We are watching the meeting as it is progressing and a few things leap to mind; Mr. Artess was very good at trying to hold the selectmen to some accountability. Mr. Acciard was, perhaps more tactful and eloquent, but the points were made by these two men, none the less. The facts are, in spite of Mr. Sapia's endless hand-wringing over the divisiveness in town, and the issue of honoring the veterans, that the voters passed two warrant articles in 2005, and the Selectmen FAILEd to fulfill either of them. Mr. Acciard asked Mr. Sapia about this very issue, but Mr. Sapia insisted that they had followed the two articles, he must mean "the spirit" rather than the actual wording.
The facts are that Article 2005-15 directed the selectmen to spend $1.00, on these panels.
Article 2005-16, directed that the area in front of the town hall in between the two flagpoles, up to and including the two flagpoles be left undisturbed.
Town Counsel told the selectmen in a letter dated Mar. 22, 2005, that, legally; "It would appear obvious that the reduction of the amount to be raised under Article 2005-15 was intended to give permission for the two marble panels, however did not include an appropriation for this purpose by the taxpayers of the Town of Atkinson. Article 2005-16 doe snot prohibit any additional monumentation concerning the Vietnam Memorial area but appears to limit changes "between and including the flagpoles in front of the Town Hall."
He also stated; " Both legally passed warrant articles are binding upon the town" " When you compare the two articles there is actually no conflict" " By positioning the two panels outside of the area between the two plagpoles, the legal requirements of both articles are met."
The Selectmen refused to place the two panels, even though the voters directed them to.
The Selectmen never paid the $1.00
The selectmen's refusal to do their duty, all but forced the historical society to litigate this.
At the mediation the sleectmen allowed the presence of Mr. Weymouth et.al. who although not parties to this case, did not want the panels placed in front of the town hall.
Mr. Sapia stated many times that the selectmen were bound by law to fulfill the wishes of the voters, but he ignores the fact that it was their refusal to do this for two years that created the current situation, as well as the expense of the special town meeting.
We congratulate the Board on finally taking the appropriate and legal action. Hopefully this is a trend that will continue.
If anything further happens at the meeting we will update this later.
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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. "
44 comments:
I still don't trust them, I will believe in thier integrity when I see those panels in fornt of the town hall!
I agree! and the warrant article called for immediate placement, someone should have asked when the selectmen are planning to place them.
I watched as well...and I am a fairly new resident hesitant to register to vote...I have watched this debacle unfold and feel it is more these elderly women volunteers who have been disrespected and almost intimidated. Eight hundred plus people in this town voted for this. TWICE. With all due respect to the living and the dead...END OF STORY...Place the monuments...
Lets get construction going now! it said immediate, the town voted for it, just do it! Like the libraries moto "Build it Right... Build it now!" -- We'll all get shovels if you wish and start one Saturday morning, just to dig it up and make it look bed enough to force the selectmen to do something.. Those useless people.. Glad Jack will be gone soon, and then we can finally get this town back to a working peaceful order. Ever since Jack and Fred have been there, it’s been Hell and Atkinson has gone from its “Nice” reputation to “Small Town Politics HELL”.
I thought Jack made it perfectly clear that the tablets WILL be placed per the approved warrant article. He said so often. But he also said Town Counsel is the one who recommends going back to court to avoid disobeying the court order. Makes sense to me.
As to the veterans, I hear them talk of their own experiences, and it was sad, but gave us pride in the knowledge that so many men went to war and sacrificed their lives for us. Nam was different. Those men and boys went to war because their boss - the President - told them to. They went through things we couldn't possibly imagine; they suffered, too; and they live with horrid memories. Some still live with illnesses they got from that war.
They deserve just as much honor as those of WW2.
I believe that if Fred Hellmuth were alive today, he'd agree with the Historial Society, even if his name isn't on those tablets. He would have been a bigger man than that, and would have thought more about his comrades in arms than himself.
I will bet you dollars to donuts that November 11, 2007 (Veterans Day) will come and go and those panels will still not be installed. By the way, Jack fudged last night when Mr. Frederiksen asked him why, if the town had accepted the panels as a gift, they had not taken them and installed them where they wished. Answer is: Panels were not paid for completely. Money had been held back for the installation, you know, you pay the last installment when the job is completed. In which case, the panels still belonged to Atwood Memorials, as they do to this day, for the same reason! Job is not finished!
In other words....installation is not going to cost the town anything?
I thought the panels were left at Atwood because it was safer than finding a place in town to store them.
Several posts were lost "in the system" sorry, If you like please repost your comment
I am disgusted!
It is ridiculous for Jack to sit there and take the moral high ground about how they are "bound by law" to follow the voters decree, when he knows that if they had followed the voters decree two years ago, none of this would have been necessary.
Mr. Acciard was right! They did not install the panels in 2005, as they were ordered to. And from what I have heard they did not even pay the $1.00, how petty can you get?
These people are not fit to hold office, if they fail to do this immediately, they should be removed from office, it is time to stop this nonsense!
To Anon 9:47 -
$9,100. was raised to pay for the panels and the cost of installation. Mr. Atwood can attest to that fact. There will be no cost to the taxpayers - unless the Selectmen want to pay for a modest re-dedication on Veterans Day. Just a thought -
It was totally disgusting to watch Jake Collins, Frederickson, and Dick Magoon whine about the fact that ONCE AGAIN, their selfish self-serving selves were overwhelmingly repudiated by the Atkinson voters.
In their sick determination to make sure that Atkinson's boys who served in Vietnam are not honored, that little clique shames our town. If the Special Town Mtg vote had gone their way, they would have been demanding that the vote be honored. The voters repudiated them and so they now again whine that the vote should not be honored.
None of them donated to the Vietnam Honor Roll fund to pay for those name finals, yet they try to control the panels. None of the
Selectmen donated to the Honor Roll fund either, yet they also try to control them.
With the Collins-Weymouth-Magoon-Fredericksen clique and Sapia, Childs and Consentino refusing to donate to the fund drive, it they had had their way there wouldn't have even been any
Vietnam Honor Roll panels. Shame on them, for now trying to block something, they tried to obstruct from the start.
Let those self-centered cry-babies who refuse to accept town meeting vote just go home or move out of town and try your obstruct town meeting vote tactics some where else.
It should be pointed out that NONE of the little group of "veterans" who oppose Atkinson's Vietnam veterans being honored, none of them served from Atkinson, including Jake Collins, Weymouth, Magoon and Fredericksen.
Jake Collins' name is very conspiciously missing from the World War II Honor Roll, as are all of the names of the other
"veterans" who oppose Atkinson honoring her own.
Note also that Child's name is not on the Korean War honor roll, yet he also has been actively opposing Atkinson honoring her own.
The names of "Vietnam veterans" Weymouth, Magoon, etc. are also conspiciously missing from the names listed on the Vietnam Honor Roll name panels, because, if they served in Vietnam as they claimed, they did not serve as Atkinson residents. I believe that is why they are so opposed to Atkinson's veterans being honored--the sour grapes behavior of some selfish, self-serving men whose noses are out of joint because their names are not on the panels. Their self-centered behavior is disgusting -- " If our names are not included with that of Atkinson's men, then we will obstruct Atkinson's men from being honored."
The attitude of all of the above is an insult to all veterans.
A true veteran would want to see his fellow veterans honored, even if his own name wasn't among the honorees.
Sapia and Consentino never wore their country's uniform so it's not surprising that they have opposed the name panels honoring those who did serve.
Finally, I'm sick and tired of hearing that some out-of-town veterans move to Atkinson and then have the effrontry and gall to then demand that Atkinson's veterans not be honored because those out-of-town veterans were never honored in their own towns. That was the failure of those towns, and that failure should not be taken out on Atkinson's veterans.
Atkinson has a proud and honorable tradition of honoring its own -- from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea,
and now, finally, Vietnam.
Our Fire Department even has an
Honor Roll in front of the AFD which honors the names of those volunteers who honorably served as Atkinson firemen.
We're a great town who cares about honoring our own. So you whiners and selectmen who have made it clear that you don't share those special values, that's TOUGH!! Your attitude, which you're entitled to, only shames and dishonors you.
Jack Sapia... if you're such a freakin' patriot and love your country, why didn't you enlist and serve?? I'm so sick of listening to you with your moment of silence and honoring the men and woman, blah - blah - blah. Our children learn by example. Or do you consider being a selectman your way of serving your country? Just shut up already !!!
Last nights meeting was a sham,
#1. Why didn't the three Selectmen acknowledge to the viewing audience that the expense of the Special Town Meeting was shared by both the Water Issue and the Vietnam Monument Issue. The Vietnam Committee kind of piggy-backed on the water issue as they were so frustrated with the way things were going.
#2. I was under the impression the Town Hall and it's land were owned by the Town and belongs to all the Town residents. Who designated it the property of the first Vietnam Monument Map stone Committee? Why aren't the Vietnam committee of Now getting the same recognition as the first was given and with the same respect to put the stones with the Atkinson names of those that served in this terrible war on the same lot of land. All stones were purchased with donations from other people in this Town.
3.This is not just the Historical Society looking for a vendetta. It is for every person in town losing the power of their voice and their vote. Their vote has been decounted twice since 2005.
4.I personally think the three Selectmen owe the Historical ladies an apology for the treatment they have received for these last few yrs.They volunteer their time and efforts to record and preserve this Towns History,the Historical Society interior with painting, wallpapering, carpeting remembering that two presidents visited the Peobody's in the 18oo's, purchased items like veteran st.signs, Dow Common signs,the Pound sign Paint, wallpaper, cleanlng, gardening, etc. you name it. They are the unsung volunteers. Oh ya they are looking for vengeance, these 70, 80 and yes 90 yr. ladies.Give me a break. Put the monuments where they belong. In front of the town hall.
Jake Collins wasn't an Atkinson resident when he served in the war. I don't think Dick Magoon or Mr. Frederickson were either. Dave Weymouth, too. Their names couldn't be on the list in this town. Yell about everything else if you want, but don't yell about that.
The warrant article said "to IMMEDIATELY PLACE" This means that placing the panels is the FIRST order of business, and other considerations come after.
I dont trust or believe that Jack Sapia will do anything he says, but I will wait to see if this is the charm,
For those who weren't there last night It was beautiful to see Ellie get up and walk out of the meeting, saying that she couldn't stand to listen to this anymore.
I am VERY skeptical Sapia and Childs will do the right thing. Their track record is beyond awful. Sullivan said at the meeting he would honor the vote as a mandate and should be held to that promise. But a specific installation date should have been asked for. I could not be at the meeting or I would have asked for it.
Given Childs' recent post-election quote in the newspaper about going back to court (which made him sound really senile), I will have to see the panels installed to believe it.
The only way the panels could be held up longer is if the Judge denies the town's request to amend the stipulaton. In view of the fact that it was a town vote, he won't do that.
Question is....how long is that going to take?
Overall feeling of this blog.. JACK AND FRED ARE HORRIBLE SELECTMEN!! THEY DONT LISTEN TO THE VOTERS! THEY MAKE YOUR VOTE NOT COUNT! DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET RID OF EM AT THIS NEXT ELLECTION! SOMEONE PLEASE DO A CITIZEN PETITION TO REMOVE FRED FROM OFFICE!! AND PLEASE PLEASE I BEG YOU NOT TO VOTE IN JACK!
Selectmen, Are you getting the message?
The reason so many veterans were there on Monday, is that WE DON'T TRUST YOU, given your track record we don't trust you to do the right thing.
I have to agree, I liked both Childs and Sapia BEFORE they were selectmen, after seeing their performance over the last three years, I have to agree, I don't believe either of these men have a shred of honesty, or integrity, and I won't vote for them for street sweeper.
The sad fact here is that if anyone else were the person organizing this memorial they would have been i the ground two years ago.
If Jack Sapia had been doing this those panels would have been accepted before they were delivered, and put in the ground in front of the town hall two years ago, but because Carol Grant was the originator of this proposal, they, as the chief said in a meeting "that woman will not get her way!"
And that is why the selectmen forced the town into the position of having to sue them to get this, that is why the thousands of dollars in legal expense, and the thousands of dolaars in town meeting expense had to be. Because the selectmen refused to do their sworn duty, and were unable to represent ALL TOWN RESIDENTS EQUALLY!
Everyone is right, these clowns should be removed.
if we all agree to remove the "clowns" from office, please post how to do it! OR email me at anonamous603@yahoo.com (yes, because our town leaders use town money to track down "us bloggers" I created a separate email, and only access it from a public place) goodluck tracking this selectmen.
How dare Sapia, Childs, Weymouth,Magoon and Fredericken refer to a handful of dissident from out-of-town veterans as the definitive "Atkinson veterans." That small clique is in no way representative of Atkinson's veterans and it is an insult to Atkinson's many hundreds of other veterans that this clique keep up their phoney act that those many other Atkinson veterans do not exist.
Weymouth calls his clique members who oppose the placement of the Vietnam Honor Roll panes as "the real veterans." Barf !!
Those phonies -- Weymouth, Fredericksen, and Magoon-- never supported Atkinson's Vietnam veterans by donating to or speaking in support of the ORIGINAL map stone. Their names are absent from the list of map stone donors, so that shows without doubt their LACK OF COMMITMENT to the honoring of the 71 Atkinson men who left from Atinson to serve. Those 71 Atkinson men who served during Vietnam are the REAL veterans, not the Weymouth-Magoon-Fredericksen clique.
The names of Consentino, Sapia and Childs are also absent from the list of donors to the map stone.
So much for their phoney act now of saying how much they support the veterans.
When it came time for a second fund drive to fund the name panels, once again, the names of those same hypocrites were missing AGAIN from the names of the donors. Missing again are the names of Weymouth, Magoon, Jake Collins,Fredericksen, and other out-of-town veterans who dare to hypocritically and falsely claim that they are the only "real veterans."
It's no surprise that ONCE AGAIN, the names of Childs, Sapia, and Consentino are also missing from the donor list for the name panels as they were from the donor list for the map stone fund drive.
But, the name panel donor list does include the name of hundreds of REAL Atkinson veterans and their families who donated over $9100 to pay for the name panels.
Some of those donor veterans served from Atkinson, some served from other towns. The one important thing they had in common was that those real true veterans all donated so that their fellow veterans who served during Vietnam were honored. Those true veterans who served from other towns and have since moved to Atkinson didn't hold back on their donations or attempt to obstruct the name panels just because their own names were not on them, as did Magoon, Weymouth, and Fredericksen and their selfish, self-centered ilk.
When the selectmen shamefully and illegally refused to honor the 2005 Town Meeting vote, 71 Atkinson residents took them to court.
The 71 co-petitioners included 7 ladies from the Atkinson Historical Society's Vietnam Honor Roll Committee, but the other 64 petitioners were mostly true veterans -- some whose names were on the panels, and some who moved here from other towns and were loyal and true to their fellow veterans.
Sapia, Childs and that hypocritical clique of phoney, self-styled "we're the only veterans" were very careful not to admit that it was the true Atkinson veterans who paid for the name panels, who voted for the map stone in 2005, who took the selectmen to court, and who turned out again to overwhelmingly vote at the Special Town meeting.
So, from now on, when Weymouth, Magoon, Collins, and Fredericksen dare to insult all of our intelligence and refer to themselves as the sole, representative, real veterans in town, (and Sapia and Childs support that charade) know them for the dishonest,hypocritcal phonies that they are.
Real true veterans support other veterans, and not their own selfish egos.
At Monday night's selectmen's meeting, once again Sapia demonstrated his bias in only allowing those to speak who support his position.
He allowed Collins, Fredericksen and Magoon almost an hour to go on and on and on. But any time Artus tried to speak or make a point, Sapia would tell him he could speak after Fredericken finished. (yeah, sure!!)Acciard was also only allowed to get a very few words in.
When Fredericksen finally finished, instead of Sapia then keeping his word and showing basic fairness by allowing Artus to finally speak his piece and also Acciard to expand on his comments, Sapia, with no justification, pulled the shameful, cowardly time-worn tactic of shutting off opposition speakers by calling for a break.
The selectmen left the room and basically pulled a "let's wait them out. Let's hang out back here and stall until the opposition speakers just give up waiting to speak and leave." -- which was what happened. The cowardly, biased selectmen hid out for over 15 minutes in the back room, waiting until the residents gave up and left and, only then did they skulked back into the room. Our selectmen are pitiful!!
Equally pitiful was Sapia's constant pandering to, and practically kissing the feet of Jake Collins as if he was the only veteran in town. Good for Jake for his service, but what about the many hundreds of other Atkinson veterans who served? What about Atkinson's other WW II veterans? Sapia always ignores them and acts like they don't exist -- possibly because they oppose him and instead support the placement of the Vietnam honor roll panels, both with their donations and their votes.
I watched Monday's selectmens mtg. It was good that the selectmen said they would keep their word to the townspeople and will honor the vote to place the Honor Roll panels on each side of the map stone as mandated hy the passed warrant article.
I want to believe them but they're such a dishonest board that I just find it so difficult to trust them. I want to believe them, but their actions always contradict their words. Like most of the distrusting residents, I guess I'll believe them when the panels are actually installed. I hope they don't sell us out again.
I'm one of the 71 petitioners who took the selectmen to court. I'm also a veteran who is appalled at the behavior of that small group of shameful "veterans" who have been so actively obstructing the honoring of our Vietnam vets. What is the matter with them?
Why are they so hell-bent to sell out Atkinson's Vietnam vets? It's totally disgusting that they even showed up at the selectmen's meeting hoping to get the selectmen to sell out and betray the voters again. So many vets fought and died for the cause of democracy, yet those miserable people continue to try to obstruct and overthrow a democratic vote.
Actually, my real purpose in writing this, my first blog submission, is to explain something that was said Monday night by one of the ladies from the Historical Society. You'll recall that a white-haired elderly lady made a very spirited criticism and issue of how "7 selectmen" showed up at the court mediation session, and since when, did Atkinson have "7 selectmen"?
Unless you are one of we 71 co-petitioners who took the selectmen to court, you wouldn't understand what she was referring to by "7 selectmen" so, as one of the in-the-know co-petitioners, I feel the need to explain it to you all.
The court set up a mediation session between the two parties to the law-suit to see if there could be some resolution to avoid having to go to trial. Both sides were told the rule concerning mediation sessions -- specifically, that the ONLY people who could be present were the co-plaintiffs and the 3 Defendant selectmen (plus the attorney for each side).
Six of the Historical Society ladies (without alerting the rest of us 65 other co-plaintiffs to the mediation session)thought they would handle it for us. They should have told us so we could also be present, but they didn't.
The 6 Historical Society Honor Roll Committee ladies showed up at the mediation conference. They followed the court and mediation rules and bought no unauthorized people with them.
But, unsurprisingly, our selectmen, in their continuing arrogance and belief that they are above the rules, violated the court and mediation rules and bought with them Dave Weymouth, Jake Collins, Dick Magoon, and one other, as illegal mediation conference crashers.
The ladies protested their presence and the violation of the rule but the conference crashers wouldn't leave. After all, those crashers are used to getting their own way with the selectmen and to-hell-with-the voters and the court rules. Weymouth, Collins and Magoon, and the selectmen, considered themselves above the court and mediation rules.
We heard that after Sapia spoke, Collins then started his "I want my own way, to hell with the vote of the townspeople" act to the mediator. Collins was there illegally, but we were told that he did more talking than anyone, including Sapia, (if anyone could believe that's possible). Because the four conference crashers were bought there by the selectmen as their equals, the mediator did not stand up to the selectmen and make the 4 conference crashers leave.
Unbelievably, he asked the ladies to leave the room while he stayed in the room to talk to the selectmen and conference crashers.
The mediator then came to the room where the ladies were waiting and gave them an agreement he had written that gave the 4 conference crashers and selectmen exactly what the conference crashers wanted. He then put pressure on the ladies to accept it, saying that he had to leave to attend a meeting elsewhere.
The Chairwoman of the Honor Roll Committee strongly protested the conference crashers being allowed to help the mediator draw up the stipulation. She refused to accept it. But the other five ladies were so intimidated by the course of events, including the allowed rules violation of the selectmen bringing 4 conference crashers, that over the protests of their Committee Chairwoman, they agreed to allow what the mediator had written. Those five ladies never signed anything, but they didn't contest what the mediator had written.
After those five ladies got back to Atkinson and out of the pressure situation, they all agreed to disavow the Stipulation written by the mediator.
We all watched the next selectmen's meeting when one of the committee ladies told the selectmen that the committee wanted to disavow and change the stipulation. THE SELECTMEN AGREED TO DRAW UP A NEW STIPULATION.
A new stipulation was drawn up by the selectmen, signed by them, and then sent to the co-plaintiffs.
This time, ALL 71 CO-PLAINTIFFS present in Atkinson were contacted and allowed to vote. (A few didn't vote, mostly because they were in Florida for the winter and not present) But of the 71 co-petitioners voting, only one voted YES. The rest of us who voted, which included mostly veterans like myself, all unanimously voted to reject the stipulation, writing a big NO next to our names on the amended stipulation.
The first stipulation was set aside by mutual agreement of the selectmen and the Committee ladies while the second and amended stipulation was massively rejected by we co-plaintiffs.
Anyway, that's an explanation of what the elderly lady was talking about Monday night when she accused the selectmen of having "7 selectmen" present at the mediation --- the three selectmen and the 4 illegal conference crashers they bought with them, in violation of the court and mediation rules.
All this great information has finally come to the surface. Thanks to this blog.
I for one have had it with the bos and other departments in our towns government.
WHatever happened to telling the truth? So much cra* to remove that we will need a 100 acre landfill!
The other fact that the previous poster neglects to mention, is that the lovely ladies from the historical society were intimidated by lies that this issue would be in the court for another two years at least, and that this would be the only forum for thier side to be heard, and others. The behavior of our selectmen was beyond dispicable, as Mr. Acciard said at deliberative session. They were under duress, and the selectmen took advantage of them, And for Mr. Collins to yell at all of the rest of the veterans that supported this monument was also disgraceful.
Maybe none of you people were around when Jack Kiley - fairly new to the town - stood at the Town Meeting and said "I went to war to fight and I earned my right to be heard." Nobody EVER tried to interrupt or stop him after that. Jake just took too long to say the same thing.
As far as the false claim made Monday night that "the vets" did not get a chance to speek at deliberative session.
As I recall, one of the first speakers on this issue at deliberative session was Mr.. Waymouth. And the Selectmen, of course. Maybe if the Selectmen sat down and shut-up and Waynouth didn't "speak" their whining would be acceptable, but it is not.
Democracy in Atkinson does not exist under the present regime as far as I am concerned. As I see it, Sapia and Childs were elected through activities of the taxpayer funded political machine known as the Atkinson PD that leverages Elderly Affairs, manipulates and obligates the elderly for their votes and uses taxpayer funds to get out their vote. Taxpayer funded phones, vehicles, gas, personnel and mail are paid for by us so that he can drive "little old ladies who need a ride" to the polls. And all during election season he is whispering in their ears how to vote at the polls. This is happening and anyone who is paying attention and/or has spoken to many residents know this has been the way for years but are afraid to try and do anything about it.
In my view, the electioneering effort by our APD has hijacked Democracy from the taxpayers.
As I see it, this whole episode with the veterans is one more example of Sapia and Child's abusive practices because they are empowered by the badge held by our police chief. He put them in power and they are now his puppets to do as he beckons. The corruption is blatant and right in our face.
I recently read the term he is a pretend do-gooder to the elderly. That nails it. It is the ultimate con-game played with our most vulnerable citizens. It is unfortunate so many elderly do not understand what electioneering actually is. On the same note, for those elderly complicit with his scheme and know it is wrong, shame on them as they are lawbreakers too. In my book, preying on the elderly is as bad as it gets. Oh, and don't forget to make your donation to the APD slush fund! Squeezing old people who become reliant/dependent on rides for their votes and cash. Now that is a crime.
Maybe a mailing to all the elderly in town with a few or all the BS going on in town. I am sure after reading about this that they would turn against the Chief.
to anon 5:34. Could we also use taxpayers money to do this? Not legally so maybe a donation account should be set up to finance such mailings. consentino does it all the time, so perhaps it's time that the seniors were told what was really going on in this town. I would also like to see this blog's web address posted on channel 20 to let any taxpayer in town who doesn't already know about it be made aware of it. Russ, perhaps you or the BOS could take care of that matter first thing Monday morning?
Two things about the PD letter to the residents struck me.
There were maybe two items regarding the residents in general. The remainder of the letter addressed the needs of the elderly. That leads me to believe that our entire PD focuses on the little old ladies and not all residents. I'm pretty sure our trained officers aren't too thrilled about that.
The other thing I noticed was the usual request for donations suggested that checks be sent to the PD Equipmet Fund. Once upon a time, there were two donation accounts - one for the PD and one for the elderly. When were they combined, and why? (Other than it's easier for the chief to manipulate the funds.)
What to you want to bet the Elderly Affairs will be put back into the PD budget this year. With a Budget Committee which is all supportive of the Chief and Jack, it's a done deal.
Well, if THAT happens there will be no accountability at all!
Please give me one reason why that program can'r be combined with the community centers elderly programs, and run out of the community center, and turned into one kick ass, totally comprehensive, truly "one stop shop, one call does it all, you call we haul", department?
anon 10:27 Well who would run it? It has been suggested more times than I can remember. But sadly as long as the , past retirement age, only out for his interest, full of himself, ready to be put out to pasture, chief of police can keep his hands in he won't let it go with the community center. Wouldn't it be an ideal place to have it run from? Sounds like a warrant article waiting to be written. That would be after the town decided we wanted a real police chief running our town.
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I definitely have no problem donating money or working on the "inform to elderly committee.
BUT how do I do this? None of us can send a check! We will be "busted" and cost us dearly in traffic tickets. God forbid we have a meeting some where!
Lets face it, we are just screaming against the tide. More of us need to support the people defending what should be right...That's right I am scare too! Imagine in the USA we are afraid to come out of our caves and say "enough"! I am ashamed of the town and myself.
To the reference of Jack Kiley saying He "was a verteran and had a right to be heard"...perhaps he did but he did so with intelligence and pride...he was a fine citizen of this town and didn't take any BS from anyone...People may not have always agreed with him but he had the Town's best interest at heart...not his own "power" within the Town...He was well respected not only in this community but many others as well...Jake Collins has had many opportunities to speak his case...but Mr. Collins and his group cannot accept that they didn't get their way with the "vote" and with the "power" they feel they have they will keep this shameful feud going...the monuments go together...it is not "changing" anything about the Mapstone...JUST ENHANCING IT...Bad enough there is a feud about acknowledging Veterans but now tactics have resorted to bringing deceased members of this community into it...AND if this is tracked I am using someone's pc so don't throw your daggers at them but I do have Freedon of Speech and had to share my thoughts...ONCE AGAIN...Isn't it a comforting thought to know someone has such a meager life that they fill their time "tracking" what others have to say...to that person I say GET A LIFE and read these comments...learn from them...that is what gets it all to a "middle" ground...
To Anon @ 8:46 am on 9/22
Here's the ironic part;
Anyone in town can request a withdrawal from the police donation account. You simply make the request to the selectmen(as they are the only ones legally able to spend out of that acct., even though they never vote to do so.)They MUST hold a public hearing, and that is it.
I agree that Jack Kiley was well respected. So is Jake Collins, who served for several years as chairman of our Planning Board. He was fair, tough and stubborn, and never afraid of those who threatened to sue the town if they didn't get their way.
In the really old days, Jake was a ballot counter, where he was fast, efficient and admired.
Don't get mad at Jake now. He still deserves the respect, and he, too has the right to be heard, even if it wasn't what you wanted to hear.
And by the way, he's a great dancer!
12 days and still no memorials; Immediately is leaving town...
I don't believe anyone is getting mad at Jake and as stated in a prior post "with all due respect to the living and the dead" but this is exactly the problem with this whole debacle...what is not to understand?...JAKE HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HIS SAY...EVEN AS A "SELECTMAN" AT A PRIOR HEARING ON THIS...AS WELL AS MR. WENTWORTH, EVEN IN THE TRIBUNE, BUT THEIR "SAY" IS NOT THE WAY PEOPLE VOTED...AGAIN...PEOPLE VOTED...and that should be the final "say"...how the people voted...not to keep the "say" going because you are not happy with the outcome...There are many many people in this community that have ALL done their fair share and then some to keep it "alive" and growing...but there has to be respect for the people's VOTE or why bother VOTING at all?... AGAIN, with respect to all parties involved a VOTE is a VOTE, especially for the 2nd time around...
So it's been like 2 weeks, any word on when the tablets will be put up? What are you waiting for Chairman Sapia, the go ahead from our soon to be ex (yipee) Chief? Will you "men" get some balls and stand on your own two feet for once? You are beginning to look like not only bad selectman but spineless human beings, you are disgracefull!
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