Well the only TRUE measure would be to compare Atkinson to a similar town and make the required adjustments for differences. So let's see how that works out, We will compare Atkinson to Hampstead. A neighboring town, also with a part time chief although Hampstead's Chief is elected, not appointed.
Hampstead has 7 full time officers, Atkinson has 5.
Hampstead does not allow anyone but the chief to take home a vehicle, Atkinson allows chief and lt. Baldwin to take home vehicles(used to let Sgt. Farrar take home a vehicle too, selectmen Boyle put a stop to that, 4 years ago)
Hampstead has 9164 residents, and over 300 business', including four industrial parks, 4 bars, 5 shopping centers. Atkinson has 6586 residents and 71 business', only 33 of which are not attached to or operated out of a home.
Here are the budgets for 2007:
Line item.............. Atkinson..... Hampstead..... Difference
Officers Salary .......433772........ 451675............. 17903
Chiefs salary ...........24485.......... 23527................ (958)
custodial....................2020............ 3552............... 1532
Details ....................12256 ..................0............ (12256 )
Insurance benefits ...............................0...................... 0
med. insurance ........86534.......... 61539.............(24995)
dental ins....................................... 5261................ 5261
life ins. .............................................800.................. 800
LTD insurance ...........1400............. 1200.................(200)
STD insurance ...........1500.............. 1200................(300)
retirement............... 28949........... 40000............. 11051
legal expense ..........20474 ...........16000 ..............(4474 )
telephone ................11655............. 7500...............(4155 )
advertising ................1126 ...............100...............(1026)
dues/subscriptions.... 1850............... 300............. -1550
general supplies......... 7062............. 4500............. -2562
postage...................... 1300............... 400............... -900
equipment................... 8736............ 25300........... 16564
uniforms................... 12996............. 7200............. -5796
gas............................ 30000............ 22000............ -8000
vehicle repairs........... 10870............. 7000............. -3870
misc. expense............. 7190............... 700.............. -6490
training....................... 16482........... 8000............. -8482
other compensation..... 5165............ 1000............. -4165
cruiser replacement.... 21709.......... 27000 ...............5291
other misc. expense ....17924........... 1000........... -16924
electricity...................... 6900........... 4500............. -2400
heat.............................. 3082........... 3000................. -82
building repair .............2691 ..........10000 ...............7309
Totals:....................... 778128......... 734254.......... -43874
We should also point out that Atkinson has 44 miles of road to patrol, while Hampstead has 77.
We should also point out that the Budget Committee has pulled $154,000 out of the police budget in the last two years, Insurance 28k, dispatch contract 31k, details 75k, some minor expenses.
Now we look at the numbers, and have to ask, why does Atkinson cost MORE than Hampstead? They have MORE crime! They have MORE business! They have 2 MORE officers! although they only have 7 vehicles, we have 9 for police and 3 for elderly.
Hampstead has 2 more full time officers yet they only spend 17k more than Atkinson??? Well they done have an $85k Lt.!
Hampsteads insurance costs are a fraction of Atkinson's
Hampstead's legal expenses are only 3/4 of Atkinson's, and they send far more defendants to court than Atkinson. But their chief does not engender more legal expense than the entire town does either.
Telephone, advertising, dues, general expenses, postage, all almost DOUBLE Hampstead's, can any of these be legitimate, or is this where the chief hides the 40-50k he has left over every year?(except last year and this year when he eats up his budget by putting two or three officers on Sundays)
How is it possible that Atkinson can have almost DOUBLE the uniform cost of Hampstead when we have fewer officers?
How is it possible that we use 26% more gas than Hampstead when they have more officers on, more miles to travel?
How is it possible that our maintenance costs for cruisers is 55% higher when most of our vehicles ARE NEW!!! 6 out of the 9 are 2 years old or under!!!
WHY DOESN'T THE BUDGET COMMITTEE ASK THESE QUESTIONS?
Comments, please?
Tuesday, July 31
Tuesday, July 24
Electioneering, pt.2- Jack just doesn't get it!
Monday nights selectmen's meeting ended with Selectman Sapia's expressed desire to clarify that the selectmen did nothing wrong.
Proving that he didn't understand any of what transpired at deliberative session, he claimed again that the "agreement"(his words, at least he is not still insisting it is a Court Order)was binding upon the town, and the selectmen have not violated it. Well, that is true, as far as it goes, but the issue is not the mediated stipulation, but the fact that the stipulation SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN NECESSARY!!!
It is not the stipulation that the selectmen have violated but the law when they refused to follow warrant articles duly passed by the voters and legally binding upon the town.
The issue, Mr. Sapia, is that once those articles passed, and town counsel advised you that there was no ambiguity in them, and that they were legally binding upon the town, discussion should have stopped. You should have done what the people told you to do. After that time, when Mr. Weymouths group came in to complain about placing them in front of the town hall, you should have politely told them you were sorry, but the people voted. They had no standing to complain. They had no standing to be at the mediation. You, sir violated a public trust, by not following the vote of the people, and now you think you are Legislature material? You should probably run for Congress, as they by and large, have as much honor and integrity, and honesty as you do! Actually I am sorry, that was unfair... Congress has much, much, more.
Proving that he didn't understand any of what transpired at deliberative session, he claimed again that the "agreement"(his words, at least he is not still insisting it is a Court Order)was binding upon the town, and the selectmen have not violated it. Well, that is true, as far as it goes, but the issue is not the mediated stipulation, but the fact that the stipulation SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN NECESSARY!!!
It is not the stipulation that the selectmen have violated but the law when they refused to follow warrant articles duly passed by the voters and legally binding upon the town.
The issue, Mr. Sapia, is that once those articles passed, and town counsel advised you that there was no ambiguity in them, and that they were legally binding upon the town, discussion should have stopped. You should have done what the people told you to do. After that time, when Mr. Weymouths group came in to complain about placing them in front of the town hall, you should have politely told them you were sorry, but the people voted. They had no standing to complain. They had no standing to be at the mediation. You, sir violated a public trust, by not following the vote of the people, and now you think you are Legislature material? You should probably run for Congress, as they by and large, have as much honor and integrity, and honesty as you do! Actually I am sorry, that was unfair... Congress has much, much, more.
Monday, July 23
Atkinson PD has a new division!
According to the Eagle-Tribune today the town's new wheelchair van is in and striped. It reads "Atkinson Police Community Services Senior Transport Division"
WOW! I thought Elderly Affairs was a separate dept.! Hold on, let me check the town website..........
Yup, The budget shows it as a separate, stand alone dept. I even found the minutes where the selectmen re-appointed thi guy named Phil Consentino to serve as elderly affairs director for a period of one year. Surely if it was merely a division of the PD there would be no elderly affairs director position to be appointed to, it would simply be the chief of police's job. And I remember Chief Consentino asking the selectmen last year to move elderly affairs back into the PD, and they did not vote to do that, but never the less, here it is, a DIVISION of the PD!
By the way, for all who didn't know we INCREASED THE SIZE OF THE FLEET AGAIN, TOO! The police fleet now consists of 12 vehicles! Yes I know chief stated in the selectmens meeting 6/18/07 that there were only 10 vehicles, but he was wrong, as he so often is, the FACT is he pnly traded ONE VEHICLE IN ON THE TWO NEW ONES, NOT A TWO FOR TWO TRADE AS HE PROMISED THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. But whatever you do, don't call these mistakes, you may get sued if you do, it HAS hapenned, you know.
I remember Chief telling the Eagle-Tribune a couple of months ago that the reason elderly affairs worked so well in the Pd was that there is "so little crime in Atkinson, and we have dispatchers that have the time to do it."
Can anyone give a logical reason why Elderly Affairs would not be more efficient, more accountable, and more transparent if TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM THE PD? take the stripes and radios off the vehicles, run your phone line to the community center and run it with all of the other senior programs, make it a true FULL SERVICE SENIOR PROGRAM. Tell us wy that would not work, We can't wait to hear this one.
WOW! I thought Elderly Affairs was a separate dept.! Hold on, let me check the town website..........
Yup, The budget shows it as a separate, stand alone dept. I even found the minutes where the selectmen re-appointed thi guy named Phil Consentino to serve as elderly affairs director for a period of one year. Surely if it was merely a division of the PD there would be no elderly affairs director position to be appointed to, it would simply be the chief of police's job. And I remember Chief Consentino asking the selectmen last year to move elderly affairs back into the PD, and they did not vote to do that, but never the less, here it is, a DIVISION of the PD!
By the way, for all who didn't know we INCREASED THE SIZE OF THE FLEET AGAIN, TOO! The police fleet now consists of 12 vehicles! Yes I know chief stated in the selectmens meeting 6/18/07 that there were only 10 vehicles, but he was wrong, as he so often is, the FACT is he pnly traded ONE VEHICLE IN ON THE TWO NEW ONES, NOT A TWO FOR TWO TRADE AS HE PROMISED THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. But whatever you do, don't call these mistakes, you may get sued if you do, it HAS hapenned, you know.
I remember Chief telling the Eagle-Tribune a couple of months ago that the reason elderly affairs worked so well in the Pd was that there is "so little crime in Atkinson, and we have dispatchers that have the time to do it."
Can anyone give a logical reason why Elderly Affairs would not be more efficient, more accountable, and more transparent if TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM THE PD? take the stripes and radios off the vehicles, run your phone line to the community center and run it with all of the other senior programs, make it a true FULL SERVICE SENIOR PROGRAM. Tell us wy that would not work, We can't wait to hear this one.
Sunday, July 22
Electioneering, Illegal but is it a town tradition?
This is what the law says about Electioneering.
659:44-a Electioneering by Public Employees. – No public employee, as defined in RSA 273-A:1, IX, shall electioneer while in the performance of his or her official duties or use government property, including, but not limited to, telephones, facsimile machines, vehicles, and computers, for electioneering. For the purposes of this section, ""electioneer'' means to act in any way specifically designed to influence the vote of a voter on any question or office. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Now that having been said, Atkinson has a rich but clandestine history of public officials, and employees electioneering, but intentionally, and in one case accidently.
1.) When Chief and selectman Sapia stand on the post office lawn to hold signs and wave to cars campaigning for Lt. Baldwin to be elected to school board, that is electioneering.
2.) When Jack puts Baldwin signs on town property, that is electioneering.
3.) When the chief comes into a selectmens meeting to urge everyone to vote for the wheelchair van the next day, that is electioneering.
4.) When Lt. Baldwin comes into a selectmen's meeting to advocate for the communications tower issue, that is electioneering.
5.) When Principal Webster advocates in the school newsletter for the kindergarten, that was electioneering, although she probably didn't know it at the time. (she is not a public official)
This is all wrong as it is using your official position to advocate foe a candidate or issue. However this blog is getting reports of phone calls being made by public officials, to get out the vote AGAINST the Vietnam Honor Roll panels article. THIS IS ILLEGAL!
So, in honor of this practice, this blog would like to keep track of the public pressure being brought to bear upon the voters in regards to this issue. We would appreciate a comment, whenever anyone is contacted by those advocating, or those opposing this issue. We would like to keep a public tally. This should be fun.
659:44-a Electioneering by Public Employees. – No public employee, as defined in RSA 273-A:1, IX, shall electioneer while in the performance of his or her official duties or use government property, including, but not limited to, telephones, facsimile machines, vehicles, and computers, for electioneering. For the purposes of this section, ""electioneer'' means to act in any way specifically designed to influence the vote of a voter on any question or office. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Now that having been said, Atkinson has a rich but clandestine history of public officials, and employees electioneering, but intentionally, and in one case accidently.
1.) When Chief and selectman Sapia stand on the post office lawn to hold signs and wave to cars campaigning for Lt. Baldwin to be elected to school board, that is electioneering.
2.) When Jack puts Baldwin signs on town property, that is electioneering.
3.) When the chief comes into a selectmens meeting to urge everyone to vote for the wheelchair van the next day, that is electioneering.
4.) When Lt. Baldwin comes into a selectmen's meeting to advocate for the communications tower issue, that is electioneering.
5.) When Principal Webster advocates in the school newsletter for the kindergarten, that was electioneering, although she probably didn't know it at the time. (she is not a public official)
This is all wrong as it is using your official position to advocate foe a candidate or issue. However this blog is getting reports of phone calls being made by public officials, to get out the vote AGAINST the Vietnam Honor Roll panels article. THIS IS ILLEGAL!
So, in honor of this practice, this blog would like to keep track of the public pressure being brought to bear upon the voters in regards to this issue. We would appreciate a comment, whenever anyone is contacted by those advocating, or those opposing this issue. We would like to keep a public tally. This should be fun.
Wednesday, July 18
Deliberative Session confirms disgust with selectmen!
Well it was a very interesting deliberative session tonight in the Atkinson Academy Gym. Roughly 130 people braved an extremely hot and humid gymnasium to debate the two citizen petitioned warrant articles.
Article #1 was to institute a large groundwater withdrawal ordinance, in the spirit of the Center Barnstead ordinance. Article #2 was a revote of the 2005 warrant articles directing the selectmen to place the Vietnam Honor Roll panels in front of the town hall, either side of the flagpoles, which the selectmen refused to honor.
Debate was spirited with the debate on the water article continuing for 75 minutes, followed by 50 very intense minutes of debate about the Vietnam Honor Roll. Over 30 residents asked selectmen why this vote was necessary, with Mr. Artess asking the very poignant question of what would happen if the voters voted to place them in front of the town hall, would the selectmen finally place them there, or would they force the issue back to court? After much hemming and hawing, Mr. Sapia answered that he would vote to place them where the voters said. This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Childs. Mr. Childs and Mr. Sapia have gone back on their word on this issue in the past, it will be up to the voters to ensure that they remain honest this time.
Numerous residents expressed their disgust with the selectmen's conduct in this matter, foremost among these residents was former budget committee chair, Mark Acciard who summed the issue up nicely. He stated that pleasing everyone was not the selectmen's job, nor was being liked, their job was to do what the voters told them to do. Thank you once again Mr. Acciard. He also described the selectmen's conduct in this issue as dispicable. This blog would have to agree. Mrs. Zaremba expressed her dismay that the selectmen could "get away" with ignoring a town vote. Over 30 speakers expressing their outrage at the selectmen's stone-walling on the placement of these panels, and not one resident stepped up to defend the selectmen, THAT should be a hint for our corrupt leaders!And many, many residents expressed their disgust outside the meeting while waiting in line to get in. All in All it was not a good night for at least two members of the board of selectmen.
The good news... The articles will go to the ballot pretty much as presented! Lets see what the voters do with them.
Article #1 was to institute a large groundwater withdrawal ordinance, in the spirit of the Center Barnstead ordinance. Article #2 was a revote of the 2005 warrant articles directing the selectmen to place the Vietnam Honor Roll panels in front of the town hall, either side of the flagpoles, which the selectmen refused to honor.
Debate was spirited with the debate on the water article continuing for 75 minutes, followed by 50 very intense minutes of debate about the Vietnam Honor Roll. Over 30 residents asked selectmen why this vote was necessary, with Mr. Artess asking the very poignant question of what would happen if the voters voted to place them in front of the town hall, would the selectmen finally place them there, or would they force the issue back to court? After much hemming and hawing, Mr. Sapia answered that he would vote to place them where the voters said. This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Childs. Mr. Childs and Mr. Sapia have gone back on their word on this issue in the past, it will be up to the voters to ensure that they remain honest this time.
Numerous residents expressed their disgust with the selectmen's conduct in this matter, foremost among these residents was former budget committee chair, Mark Acciard who summed the issue up nicely. He stated that pleasing everyone was not the selectmen's job, nor was being liked, their job was to do what the voters told them to do. Thank you once again Mr. Acciard. He also described the selectmen's conduct in this issue as dispicable. This blog would have to agree. Mrs. Zaremba expressed her dismay that the selectmen could "get away" with ignoring a town vote. Over 30 speakers expressing their outrage at the selectmen's stone-walling on the placement of these panels, and not one resident stepped up to defend the selectmen, THAT should be a hint for our corrupt leaders!And many, many residents expressed their disgust outside the meeting while waiting in line to get in. All in All it was not a good night for at least two members of the board of selectmen.
The good news... The articles will go to the ballot pretty much as presented! Lets see what the voters do with them.
Thursday, July 12
Consentino stands alone against Town honor!
We had the public hearing for the scenic by-way on Monday night, and the Chief stood alone against it. His reasons; potential increases in traffic, and a sense that this is not what people want.
Is that true, Chief? Or is it just not what YOU want? Lets be brutally honest here... The only reason the chief is standing against this is because Carol Grant spear-headed the application to get this honor for Atkinson! And she should be commended for her efforts. Not a likely outcome from THIS board. As usual the chief mixed facts from vaeious topics to weave a plausible complaint built on factual inaccuracies. Inaccuracies which Ms. Killam, Chairwoman of the planning board was kind enough to refute.
The only restriction on scenic by-ways is no billboards! That specifically does not include signs, as the chief tried to tell us it did. He got that fromanother totally different RSA dealing with Scenic roads, which has nothing to do with this topic, as he would have found out if he actually did the research he claimed to. There are three scenic by-ways in close proximity to us, as stated by Mr. Grant, Londonderry, Manchester, and Exeter. In each of the three traffic has increased since receiving their scenic designation, 4% LESS than traffic has increased generally statewide! In other words if there is a correlation the scenic designation has REDUCED traffic for these roads!
This is an honor for the town of Atkinson, don't let one man's petty, vindictive, childishness, deprive the entire town of recognition of our unique beauty.
Chief, it is time to pick up your marbles and go home, you have had your 15 minutes.
Is that true, Chief? Or is it just not what YOU want? Lets be brutally honest here... The only reason the chief is standing against this is because Carol Grant spear-headed the application to get this honor for Atkinson! And she should be commended for her efforts. Not a likely outcome from THIS board. As usual the chief mixed facts from vaeious topics to weave a plausible complaint built on factual inaccuracies. Inaccuracies which Ms. Killam, Chairwoman of the planning board was kind enough to refute.
The only restriction on scenic by-ways is no billboards! That specifically does not include signs, as the chief tried to tell us it did. He got that fromanother totally different RSA dealing with Scenic roads, which has nothing to do with this topic, as he would have found out if he actually did the research he claimed to. There are three scenic by-ways in close proximity to us, as stated by Mr. Grant, Londonderry, Manchester, and Exeter. In each of the three traffic has increased since receiving their scenic designation, 4% LESS than traffic has increased generally statewide! In other words if there is a correlation the scenic designation has REDUCED traffic for these roads!
This is an honor for the town of Atkinson, don't let one man's petty, vindictive, childishness, deprive the entire town of recognition of our unique beauty.
Chief, it is time to pick up your marbles and go home, you have had your 15 minutes.
Wednesday, July 11
Special Town Meeting Warrant Article # 1 WATER WITHDRAWAL CONTROL ORDINANCE
WATER WITHDRAWAL CONTROL ORDINANCE
-An Open letter to Atkinson- by Carol Grant
The purpose of this article is to prevent the draining and withdrawal of large amounts of Atkinson groundwater by a local private water company for pumping, transport, use and sale out of Atkinson.
It is against Atkinson’s best interests to allow our groundwater table to be negatively impacted by being lowered and drained by massive withdrawals of many millions of gallons every year of our groundwater supplies by a private company for private profit.
Atkinson’s residents have a duty and responsibility to current and future generations to take affirmative steps now to protect and safeguard Atkinson’s threatened precious groundwater supplies for current and future town needs.
Approximately half of Atkinson’s homes are on private wells which are totally dependant on adequate ground water supplies. These wells can be very seriously impacted by the lowering of the groundwater table which serves those wells.
Atkinson’s precious groundwater is held in the public trust as a commonly owned natural resource owned together by Atkinson residents. It is Atkinson’s most valuable and most important natural resource and we all own it together. No one -- company or individual – has a right to sell it out from under us for private profit.
This ordinance will not affect the water service which Atkinson homes or residents are currently receiving from an existing community well or from being on a private company’s water system.
This isn’t a zoning ordinance which applies only to specific zones in town. Instead, it is a town-wide ordinance which applies equally all over town, such as our fire safety, electrical and building codes.
This Ordinance is an exact replica of N.H.’s prototype ordinance which has been adopted and is successfully in place in Barnstead, N.H. It’s an ordinance especially written for N.H. towns.
Barnstead was facing a similar threat of a private water company making massive water withdrawals from Barnstead’s ground water supplies. Barnstead got the help of lawyers from the Community Environmental Defense Fund who have been assisting towns in several states by providing them with models of ordinances tailored to their state’s laws. They make sure that every legal “t” is crossed and every “i” is dotted.
New Hampshire law says that if a town’s laws are stricter than the states’, then the stricter law will apply. What is so scarey is that a state official of N.H. DES (Department of Environmental Services) recently in town for a question/answer session, freely admitted that ALL water withdrawal permits applications submitted by private water companies are ROUTINELY APPROVED as long as the application is properly filled out and the appropriate bureaucratic steps followed. Unless a town has regulations in effect preventing massive water withdrawals, the permits to do so will be granted.
Atkinson is a very environmentally-sensitive town. Atkinson residents care deeply about our environmental quality of life. We have one of the strictest wetlands ordinances in the state to
protect the quality of our ground water from any contamination or pollution. Atkinson voters
have always OVERWHELMINGLY voted against any attempts to tamper with or weaken our
Wetlands Ordinance.
Right now, it is not the quality or purity of our ground water which is threatened. It is the KEEPING of our valuable and precious, needed clean pure water in Atkinson that is threatened. Please
support the passage of the Water Withdrawal Control Ordinance at Deliberative Session on Tue.,July 17
and by your ballot vote on September 12 . We all have a responsibility to Atkinson and her now and future generations to protect Atkinson’s threatened water supplies.
Carol A. Grant
-An Open letter to Atkinson- by Carol Grant
The purpose of this article is to prevent the draining and withdrawal of large amounts of Atkinson groundwater by a local private water company for pumping, transport, use and sale out of Atkinson.
It is against Atkinson’s best interests to allow our groundwater table to be negatively impacted by being lowered and drained by massive withdrawals of many millions of gallons every year of our groundwater supplies by a private company for private profit.
Atkinson’s residents have a duty and responsibility to current and future generations to take affirmative steps now to protect and safeguard Atkinson’s threatened precious groundwater supplies for current and future town needs.
Approximately half of Atkinson’s homes are on private wells which are totally dependant on adequate ground water supplies. These wells can be very seriously impacted by the lowering of the groundwater table which serves those wells.
Atkinson’s precious groundwater is held in the public trust as a commonly owned natural resource owned together by Atkinson residents. It is Atkinson’s most valuable and most important natural resource and we all own it together. No one -- company or individual – has a right to sell it out from under us for private profit.
This ordinance will not affect the water service which Atkinson homes or residents are currently receiving from an existing community well or from being on a private company’s water system.
This isn’t a zoning ordinance which applies only to specific zones in town. Instead, it is a town-wide ordinance which applies equally all over town, such as our fire safety, electrical and building codes.
This Ordinance is an exact replica of N.H.’s prototype ordinance which has been adopted and is successfully in place in Barnstead, N.H. It’s an ordinance especially written for N.H. towns.
Barnstead was facing a similar threat of a private water company making massive water withdrawals from Barnstead’s ground water supplies. Barnstead got the help of lawyers from the Community Environmental Defense Fund who have been assisting towns in several states by providing them with models of ordinances tailored to their state’s laws. They make sure that every legal “t” is crossed and every “i” is dotted.
New Hampshire law says that if a town’s laws are stricter than the states’, then the stricter law will apply. What is so scarey is that a state official of N.H. DES (Department of Environmental Services) recently in town for a question/answer session, freely admitted that ALL water withdrawal permits applications submitted by private water companies are ROUTINELY APPROVED as long as the application is properly filled out and the appropriate bureaucratic steps followed. Unless a town has regulations in effect preventing massive water withdrawals, the permits to do so will be granted.
Atkinson is a very environmentally-sensitive town. Atkinson residents care deeply about our environmental quality of life. We have one of the strictest wetlands ordinances in the state to
protect the quality of our ground water from any contamination or pollution. Atkinson voters
have always OVERWHELMINGLY voted against any attempts to tamper with or weaken our
Wetlands Ordinance.
Right now, it is not the quality or purity of our ground water which is threatened. It is the KEEPING of our valuable and precious, needed clean pure water in Atkinson that is threatened. Please
support the passage of the Water Withdrawal Control Ordinance at Deliberative Session on Tue.,July 17
and by your ballot vote on September 12 . We all have a responsibility to Atkinson and her now and future generations to protect Atkinson’s threatened water supplies.
Carol A. Grant
Tuesday, July 10
Timberlane is going down the tubes, when will the school board stop it?
Publius, please accept this as an article submission.
ARTICLE SUBMISSION
Timberlane is going down the tubes, when will the school board stop it?
In 1975 the Timberlane Junior High School opened to much fanfare. I was in the eighth grade at the time. We had been attending double sessions at the high school for three years, while construction was going on. It, like the high school when it opened, was a model school, in layout, curriculum, and achievement. In the 70's Timberlane, believe it or not, was one of the highest academically rateed school districts in NH. At a time when schools were something both much greater, and much less than they are today.
It was not a "middle school". There was no "Team Teaching". There was an english dept., a social studies dept., a science dept., a math dept., and so on. There wass no "peer mediation", "grade inflation", "manditory promotion", "SAC", "in-school suspension", or any of the other namby-pamby, wishy-washy, feel good, new age crap, that is currently choking this once fine institution.
I say it was one something more, because it was once a place where learning hapenned. Where Learning was EXPECTED to happen. Where Students were EXPECTED to do their work, maintain discipline, and accomplish a body of work in order to graduate on to the High School.
I say it was also much less than it is today because it was, at that time, more focused on the children learning than making the parents feel good about their childs performance, or lack thereof, as it is today. It didn't perfom social work, as it does today. It didnt make excuses about childrens laziness in failing to do homework as it does today. Contrary to the opinions of principal Hogan a child's natural laziness is not that child "doing their best" or "working at their pace" and the latter is never "ok"!
I am writing this because I recently had confirmation of something I had only heard about, and had not believed. I know of a child who graduated the eighth grade this year, and is going into the high school in the fall. A normal occurence, I know, except that this childs graduated with 3 "F"'s and 1 "D-" all in core subjects. Unfortunately, the one subject that this child passed, with a "C", was language arts, and this child has not the ability to coherently write a report. No sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling skills comensurate with an eighth grade education.
When the parent spoke to Mr. Hogan about this atrocity, the parent was told that their child had not graduated but had merely gotten a "promotion certificate". When the parent asked if the child had to go to summer school, Mr. Hogan replied that the child should. The parent, picking up on the "should", asked if the child's "promotion" was contingent upon successfully completing summer school? Mr. Hogan then replied that summer school was not mandatory, but should be attended by this child. The parent then asked "if the child was not sent to summer school, would the child still go into the ninth grade in the fall? Mr. Hogan said YES! He went on that "studies have shown that it would hurt(the child) developmentally more for (the child) to stay back than to go on" He said "(the child) would catch up in high school"! THIS FROM A PRINCIPAL!!!
Mr. Hogan then explained that High school is a credit based institution and some kids will get their 20 credits in 3.5 years, some will get them in 4 years, and some will have to take that extra class, or semester to graduate, and that's ok. Well, I say, NO that is not ok! This is the attitude that has created the situation where 21% of high schoolers can not read or write well enough to fill out their own job application. This is why 74% of College freshman have to take remedial math ro english, their parents effectively paying college rates to teach their kids what should have been taught in high school. Education is the single greatest defining attitrbute of life. People are judged by how they speak and what they know. Professional door will open or close based upon a person's education, and we are leaving it in the hands of those who are mroe concerned with the children's self esteem than what they actually know.
Here are some facts for the parents reading this, that they may be unaware of. Students are allowed to take re-tests. If a student wishes to bring up their grade, irregardless of that grade they may take the same test again, and take the average fo the two grades. When they have to write a report, they are given a list of websites from which to gather their info., in most cases they merely cut and paste from those websites to form the report. They learn nothing! I know of four eighth grade girls who had to do reports on historical figures, Vincent Van Gogh, Harriet Tubman, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and the reports they handed in were cut and pasted from websites. No original content! I thought they would learn a lesson from this and said nothing. They did learn a valuable lesosn, they got "B"'s!
There is so much more to learn than there was when we went to school, and the district, particularly the middle school is doing a horrible job of teaching it., The curriculum is weak. Adn even that is not taught to full effectiveness. There seems to be little if any oversight.
Now here is my question to the school board;
What are you going to do to bring this school district back to its glory days?
We, as parents pay Timberlane $11,702/student per year! Timberlane has a $55Million budget and roughly 4700 kids district wide.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 58% Proficiency level in grade 10 math.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 76% Proficiency level in grade 10 reading.
This is what we consider acceptable? In 25 years this district which was 1st in the county, and 6th in the state, now places 15th in the COUNTY in reading, and 18th in the COUNTY in math!
We only have 8 more slots to fall before WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM!!! AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!!
I ask the school board these questions because they are not supposed to sit there and act as bobble-heads whenever superintendent McDonald says something. The school board is SUPPOSED to be running the district! They are the people we elected to look into these things, and see that we are getting the most for our money. We are not!
Does the school board look into, and question curriculum and practices? Do they discuss educational philosophy with Dr. McDonald, and inform him of the direction the district is to take in bringing up test scores and achievement?
This is the basic problem with public education, it is not responsive to the needs of its customers. It gets its money no matter what, whereas in the private sector, if a school had the deplorable standards of TRMS, it would go out of business, because its customers, the parents, would not pay $11,702/yr. for their kids to be shuffled along whether they did the work or not.
It doesn't work this way in the real world. When you have a job(in the private sector, this doesnt hold true for a government job) you have to perform to a certain level. You have to accomplish certain tasks, or you will be fired. Schools rarely make these demands anymore.
I want my school board to answer one question for me;
Why cant Timberlane have the academic achievement of Phillips Academy in Exeter, or even Boston Latin in Roxbury( a public school with significant minority enrollment), or even Central Catholic in Lawrence?
signed,
Mark R. Acciard
ARTICLE SUBMISSION
Timberlane is going down the tubes, when will the school board stop it?
In 1975 the Timberlane Junior High School opened to much fanfare. I was in the eighth grade at the time. We had been attending double sessions at the high school for three years, while construction was going on. It, like the high school when it opened, was a model school, in layout, curriculum, and achievement. In the 70's Timberlane, believe it or not, was one of the highest academically rateed school districts in NH. At a time when schools were something both much greater, and much less than they are today.
It was not a "middle school". There was no "Team Teaching". There was an english dept., a social studies dept., a science dept., a math dept., and so on. There wass no "peer mediation", "grade inflation", "manditory promotion", "SAC", "in-school suspension", or any of the other namby-pamby, wishy-washy, feel good, new age crap, that is currently choking this once fine institution.
I say it was one something more, because it was once a place where learning hapenned. Where Learning was EXPECTED to happen. Where Students were EXPECTED to do their work, maintain discipline, and accomplish a body of work in order to graduate on to the High School.
I say it was also much less than it is today because it was, at that time, more focused on the children learning than making the parents feel good about their childs performance, or lack thereof, as it is today. It didn't perfom social work, as it does today. It didnt make excuses about childrens laziness in failing to do homework as it does today. Contrary to the opinions of principal Hogan a child's natural laziness is not that child "doing their best" or "working at their pace" and the latter is never "ok"!
I am writing this because I recently had confirmation of something I had only heard about, and had not believed. I know of a child who graduated the eighth grade this year, and is going into the high school in the fall. A normal occurence, I know, except that this childs graduated with 3 "F"'s and 1 "D-" all in core subjects. Unfortunately, the one subject that this child passed, with a "C", was language arts, and this child has not the ability to coherently write a report. No sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling skills comensurate with an eighth grade education.
When the parent spoke to Mr. Hogan about this atrocity, the parent was told that their child had not graduated but had merely gotten a "promotion certificate". When the parent asked if the child had to go to summer school, Mr. Hogan replied that the child should. The parent, picking up on the "should", asked if the child's "promotion" was contingent upon successfully completing summer school? Mr. Hogan then replied that summer school was not mandatory, but should be attended by this child. The parent then asked "if the child was not sent to summer school, would the child still go into the ninth grade in the fall? Mr. Hogan said YES! He went on that "studies have shown that it would hurt(the child) developmentally more for (the child) to stay back than to go on" He said "(the child) would catch up in high school"! THIS FROM A PRINCIPAL!!!
Mr. Hogan then explained that High school is a credit based institution and some kids will get their 20 credits in 3.5 years, some will get them in 4 years, and some will have to take that extra class, or semester to graduate, and that's ok. Well, I say, NO that is not ok! This is the attitude that has created the situation where 21% of high schoolers can not read or write well enough to fill out their own job application. This is why 74% of College freshman have to take remedial math ro english, their parents effectively paying college rates to teach their kids what should have been taught in high school. Education is the single greatest defining attitrbute of life. People are judged by how they speak and what they know. Professional door will open or close based upon a person's education, and we are leaving it in the hands of those who are mroe concerned with the children's self esteem than what they actually know.
Here are some facts for the parents reading this, that they may be unaware of. Students are allowed to take re-tests. If a student wishes to bring up their grade, irregardless of that grade they may take the same test again, and take the average fo the two grades. When they have to write a report, they are given a list of websites from which to gather their info., in most cases they merely cut and paste from those websites to form the report. They learn nothing! I know of four eighth grade girls who had to do reports on historical figures, Vincent Van Gogh, Harriet Tubman, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and the reports they handed in were cut and pasted from websites. No original content! I thought they would learn a lesson from this and said nothing. They did learn a valuable lesosn, they got "B"'s!
There is so much more to learn than there was when we went to school, and the district, particularly the middle school is doing a horrible job of teaching it., The curriculum is weak. Adn even that is not taught to full effectiveness. There seems to be little if any oversight.
Now here is my question to the school board;
What are you going to do to bring this school district back to its glory days?
We, as parents pay Timberlane $11,702/student per year! Timberlane has a $55Million budget and roughly 4700 kids district wide.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 58% Proficiency level in grade 10 math.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 76% Proficiency level in grade 10 reading.
This is what we consider acceptable? In 25 years this district which was 1st in the county, and 6th in the state, now places 15th in the COUNTY in reading, and 18th in the COUNTY in math!
We only have 8 more slots to fall before WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM!!! AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!!
I ask the school board these questions because they are not supposed to sit there and act as bobble-heads whenever superintendent McDonald says something. The school board is SUPPOSED to be running the district! They are the people we elected to look into these things, and see that we are getting the most for our money. We are not!
Does the school board look into, and question curriculum and practices? Do they discuss educational philosophy with Dr. McDonald, and inform him of the direction the district is to take in bringing up test scores and achievement?
This is the basic problem with public education, it is not responsive to the needs of its customers. It gets its money no matter what, whereas in the private sector, if a school had the deplorable standards of TRMS, it would go out of business, because its customers, the parents, would not pay $11,702/yr. for their kids to be shuffled along whether they did the work or not.
It doesn't work this way in the real world. When you have a job(in the private sector, this doesnt hold true for a government job) you have to perform to a certain level. You have to accomplish certain tasks, or you will be fired. Schools rarely make these demands anymore.
I want my school board to answer one question for me;
Why cant Timberlane have the academic achievement of Phillips Academy in Exeter, or even Boston Latin in Roxbury( a public school with significant minority enrollment), or even Central Catholic in Lawrence?
signed,
Mark R. Acciard
Saturday, July 7
HEARING MONDAY NIGHT TO GET ATKINSON A STATE HONOR
HEARING MONDAY NIGHT TO GET ATKINSON A STATE HONOR
By Carol Grant
This Monday night, July 9, the Selectmen will be conducting a Public Hearing concerning Atkinson receiving the very high prestigious state honor of having our Main Street declared a “N.H. State Treasure“ – as a N.H. Cultural, Historical and Scenic By-way. That is the very special N.H. name and designation for a road which captures the essence of Hew Hampshire’s history, cultural, beauty and character as a state.
After receiving Atkinson’s application for consideration for the honor, a team of State officials quietly visited Atkinson and inspected Main Street’s 41 significant historic, scenic and cultural sites, comparing them to the pictures and information on the application prepared jointly by the Atkinson Historical Society and the Atkinson Planning Board. The members of the state inspection team were all so impressed that they UNANIMOUSLY voted to award this States “Blue Ribbon” to Main Street, Atkinson !!
This Monday night’s Public Hearing is a simple formality required by RSA 238:32:III –
a formal acceptance of this already-approved honor from the State by the Selectmen on behalf of the town.
What makes New Hampshire special is reflected by our Main Street. Reflected by 6 homes that survive from before Atkinson even existed or was incorporated as a N.H. town, by 9 homes from before the American Revolutionary War, and by 25 pre-Civil War homes. Atkinson’s Town Center Scenic Vista provides a post-card perfect picture of a N.H. town: a small valley with stone-bounded fields and a white, steepled old N.H. colonial period church cresting the hill over-looking the valley.
The Atkinson Congregational Church dominating the vista captures the historical, cultural and faith qualities of Atkinson’s and New Hampshire’s early settlers and current residents.
The scenic qualities of Main Street are also reflected by the beauty of “The Tunnel” and
Main Street’s woods and fields bounded by stone walls.
Our Main Street also includes several historic non-architectural sites, n including the colonial-era Town Pound, the “Old” Town Cemetery where Atkinson’s earliest settlers are buried, the Town Common which was donated to honor Atkinson’s Civil War veterans, and the area where Atkinson’s colonial militia used to drill and train.
Two farms on Main Street, one still active, reflect Atkinson’s agricultural heritage and early years as an agricultural community.
Atkinson residents have much pride in our town. This high State award and honor being given to our Main Street is well-justified and one which all Atkinson residents can be proud of.
By Carol Grant
This Monday night, July 9, the Selectmen will be conducting a Public Hearing concerning Atkinson receiving the very high prestigious state honor of having our Main Street declared a “N.H. State Treasure“ – as a N.H. Cultural, Historical and Scenic By-way. That is the very special N.H. name and designation for a road which captures the essence of Hew Hampshire’s history, cultural, beauty and character as a state.
After receiving Atkinson’s application for consideration for the honor, a team of State officials quietly visited Atkinson and inspected Main Street’s 41 significant historic, scenic and cultural sites, comparing them to the pictures and information on the application prepared jointly by the Atkinson Historical Society and the Atkinson Planning Board. The members of the state inspection team were all so impressed that they UNANIMOUSLY voted to award this States “Blue Ribbon” to Main Street, Atkinson !!
This Monday night’s Public Hearing is a simple formality required by RSA 238:32:III –
a formal acceptance of this already-approved honor from the State by the Selectmen on behalf of the town.
What makes New Hampshire special is reflected by our Main Street. Reflected by 6 homes that survive from before Atkinson even existed or was incorporated as a N.H. town, by 9 homes from before the American Revolutionary War, and by 25 pre-Civil War homes. Atkinson’s Town Center Scenic Vista provides a post-card perfect picture of a N.H. town: a small valley with stone-bounded fields and a white, steepled old N.H. colonial period church cresting the hill over-looking the valley.
The Atkinson Congregational Church dominating the vista captures the historical, cultural and faith qualities of Atkinson’s and New Hampshire’s early settlers and current residents.
The scenic qualities of Main Street are also reflected by the beauty of “The Tunnel” and
Main Street’s woods and fields bounded by stone walls.
Our Main Street also includes several historic non-architectural sites, n including the colonial-era Town Pound, the “Old” Town Cemetery where Atkinson’s earliest settlers are buried, the Town Common which was donated to honor Atkinson’s Civil War veterans, and the area where Atkinson’s colonial militia used to drill and train.
Two farms on Main Street, one still active, reflect Atkinson’s agricultural heritage and early years as an agricultural community.
Atkinson residents have much pride in our town. This high State award and honor being given to our Main Street is well-justified and one which all Atkinson residents can be proud of.
Friday, July 6
School Board Doesn't have schematics for Academy Construction?
As reported in the Eagle-Tribune today, The school board expects to have building plans of electrical, plumbing, HVAC, ready for the permitting process next week. But I heard School Board chairman Baldwin two weeks ago state at a school board meeting that everything was back on track, and construction would be resuming this week.
This blog's question is how the hell could they begin contruction on a pblic commercial building that will house our children, without having these plans completed, let alone having the project permitted for safety??
Doesn't the school board care about th safety of the kids in the building?
This blog's question is how the hell could they begin contruction on a pblic commercial building that will house our children, without having these plans completed, let alone having the project permitted for safety??
Doesn't the school board care about th safety of the kids in the building?
Sunday, July 1
Stop a moment to think about Independence Day.
This holiday weekend, typically one of backyard bar-b-ques, sparklers, fireworks, gathering with family and friends, stop for a moment and do something you have probably never done before on this holiday, stop and give a moments thought to the meaning of this day.
In these perilous times where we appear to be replaying with modern technology the crusades, when the press and academia, and yes, many of our Senators and Congresspeople seem hell-bent upon telling everything that they believe is wrong with America, Stop! and consider objectively everything America stands for and has accomplished in our 231 year history.
America stands for Freedom! Freedom to express yourself in any way you wish as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others. Independence! Independence to pusue your brand of happiness in any manner in which you choose, so long as your pursuit does not infringe on the rights of another. Opportunity! Opportunity to arrive on our shores as many immigrants do, with nothing to their names, and yet they are able to achieve a degree of wealth, and a comfort of lifestyle here that they could not achieve anywhere else on the globe. This is why people risk life and love to come here year after year. You don't see people sacrificing their lives to immigrate to the people's paradise of Cuba, or China, or Venezuela.
We hear day in and day out of the failures of our country, our country's leaders, our military, our culture, our society, our very existence. I say to those who can do nothing but complain, if you love France or Cuba so much go and live there, you are doing America no good here.
No Country in the history of the world has accomplished so much as has America. No country has been as generous, as noble, as honest, as forthright, or posessed as much integrity as America. America, as Ronald Reagan said, is the "shining city upon the hill". but much more than that we have consistently backed up our ideals with our blood, treasure, and deeds.
America was primarily responsible for the fall of Nazi Germany, after our victory, we spent humdreds of millions of dollars to rebuild Europe, and now they show their gratitude by condemning America. America was responsible for the fall of the most oppressive regime in history, the Soviet Union, without firing a shot, and now those satellite countries that were crushed under the soviet boot for so long are now beacons of democracy on a continent bereft of that. They have become our strongest allies, replacing the lily-livered socialist countries of France and Belgium. And in the last 6 years we have liberated Afghanistan and Iraq, giving 50 million people their first chance to govern themselves. We have not stolen their oil, as John Kerry intimated was our reason for going, we have not plundered their country, as Micheal Moore stated we would do. We have not tortured them as Teddy Kennedy stated we have.
We hear from the media that it is our support of Isreal that has caused the Muslims to hate us, but they fail to mention the $120 million a year we give to the Palestinian Authority for those very people.
America has made mistakes, but far fewer than any other country. We do not conquer, we do not enslave, or subjugate, We liberate, help our enemies get back on their feet, and then leave. We do far more for the world than all of the other countries combined. We have given time effort and money to 183 nations across tha globe, most of those owe their very existence to the benevolence of the United States of America.
So when you are wolfing down your hamburgers this weekend, think for a moment about the history of our nation and reflect that you are a part of the Greatest Nation in Earth's History! Also reflest that our sons and daughters are in harm's way, fighting to defend the very freedoms that we are celebrating this weekend.
Here in Atkinson we have a unique opportunity this month to show our respect for those that volunteer to wear the uniform. We are going to have a Deliberative Session to debate the warrant article to place the vietnam honor roll panels in front of the town hall, where we voted to place them two years ago. The panels are completed, the money is available, raised privately to place them in the ground. They are being held up only do to the efforts of a few ego-maniacal selfish people who do not want them placed in front of the town hall, and are willing to do whatever is necesary to force others to cede to their will. This is wrong. The majority voted to place them in front of the town hall, and now the majority is being forced to vote again.
Our selectmen will not do the right thing, therefore it is up to us to DIRECT them to do it, to honor our fallen heroes, and to give thanks to those who volunteer to do that which we can not.
In these perilous times where we appear to be replaying with modern technology the crusades, when the press and academia, and yes, many of our Senators and Congresspeople seem hell-bent upon telling everything that they believe is wrong with America, Stop! and consider objectively everything America stands for and has accomplished in our 231 year history.
America stands for Freedom! Freedom to express yourself in any way you wish as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others. Independence! Independence to pusue your brand of happiness in any manner in which you choose, so long as your pursuit does not infringe on the rights of another. Opportunity! Opportunity to arrive on our shores as many immigrants do, with nothing to their names, and yet they are able to achieve a degree of wealth, and a comfort of lifestyle here that they could not achieve anywhere else on the globe. This is why people risk life and love to come here year after year. You don't see people sacrificing their lives to immigrate to the people's paradise of Cuba, or China, or Venezuela.
We hear day in and day out of the failures of our country, our country's leaders, our military, our culture, our society, our very existence. I say to those who can do nothing but complain, if you love France or Cuba so much go and live there, you are doing America no good here.
No Country in the history of the world has accomplished so much as has America. No country has been as generous, as noble, as honest, as forthright, or posessed as much integrity as America. America, as Ronald Reagan said, is the "shining city upon the hill". but much more than that we have consistently backed up our ideals with our blood, treasure, and deeds.
America was primarily responsible for the fall of Nazi Germany, after our victory, we spent humdreds of millions of dollars to rebuild Europe, and now they show their gratitude by condemning America. America was responsible for the fall of the most oppressive regime in history, the Soviet Union, without firing a shot, and now those satellite countries that were crushed under the soviet boot for so long are now beacons of democracy on a continent bereft of that. They have become our strongest allies, replacing the lily-livered socialist countries of France and Belgium. And in the last 6 years we have liberated Afghanistan and Iraq, giving 50 million people their first chance to govern themselves. We have not stolen their oil, as John Kerry intimated was our reason for going, we have not plundered their country, as Micheal Moore stated we would do. We have not tortured them as Teddy Kennedy stated we have.
We hear from the media that it is our support of Isreal that has caused the Muslims to hate us, but they fail to mention the $120 million a year we give to the Palestinian Authority for those very people.
America has made mistakes, but far fewer than any other country. We do not conquer, we do not enslave, or subjugate, We liberate, help our enemies get back on their feet, and then leave. We do far more for the world than all of the other countries combined. We have given time effort and money to 183 nations across tha globe, most of those owe their very existence to the benevolence of the United States of America.
So when you are wolfing down your hamburgers this weekend, think for a moment about the history of our nation and reflect that you are a part of the Greatest Nation in Earth's History! Also reflest that our sons and daughters are in harm's way, fighting to defend the very freedoms that we are celebrating this weekend.
Here in Atkinson we have a unique opportunity this month to show our respect for those that volunteer to wear the uniform. We are going to have a Deliberative Session to debate the warrant article to place the vietnam honor roll panels in front of the town hall, where we voted to place them two years ago. The panels are completed, the money is available, raised privately to place them in the ground. They are being held up only do to the efforts of a few ego-maniacal selfish people who do not want them placed in front of the town hall, and are willing to do whatever is necesary to force others to cede to their will. This is wrong. The majority voted to place them in front of the town hall, and now the majority is being forced to vote again.
Our selectmen will not do the right thing, therefore it is up to us to DIRECT them to do it, to honor our fallen heroes, and to give thanks to those who volunteer to do that which we can not.
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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
