Publius,
Would you please allow this submission as a blog article?
Carol Grant
Veteran’s Memorials and Honor Rolls Are NOT to be Landscaping Decorations for the Library !!!
The Selectmen’s sudden focus and illegal Electioneering use of so far, two Selectmen’s Meetings to talk about a Veterans Park is a very transparent attempt/ploy to murky the waters and distract from the voters the intent of the Sept. 12 Special Town Meeting to make the selectmen honor 2005 Town Meeting vote to honor our Vietnam veterans by placing the Honor Rolls where the voters mandated they go.
My attention was just called to a very timely and appropriate submission on Plaistow’s blog, “The Plaistow Town Crier.” It correctly points out that war memorials should be placed where people will ALWAYS see them and NOT off some place where they’re rarely seen.
I quote from the Plaistow Town Crier: "Hey, Atkinson, Here’s how we honor the veterans over in Plaistow. We don’t hide the stones in a park that only gets visitors twice a year...The memorials are right on the Town Hall lawn where everyone can see them. Unless your business with the town has got you in a fog, you can't help notice them. You have to walk right past several on your way into the building…”
I strongly agree and have always felt this way. At one of the many informational meetings about the proposed new library, during talk about the landscaping for it, I felt outraged when it was pointed out that the area around the new library could be “decorated” with Atkinson’s War monuments. Using and relegating our military service memorials to being “lawn decorations" is offensive and an insult to those who served their country in uniform and went in harm’s way under our flag.
Plaistow has the right idea. While going about our daily lives far from past and present battlefields, we should never forget our Atkinson sons and daughters who served or are now serving far from home. The future placement of Atkinson’s war memorials rightfully belongs where we can be ALWAYS reminded of the service of our veterans – at the Town Hall.
We have a large empty field between the Town Hall front driveway and the Academy parking lot –plenty of open space for our current and future war memorials and for the many residents who attend the Memorial Day celebrations. The abutting Town Hall and Academy parking lots will provide plenty of parking spots for attendees. There’s also the availability of Town Hall bathrooms for the attendees.
FIRST THINGS FIRST: Right now we have two Vietnam Honor Roll panels which shamefully have had to be kept in storage for two yrs because of the Selectmen’s arrogant and illegal refusal to honor the 2005 Town Meeting vote to place them in front of Town Hall. Special Town Meeting on Sept. 12 should finally bring Atkinson’s Vietnam-era veterans the honor they earned and have been cruelly denied.
SECOND: When all Atkinson’s military sons and daughters come home from Iraq, Kuwait,and Afghanistan, Atkinson will be true to its tradition since the Civil War of honoring those who served from Atkinson, by inscribing their names on an Honor Roll. AT THAT TIME, a decision will need to be made BY TOWN MEETING VOTERS about where that Honor Roll will go. Hopefully, we will then have an honorable, legally- behaving Board of Selectmen which will comply with the legally-binding Town Meeting vote and will not thumb their noses at the voters.
IF Atkinson should vote SEVERAL YEARS FROM NOW to create a Veterans Park, there
would be no more appropriate or practical place than the empty field next to the Town Hall. There could be no higher or more honorable use for that field. Residents would then be invited to submit designs and ideas for the lay-out of such a park.
NOTE: An important negative to consider when deciding if there should be a Veterans Park is that the Civil War Honor Roll on the Common CAN NOT be moved. It and the portion of the Town Common on which it sits (about ¼ of the current enlarged Town Common) were donated as a COMBINED perpetual gift to the town in 1888 by Wm. Todd and was so accepted by the then-Selectmen as such on behalf of the townspeople. Todd donated the Town Common solely and only for the purpose of a location for the donated Civil War Soldiers’ Monument. The town made an agreement with Todd and a town’s word is its bond.
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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. "
1 comment:
At least the Town's word WAS it's bond.....
Before the crew peopling the board of selectmen currently took office, Now the board has no honr and integrity at all! They routinely misinform the public, and use their meetings to harrass residents whose opinons are different from theirs. As a matter of fact, recently Selectmen Chaiman Sapia, simply uses his gavel to stop dissention from being broadcast at his meetings.
I travelled the world thanks to the USAF and I always knew I would settle here, I never thought my hometown would come to this.
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