SEPTEMBER 12, 2007 THAT IS THE DAY EVERYONE NEEDS TO VOTE! Both to protect our water, and to tell the selectmen that our vote means something and they ARE BOUND BY IT! The selectmen are not elected kings, they do what we tell them, they have failed in this and many other instances.
Above you can see the list of names that are on the Vietnam Honor Roll Panels. What you can not see is the panels themselves. Why? You may be asking, because even though 1200 of our residents voted to place those panels as pictured above, and not spend more than a dollar of taxpayer money on them, the Selectmen have refused to carry out their legal duty, and place them. Our board of selectmen take a minute of silence at the biginning of each meeting to honor our troops, while the one concrete(or marble) thing they could do to show their care and concern for our troops, placing the memorial panels, they steadfastly refuse to do.
This was the first war in history, where soldiers were not greeted with honor upon their return. They were spat upon, called every vile name in the book, and why? Because the media, and academia made a campaign out of turning public opinion against the war, and our troops, much like they are doing today with the War on Terror. These paralels are why the placement of these panels are so important.
It is high time to honor these fine young people who served with honor from Atkinson.
The cicitzens have called for a special town meeting to decide this question AGAIN! To put it to aa vote AGAIN! Certain members of the board of selectmen are working very hard behind the scenes to stack the deliberative session to once again attempt to alter these warrant articles to something inocuous. The tried before, and screwed it up, they are trying again.
Remember the conduct of your board of selectmen in this matter. Refusing to honor the town vote even when they had a letter from town counsel telling them that there was no conflcit in the two articles, they, in this blog's opinion, lied to you telling you that there was a conflict. Then they, in this blog's opinion, lied to you again, when this petition was presented telling you that a judge had already ruled on this matter when in fact, no judge had ruled, they had bullied 6 very nice little old ladies form the Historical Society into agreeing to their position, again, by misinforming those ladies about the probable outcome of going to court on the matter. No Officers and Gentlemen, these.....
Call all of your friends, particularly elderly people with sons and duaghters who are veterans, and ask them to support these panels. Do not let yourselves be bamboozled by Sapia, Consentino, Childs, et al. into disgracing our vets yet again.
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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. "
7 comments:
When this issue came before the Budget Committee two years ago, I was on the fence at first as well. As a veteran myself, I am always in favor of honoring vets in any way possible, because it is their sacrifices that protect our ability to debate issues openly. However when the people voted to do it, that ended all debate for me. I didn't have a right to advocate Jack's position that their were ambiguities, because I knew better. The people had voted, Town counsel had declared that the articles were legal, and therefor, in my mind, no town official had the right to stand in the way of the Town's vote. Throughout 2005 Jack and I had many debates about this issue after budget meetings, with him parsing the language to tell me that the word "area" was too vague, and me telling him that the phrase " The area in between the flagpoles up to and including the flagpoles themselves" is about as specific as you could get, and only someone looking for justification to thwart the people's vote would read it as too vague, and this is what has led us to a second vote. While the purpose of this vote is to get these panels out of the warehouse and into the ground in front of the town hall where the voters said to put them in the first place, I see this vote as also having the side benefit of telling the selectmen to STOP SCREWING AROUND WITH OUR VOTES, AND DO WHAT WE, THE PEOPLE, TELL YOU TO! As the law says.
Thank you Mr. Acciard for letting the rest of us know some of the things that go on behind the scenes. But doing the right thing is not what Mr. Sapia is all about judging from his actions as a selectman.
As I think we have all guessed by now, Jack's moment of silence is less about him honoring the troops, than about making himself look good by caring about the troops.
Is Consentino STILL a Selectmen? I was sure that he was no longer a member of the BOS, but his name seems to appear each and every time the Selectmen members are mentioned - why is that? If he is no longer a Selectmen, I cannot imagine what say he would have in this matter, or any of the other numerous matters that he seems to inject himself into. It would appear that the Board is pandering to Consentino and HIS wishes as opposed to the wishes of the residents of Atkinson, the same people who elected them into office and, God willing, will un-elect them. Pure speculation on my part, but based on the blog reports it appears that he's dictating their behavior and I cannot help but wonder why...
I would like any of those town officials that have sttod in the way of this honor, what logical reason they could have for refusing to honor veterans, any veterans? Mr. Childs, Sapia, Consentino, Weymouth, do you have any logical reasons for your actions?
It is a shame that we have to have this question voted on again, when we voted to have this doen two years ago, and it is only due to the selectmen's refusal to do what we, the voters, told them to do.
What a spectacle at the deliberative session, to see Sapia whining about "trying to please everybody", and Childs complaining about not being liked!
People, pleasing everyone is NOT YOUR JOB!!!
If you want to be liked then you shouldn't be in a leadership position!
Selectmen, your job is to do what the residents of Atkinson tell you to do in a town meeting vote! To not follow a townmeeting vote IS ILLEGAL!!!
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