As reported in the Eagle-Tribune today, Atkinson has sufferred another setback in the construction of our kindergarten classrooms that can be laid directly at the feet of our school board.
The state fire marshall told the school board that the entire building must be sprinklered to bring it up to code! You will remember that this discovery was made two years ago, when Mr. Sapia and Mr. Consentino put a stop to the volunteers building the fire access road, and improving the field. It was pointed out to Mr. Sapia then that 2/3 of the school had no sprinklers and there was also no fire truck access to the back of the building. Mr. Sapia replied that the sprinklers would be "easy, that's just a matter of cutting a loop into the system". Well Mr. Sapia, if it was so easy, why wasn't it done? Even now school board chair Baldwin is saying that it won't be doen until next year, because it was never budgetted! Why not?
Mr. Baldwin is quoted in the paper as saying that there have been no fire safety issues at the school, The implication being that sprinklers are not needed but will be extra insurance, in fact, he states later in the article that the addition of sprinklers "this just reinforces the safety". This blog's question for the school board chairman who by occupation is a police Lt. in Atkinson; If you stopped us for speeding, and we replied "but we have never had any accidents" would that get us out of the ticket? We guess the law only matters when it is convenient.
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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. "
23 comments:
This just blows my mind. I can't belive that the academy has gone with out sprinklers. HELLO this is a school with our children, your grandchildren. I just don't understand how this has gone "unnoticed" doesn't the fire department do inspections of this site? How many other schools in our district are without proper safety features? The schools are spending money left and right on safty features and offsite evacuations yet they don't have sprinklers....Mr.Baldwin may live in Atkinson, but his Kids go to school in Plaistow....do they have sprinklers?
No sprinklers is not a fire safety issue? I guess it isn't unless there is a fire and your child is in the school at the time.
About two years ago when I was on the budget committee, and Jack was the selectmen liason, we would talk about this after meetings. When he stopped the volunteers work on the field improvements and the parking lot that they were doing for free, along with the access road to the back of the school, I asked him, if he was so concerned with safety, what was he going to do about the fact that 2/3 of the school had no sprinklers, and now that he stopped the work, you also couldn't get a fire truck to the back of the building, he had no answer. My final comment to him on the subject was; "if, God forbid, there is a fire there and one of my kids is hurt, I'll come looking for you, Jack!"
That is the last conversation I have had with anyone about this issue, because I was villified for bringing it up. Now it appears that I was right, and the State fire marshall agrees.
Thank you, Sir. It is ashame that it takes getting a state agency involved to get our selectmen and school board to do what they SHOULD have been doing from the start!
And you wonder why the disgust level is on the rise in Atkinson.
I love how this blog in blaming Baldwin about the sprinkler issue at the Academy. The was another addition put onto the Academy prior to Baldwin's position on the school board. Did anyone bring up the sprinkler issue then? Yes, there should be sprinklers, however, they should have been installed years ago. And what does it matter where his kids go to school? Those that know Bill, knows that safety for ALL students and residents is a major concern of his.
Maybe, less spin in the newspaper interviews, and more management when the needs are clear. Do you think..?
Actually No one is "blaming Bill for the sprinklers" It would appear that the article AND the comments are blaming the "school Board" for the sprinklers, which is where that blame squarely lies, and criticizing "Bill" for his pubic comments on the issue, which rather than admitting that mistakes have been made and taking responsibility for them on behalf of the board, as any leader should, it would appear that he demonstrates a cavalier attitude towards this subject.
As for when they should have been installed, you are right they should have been done when the other addition was done, but they weren't.
And that doesn't overlook the fact that when a fire access road was being built for free, Selectmen Sapia, Consentino, and school board member Baldwin, stopped that job from being completed!
And all because they were trying to force Mr. Boyle after he had a fire hydrant installed on Woodlawn av., to also connect Woodlawn to Winslow with a paved path throough the woods.
Again personal politics triumph over what is right.
It is not just the school board who has made mistakes. I think we need to look at those over the SAU. what part are they playing in this role..who exactly is in CHARGE? can someone please tell that? They were so hell bent on getting in kingergarten as well as their additions, and remodles a few years back that they didn't look at the entire picture of actual needs...
That is probably true, but if you are going for accountability, you have to go to the people who had the responsibility for the project, and they dropped the ball.
And then act as if it is no big deal.
Pubils,
who is it that had the responsibility? was it the school board, the administrators at the sau, or Dr. McDonald, he already said that he wasn't involved in this project because he was retiring....so who is in charge? I would like to know who dropped the ball?
Sir, the school board is the governing body of the school district, the administrators work for them and under their direction as does Dr. MacDonald, now Dr. LaSalle. They have the legal responsibility for putting out the bids, reviewing, and approving the bids, overseeing the work, and making certain that the project is on time and on budget. Now they may hire someone more knowledgable than they to oversee this, but they still have the responsibility for the outcome of the project, just as the selectmen do for something in town. Just as the President does on a national scale.
So the school Board dropped the ball. I think they need to take a closer look at their responsibilities.
Thank you for setting me straight.
I have to agree with anonymous at 9:05. But this blog does not have a Vendetta against Lt. Baldwin. Yeah right..And your analogy is just stupid. He didnt say we havent had a fire at the school so why bother putting in sprinklers. I am wondering If all your houses .(where your children sleep) are up to fire code!
One of the responsibilities of head honcho is to take the blame for anything that goes wrong. Phil gets it as Chief, Jack gets it as chairman of the Selectmen, and Bill for School Board. It goes with the job.
To Anon, @ 9:59
Again sir, you miss the point. If you were to build an addition onto your house, you owuld have to bring the entire structure up to code. If you had 100 amp service, you would need 200 amp. if you had no smoke detectors, you would have to put them in, etc.
Commercial building have even stricter codes to follow, and for a governmental body to ignore the codes(read LAWS) is heinous! Then to have the chairman of the governmental body imply that they are doing just fine, and at least initially claim that they don't have to follow those laws, is even worse.
All the criticism that has been levelled at the school board and it's chairman in this matter is a response to their actions(or lack thereof) and the public comments of their chairman. This does not indicate a vendetta so much as honest outrage at the cavalier attitude of our elected officials.
Hey if the work was stopped by the state fire marshall, why has work been going on there almost daily?
To anon at 4:09,
What bothers me is you talk as if Mr.Baldwin is not concerned of the issues at hand and this is just not the case. Also dont assume that i am a man. please. I just dont find it necessary to throw little digs in.
to anon @7:56
I am not assuming you are a man, I am using Sir as a generic, because I dont know. Also This blog is not indicting Mr. Baldwin, the comments here are regarding his public comments. it is not personal, it is an observation. It is his job. it didnt get done. who should we discuss?
In the 60's the 5 towns formed the SAU and 4 towns formed the district. The district voted in a new high school. Many thought it was overbuilt, a real Taj Mahal, DR was chair of the board at that time and he was "blasted". To this day there are those who do not forgive him. In the early 70's there were a number of tricks used to pass the middle school issue. Statutes on reconsideration of bond issue votes were the result. People such as CB are still remembered for their deeds there. The strike got out of control and there are names still associated with that mess. So, the point is, criticism goes with the territory. The recent boards have done much worse, they have allowed the quality of Timberlane education to fall to all time low. That will be their lagacy.
... I continue. Buy the way, this fire code issue is deserving of all the condemnation it may reap. Mistakes are one thing, but, thinking your above reasonable rules is "insane". And, since "Fishieguy" reads and write on this BLOG - FK is known as one or the smartest and hardest working individuals we have ever had the privilidge of his service. There have been positive times and that is, for a large part why Timberlane had its greatness.
The point of this is that the priority for the school board was getting the classrooms built and opened in two months, by labor day! That was obviously more of a priority than losing precious time waiting for permits, especially when they DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE COMPLETED SCHEMATICS, TO GET THE PERMITS!!!
This school Board, instead of following the LAW, (and the chairman is a police Lt. in Atkinson) thought that they could skirt this law in favor of expediency! THEY GOT CAUGHT!
This is wrong on so many levels, and amounts to a reckless disregard for the very people who put them into office.
Okay...memory lapse. I know DK and FK, but I'm drawing a blank on CB. Worse, I was around then! I recalled JH as Chairman then. Give me a clue?
Hey I have a question if anyone can find out..
If work was stopped by order of the state fire marshall, why is there work going on there every single day?
Hey I have a question if anyone can find out..
If work was stopped by order of the state fire marshall, why is there work going on there every single day?
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