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Monday, November 26

Atkinson Selectmen, Stand up and take notice...

This was in the Eagle-Tribune on Nov. 22, 2007.

Maybe our selectmen could take a lesson from Hampstead's selectmen! Oh to have selectmen who ACTUALLY care about their constituents problems making ends meet, all ours seem able to do is spend, SPEND, SPEND!

Published: November 22, 2007 12:00 am

Selectmen order staffers to trim proposed budget
By Penny Williams , Staff writer
Eagle-Tribune

HAMPSTEAD -
Selectmen were unhappy with the 7.54 percent increase in the town's draft budget and voted unanimously to require department heads to prepare a new, bare-bones budget.

The first draft budget came to $5.1 million, an increase of $354,111 - 7.5 percent - over the 2007 operating budget.

However, there are two caveats. First, the operating budget for 2007 was the default budget, which was more than $200,000 lower than the proposed budget of $4.9 million that voters rejected. Second, 2008 is the year in which there is an extra pay period, something that happens once every 13 years, Selectman Priscilla Lindquist said. The extra pay period amounts to almost $100,000 in salary and benefits.

Selectmen directed department heads to come back with a budget that's no more than 4 percent higher than last year's proposal. If department heads found they couldn't do that, they should come prepared to defend their numbers, Selectman Jim Stewart said.

Selectmen will review the new budget proposal Dec. 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Lindquist said the budget, as presented, does not include any cost-of-living adjustment for employees, with the exception of library workers. The library budget did include a 2.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment in the salaries. However, its overall budget showed only a 4.55 percent increase and that was attributable to the retirement of library director Judi Crowley, who had sick and vacation days to cash in.

The biggest budget increase presented that didn't result from a state mandate or legislative change was the highway budget, up more than 22 percent. The cost of salt has risen dramatically and unapproved salary increases for certain positions were included. But the back breaker for the highway budget is the $90,000 cost of the Marilyn Park Drive culvert replacement, which was eliminated last year due to the default budget.

Lindquist complained that the proposed budget is a bigger increase than the school side, and is simply unacceptable.

"We are risking voters handing us another default budget to deal with," she said.

Board Chairman Rick Hartung asked where the figures were for the default budget and was told it is still incomplete, but would probably be finalized by the Dec. 4 budget review date. The default budget isn't required to be available until January, but the board will presumably begin working on it at its next meeting, Monday, Nov. 26.

Now, in the above article, did anyone notice the following facts;

1.) Hampstead's budget is only 17% larger than Atkinson's while the town is 40% larger in terms of roads, business, and the size of it's police dept.

2.) The voters turned down the budget this year, and forced the town to accept the default budget.

3.) THE SELECTMEN requested the lower spending!!! That would NEVER happen in Atkinson!!

So our advice to the selectmen, is to forget about what your friends want. Forget about what YOU want. Forget about trying to please everyone, and feeling hurt when people are pissed at you, because all you are succeeding in doing is pissing off EVERYONE!

Just do the job we elected you to do! Just DO THE RIGHT THING! and continue to do it even when no one is looking. Then maybe you will find the definition of character.

Even the Eagle-Tribune ackowledges the problems with our selectmen!

Welcome to another contributor under the Publius byline

MAcciard said:

Publius, please accept this as an article submission.

Even the Eagle-Tribune ackowledges the problems with our selectmen!

This editorial appeared in the Eagle-Tribune today, November 26, 2007.

Published: November 26, 2007 12:00 am

Our view: Vietnam honor roll finally in place

Eagle-Tribune


We're pleased that the 73 veterans of the war in Vietnam from Atkinson, N.H., finally have their names listed on an honor roll outside Town Hall. It's a shame that so dignified a memorial to their service was such a contentious issue in town.

Atkinson voters first expressed their desire to honor the veterans at the 2005 Town Meeting. They voted to place two panels of veterans' names beside the Vietnam memorial already in place in front of Town Hall. But selectmen later decided not to place the panels, arguing that some residents wanted the existing memorial to remain unaltered.
Their decision prompted a long and bitter battle with Carol Grant, the chief proponent of the honor roll. The matter ended up in Superior Court before voters settled the dispute once and for all with a second vote in favor of the list of names at a Special Town Meeting in September.

The whole dispute could have been avoided had selectmen simply listened to the voters in the first place.

Let that dispute, like so many others about that war, be consigned to the past. Let us now simply give the war's veterans the thanks and respect they so richly deserve.

.....................................................................................................

Whoever this author is, Thank you! I couldn't have said it better myself! And a personal thank you to:

Carol Grant, Adele Dillon, Eleanor Zaremba, Evelyn Sawyer, Barbara Colcord, Martha MacDonald, Barbara Bird, and everyone else that I am forgetting to mention, but who hung in there and fought angainst everything the selectmen, and the chief could throw at you, and persevere!

Sunday, November 25

Are they talking about Lyndeborough, or Atkinson

This appeared on Channel 9 news over thanksgiving weekend.

Police Chief Finds Empty Station When Officers Walk Out
Officers Protest Chief's Reinstatement After Firing

POSTED: 5:31 pm EST November 21, 2007


LYNDEBOROUGH, N.H. -- The Lyndeborough Police Department has a staff of one since its chief was reinstated after he was fired and a walkout of the town's other officers who refused to work with him.

Chief James Basinas was put on paid leave in February by the town select board and then fired two months later. He was temporarily reinstated by a judge while legal arguments continued, but he returned to an empty building.

Selectmen said the chief is the one responsible.

"We've had at least one (officer) resign and a number out on leave," Selectman Andy Roeper said. "It's disturbing. We're extremely troubled, leaving the town without coverage."

Roeper said Basinas was placed on leave because of concerns that fellow officers and town officials had about his ability to get the job done.

Basinas was fired in April, and, according to court paperwork, some of the reasons included failure to follow purchasing policies or safe and appropriate booking procedures, not properly maintaining equipment and incorrectly reporting hours.

After months of legal arguments, Basinas was reinstated in October, only to be put on paid leave again for new concerns, including not filing fingerprint cards with the FBI and lack of evidence that substantiated hours worked by an investigator.

A week ago he returned to the office.

"He is here by court order, not by our choice," Roeper said.

Not only have Lyndeborough police officers left, but neighboring Wilton and Milford have pulled their mutual aid.

Basinas said he won't talk about personnel issues, but he said residents have no need to worry.

"The town is protected," he said. "I am on duty as police chief and I have state police as backup, so we are going to provide what's necessary for the town of Lyndeborough. I'll make sure of that."

The town plans to have final hearings on the chief's status starting on Feb. 11.




Notice the paralels, Working too many hours, failing to accurately report hours, failing to accurately manage budget, failing to follow proper purchasing policies, personality issues, etc.

All of these items have been reported repeatedly about our chief here in Atkinson!

I guess it is not JUST Atkinson, with these problems.

Wednesday, November 21

MY FELLOW ATKINSON TAXPAYERS

Publius: New article submission



MY FELLOW ATKINSON TAXPAYERS:

We are pleased to introduce the Atkinson Taxpayers Association, http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/

We've been watching property taxes and town budgets skyrocket in recent years and felt we could no longer afford to sit by and allow the "Tax & Spend" policies of our Selectmen to continue. We are particularly concerned about the lack of "Truth in Budgeting", fiscal mismanagement and professional misconduct demonstrated by town officials. Please read the following which are just a FEW examples. You can view all the actual, supporting documents on the Atkinson Taxpayers Association website.

DID YOU KNOW......WE LACK TRUTH IN BUDGETING?

Did you know the 2002-2007 budget summary given to taxpayers does not accurately reflect the true police dept budget of $902,000? It indicates the 2007 Atkinson PD budget cost taxpayers $752,892. NOT TRUE!! A "new" practice began in 2005 where line items like Police Dispatch and PD Insurance were moved off of the "Police Dept" budget which gave taxpayers the appearance the PD budget was not increasing when in fact, it was. This practice was repeated in 2006 & 2007. See the budget summary document at: http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/BudgetFY02-07.pdf

The actual 2007 PD budget of $902,000 represents an increase of
$356,000, or 70% since 2002!! We need Truth in Budgeting to see the
actual costs we pay! Why "move" these increases? Crime statistics
from our own PD do not support an increased workload since 2002 to
require 12 police vehicles and all the supporting staff. See the PD
statistics 2002-2005 at: http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/PDStats2002-Oct2005.pdf

Someone needs to explain to us the need for all these costs which
are SIGNIFICANTLY higher than all surrounding towns.

DID YOU KNOW.....THE ATKINSON COMMUNITY CENTER IS AT RISK?

WHY WOULD ANYONE RISK A TOWN ASSET WITH AN ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT COST OF OVER $1 MILLION!!

Did you know our Selectmen and ZBA put our own Community Center at risk by authorizing a commercial sign on Town Conservation Land where it is located. This violated deed restrictions (a right of re-entry for condition broken) which empowers the SOCIETY FOR PROTECTION OF NH FORESTS to take the property back. Skeptical? I hope you will read the documents at:
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/atkinson/category/ZBA

Atkinson resident Leigh Komornick tried to bring the issue to light at a Selectmen's meeting but was rebuffed by Selectman Jack Sapia for numerous reasons that defy logic, many of which were inaccurate. She was also treated rudely by our Town Administrator, Russ McAllistor during the meeting. The video of the Selectmen's meeting is available at the Library. I hope you are skeptical enough to watch it. Stand by on this matter in coming weeks. Hopefully, we are not too late to lose this valuable town asset.

DID YOU KNOW......OUR LEGAL FEES HAVE TRIPLED?

Did you know our town has been sued so many times it is costing taxpayers a fortune in additional legal fees - and the cost of our town liability insurance increases with every additional
lawsuit. In fact, the retainer we now pay town counsel TRIPLED to
$42,000 because of the additional legal work (it used to be
$14,000). Legal costs (for court time above the retainer)
dramatically increased as well. See some of the court case
documents against our town officials at:
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/atkinson/category/lawsuits
(more documents to be posted in the near future)

DID YOU KNOW.....THE OVERLAY BUDGET IS A MYSTERY TO OUR OWN BUDGET COMMITTEE?

Did you know there is a budget known as the "Overlay Budget" that is not overseen by the Budget Committee? Apparently, the oversight is by the Selectmen who apply a mysterious budgeting process for annual abatements. In 2006, the town UNDERESTIMATED this budget by $51,000. How will this shortfall be paid?? See the Overlay budget info at: http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/atkinson/category/spending

DID YOU KNOW....SELECTMEN INCREASED RISKS TO THE TOWN WITH
THE RECENT ASSESSMENT CONTRACT?

Did you know our Selectmen did not require a bond for this work in the
latest round of contracts? They made these contracts less stringent
than past Selectmen. Why should taxpayers be assuming more risk for
such a critical service? See the ASSESSMENTS analysis at: http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/PurvisYearly.pdf

DID YOU KNOW.....PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT IS TOLERATED BY OUR SELECTMEN IN ATKINSON?

Did you know about all of the complaints and lawsuits against Chief Consentino? There is a long and documented history distinct showing a pattern of harassment, intimidation and coercion. But don't take our word for it. Read the Police Labor Union complaints and those from other residents - and don't forget the lawsuits! Indeed, the Peak Vs. Consentino case reads stranger than ficition. The final settlement paid by the town to Wayne Peak was so large it is sealed under a non-disclosure agreement. See the Initial Pleading at: http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/peakvcons_initialC-836-84.pdf

Read the complaints at:
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/atkinson/category/complaints/

Read the news articles (about 50) section at:
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/atkinson/category/news/

Either a large number of people all conspired against this man with very similar allegations....or they are all telling the truth. There is no middle ground, here.

DID YOU KNOW.......OUR SELECTMEN DO NOT HEED THE WILL OF ATKINSON VOTERS?

Did you know the Vietnam Memorial was approved by voters two years ago? Town Counsel issued a written opinion that the warrant article was clearly written, yet it took a second, special town vote to get Selectmen to finally act after two+ years. This cost taxpayers significant legal fees and the cost to conduct a special town vote to finally get the memorial put in place. WHY??

Read Town Counsel opinion at:
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/atkinson/category/vietnam-memorial/

Read why Consentino opposed it as Selectman Chair:
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/ConsentinoBlocksVietnamHonor08-2005.pdf


We only ask that you, as a fellow taxpayer, read the facts in these publicly available documents and judge for yourselves. Like many of you, we have bills to pay and my property taxes are the highest ever - as are town budgets. We are asking you to join us in our efforts to bring fiscal sanity back to Atkinson. The Tax & Spend policies of our current town government, fiscal mismanagement and tolerance of professional misconduct must end. Please sign up for our newsletter and you may also submit documents to post on the website.

MORE ISSUES WE ARE TRACKING:

We predict the following spending bills will be proposed and recommended by the Selectmen and Budget Committee at the 2008 town meeting.
1) Addition to the town hall
2) Renovations to the police department building
3) New Communications tower

AT WHAT COST? After we just spent $2.7 Million on a new library, this
town owned (library) space needs to be better utilized to avoid an unnecessary addition to the town hall. Police spending must be brought under control before we should consider spending another DIME. Our prediction is the new Communications Tower will be proposed to be built on Hog Hill. At the October, 2007 Selectmen's meeting where the "independent consultant" contract was signed and hired to provide an "objective recommendation" to solve the town's alleged communication gaps, an eye witness saw Chief Consentino tell an associate "It's going up on Hog Hill" (inferring a new communications tower on Hog Hill was a foregone conclusion). So much for the $15K taxpayers just spent on said "independent" consult's impartial and objective opinion. And yes, the witness will testify to this fact.

Other Issues for upcoming newsletters

1) Problems with over assessments and the assessment process
2) Tax Rate shuffle and the General Fund (or is it the Revolving Surplus Fund?)this misleading tax rate number is another reason we need "Truth in Budgeting"
3) Town Liability Insurance cost increases
4) How town official's misconduct is related to fiscal mismagement
5) More on resident complaints and lawsuits
6) More documents and how you can help
7) More to come!

PLEASE, please forward this email to other Atkinson Taxpayers who care about their tax bills and this town. Please join us so that our voices will be heard LOUD and CLEAR from the Atkinson Taxpayers Association.

We thank you for your valuable time.

Sincerely,

Atkinson Taxpayers Association

"....a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...."

Thomas Paine
Feb. 14, 1776
Author of "Common Sense"
===================================

Please copy and paste this article into an email and send it to all the Atkinson taxpayers you know. Please join our campaign to take back our town.

Monday, November 19

Selectman Sapia sinks to a new low!

We have gotten used to selectman Sapia's evidently insincere "moment of silence for the troops in harm's way" at the beginning of each selectmen's meeting. These seconds of silence would seem more sincere if Mr. Sapia had done them all along, instead of since he became chairman, or if he had not just spent two full years shitting on the very veterans, he professes to stand for.

But, tonight, during the selectmen's meeting, he sunk to a new low. He began by describing what he observed and gleaned from the Vietnam Honor Roll ceremony, held at the town hall on Veterans Day. This blog will give him credit for keeping his mouth shut on that august day, But his self-serving, pompous speech tonight, glomming off the inspiring words of Mr. Page Brown, were BEYOND DISPICABLE!

Mr. Sapia, stated that the speech he gave at the veteran's club breakfast, that morning, "mirrored" Page Brown's speech at the ceremony. While his blog finds it hard to believe Mr. Sapia, gave such a stirring speech that morning, it is made even more of a mockery by the fact that HE WAS FIGHTING THE VOTERS OF ATKINSON ON THIS ISSUE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS!!!

Yes, that's right, Mr. Sapia, IGNORED the wishes of the voters who elected him, to side with his friends. It was this dishonorable practice that forced the town to file warrant articles for a special town meeting in Sept. And even then he was trying to fight having to place the memorials! So to have him try to insert himself into an event that he spent so much of his time trying to prevent, only for his own personal aggrandisment, is DEPLORABLE!

What Mr. Sapia can and will never understand, is that Mr. Page Brown is a much decorated combat veteran. He has a Purple Heart, and a Silver Star, among other medals. When he gives such a strring speech, it is stirring because of the imprimatur, that his character, and actions give it!

For Mr. Sapia, to try and insert himself into the proceedings by mimicing a great, heartfelt speech, by whining; "I gave a speech to, and mine was as good as his", is the desperate, and childish act of a boy who has not gotten enough attention! And all it serves to accomplish is to cheapen and continue the pattern of dihonor, which Mr. Sapia, has made himself famous for in town.

Mr. Sapia, it is time for this childish whining to stop! You need to pick up your marble and go home! Your 15 minutes are up!

Friday, November 16

1st Ammendment Awards, Not for OUR selectmen!

Welcome to another contributor under the Publius byline.

Patricia Goodridge said...

Perhaps the blog author might consider posting at least part of this article from today's Union Leader.

It is about honors given out last night to NH recipients at the First Admendment Awards Dinner in Manchester.

One award was about stopping secret town meetings another about money hidden in a town's budget.

Perhaps next year Atkinson should nominate someone from our town.
--------------------------------
First Amendment Awards: Fighting for freedoms
By SCOTT BROOKS
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
4 hours, 32 minutes ago



MANCHESTER – The 2002 McCain-Feingold Act that put restrictions on campaign contributions and expenses is the most dangerous threat to the First Amendment in U.S. history, columnist George Will said last night in Manchester.

"I've been in Washington 37 years and I believe the worst law passed in my time in Washington is the McCain-Feingold Act," the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer said.

Will directed a host of gripes at both Congress and the media last night in a keynote address at the First Amendment awards banquet sponsored by the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications. In a half-hour speech, he lamented what he described as an "entitlement culture" in the U.S. and said the public has been ill served by journalists who write to entertain, but not always to inform.

"By detaching public discourse from facts, we are encouraging an entitlement mentality that produces a nation with an absurdly low 'think' threshold and an absurdly high amount of whininess in the public discourse," he said.

The annual dinner at the Center of New Hampshire in downtown Manchester put a spotlight on two Granite Staters who have fought against government secrecy. The night's top honor, the 2007 Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment Award, went to Dover City Councilor and former state Rep. David Scott, who took his city to court in an effort to unseal employee financial records.

Scott sued the city of Dover in 2004. A judge ruled in his favor, which led to the revelation, he said, that seven city employees were earning more than $100,000.


Columnist George Will speaks as New Hampshire Union Leader President and Publisher Joseph W. McQuaid looks on last night at the Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment Award dinner in Manchester. (DAVID LANE)
"I've heard people say you can't fight City Hall. I disagree," Scott, 78, said. "You can fight city hall and win."

Also last night, Littleton resident Sharon Craigie was named an honoree for challenging town selectmen who held a meeting they later conceded had not been properly posted.

"I believe you need to be open and up front with everybody," said Craigie, 62. "If you're open with the people and tell them what's going on, they won't think you're trying to hide something."

Craigie has taken an active role in Littleton politics since the selectmen's meeting in August. Her husband, former Littleton selectman Donald Craigie, proudly calls her a "pushy broad."

"Instead of yelling at me, she's doing something that accomplishes something," he said. His wife laughed at the joke.

Attorney Gregory Sullivan received a special First Amendment award in recognition for his work at the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications.

In an interview before the dinner, Will said he believes former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will make history by becoming the first Republican to win both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. Romney has been leading the polls in both states, though former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is far ahead in most national polls.

Will said Giuliani is spending enough money in New Hampshire to be taken seriously here, but he suspects the former mayor could "very easily" go 0-4 in nominating contests before voters in Florida have their say.

"That's what Mr. Giuliani is counting on, is a cascade effect that will simply overwhelm the earlier primaries," Will said.

In an odd twist, he said, Romney could still get a boost if Democratic Sen. Barack Obama pulls out a win in Iowa. Media coverage of an Obama victory would likely eclipse the Republican race, he said, and would prompt the lion's share of New Hampshire independents to cast their ballots in the Democratic primary.

That, Will said, would injure both Giuliani and Sen. John McCain.

The race for New Hampshire's Democratic delegates is not sewn up, Will said, despite polls that show Sen. Hillary Clinton, of New York, with a wide lead over both Obama and former Sen. John Edwards. He said many voters in New Hampshire are suspicious of Clinton's cautiousness as a candidate and her hesitation to take a firm stance on whether driver's licenses should be offered to illegal immigrants.

"She's incautiously cautious," he said. "It's costing her."

Tuesday, November 13

Have the Selectmen put the Community Center in Jeopardy?

Ok, by now most of us know the story. When the town bought the property the community center sits on, with the building itself, it was sold to the town for a song, but with "conservation deed restrictions". These restrictions prohibit, any building, or sign erection for any commercial purposes WHATSOEVER!

These restrictions are owned by the Forestry Society. And organization whose SOLE PURPOSE is the preservation of land in its natural state. This is an organization of over 10,000 members, with a multi-million dollar budget.

The Forestry Society warned the selectmen in two letters earlier in the year, about the deed restrictions. The selectmen, under the guidance of our Town Administrator, Russ McAllister, and Chairman, Jack Sapia, decided to ignore these restrictions to give Mr. Pappalardo permission to put a sign for his business on town property, violating these restrictions. But it gets better, They not only gave Mr. Pappalardo permission to put his sign there, when he went to the ZBA for his variance, the selectmen WENT TO THE ZBA, AS THE PROPERTY OWNERS, TO LOBBY ON BEHALF OF MR. PAPPALARDO!!! That's right, the selectmen you elected to represent YOU, the taxpayer, went before a town board to represent a resident against the town!!!
But wait, you haven't heard the best part....

When confronted, on camera, by Ms. Komornick, in a selectmen's meeting, Sapia claimed that Mr. Pappalardo, had had a pre-existing sign on that site for 25 years.

This was untrue! Call it a lie, call it what you want, but the DOT plot during the land taking from Mr. Pappalardo show that prior sign WAS IN PLAISTOW!!! Both Russ and Jack claimed that the prior sign was there, and they were just allowing him to put it back, this was untrue! The prior sign was in Plaistow!!! There never was a sign in Atkinson!

And better yet, when Mr. Sapia was asked by the Forestry Society when the board of selectmen gave Mr. Pappalardo permission to put his sign up, Jack told Mrs. Callahan that it was done in a posted meeting. This too was untrue! A review of all selectmen's meeting minutes for the year, show no discussion, or vote to give that permission.

Now the Forestry Society, if they so choose, have the right to take back the Community Center, and either place further restrictions on the property, or do what they wish, and why?????

BECAUSE OUR SELECTMEN, NAMELY, MR. SAPIA, CHOSE TO DO SOMETHING HE HAD NO RIGHT TO DO, ONCE AGAIN!

So it looks like at the least, we will be back in court again, more legal fees, and for what, to violate deed restrictions after being warned about thier existence.

A Note to Mr. Sapia;

YOU ARE NOT KING JACK!

YOU MUST FOLLOW THE LAW, AND ACT IN OUR BEST INTERESTS! Even if, ESPECIALLY IF, our interests diverge from your own.

It is time for a change!

Monday, November 12

What an event today!

For those of you who couldn't make it to the unveiling of the Vietnam Honor Roll panels in front of the town hall today, it was a very moving ceremony. The town owes a debt of gratitude to;
Carol Grant
Barbara Bird
Barbara Colcord
Adele Dillon
Martha MacDonald
Evelyn Sawyer
Eleanor Zaremba

Ladies, it has taken ovet two long years. You have sufferred the indignity of having to sue the town youe have lived in and served for many years, you have had to suffer through the endless defamation, and recriminations from the board of selectmen and the police chief, but finally, through all of those trials and tribulations, you have maintained your dignity, and class. You have taken everything our corrupt town leadership could throw at you, and you have prevailed!

Today was an awesome culmination of almost three years of struggle, and the entire(well almost the entire) Town's hats are off to you. The speeches were incredible. Page Brown was moving, and touched the hearts of all who attended.

Ladies take a bow! Your efforts have been rewarded. And the Atkinson Reporter would like to be the first to publicly say, THANK YOU!

Sunday, November 11

Please remember, 11th Hour, 11th Day of the 11th Month

Please take one moment to remember and be reminded. Thank You

Friday, November 9

What is Veteran's Day?

MAcciard said:

Publius, please accept this as an article submission, Thank you

What is Veteran's Day?

I have a friend who lives in Sarasota, Fl., She is a USAF Veteran. Her Husband is a USAF Veteran, and they come from an entire family of Veterans. Her daughter, who is in the 4th grade in public school, is in a class that is having a pagent to celebrate CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS!!!

I am fully aware that there are always pacifists in society, and I dont begrudge them their point of view. That is one of the things I wore the uniform to protect, but for a SCHOOLTEACHER to celebrate CO's on VETERANS DAY, makes a mockery of the day's intent.

Veteran's day, is supposed to be a day, in which we recognize the contributions of, and give a moment's thanks for, the integrity, and the bravery of our uniformed soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. This is a day, especially in this time when we are fighting a war, and make no mistake about it, we ARE fighting a war, and we have men and women in harms way, when we say a silent thank you, to those who volunteer to make a sacrifice so that the rest of us don't have to.

Our veterans who are serving now, as well as those who have gone before us, have and had a sense of duty, of purpose, and will have a sense of accomplishment that few outside of thie fraternity will know. These men and women know the greatness, the moral rectitutde, the generosity, and the strength of this, the greatest and most noble of Countries.

When they hear the academicians, the actors, the media, and unfortunately, yes, the spineless politicians, claim that America is flawed, that we are the problem in the world, that we need to do more, they know the truth.....

And that is that there is no other country on earth, that gives more of it's blood and treasure, for the freedom, and liberty of others,

That there is no other country on earth that rushes to the aid of another, even it's enemies, before the United States of America,

That there is no other country on earth that liberates without subjugating, or conquering, it's enemies,

That there is not now, nor has there ever been a Country more deserving of praise and gratitude than the United States of America, nor will there be.

That most of the countries on earth that currently spit on our men and women, owe their very lives and liberty to the United States of America,

These men and women know that our Flag is much more than something you stand and face before a football game, that it is the enduring symbol of freedom, strength, morality, and liberty in the world today, and that America is, in the words of President Ronald Reagan, truly "the shining city upon the hill" to the poor and huddles masses all over the world.

To all those who are serving this great land this Veterans day, I wish to say, from the bottom of my Heart, Thank you. And to my son, who is a United States Marine; ooh rah! Semper Fi!

Thursday, November 8

Monday, November 5

Where do the selectmen get off docking the pay of an elected official?

Our Town Clerk, Linda Jette, was in to see the selectmen, tonight, and revealed that they have been docking her pay.

Selectman Sapia, in his effort to appear impartial, asked her to "run this by " the Town Administrator, but, as anyone who knows the people in the town hall, knows, Russ barely talks civilly to most of the town hall employees, and can not speak civilly to anyone in the town clerks office. And furthermore, THE TOWN CLERK IS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND DOES NOT REPORT TO THE TOWN ADMINSITRATOR!!!

And the Selectmen do not have the authority to dock her pay! The town clerk is not an employee, she is an elected official. She runs her dept., the selectmen have the authority to hire, and fire her employees, but THAT IS IT! They have no authority to set or modify operations within the town clerks office, nor do they have the constitutional authority to dock her pay!

Linda has been town clerk for 30 years! She has forgotten more about the town hall, than the selectmen will ever know. She is deserving of some respect. The fact is she was run ragged this summer because she was drastically short-handed. And the reason, she was short-handed....

Because the selectmen waited allmost 11 months to hire a replacement for Barbara. They know this, they also know that Linda did not have tthe time to take her comp. time, the following week. She hasn't had the time until recently.

Tell, me, 4 weeks ago, when Jack missed a selcetmen's meeting, was his pay docked?

This is Russ McAllister being a control freak! He nedds to pay attention to his own duties!

Sunday, November 4

Whoa Pardner, There's a new Website in Town...

For those of you doubting Thomases who have been questioning the veracity of the articles published on this site, you now have verification...

There is a new website, in town, atkinsontaxpayers.org

There is a link on the Atkinson Reporter home page on the right.

For those of you that have asked for the ACTUAL documentation, relating to the articles printed here. These public documents are published as PDA files on Atkinsontaxpayers.org

That site does not provide commentary, please feel free to post any commentary to the documents you see ther eon this blog, but all the documents the selectmen and the police chief do not want you to see are there, or will be there.

All the lawsuits!

All the newspaper articles!

All the citizen complaints!

All the selectmen responses!

All public documents are accepted!

You can read the documents and judge for yourself, not longer will you have to take the word of an anonymous blogger, and best yet.....

You will once, and for all, be able to independently verify which public officials have told you the truth, and which ones have LIED!

CHECK IT OUT!!

Friday, November 2

Are the Selectmen attempting to thwart the will of the voters AGAIN?

As reported in the Eagle Tribune today, The selectmen, sent letters to DES, PUC, and the Attorney Generals office, asking if the ordinance was enforcable. The Attorney Generals office replied back that they would not give a legal opinion, but that the matter would probably be settled in court.

This is all true, but what the selectmen once again fail to realize, is that the voters told them to do something, this means they are BOUND BY LAW, to do it UNTIL IT IS CHALLENGED IN COURT, and then THEY ARE BOUND TO VIGOROUSLY DEFEND THE ORDINANCE AGAINST CHALLENGE!

Our selectmen, however, are trying to pre-emp the process by getting a legal opinon up front as to whether or not they have to DO THEIR DUTY!

This is precisely why 74% of voters passed the Vietnam Memorial article, and 69% of voters passed the water ordinance!

WE DON'T TRUST OUR SELECTMEN TO DO THEIR DUTY!

Here is a short list of their MALFEASANCE, in recent years.

1.) Water Ordinance- Selectmen to AG; Do we really have to do this?

2.) Sign on Conservation land around Community Center- We own the land, we can give permission, deed restrictions don't matter.

3.) Vietnam Honor Rolls- Doesn't matter what the people say, our friend don't want them there! "the word area is too vague"-Jack Sapia, Parsing the word out of the phrase "the area between the flagpoles, up to and including the flagpoles themselves"

4.) 7 Complaints about conduct of chief of police- no action taken, no response for 17 months, and even then it is the complainants fault for not hounding them about it.

5.) Create the towns FIRST FT Police Lt. spot.- Town policy, if a position is vacant for more than 180 days it must be readvertised. Funy thing is at the same time they were doing this they were forcing Teddy to readvertise the assist. road agent position because it had been vacant for more than three months. HYPOCRITS!

6.) Refusal to allow town residents to plug their own scanners into the electrical sockets in town hall, to scan public documents, tells residents to bring their own generator.

SELECTMEN, Hear this, your are not kings, nor dictators, you are ELECTED REPRESETATIVES OF THE PEOPLE!

START ACTING LIKE IT OR WE WILL KICK YOU OUT AT THE NEXT ELECTION!

Thursday, November 1

Posted from the Plaistow Town Crier

This Plaistow blog has been very supportive of us throughout our first year, and we respectfully check out their site daily. Here is a post from the Plaistow Town Crier, that is very relevant to us, here at the Atkinson Reporter.

You can find a link to the Town Crier on the right side of the page.

"A Word Of Truth" The latest from atkinson-reporter.blogspot.com

I'm not a resident of Atkinson. I just have friends over there. And I would never post a message on their board directly as it would not be appropriate. However, I am a little concerned over their new-found civility. It sounds like a gesture to the politically squeamish. I myself wouldn't bother. But, maybe it make a little sense. Elections will be coming up fast and there's nothing more useless and tragic than a turned-off former voter.

All the neighboring towns are watching you folks with keen interest. We have elected and appointed officials in our towns too and we're all comparing notes. Do our Selectmen resemble this patriarchial and paternalistic tribe that's running your town? Do our Chiefs of Police confront residents on their own private property, at board meetings and on the streets, then harrass these same residents while they're trying to run their daily lives?

From here it looks like town officials and the blog have been drawn to a precipice and after looking over the edge, the blog drew back and blinked. I hope this isn't the case for some of you have now lost a major mouthpiece. I've been following the blog from its inception and I haven't seen even one comment that's been a turn-off for me. You've got it all wrong. It's the town officials that need to blink, again and again and again. Keep the pressure on. If they won't publish your comments over on the blogspot, bring 'em over here to "The Crier". We enjoy comments from all the area voters, even the "childish" and "immature" ones. Or not. Don't abandon the fight now, take heart. After a few recent hard-fought victories, maybe the folks running the blogspot just needed a breather and they'll loosen up a little as the 2008 town elections get closer.


Thank you, Mr. Herrick, We can not reveal our identities for obvious reasons. You have seen what our police chief does to people openly critical of him, such as, Mr. Acciard, Mrs. Grant, Mr. Kaye, and many others.

For your information and that of your readers, we have not blinked. We do however wish to have a growing voice, as the election season nears, and we Do wish this to be a place where people can learn that which they will not see at selectmen's meetings. And therefore we wish to keep to the moral high ground, if you will, and leave the open slander, to our selectmen, after all, they are really good at it!

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).

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. "