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?
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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. "
15 comments:
WOW, you could format it better, it is a little hard to read, but these numbers are incredible! Why does the police dept. cost so much? Why aren't the selectmen and the budget committee looking at this and asking questions?
The BC stopped asking questions when Mark did not get re-elected. And that is the way Chief Wiener likes it.
Some members of the Budget Committee and some of the past Selecmen have asked those questions. Phil always seems to bully his way through, and no one at a deliberative session has raised those questions. Whatever Chief wants, Chief gets.
I watched the budget committee ask those questions last year, and the year before, but phil doesn't give them any answers he just says "if you can see where I can make cuts, ok" then he gives them no information on what is in those lines, so that they can make cuts. He just claims it is all due to the union contract, but when they put the warrant article forward for the union contract it says it will only cost the town $12,000/yr.
In short, phil and the selectmen lie. And the budget committee just nods their heads and goes along with it.
It is all about the election. I believe the Chief manipulates the elderly vote via the Elderly Affairs dept. He gets his minions elected and stacks the selectman and budget committee members in his favor. The end result is he does what he wants.
The only way to beat him at this game is to have one UNIFIED vote for ONE candidate to beat Sapia in the next election.
Same for new budget committee members.
So now we have the new Cell Tower committee which was stacked by his puppets Sapia and Childs.
AS far as I am concerned, he controls the Elderlty vote (revisit the "No Free Ride" posting) so he controls the positions of power in town. So Guess what? APD = Atkinson Political Dictatorship. Chief is King of Atkinson and he does it because we let him.
Thw article is all true and accurate. I have brought these items up before the budget committee several times but did not have enough votes to carry the day.
I believe I owe the Town of Atkinson an apology. Because of my efforts to get the chief to stand down as a selectmen on police matters in which he was in conflict, even though he refused to either admit it or recuse himself, even after the three Court Orders, I recused myself from voting on police matters to avoid the "perception of impropriety". I'm sorry! I now see that all I accomplished was to allow the police dept. to expand exponentially! my efforts to do what I believed to be right, damaged my own reputation, allowoed the chief to illegally use the selectmen's meetings to slander me, and it robbed the town of a voice to call attention to this massive governmental increase.
It is true that we removed about $150,000 from the police budget over the past two years.
It is true that the current union contract was presented AFTER the public hearing, and it claimed increases of $50,000 over three years.
It is true that the salary increase the FIRST YEAR ALONE was $62,000, and likely will be $80,000 plus this year.
It is true that the budget committee was never allowed to see the contract and review it before voting to accept it. I walked out of that meeting because I believed it to be illegal. I still do. Budget Committee vice-chair Fred Thompson stated " I have never seen a union contract before, and I don't need to see it now" I tried to point out that the numbers presented were innaccurate, and unverifiable, but I was outvoted.
This town deserves better than those who will put their personal friendships before the town's best interests.
This town does not deserve for every person who draws attention to the selectmens illegal, or just improper acts(or the chief's for that matter) to be villified at selectmens meetings. I have constantly heard Chief and Jack whine about public witch hunts and the politics of personal destruction, yet THEY are the masters of it.
I only hope that the budget committee this year continues the practice of being watchdogs of the public's dime, but so far, I am not seeing it.
"I think I see were cuts of between 15% an 40% can be made in most lines" and "if you disagree with me show me all the information I need to make the arguement that cuts can not be made." If the BC starts a 0 and only budgets on demonstrated need there is no problem.
I agree but, like I said, I was nt the person to make those points because whenever I tried it was spun as "Acciard using his position to get the chief" which pretty much ends debate, because no one cares to look beyond the facile at the evidence being presented, and evaluate it.
Mr. Acciard is right I remember those very comments from the chief and from Sapia.
It is disgusting, that was his job to ask those questions, but every time anyone questions the chiefs dept. or management of it, he whines about unfair treatment, and vendettas. Dale Childs used to rip skin off him she chewed him out so hard when she was budget committee chair. She questioned every man hour, and every uiform dollar, because she was a parttimer and knew what went on.
Fred Child the first time he was selectmen, went over every request of the chiefs with a fine toothed comb. Questioned everything! Frank Polito when he was a selectmen was also hard on this guy.
It is amazing that now all of these people help him demonize the new generation of questioners.
So why does it cost Atkinson 130% of Hampstead's budget to run the police dept.?
Heres a better question;
Why does it cost 50% more to uniform 7 full time Hampstead officers than it does to uniform 5 full time Atkinson officers?
I meant that the other way around;
50% more for 5 Atkinson cops than for 7 Hampstead cops
I just had a very nice civil conversation with the chief in front of the town hall, and he pointed out to me that I had verified the numbers in the article, in my comment, and he stated that there are innaccuracies in the article's numbers.
I promised him that If my endoresement was wrong I will apologize and correct it. I have the budget numbers from last year and will check all of the numbers in the article against those in the article, as soon as I can.
If I was wrong to verify those I will issue the correct numbers here as soon as I can. Maybe Publius can check his/her numbers as well for innaccuracies.
I love how the chief goes around just accusing other people of having wrong numbers.
If the numbers are inaccurate, why doesn't he come forth with some data? He should be defending his numbers if he is accusing others of being incorrect.
He is the one that has to provide the accurate numbers, not us.
Again, he is good at manipulation and positioning. I would say to him, you tell US what the numbers are then if they are wrong.
Is the Chief going to provide the accurate numbers or just hope this goes away and we forget about it come budget time & elections next year?
I would assume Phil would want to show how wrong this blog is.
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