paid town officials PERSONAL legal expenses, and now they feel that the place to cut costs is with the highway dept.? A dept. that has already reduced it's overall budget by over $100,000 this year?
This blog accepts the fact that Fred has had an axe to grind with Teddy for years, That Jack first ran for office to defeat Teddy because teddy wouldn't put speed bumps on his road, but this vindictiveness is going too far.
Why is it disrespectful, according to Chairman Sapia, to question the manner in which the board of selectmen conducts business? Teddy has been infinitely more respectful to the board, than the board, in the persons of Mssrs. Sapia, Childs, and Consentino, have been to him. It must be such a burden to have a thin skin. Never liked people who dish it out, but can't take it.
Jack made a very good point though, the people of Atkinson ARE sick of seeing the circus on monday nights, but what he misses is that he has been the prime instigator of the circus since the chief left the board.
So here is what last nights CIRCUS was REALLY about....
Two weeks ago, we heard about the issue of renting a chipper, to chip up brush. Well last year when Teddy brought that up, Jack was dead set against it due to the expense of maintenance and insurance and training personell to use it properly. All valid concerns. Twoo weeks ago he chewed teddy out for not budgeting for the chipper rental. Teddy contradicted Jack, which led to a non-public session for the purpose of reprimanding teddy for his insubordination. When the Jack started discussing discontinuing the assistant road agent position, Teddy stated that he would not participate in policy discussions off camera as it was illegal! He was right. From what we hear Fred ordered him back into the room, and Teddy, to his credit, refused. This led to last nights non- public session to write Teddy up for his "disrespect to the board of selectmen" (JAcks words) Two problems, the board can not order anyone to do an illegal thing. Secondly, Teddy is not an employee but an elected official. They can write him up for the quality of his work but not for insubordination, he doesn't work FOR them, he works FOR the people, they merely supervise him. Jack, read the law and learn your job! Selectman Sullivan is exactly right; you can't discuss policy issues in non-public session. You can not FIRE an elected official, even the road agent! You can suspend his duties while you file with the Superior Court to remove him, but you can not FIRE an elected official! You do not control the membership of the tower committee, it is spelled out in the warrant article! Whatever happenned to the man of the people who was going to make everything public and give the town back to the people? I gues you lied about that too, huh, Jack? You can not conduct town business out of public meetings, except as specifically prescribed by RSA 91A:3.
Funny, I remember Jack making such a big deal about adopting Robert's Rules of Conduct, as official policy of the board to instill courtesy and decorum among the board. It only took 22 minutes for Jack to violate Robert's Rules. Perhaps he should have read the rules first! This meeting was a prime example, Jack, as chair, had recognized Paul. When Paul had the floor and started saying something Jack didn't like he spoke over him, something Robert's Rules were designed to avoid.
The part of the meeting where they were reviewing the employee manual was interesting as well, seeing as the Town code of ethics ordinance prohibits discussion, deliberation, or voting upon any issue where there existed an employee/employer relationship within the last 12 months. This means that Fred, who ended his employer/employee relationship one month ago should be recusing himself and stepping aside on these issues. But not in Atkinson!
Why cant these issues be dealt with in public, especially when the person being reamed asks for it to be conducted in public?
Why do Jack and Fred NOT want to hire an assistant road agent? What has changed? Why do we not need one now when we have needed one for the last 30 years? This is the same board that in the last three years has created the Town's FIRST FULL TIME police Lt. without even a consideration for the will of the voters, tried to make the community center director full time, increased spending across the board, paid town officials PERSONAL legal expenses, and now they feel that the place to cut costs is with the highway dept.? A dept. that has already reduced it's overall budget by over $100,000 this year?
This blog accepts the fact that Fred has had an axe to grind with Teddy for years, That Jack first ran for office to defeat Teddy because teddy wouldn't put speed bumps on his road, but this vindictiveness is going too far.
Why is it disrespectful, according to Chairman Sapia, to question the manner in which the board of selectmen conducts business? Teddy has been infinitely more respectful to the board, than the board, in the persons of Mssrs. Sapia, Childs, and Consentino, have been to him. It must be such a burden to have a thin skin. Never liked people who dish it out, but can't take it.
Jack made a very good point though, the people of Atkinson ARE sick of seeing the circus on monday nights, but what he misses is that he has been the prime instigator of the circus since the chief left the board.
So here is what last nights CIRCUS was REALLY about....
Two weeks ago, we heard about the issue of renting a chipper, to chip up brush. Well last year when Teddy brought that up, Jack was dead set against it due to the expense of maintenance and insurance and training personell to use it properly. All valid concerns. Twoo weeks ago he chewed teddy out for not budgeting for the chipper rental. Teddy contradicted Jack, which led to a non-public session for the purpose of reprimanding teddy for his insubordination. When the Jack started discussing discontinuing the assistant road agent position, Teddy stated that he would not participate in policy discussions off camera as it was illegal! He was right. From what we hear Fred ordered him back into the room, and Teddy, to his credit, refused. This led to last nights non- public session to write Teddy up for his "disrespect to the board of selectmen" (JAcks words) Two problems, the board can not order anyone to do an illegal thing. Secondly, Teddy is not an employee but an elected official. They can write him up for the quality of his work but not for insubordination, he doesn't work FOR them, he works FOR the people, they merely supervise him. Jack, read the law and learn your job! Selectman Sullivan is exactly right; you can't discuss policy issues in non-public session. You can not FIRE an elected official, even the road agent! You can suspend his duties while you file with the Superior Court to remove him, but you can not FIRE an elected official! You do not control the membership of the tower committee, it is spelled out in the warrant article! Whatever happenned to the man of the people who was going to make everything public and give the town back to the people? I gues you lied about that too, huh, Jack? You can not conduct town business out of public meetings, except as specifically prescribed by RSA 91A:3.
Funny, I remember Jack making such a big deal about adopting Robert's Rules of Conduct, as official policy of the board to instill courtesy and decorum among the board. It only took 22 minutes for Jack to violate Robert's Rules. Perhaps he should have read the rules first! This meeting was a prime example, Jack, as chair, had recognized Paul. When Paul had the floor and started saying something Jack didn't like he spoke over him, something Robert's Rules were designed to avoid.
The part of the meeting where they were reviewing the employee manual was interesting as well, seeing as the Town code of ethics ordinance prohibits discussion, deliberation, or voting upon any issue where there existed an employee/employer relationship within the last 12 months. This means that Fred, who ended his employer/employee relationship one month ago should be recusing himself and stepping aside on these issues. But not in Atkinson!
Tuesday, April 10
Thank you, Selectman Sullivan!
Finally, a selectman who is not afraid to PUBLICLY state that the voters wishes as expressed by their vote must stand! Sorry, Jack, you can't stack the tower committee in order to achieve the outcome you wish to have.
The voter approved warrant article stated thus;
“ To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000 to pay for a study by professionals in the emergency communications field, to advise the Town on at least, but not limited to, two options to bring the emergency communications system in Atkinson up to standards that meet or exceed State and/or Federal recommendations for the next decade of service level. Said study’s final guidelines, before being put out to bid by the Selectmen, will be set by an ad hoc committee composed of one member each from the following organizations (as chosen by the organization): Police, Fire and Highway Safety Departments, Selectmen, Planning Board, Building Needs, Conservation Commission and Budget Committee.”
You see, Mr. Sullivan is absolutely correct! The article is clear. there are to be 8 members of said committee, as specified. But selectman Sapia does not have a very good track record at obeying the wishes of the voters, nor does Mr. Childs. Remember the Vietnam Honor roll panels articles in 2005. Still not fulfilled! The selectmen are so petty that they haven't even paid the $1.00 specified in the article.
And please remember that just because you use a radio it does not make you a communications professional who can design and build a system.
The voter approved warrant article stated thus;
“ To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000 to pay for a study by professionals in the emergency communications field, to advise the Town on at least, but not limited to, two options to bring the emergency communications system in Atkinson up to standards that meet or exceed State and/or Federal recommendations for the next decade of service level. Said study’s final guidelines, before being put out to bid by the Selectmen, will be set by an ad hoc committee composed of one member each from the following organizations (as chosen by the organization): Police, Fire and Highway Safety Departments, Selectmen, Planning Board, Building Needs, Conservation Commission and Budget Committee.”
You see, Mr. Sullivan is absolutely correct! The article is clear. there are to be 8 members of said committee, as specified. But selectman Sapia does not have a very good track record at obeying the wishes of the voters, nor does Mr. Childs. Remember the Vietnam Honor roll panels articles in 2005. Still not fulfilled! The selectmen are so petty that they haven't even paid the $1.00 specified in the article.
And please remember that just because you use a radio it does not make you a communications professional who can design and build a system.
Friday, April 6
What is going on with the Budget Committee?
It has been a month now since the election and we STILL do not know who is serving on the budget committee! Has Mrs. Morelli quit her job to take up her seat on the committee? Has the chairman, annouced a vacancy? Has he called the other candidates to see if they are still interested?
This blog notes that last year the process was conducted totally out in the open and above board. Then Chairman Acciard, announced that the position was vacant, reading Mrs. Morelli's letter, and asked for letters from anyone interested in serving, then the committee invited the prospective candidates in and interviewed them in public, then made their decision right there. The public could see everything! We hope that the current chair will act as honorably should Mrs. Morelli vacate the position again.
This blog notes that last year the process was conducted totally out in the open and above board. Then Chairman Acciard, announced that the position was vacant, reading Mrs. Morelli's letter, and asked for letters from anyone interested in serving, then the committee invited the prospective candidates in and interviewed them in public, then made their decision right there. The public could see everything! We hope that the current chair will act as honorably should Mrs. Morelli vacate the position again.
The Vietnam Veterans Honor Roll
Welcome to another new contributor under the Publius byline.
WOULD YOU PLEASE CONSIDER PUBLISHING THIS AS AN ARTICLE?
Carol Grant said,
I'm the "resident" referred to near the end of the Tues. April 3 article "Interesting Meeting." I'm the one who went to the Selectmen's meeting to plead with Messrs. Sapia and Childs to finally honor the 2005 Town Meeting vote and mandate to place the Vietnam Honor Roll panels in front of town hall on each side of the Vietnam mapstone. I'm the one who pleaded with them to keep their word to the townspeople- given at the July 25 and Aug. 8, 05 selectmen's meeting- that they would honor the Town meeting vote.
The response by "Anonymous" (April 5, 7:12 p.m.) bought tears to my eyes. What the selectmen did to the Regan family was so cruel and senseless.
Paul Regan served his country in uniform during a difficult time. He died without seeing the name panel with his name on it installed where the voters mandated. He died knowing cruelty from the selectmen.
Paul's elderly mother Catherine, like so many other veterans' mothers, donated to help pay for those name panels. She was with Paul at what was supposed to be the Dedication of the Vietnam Honor Rolls, but saw instead, our
selectmen dishonoring her son's service by refusing to allow the installation of the panels. Catherine died two weeks ago, -- died never having seen the installed name panel with her son's name on it. The selectmen's cruelty to her and the other mothers was so callous.
Paul's father, Capt. Regan, was the long-time commander of the veterans marching unit in the Memorial Day parades. He also frequently was the speaker at those Memorial Day observances. He died before these selectmen dishonored his son and the other Vietnam veterans.
A whole patriotic veterans family is now gone. -- gone without having received the honor due them.
What pains and grieves me is that there are quite a few other Catherine Regans in town--elderly mothers who won't be around much longer -- mother's whose son's names are on those Honor Roll panels which the selectmen refused to allow installed. How many more of those mothers will also die while being cruelly denied seeing their veteran sons honored for their service.
How many more veterans like Paul will die without seeing their names on the panels,--their service to their country honored?
How many more Memorial Days will come and go before the selectmen finally do the right thing? How much longer will they dishonor our Vietnam veterans?
Town Meeting just passed the library. Not all voters voted for it, but the selectmen will still comply with the wishes of those voters who passed the warrant article. They won't pander to those who voted against the passed article. So, how can they pick and choose which passed articles they will comply with? How can they say we'll honor the Town Meeting vote passing the library, but not the 2005 Town meeting vote passing the Vietnam Honor Roll panels and mandating where they are to go?
Right now, U.S. troops are fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet in Atkinson, our Vietnam veterans are being callously dishonored. How can this be allowed to happen in our town? How can this be allowed to happen to our Vietnam veterans, and more cruelly, to thier parents?
How many more mothers have to die experiencing this cruelty by our selectmen.
How many more Memorial Days will come and go before we have selectmen who honor those who have served? How many more Memorial Days will those Vietnam Honor Roll panels with those 71 names have to be kept in storage waiting for a patriotic Board of Selectmlen?
I ache and grieve for those who served and for the parents of those whose service is being dishonored.
Carol Grant
WOULD YOU PLEASE CONSIDER PUBLISHING THIS AS AN ARTICLE?
Carol Grant said,
I'm the "resident" referred to near the end of the Tues. April 3 article "Interesting Meeting." I'm the one who went to the Selectmen's meeting to plead with Messrs. Sapia and Childs to finally honor the 2005 Town Meeting vote and mandate to place the Vietnam Honor Roll panels in front of town hall on each side of the Vietnam mapstone. I'm the one who pleaded with them to keep their word to the townspeople- given at the July 25 and Aug. 8, 05 selectmen's meeting- that they would honor the Town meeting vote.
The response by "Anonymous" (April 5, 7:12 p.m.) bought tears to my eyes. What the selectmen did to the Regan family was so cruel and senseless.
Paul Regan served his country in uniform during a difficult time. He died without seeing the name panel with his name on it installed where the voters mandated. He died knowing cruelty from the selectmen.
Paul's elderly mother Catherine, like so many other veterans' mothers, donated to help pay for those name panels. She was with Paul at what was supposed to be the Dedication of the Vietnam Honor Rolls, but saw instead, our
selectmen dishonoring her son's service by refusing to allow the installation of the panels. Catherine died two weeks ago, -- died never having seen the installed name panel with her son's name on it. The selectmen's cruelty to her and the other mothers was so callous.
Paul's father, Capt. Regan, was the long-time commander of the veterans marching unit in the Memorial Day parades. He also frequently was the speaker at those Memorial Day observances. He died before these selectmen dishonored his son and the other Vietnam veterans.
A whole patriotic veterans family is now gone. -- gone without having received the honor due them.
What pains and grieves me is that there are quite a few other Catherine Regans in town--elderly mothers who won't be around much longer -- mother's whose son's names are on those Honor Roll panels which the selectmen refused to allow installed. How many more of those mothers will also die while being cruelly denied seeing their veteran sons honored for their service.
How many more veterans like Paul will die without seeing their names on the panels,--their service to their country honored?
How many more Memorial Days will come and go before the selectmen finally do the right thing? How much longer will they dishonor our Vietnam veterans?
Town Meeting just passed the library. Not all voters voted for it, but the selectmen will still comply with the wishes of those voters who passed the warrant article. They won't pander to those who voted against the passed article. So, how can they pick and choose which passed articles they will comply with? How can they say we'll honor the Town Meeting vote passing the library, but not the 2005 Town meeting vote passing the Vietnam Honor Roll panels and mandating where they are to go?
Right now, U.S. troops are fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet in Atkinson, our Vietnam veterans are being callously dishonored. How can this be allowed to happen in our town? How can this be allowed to happen to our Vietnam veterans, and more cruelly, to thier parents?
How many more mothers have to die experiencing this cruelty by our selectmen.
How many more Memorial Days will come and go before we have selectmen who honor those who have served? How many more Memorial Days will those Vietnam Honor Roll panels with those 71 names have to be kept in storage waiting for a patriotic Board of Selectmlen?
I ache and grieve for those who served and for the parents of those whose service is being dishonored.
Carol Grant
Tuesday, April 3
Interesting Meeting
Well, Congratulations to the Library Trustees, The selectmen finally signed the contract. Now the question is why is it going to take FOUR MONTHS to get the bid documents out. This blog has had some experience with building commercial buildings and in my case it took 29 days to get the bid documents ready. Why 4 our months?
The selectmen also discussed the Tower committee, Gentlemen, this is a serious issue for the town and one that will be watched closely, Please make certain that you adhere to the terms of the warrant article. Please hold the meetings in the town hall, in the open, in public, and preferably televised! Please make certain to not just rely on the work done previously but to actively search for new ideas, and lower cost methods to solve this issue. Also, you should ask what is the depth of the issue, and how does it compare to other surrounding towns communications issues?
Remember the warrant article calls for the presentation to the voters of at least two different options for their consideration. Also the warrant article states the specific make up of the committee, stop trying to flood it with people whose minds are already made up and who have a vested interect in the construction of a tower. Lucia from Plaistow is a wonderful woman, but just a dispatcher, another user of the equipment, not a communications specialist. Bob Murad, a Methuen cop 20 years ago, again a user not an expert, Billy Baldwin, same scenario, user not expert. Lets get some people who knw about emergency communications beyond pushing the button on their radio to call dispatch. Call TES Communications in Salisbury, and ask them what they recommended to Lt. Baldwin. I heard that they thought our problem could have been handled with vehicle repeaters, but they had the impression that we were adamant about a tower. Talk to Tyco about their MA-One system, it overlayed over any system to give differring systems total interoperability, this was demonstrated during 9-11 then NYC ordered the system installed immediately.
Forgive this blog but we are sceptical of the selectmen's good intentions. We believe that they are trying to pack the committee with members that favor a tower before doing any research, so that when votes are taken they will dominate. This is not the intent of the article.
It is also noted that a resident came into the meeting to ask the selectmen to do the right thing and honor the 2005 town meeting vote to place the vietnam honor roll panels with the map stone. With Memorial day approaching it would be nice to do the right thing here. Also seeing as Jack likes to take a moment of silence out of respect for our troops at the outset of each meeting this would give him an opportunity to not just pretend to honor our servicemen, but to actually DO something.
Think about it guys, honor the voters wishes, honor your own words in the selelctmen's meeting.
The selectmen also discussed the Tower committee, Gentlemen, this is a serious issue for the town and one that will be watched closely, Please make certain that you adhere to the terms of the warrant article. Please hold the meetings in the town hall, in the open, in public, and preferably televised! Please make certain to not just rely on the work done previously but to actively search for new ideas, and lower cost methods to solve this issue. Also, you should ask what is the depth of the issue, and how does it compare to other surrounding towns communications issues?
Remember the warrant article calls for the presentation to the voters of at least two different options for their consideration. Also the warrant article states the specific make up of the committee, stop trying to flood it with people whose minds are already made up and who have a vested interect in the construction of a tower. Lucia from Plaistow is a wonderful woman, but just a dispatcher, another user of the equipment, not a communications specialist. Bob Murad, a Methuen cop 20 years ago, again a user not an expert, Billy Baldwin, same scenario, user not expert. Lets get some people who knw about emergency communications beyond pushing the button on their radio to call dispatch. Call TES Communications in Salisbury, and ask them what they recommended to Lt. Baldwin. I heard that they thought our problem could have been handled with vehicle repeaters, but they had the impression that we were adamant about a tower. Talk to Tyco about their MA-One system, it overlayed over any system to give differring systems total interoperability, this was demonstrated during 9-11 then NYC ordered the system installed immediately.
Forgive this blog but we are sceptical of the selectmen's good intentions. We believe that they are trying to pack the committee with members that favor a tower before doing any research, so that when votes are taken they will dominate. This is not the intent of the article.
It is also noted that a resident came into the meeting to ask the selectmen to do the right thing and honor the 2005 town meeting vote to place the vietnam honor roll panels with the map stone. With Memorial day approaching it would be nice to do the right thing here. Also seeing as Jack likes to take a moment of silence out of respect for our troops at the outset of each meeting this would give him an opportunity to not just pretend to honor our servicemen, but to actually DO something.
Think about it guys, honor the voters wishes, honor your own words in the selelctmen's meeting.
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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
