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!
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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. "
20 comments:
Cheese please....................
I think someone should get a picture of the BoS and the town administrator prior to them being locked up. Because that is where they are headed. It seems to me that the afore mentioned are masochists and they want to be caught. They are moving forward at an alarming rate with poor decisions. And the number of poor decisions seems to be increasing expodentionally.
Justice,
couldn't have said it better myself.
We have a "Town Administrator", not a "Town Manager"!
The problem is our selectmen do not know the difference, and our TA is not about to enlighten them.
A Town Manager has statutory authority, similar to the selectmen.
A Town Administrator is a glorified secretary! A TA has no authority except that which the selectmen VOTE to give him!
And further, the selectmen can not delegate any authority to the TA which is statutorily theirs.
And our selectmen either do not realize, or do not care, that they have no authority over the Town Clerk, the Tax Collector, The Budget Committee, or the Code of Ethics committee.
These four entities are ELECTED OFFICIALS, with equal authority to the selectmen over their own domains.
But our selectmen evidently need to control everything. And they inevitably end up treating long time town officials, like Lindaa and Teddy, like shit, in the process!
So the question, my fellow Atkinsonians, is, What are we going to do about it?
I agree completely
I was always under the impression that a "Salaried" employee was given a specified, annual amount which is divided equally between paychecks. If the employee works 70 hours one week, that person receives the same salary as if he/she had worked 20 hours. I also thought that one of the good things about salary was you never had to calculate overtime pay, comp time, or anything else.
In addition, I never thought salaried employees were entitled to overtime or comp time.
Lord knows what the charming Mr. McAllister has devised for compensation these days, but docking a salaried employee seems wrong, wrong, wrong.
I guess what irks me the most is that the Selectmen told Linda to talk to Russ. Why? She has, apprently talked to Russ, received an answer she didn't agree with, and was trying to talk to Russ's employers.
Do the Selectmen to anything at all?
If not, it's pretty darned scary to think Russ is running the town. Y'all need to go on the Foster's Daily Democrat website and type McAllister under Search. Don't know if it's still there, but give it a try. It's enlightening.
This Town Administrator is and has been one of our biggest problems. With this TA we see no likely improvement. The Administrator is NOT performing to expectations . He was hired to obtain grants and save us money but has not applied for or obtained a single one. He was not hired to be a “Straw Boss” or to abuse town employees, elected officials or residents.
I suggest that the Selectmen make immediate improvements or we place a petition on the ballot to remove TA as a town job and return to a traditional office staff.
Just who does TA McAllister think he is that he can dock an elected official’s pay? Because he thinks he is our “fourth selectman” (because our incompetent selectmen treat him as such), he is going far beyond the bounds of his job description.
McAllister has gotten a “god complex”. He’s forgotten that he is a town
employee, a town hired office staff member, a glorified clerk. He knows the vast difference between a Town Manager and a Town Administrator, but ignores it. As a TA, he has no authority over elected officials or town employees in other departments.
As far as Linda Jette is concerned, she is an elected official, and a much-loved one at that. How dare McAllister, an office staff worker, think he can dictate anything to an elected official, much less, dock her pay?
He was absent from the town hall during Monday. Is he going to dock his own pay? He also took off one day last week. Is he going to dock his own pay? He’s a hypocrite and should be fired.
Sapia does not have a perfect attendance record for Selectmen’s meetings. Is he going to dock Sapia’s pay?
Linda Jette is being singled out for selective abuse. McAllister saw how Sapia was so abusive to Linda when she allowed a town resident to check public records in the Town Clerk’s office. He’s seen how the selectmen denied her the right to hire an additional clerk for the much over-worked Town Clerk’s office. He’s seen that the selectmen treat her like dirt, so he figures that she’s fair game, since he can count on the selectmen tolerating any mistreatment of her. Linda should file a complaint with the appropriate state agency for abusive and discriminatory treatment by “Atkinson’s arrogant.”
And for what, pray tell, were they trying to illegal take money out of the Mrs. Jette's paycheck?
I am assuming comp. time owed her for unpaid hours beyond her normal work week from previous pay periods. But that is not very clear.
But the point is moot since the BoS has no legal authority to go effing around with Linda's paycheck in the first place.
Is there a recall provision in the town charter? Or must y'all wait until the next election?
If it is the latter, then it is time to start making that DVD full of evidence against the bums so the voters will not be fooled by the lying bass turds.
Strap on the Helmuts.............
Looks like our fine little town of Atkinson is in for another law suit. I am thinking that Ms. Jette will jump on the band wagon and sue the town. And why not? I believe that the current political situation in Atkinson has reached critical mass. The town will probably be bankrupt by the time we get the BoS (Board of Stupidity) and the TA (Town A-hole) out of office.
Yup I have reverted a bit because I am fired up again. They really are bullies. Why single out Linda Jette. She has been nothing but a joy to deal with and has done her job admirably. I will tell you why. Beacuse she was an easy target to flex your muscles against and it probably would not bite you in the ass.
Good news is that there is this wonderful literary blog called the Atkinson Reporter and those monkey sticks in office will not be able to get away with anything any more.
Or let me rephrase that. They will still be able to get away with anything they want to. They just won't be able to hide it from the citizens of Atkinson any longer.
Take it easy, people. Several years ago, both the Town Clerk and the Tax Collector were paid by the fees they colleted. There was no salary; nor was their any accounting of the fees. In other words, nobody knew what they were paid, and that ticked off a few people, one of whom was a Selectmen. Warrant articles were placed on the ballot to give those officials salaries, with fees to go to the town. Those articles were passed by the voters.
At that point, the salaries came under the jurisdiction of the Selectmen. Do you remember, in recent years, setting either one of those salaries at Town Meeting?
As far as pay is concerned, both of those officials follow the same guidelines that all employees follow.
That said, I still say a "salaried" employee receives a certain amount of money, spread out over the year, to cover all the hours worked, no matter how many. There should be no overtime; no comp time. Salary, period. If she's being docked, that's wrong, wrong, wrong.
aside from the legality of the issue, it is not right morally!
Now I know that this bunch doesn't have a shred of morality in them but that is the heart of the issue.
We replace Jack, next election, with the right candidate, and these problems disappear with him.
To Anon 6:14 pm................
You are so wrong. You need to get rid of Ronald McDonald McAllister first and foremost then Jack and Freddie. Then it falls into place and you can wish the chief happy retirement.
Mr. Acciard,
Why do you always post under your own name, instead of anonymous like the rest of us? I mean, i applaud that you do so, I am just curious
Sorry, people. I hate to disagree but the head of this snake is Consentino.
Consentino electioneers his buddies into the Selectmen's office and stacks the Budget Committee with his cronies.
He enables the Selectmen and Budget Committee to be completely free to do as they wish regardless of what the voters think. They, in turn, keep Consentino as Chief, even if he breaks the law on a daily basis. Quid Pro Quo. That is how they work.
But to get rid of the Chief, you need a selectman that is tough as nails to beat Sapia. This is where the electioneering is influencing the vote with the elderly block.
Beat Sapia, then you "hope" that Sullivan will see the light and the majority Selectmen vote can finally remove the Chief for his documented history of law breaking and harrassment.
With the Atkinson political machine known as the APD out of business, only then can you hope to win elections and take the town back from the corrupt enterprise run by:
Consentino
Sapia
Childs
Polito
McAllister
And Baldwin is in league with them too as the unqualified, overpaid, heir apparent to chiefdom. I am sure he was trained well on how to keep those harrassment practices going.
I post under my own name because my selectmen, and police chief can do no worse to me and my family than they have been doing for the last three years.
Also because I dont like being bullied, by anyone, but especially not by Chief or Jack, and so I am NOT going to stop exercising my free speech rights because they threaten me.
And lastly, I am hoping that others will begin to use their own names as well, so that we all can enjoy the debate.
I am one of those who is not anonymous to Mark and only semi-anonymous to anybody else. Though I do use my "blog" log in rather than my name. I still have a vulnerable family member still living in town.
Like Mark, I have vivid memories of the Kojak's bullying as a kid in town.
Granted some of the stuff a few of us pulled deserved a bit of law enforcement attention and thankfully we never really got caught for those things that might be felonies if an adult did them.
But still, Kojak can not be allowed to get away with treating anyone who tells the truth about him as if they are criminals.
I would not be surprised if Kojak has printed out all of the pictures on my blog trying to figure out who this other "friend of Mark" is so I can be marked for harassment when I come through town.
I never did make it up on Halloween. The bride had other plans.
Keep up the good fight folks. I still think producing a DVD with video from the BoS meetings and folders full of public documentary evidence of the misdeed of certain elected and sort of appointed officials will help get the bums out.
And Sapia says to Linda, "you have to run it through Russ"
since when does the secretary, run the board?
Sapia needs to be replaced!
So who are likely candidates for the next election??? Our town seems to be governed by losers who have no regard for the law. It's great to wish them out, but WHO might replace some of these nuts??
I can only think of two who MAY run, and that I would trust;
Brian Boyle
Valerie Tobin
Remember, we didnt have any of these ethics problems and endless lawsuits, while Boyle was a selectmen, it all started the year he left and was replaced by that dolt, Sapia!
Do the selectmen know the job of Mr McAllister? Do they know he should be proofreading their correspondence or even preparing their correspondence. I don't think he should be preparing policies for the town.
Hey Russ, Does the BOS take you out for Secretary's Day and buy you a box of chocolates?
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