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.
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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. "
20 comments:
The article is correct.
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.
When Mr. Sapia, uses his position as a selectmen to discuss, an article already past deliberative session and on the ballot to town meeting, he is committing "electioneering" which is a misdemeanor. But violating law, also violates a selectmen's oath of office, which could lead to impeachment
Sapia? As a state rep?
THATS RICH!!!
Better a State Rep than one of our Selectmen.
Oh Please, just get him out of office, he doesn't have mine or anyones vote. we should make a committee against Jack Sapia, just like he made a committee against the new Kimball Library!!
You know, for 236 out of Atkinson's 240 year history, we had selectmen who acted onorably, and put the towns interests before their own.
You can look up in the town hall, a book with warrant articles, and selectmen highlights from 200 years ago.
You can find warrant articles asking the town for permission to purchase a Typewriter for $3.00.
Yes, I know this seems quaint, but our current corrupt board of selectmen can't even follow a town meeting vote when it happens.
Our current corrupt board, buys vehiles without warrant articles or even votes.
Our current corrupt board, shouts down anyone who is critical of them.
Our current corrupt board have spent more on legal issues than any other board in the last 20 years.
Our current board can not even be honest about the compensation paid to town employees.
Our current corrupt board routinely lies to the people, such as putting forward a warrant article for the police union contract that only costed us $42,000 over three years according to them, they lied. It cost $62,000 last year alone, will probably cost another $70,000 this year, and God only knows how much next year.
I for one am sick of it, and want all of them out of office. Lets actively recruit people that we have seen to be honorable, and honest. Jack Sapia, Fred Childs, Phil Consentino, are not honest, and Paul Sullivan is proving himself to be inadequate to the task of telling the three musketeers that they are wrong.
I am no expert on municipal doings, but it seems to me that when department heads, i.e., APD, Road Agent, etc. were allowed to hide a whole lot of their expenditures in the "operating budget" instead of on the warrant that things became very muddy and much harder for the ordinary person to follow. Why do we never see exactly what it costs for the Elder Services program - such as gasoline for the vehicles, insurance for same, pay for the drivers and insurances, etc. for them? Maybe I am missing something but it doesn't seem fair - the elders say "oh this is so wonderful!" and it is, but they don't realize that they are paying for every bit of it.
To Anon @ 9:26am
I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.
I joined the budget committee in 2001. In that year various BudCom members started asking how many rides were given, and how many residents were served. They asked this because these are the very same questions they ask of every agency we give money to.
The Chief flat out refused to give us any information, other than to say that he had over 1200 elderly in his database. He claimed it was like welfare and he didnt have to tell us anything, He even was quoted in the Eagle-Tribune stating that he would go to any lengths to protect his customers privacy.
2002 same questions, same answers.
2003 same questions, same answers.
2004 we get our first hard number still unverifiable of 519 rides, still no answer to how many residents.
2005 Officer Anderson finally admitted that 61 residents used the service and the service provided 720 rides.
2006 Chief claimed "about 1049 rides, and over 240 people using the program.
In May 2007 Chief Claimed in the Eagle-Tribune that the elderly program gave 1200 rides in the month of May!(clearly wrong)
Bear in mind that at no time did we have any verification of these numbers, nothing other than the chief's word. And the math does not work.
Also bear in mind that State Budget Law, RSA32:16 Does not allow a selectman or dept. head to refuse to provide information to the budget committee.
32:16 Duties and Authority of the Budget Committee. – In any town which has adopted the provisions of this subdivision, the budget committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
I. To prepare the budget as provided in RSA 32:5, and if authorized under RSA 40:14-b, a default budget under RSA 40:13, IX(b) for submission to each annual or special meeting of the voters of the municipality, and, if the municipality is a town, the budgets of any school district or village district wholly within the town, unless the warrant for such meeting does not propose any appropriation.
II. To confer with the governing body or bodies and with other officers, department heads and other officials, relative to estimated costs, revenues anticipated, and services performed to the extent deemed necessary by the budget committee. It shall be the duty of all such officers and other persons to furnish such pertinent information to the budget committee.
In addition to Mark's explanation, please note that the Budget Committee has always been accustomed to receiving any information they wanted/needed in order to prepare a fair and accurate budget to the voters.
There is a list of charitable organizations to which the town donates annually. Those organizations provided us with detailed financial reports, including the number of their clients, the services they provided, the amounts of money spent, and where the money came from, including grant money they were able to obtain. Some even provided their estimated cost per client. Moreover, they answered any other questions we might have had.
I remember asking Greater Salem about their transportation services. That's when I learned that the volunteer, unpaid drivers donate their time and their vehicles. They do receive a mileage reimbursement.
To be closed out by the Chief made us all wonder what was so secretive that the we weren't privy to that information!
As for the Chief's elderly, 1200 database. I have two close friends who have lived in Florida for years. Their names are on Phil's list. It appears his list is in dire need of purging.
Changing the program over to the Community Center would present a few challenges. If we switched from police officers to volunteers, willing to donate their time and cars (several of the Greater Salem volunteers are from Atkinson. And if they truly volunteered, salaries wouldn't be an issue; neither would gas or insurance. The spare vehicles could be traded in or sold.
Community Center doesn't dispatchers, and an answering machine would be essential,with someone responsible for checking in every hour or so for messages.
I'm sure there are other issues to be addressed, but I believe it can be done.
I remember a song I heard a million years ago,the words of which were "Got along without you before I met you, gonna get along without you now." We elderly have learned one important thing over our years...we've learned how to be flexible. We'd deal with it.
Jane Cole
With all due respect to Jane, I would envision the move of elderly affairs like this;
All vehicles would lose thier police striping and equipment.
All drivers would posess cell phones, and give the director a schedule of when they are available to drive.
Cars would be parked at Community center.
Elderly phone number would roll over to the directors cell phone if he is not in the office.
When a call comes in, director would call his drivers, and they would pick up vehicle at Community center, and make trip.
If transport is bokked in advance, it would be scheduled at that time.
The director would keep an excel spreadsheet, with time and date of transport, customer, mileage, and man-hours. This info would be available to the selectmen and the budget committee.
This would give this program much needed transparency, and accountability, something that has been sadly lacking. And for the first time the people would know exactly how much they spend on this program.
With equal respect, Mark....with volunteer drivers, there is no vehicle maintenance, no gas, no insurance and no salaries. All calls would still go through a director, who would still be able to keep accurate records on time, place, date, mileage, etc. and the accountability would still be there. Also the numbers of clients would be important, I think.
I think the only vehicle we should continue to maintain is the wheel chair van.
However, as you can see, much discussion and planning is necessary.
Other ideas would be welcome, I think. I'm sure there are a lot of good thoughts out there.
On the other hand, we might as well let it go. No shot in Phil's lifetime is he ever going to let go.
jc
Mr. Acciard, I am 77 years old, and before I started reading this blog, and watching town meetings, I believed what I had been told that you were the problem. That you had a vendetta against Phil, and that you were just hell-bent on attacking him at every turn.
since watching you at town meetings, budget meetings, and reading your writings on this blog, I have found you to be polite, gracious, well spoken, and thoughtful. I found your conduct at meetings when phil was there to be courteous, and moreover I have found your ideas and suggestions, and information to be accurate, and informative.
Thank you for all of your efforts. I am sorry that you have been so demonized by someone who obviously has a vendetta against you. I am writing this anonymously so that I don't become a target as well, besides, I can't afford to not have the senior transport program available when I call.
I would be happy to volunteer a day during the week to drive the elderly around.
My feelings about Mark mirror the post above.
With all the cr@! he has taken he is always polite and respectful.
I do hope soon we can comment on town politics and sign our manes without fear of retaliation.
"I am writing this anonymously so that I don't become a target as well, besides, I can't afford to not have the senior transport program available when I call. "
July 28, 2007 11:03 PM
Now if all the other seniors in this town, that have been brain-washed by Consentino, would realize the truth of the situation there may be hope yet at the next election. How sad though that you had to write anonymously, as do most of us, for fear of retribution from Consentino. Could you be refused a ride? Let's hope not, but considering how vindictive Consentino is I'm sure it wouldn't be the most pleasant or friendly ride. Perhaps anon you would pass the word along among your senior friends how Consentino is using the "threat" of the senior transport being done away with (if it's not CONTROLLED by him) when there's talk of perhaps changing how (and where) it's being run. Atkinson seniors should always feel secure in knowing there will be a ride for them, it just won't be done by a uniformed POSER Police Officer.
Right on, last anon. This town would never abandon it's elderly...never has; never will.
I am concerned about the author of the previous anon. She put in her age, and said she uses the transport. In my mind, Phil already knows who she is.
Would he refuse a ride? He has before, according to one lady I know whose husband was ill and she needed a ride to visit him in the hospital She had dared to disagree with him.
I would hope that a different kind of Elder Affairs would expand it's help. Even if not, there would be no phone calls telling you who or or what to vote for. That's good thing right there!
Sapia for State rep? he can't even uphold his oath of office for BoS. He would also require the votes from people outside of Atkinson. All any opponent would have to do is have voters refer to this blog. This is not the lunatic fringe DailyKos. The only attempts to post false accusations on this blog are from folks that kiss Sapia's butt or benefit in some way from his abuse of authority.
However, all of the accusations against Sapia are backed up by accounts of his own actions and his own words. He can not claim it is a vast right wing conspiracy.
The fact that he thinks he can successfully run for state rep only further confirms that he suffers severely form delusions of grandeur.
So take your pick. Would you rather see Jack in Concord or in the Selectmen's Office again? It's my understanding that all the soccer moms think he's just terrific. And I can't help but wonder how many people really read the blog. I'm hoping it's a lot, but I'm betting it's not as many as I'd like to see. And I'm hoping the number is growing!
Jack would love it in Concord. All he has to do up there is agree with the majority and they'd love him, too. People who fight the majority don't get re-elected.
Plus there are 400 other legislators up there to keep him from doing as much damage as he has helped do here.
http://archive.seacoastonline.com/2005news///////rock/02252005/news/66656.htm
Jack, I know you read this blog, because we have talked about it, so here is my question...
The link above is to your published comments upon being elected, what hapenned? and why have you done the EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU PROMISED?
"Too many times I’ve seen decisions made on policies or issues that would be in the best interest of the town circumvented for the sake of getting political gains over another party ... and this needs to end," said Sapia. "I believe it is time for the town to come together."
Sapia said mutual respect and common goals should guide the town. He said the town should dedicate itself to controlling the future growth of the community.
For his first act as selectman, Sapia said he would move his selectmen’s chair to the public seats "because I believe it’s the people that run the town."
That sounded good in the paper, Jack, then when the people question you, you shout them down.
You accuse them of having personal conflicts with your board.
You fail to do your job and force residents to take you to court.
You either outright lie, or knowlingly mistate facts that are inconvenient to your position.
In short you deceive those very same people you promised to return the meeting to.
Your conduct has been noteworthy in its appalling lact of ethics, morality, integrity, or candor.
You are one of the WORST examples of a selectman I have seen in my 42 years in town.
A minor point word usage.
It is entirely possible for sapia to be simultaneously ethical and immoral.
Being ethical simply means one knows the difference between right and wrong. Being moral means one's actions are guide by what one knows to be right. An ethical knows cheating on his wife is wrong but he may still do it. A moral man would not cheat on his.
Immoral men should never be allowed to serve in public office because they can not be trusted to act in the best interests of those he represents, particularly when such action is against his own self interest.
Hopefully enough people now know Saps true colors. Red and yellow.
JS would quickly become an outcast in Concord. Your word is your bond there. The Legislature depends on honesty, so they can depend on your support if they ask for it and you commit to a position. Fool someone ONCE and you are an outsider and no one will ever support U or ask U again.
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