http://www.hwforums.com/2174/messages/1177.html
Check out these stories, and note the similarities, perhaps they really WERE talking about Atkinson, and simply changed the names to protect the corrupt.
First about Marbury's 31 year police chief, whom NH Police Standards and Training stripped of his certification after it was discovered that he had been falsifying his physicals, psychological, and firearms tests.
Taylor, who served as chief for 31 years, was decertified by the standards and training council on June 28 based on what the council called false documents submitted on behalf of the department. The decertification means Taylor can no longer serve as a police officer in the state and his name has been entered into a national database of decertified police officers.
Taylor has denied any wrongdoing and called the council's action unfair.
Some of Malone's larger signs, which are no longer on display, include phrases like, "Honesty is the Best Policy" and "Don't Do The Crime If You Can't Do Time."
Now we all know chief has a bad heart, does anyone believe he could pass a physical? We also all know that he can not hit the broad side of a barn, and does not carry a gun. This blog has been told that he is not certified to carry a gun. And after watching his maniacal outbursts on camera at selectmen's meeting for the past three years, does anyone believe he could pass a psych eval. I doubt it. Maybe that is why the selectmen have failed to re-appoint him even though his appointment expired in 1999.
Second, Eliot's selectmen and their many many lawsuits;
While on the subject of volunteers, I was very saddened by comments that were made online after the Memorial Day parade. After participating in the annual parade I learned that members of the Eliot Board of Selectmen were upset that their names were not read during the ceremony. I am confident this was simply an oversight and certainly not an intentional slight of any one person.
The parade was for our military members, both past and present. It was not for the BOS!
Volunteers have always made this parade happen and because of them veterans and their families have been honored on this day. One of the many duties as members of the BOS is to attend and participate in Town events. For me it was always an honor to be a part of these events and my gratitude was not from hearing my name announced or being recognized as a selectman.
One of my concerns for the future of the Town of Eliot is the amount of taxpayer dollars being spent on law suits. A few short years ago we were only spending approximately $20,000 for attorney fees. This past year over $100,000 was spent. There were a number of cases that were very costly.
As I leave the BOS I hope the people of this town are wise before bringing suits that the town has to pay to defend. An example, at town meeting someone did not want to vote to pay $1.00 for property to be deeded to the town. It is a requirement by law that the municipality must pay at least one dollar to make the transaction legal and binding. There was quite a lengthy discussion about why the town should pay one dollar when the contractor said he would donate the land. Had the people not voted for the article as written the project would have been slowed down and the contractor would have had take the Town to court in order to get the project moving again. This one example is why the residences of this town end up paying thousands of unnecessary dollars in legal fees. There are documented cases in Eliot where contractors or individuals have had to sue the town to develop property that they have paid taxes on for years. These developments have been planned within the town of Eliot ordinance structure. They have gone through the Planning Board and the Board of Appeals processes and have been approved. Unfortunately, they have become lawsuits because an element in the Town appears to not want development. I would hope that in the future all citizens will be thoughtful and understand that all property owners have rights. Our growth ordinance is working. If development is stopped, our individual taxes will go up, as our tax base will not grow.
Atkinson too, has had too many lawsuits in recent years, many because the selectmen fail to do what is right. Remember, it took a resident acting on his own taking the police chief to court to get the court to order him to recuse himself on police matters, a no-brainer which is spelled out in the conflict of interest ordinance, but which that committee failed to uphold. No resident should have to go to court to get public officials to act honorably.
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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. "
6 comments:
This actually hapenned? A long term police chief was decertified because he lied? Basically.
Has this hapenned before? Is there precedent for a chief being thrown out of his office in this state?
OK, What does it take to get this ball rolling?
Daniel Yoder v. Middleton
Chief Yoder gave a resident a $44 box of ammo. Whenquestioned about it by the selectmen he said it was from home. They traced th lot numbers and found he had lied. He said it was green and coroded, unfit for police use, they checked the ammo, and found out he lied again. They fred him! He complained that the county attorney wouldn't proecute because the amount was so small, he said he hadn't been convicted of anything. Supreme Court said he violated a public trust. Gone!
Blake v. Pittsfield
Blake fired for exceeding his budget two years in a row, by a combined total of $4,000. Supreme Court upheld firing saying he had a duty to stay within his budget, or get the selectmen's approval to overspend, he did neither. Gone!
There are more.
Bottom line, it can be done, someone just has to be willing to take point on this.
Hell, Consentino exceeded his budget two years ago by $29,000 never asked the selectmen to overexpend.
So who in this town has the (excuse me) balls to get a warrant article on the ballot to get a full time chief? It's time! When the Lt's contract is up and is cut, to make it inline with (much larger) surrounding towns, we'll have the extra we're going to have to pay a f/t Chief. It's time for the taxpayers to take over the government from the dictators.
I remember Steve Lewis put a warrant article for a full time chief on the ballot in 2000.
Most of the petitioners on that warrant article were called, Consentino even parked his cruiser in front of Mr. Lewis' office on main st. while he was in there screaming at him.
I thought he had just as much right as anyone to petition the town to do anything. You shouldn't have to fear your own police force, just because you disagree with the chief.
Publius, please accept this as an article submission.
A Threatening letter from Chief Consentino!
First, let me apologize up front if I offend anyone with my strident tone, but I am Very Angry!
I returned home from work today to find a certified letter from Atkinson's Chief of Police, on official stationary, threatening me with legal action if I keep criticizing his official actions on this blog!
Since Chief obviously reads this blog, and is incensed about what he reads here, I decided to respond here, publicly! So that everyone can imagine how they would feel if they received this threat from our Chief, I will first reprint this exactly as it was written to me. Please be aware the spelling and grammatical errors are in the letter, they are not mine! Afterwards I will respond;
"Dear Mr. Acciard, September 22, 2007
This letter is a long time coming. In the past I have put up with your untruths missinturpation of the facts and your blatant efforts to print these unwanted articles in your BLOG. Publius, or what ever cyber space name you are using, I feel it appropriate to place you on notice. If I am told that you are again printing false and misleading articles pertaining to me or any member of my family, I will be forced and compelled to seek legal relief from these slanderous articles in a court of justice.
I am sure by now you are saying what remarks have I made that would upset the Chief. Let me give you a quick trip through your slanderous and untruth statements.
When I spoke to you several weeks ago and advised you that the information you wrote about pertaining to how much I made in a year and the amount that the Chief from Hampstead made, I advised you that you had your facts all wrong. Let's go over that conversation. The Hampstead Police Chief is part-time the same as I am. For his 2007 budget he is projected to make $23,527. You listed my salary as $24,485. I advised you that for 2007 my budget indicated a sum of only $22,585.00. You made this look like I was making more that the Hampsted Chief. You were going to print a retraction, but to my knowledge that never occurred. You also list that Hampstead's Police Department Budget was $734,254.00 and Atkinson's Police budget was $778,128.00 I again advised you that our Police budget was $754,021.00. Again you continue to publish false information.
Your article FUZZY MATH is another example of your tireless action to try to discredit me in your BLOG. Let's start with your picture of a blue Ford cruiser. I have no idea were you got that photo from, but that car is in great shape and looks better than some of our older cruisers. Please look at the REAL 2000 FORD CRUISER that we traded in, I have attached several pictures of this vehicle for you to look over. This car is covered with rust, has over 165,000 miles on it and has been in several accidents. This is the oldest cruiser we had in our fleet, and was only used for police details. The inside was in deplorable condition and we could not get the engine light to turn off so we had to cover it up with a piece of black tape.
Every two years we trade in two old cruisers to Irwin Ford in Laconia. We generally get any were from $500.00 to a $1,000.00 for these old cruisers. This cruiser was going to be sent to the junk yard for it had absolutely no resale value at all. When my son asked me were it was going I advised him that we had already traded it in with Irwin Ford and that he was gracious enough to give us $300.00 as a trade in. I advised him if he wanted this car he would have to deal directly with Irwin Ford, and that he did do. How can you portray to folks and try to make them believe that there was something that did not pass the sniff test pertaining to the trade of this old cruiser?
You keep looking for that smoking gun, and it must be very frustrating to you and your small group of ill informed friends that everything in the Police Department and the Elderly Affairs Division is above board and is always open for inspection. Sorry, but maybe you should look in some other back yards to see if you can dig up and any dirt on other hard working town employees.
Getting back to my first comment I am officially placing you on notice, STOP YOUR SLANDEROUS ATTACKS AGAINST MY GOOD NAME, or legal action will sure to follow."
This factually challenged diatribe was signed Philip V. Consentino, Police Chief, Director of Elderly Affairs, and it was Cc'd to Attorney McKintrick, Attorney Giarrusso, Attorney Stine.
Now let me address the issues the chief raises in what I see as his rather heavy handed attempt to use the power and authority of his badge to muzzle any and all criticism of his actions;
BTW, Chief, did it ever occur to you that the reason people post anonymously on this blog, is that they DO NOT want certified letters threatening them like this one delivered to their homes, to upset their wives and families. They do not want tickets hand served by uniformed officer at their homes, thereby scaring their 6 year old sons into thinking they are going to take away his daddy. If you are so sensitive to a little criticism you should put yourself in my position, How would YOU like having your customers and suppliers called by the police chief and told that you are under investigation by the Atkinson police dept.?
First of all you need to know that I did not write the Fuzzy Math Article, nor did I write the Cost of the Police Dept. article, I commented to both, but my comments have my name attached to them and are readily visible. So you are threatening legal action over someone else's article. Second, when we spoke I thought you were addressing my comments about the Cost article, I went home and looked the article up, and saw that you were complaining about the details in the original article, not my comments, That is why I did not "publish a retraction"! I can't retract what I didn't say in the first place. Like I told you that day, if you contest facts on this blog, why don't you post your own response, that is what open debate is about!
Now to the points in your letter;
1.) I am looking over my budget sheets for last year, and I have your salary @ $ 22,585.00, Wow, you were right, the article was off by $1,900. I have Hampstead's chief @ $23,527.00 You are absolutely right, he makes almost $1,000 more than you, for a town 25% larger. But that is balanced out by the fact that his second-in-command make more than $10,000 less than yours in total compensation.
2.) Hampstead's total police budget this year is $735,855.20 with 7 FT officers, and 6 times the business of Atkinson, plus 25% larger town. While Atkinson's total police budget this year was $ 754,021.00 for a much smaller operation, and, be honest; THAT figure was only arrived at by taking out of the police budget over the last two years; -$18,758 for the dispatch contract, -$16,437 for insurance, and -$70,000 for details, plus the budget committee used -$20,000 if I am not mistaken out of the revolving fund to buy down budget items. So if you wish to be honest, and your budget had the same items as it did two years ago, it would be $125,195.00 higher for a total of $ 879,216.00 or 17% higher than Hampstead's for a much smaller job!
But again, I didn't publish the mistaken data, and your assessment of your budget is not totally honest, in my view, either.
Onto the Fuzzy Math article, which, again, I am not the author of, but when I read it and commented on it, I took the photo to be a stock photo of a blue cruiser, not the particular blue cruiser you traded in, and your son evidently bought shortly thereafter. BTW: Here is what 2000 Crown Vic Cruisers are selling for on Cars.com
http://www.cars.com/go/search/search_results.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=22&cid=&dlid=&dgid=&amid=&cname=&rd=&ddrd=30&zc=03811&makeid=14&modelid=169&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&criteria=K-%7CE-ANY%7CM-_14_%7CF-100000%7CH-%7CD-_169_%7CN-N%7CR-10000%7CI-1%7CP-PRICE+descending%7CQ-descending%7CY-_2001-2000_%7CX-popular%7CZ-03811&aff=national&aff=national
They even have a 2000 former cruiser with 166,000 miles for $3,800. Besides how can you say it "had absolutely no resale value" when it was resold in a matter of days for a 25% profit? By the way the three photos you included, were of two rust spots over the two front tires, one that looks to be about 5" in length, and the other looks to be about 10" long, That doesn't look "covered in rust" to me, but what do I know?
And, in closing, Chief, I have never attacked you personally. I asked the Court to order you to recuse yourself from dealing with police matters as a selectman, because you evidently did not have the honor or integrity to do it yourself. When you defied that Order, I notified the Court and you were found in Contempt. When you were dismissed from NH Supreme Court for lack of standing, I could have demanded that the town seek reimbursment for your personal legal expenses that the town paid, but had no laibility for(all expenses after first Court Order), I did not. All of this is in the past. I am over it. I do not attack you or your family, and I will not tolerate you threatening my family, or my business.
Get over yourself, if you don't like people criticizing you, then perhaps you should try acting honorably, and perhaps they will cease.
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