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Tuesday, July 8
Exercising your rights to redress of grievances
Letter to the Editor of the Concord Monitor Online today.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Restoring order
Robert Seaman, Concord
For the Monitor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 08, 2008 - 12:00 am
June 30, 2008, may be remembered in history as the day Americans began, in earnest, the moral and solemn process of holding their government accountable to the Constitution - under threat of withdrawal of allegiance, support and tax money.
Last Monday, approximately 1,200 American citizens began the process of exercising a profound, but little-known, 800-year-old right first articulated in Magna Carta by formally serving a "legal notice and demand" for redress of grievances upon the president, the attorney general and every member of Congress.
Incredibly, academic research since 1986 makes clear the right to petition for redress is not a redundant statement of the right of speech. It is in fact, the individual exercise of popular sovereignty. Here's what the founders sitting at the first Congress wrote:
"If money is wanted by Rulers who have in any manner oppressed the People, they may retain it until their grievances are redressed, and thus peacefully procure relief, without trusting to despised petitions or disturbing the public tranquility."
Demanding an official response within 40 days, the notice includes seven petitions for redress of grievances regarding substantial violations of our Constitution including the war, money, privacy, arms and tax clauses.
If liberty and constitutional order are to survive peacefully, it is imperative that the people learn about and exercise the unalienable right of redress.
For details about the plan to restore constitutional order, visit www.wethepeoplefoundation.org.
ROBERT SEAMAN
Concord
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Restoring order
Robert Seaman, Concord
For the Monitor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 08, 2008 - 12:00 am
June 30, 2008, may be remembered in history as the day Americans began, in earnest, the moral and solemn process of holding their government accountable to the Constitution - under threat of withdrawal of allegiance, support and tax money.
Last Monday, approximately 1,200 American citizens began the process of exercising a profound, but little-known, 800-year-old right first articulated in Magna Carta by formally serving a "legal notice and demand" for redress of grievances upon the president, the attorney general and every member of Congress.
Incredibly, academic research since 1986 makes clear the right to petition for redress is not a redundant statement of the right of speech. It is in fact, the individual exercise of popular sovereignty. Here's what the founders sitting at the first Congress wrote:
"If money is wanted by Rulers who have in any manner oppressed the People, they may retain it until their grievances are redressed, and thus peacefully procure relief, without trusting to despised petitions or disturbing the public tranquility."
Demanding an official response within 40 days, the notice includes seven petitions for redress of grievances regarding substantial violations of our Constitution including the war, money, privacy, arms and tax clauses.
If liberty and constitutional order are to survive peacefully, it is imperative that the people learn about and exercise the unalienable right of redress.
For details about the plan to restore constitutional order, visit www.wethepeoplefoundation.org.
ROBERT SEAMAN
Concord
Tuesday, July 1
Show me the money Interim administrator leaves Atkinson
From the Eagle Tribune:
Show me the money Interim administrator leaves Atkinson for better paying Plaistow position
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
Atkinson interim Town Administrator Craig Kleman is leaving for the same job in Plaistow.
The contract was finalized last week, but Kleman asked Plaistow officials to keep it quiet until he could meet with Atkinson selectmen. He confirmed yesterday that he accepted the interim job in Plaistow and plans to start on July 14.
Until then, he'll stay at Atkinson Town Hall.
It's another similarity for two towns that have been searching for a town administrator and town manager for months. In this leg of the search, the town that pays more won.
Plaistow Selectman Larry Gil said they plan to pay Kleman $900 a week. That's $200 a week more than Atkinson pays him.
Plaistow also moved to promise Kleman a longer-term contract than Atkinson had.
Atkinson selectmen and Kleman verbally agreed he would extend his interim contract for another 30 days, but the deal was never inked. They were planning to sign the document last night. Selectman Fred Childs said earlier that Atkinson planned to offer Kleman a permanent job, but that hadn't happened yet.
Kleman's contract with Plaistow extends through the end of October, Gil said.
"That's when we anticipate, we think, we may have another town manager in," he said. "But we wanted to make sure, in case there wasn't an overlap, that we would have somebody on board for budget preparation."
Jason Hoch, Plaistow's former town manager and interim administrator, was going to stay until someone new started, but couldn't reach an agreement with the selectmen. His last day was Saturday.
When Kleman applied for the interim job in Atkinson in April, he also was a candidate for the permanent job. Yesterday, he said he plans to do the same in Plaistow.
"I haven't applied yet, but that is my intention," Kleman said of applying for the permanent job in Plaistow.
The application deadline for the permanent post is July 7.
Plaistow is looking for a town manager, not a town administrator. Plaistow is a larger community with a larger budget, and the salary offered reflects that. Plaistow advertised an annual salary between $84,000 and $95,000. Atkinson didn't advertise a pay range, but paid its last town administrator about $58,000.
Kleman, 51, has town administrator experience — interim and permanent — in Seabrook, Epping and Merrimack, Mass.
Plaistow selectmen restarted their search for a town manager after their first choice from the first round didn't accept their offer. Selectmen said none of the other candidates had town administrator or manager experience, and they wanted to expand the pool.
Atkinson selectmen met in nonpublic session last night to decide what to do. Kleman was one of three finalists for the town administrator job in Atkinson. The position has been vacant since February when Russell McAllister left for a local government job in Iraq.
Tale of two towns
Fact%Atkinson%Plaistow
Interim pay%$700 a week%$900 a week
Permanent pay%$58,000*%$84,000 to $95,000
Population%6,601%7,705
Town budget%$4 million%$7.5 million
Show me the money Interim administrator leaves Atkinson for better paying Plaistow position
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
Atkinson interim Town Administrator Craig Kleman is leaving for the same job in Plaistow.
The contract was finalized last week, but Kleman asked Plaistow officials to keep it quiet until he could meet with Atkinson selectmen. He confirmed yesterday that he accepted the interim job in Plaistow and plans to start on July 14.
Until then, he'll stay at Atkinson Town Hall.
It's another similarity for two towns that have been searching for a town administrator and town manager for months. In this leg of the search, the town that pays more won.
Plaistow Selectman Larry Gil said they plan to pay Kleman $900 a week. That's $200 a week more than Atkinson pays him.
Plaistow also moved to promise Kleman a longer-term contract than Atkinson had.
Atkinson selectmen and Kleman verbally agreed he would extend his interim contract for another 30 days, but the deal was never inked. They were planning to sign the document last night. Selectman Fred Childs said earlier that Atkinson planned to offer Kleman a permanent job, but that hadn't happened yet.
Kleman's contract with Plaistow extends through the end of October, Gil said.
"That's when we anticipate, we think, we may have another town manager in," he said. "But we wanted to make sure, in case there wasn't an overlap, that we would have somebody on board for budget preparation."
Jason Hoch, Plaistow's former town manager and interim administrator, was going to stay until someone new started, but couldn't reach an agreement with the selectmen. His last day was Saturday.
When Kleman applied for the interim job in Atkinson in April, he also was a candidate for the permanent job. Yesterday, he said he plans to do the same in Plaistow.
"I haven't applied yet, but that is my intention," Kleman said of applying for the permanent job in Plaistow.
The application deadline for the permanent post is July 7.
Plaistow is looking for a town manager, not a town administrator. Plaistow is a larger community with a larger budget, and the salary offered reflects that. Plaistow advertised an annual salary between $84,000 and $95,000. Atkinson didn't advertise a pay range, but paid its last town administrator about $58,000.
Kleman, 51, has town administrator experience — interim and permanent — in Seabrook, Epping and Merrimack, Mass.
Plaistow selectmen restarted their search for a town manager after their first choice from the first round didn't accept their offer. Selectmen said none of the other candidates had town administrator or manager experience, and they wanted to expand the pool.
Atkinson selectmen met in nonpublic session last night to decide what to do. Kleman was one of three finalists for the town administrator job in Atkinson. The position has been vacant since February when Russell McAllister left for a local government job in Iraq.
Tale of two towns
Fact%Atkinson%Plaistow
Interim pay%$700 a week%$900 a week
Permanent pay%$58,000*%$84,000 to $95,000
Population%6,601%7,705
Town budget%$4 million%$7.5 million
Saturday, June 28
Atkinson Woman Shot in Sandown Driveway
ATKINSON, N.H. — The family of a 20-year-old woman who was fatally shot at a home in Sandown Thursday night is mourning the loss of the 2006 Timberlane Regional High School graduate.
Deidre Budzyna of Atkinson was inside a sport utility vehicle with three friends in the driveway at 9 Morrison Lane in Sandown when she was shot in the back and later died at Parkland Medical Center in Derry, said James Boffetti, an assistant state attorney general.
Investigators have classified Budzyna's death as a homicide because it was the result of a gunshot wound inflicted by another person. But that doesn't necessarily mean criminal charges will be forthcoming, Boffetti said. The gun may have been discharged accidentally, he said. An investigation will unravel how the shooting happened and determine whether anyone will be charged, he said.
Budzyna's friends and relatives gathered yesterday at the home of her parents, Walter and Gail Budzyna, 15 Hemlock Heights Road in Atkinson. Near Big Island Pond, the house is where Budzyna grew up and where she was still living.
While family members declined to discuss any details of her untimely death, they said Budzyna was a wonderful, caring person who always thought of everyone else before herself and treated her friends like members of her family. She loved Jet Skiing on Big Island Pond and was working full time as a nanny for a family with three young children, they said.
"I love my daughter," her father said. "She was the best thing in my life. I'll always love her. She loved life. She loved people."
Her older sister, Nicole, 23, said, "I lost my baby sister and my best friend. She was always helping other people — always looking out for others before herself."
As they talked, family members cried and wiped away tears.
Her aunt, Irene Chenard, of Dracut, Mass., said there was a very close bond between Deidre, her sister and their parents.
"There was a special closeness between Nicole and Deidre," Chenard said. "It was special how they supported one another and cared for each other."
In fact, their father was planning to bring both daughters with him and their mother, Gail, on a trip to Hawaii next year to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
The shooting that claimed Budzyna's life happened at the home of Gloria Caron, 9 Morrison Lane.
Neighbors said they were shocked by the news.
"It's horrible; it's a tragedy," said next-door neighbor Randy Cawthron, 7 Morrison Lane. "It's hard to believe someone was killed next door."
Cawthron's son, Ryan, 17, who was home at the time of the shooting, said he didn't hear a gunshot.
"I just heard the normal commotion whenever they have a party next door, just talking," he said.
His father said a lot of young people "hang out" at the residence because there's a swimming pool there.
When a reporter called the Caron residence, an unidentified woman who answered the phone said, "We're all set. We're not talking."
Boffetti said Budzyna was still alive when rescue workers arrived. They administered medical treatment at the scene and took her to Parkland Medical Center in Derry where she was pronounced dead.
Deidre Budzyna of Atkinson was inside a sport utility vehicle with three friends in the driveway at 9 Morrison Lane in Sandown when she was shot in the back and later died at Parkland Medical Center in Derry, said James Boffetti, an assistant state attorney general.
Investigators have classified Budzyna's death as a homicide because it was the result of a gunshot wound inflicted by another person. But that doesn't necessarily mean criminal charges will be forthcoming, Boffetti said. The gun may have been discharged accidentally, he said. An investigation will unravel how the shooting happened and determine whether anyone will be charged, he said.
Budzyna's friends and relatives gathered yesterday at the home of her parents, Walter and Gail Budzyna, 15 Hemlock Heights Road in Atkinson. Near Big Island Pond, the house is where Budzyna grew up and where she was still living.
While family members declined to discuss any details of her untimely death, they said Budzyna was a wonderful, caring person who always thought of everyone else before herself and treated her friends like members of her family. She loved Jet Skiing on Big Island Pond and was working full time as a nanny for a family with three young children, they said.
"I love my daughter," her father said. "She was the best thing in my life. I'll always love her. She loved life. She loved people."
Her older sister, Nicole, 23, said, "I lost my baby sister and my best friend. She was always helping other people — always looking out for others before herself."
As they talked, family members cried and wiped away tears.
Her aunt, Irene Chenard, of Dracut, Mass., said there was a very close bond between Deidre, her sister and their parents.
"There was a special closeness between Nicole and Deidre," Chenard said. "It was special how they supported one another and cared for each other."
In fact, their father was planning to bring both daughters with him and their mother, Gail, on a trip to Hawaii next year to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
The shooting that claimed Budzyna's life happened at the home of Gloria Caron, 9 Morrison Lane.
Neighbors said they were shocked by the news.
"It's horrible; it's a tragedy," said next-door neighbor Randy Cawthron, 7 Morrison Lane. "It's hard to believe someone was killed next door."
Cawthron's son, Ryan, 17, who was home at the time of the shooting, said he didn't hear a gunshot.
"I just heard the normal commotion whenever they have a party next door, just talking," he said.
His father said a lot of young people "hang out" at the residence because there's a swimming pool there.
When a reporter called the Caron residence, an unidentified woman who answered the phone said, "We're all set. We're not talking."
Boffetti said Budzyna was still alive when rescue workers arrived. They administered medical treatment at the scene and took her to Parkland Medical Center in Derry where she was pronounced dead.
Friday, June 27
Schools not properly preparing kids
From www.Townhall.com
http://townhall.com/news/us/2008/06/27/poll_schools_not_properly_preparing_kids
It's not much of a report card.
Half of Americans say U.S. schools are doing only a fair to poor job preparing kids for college and the work force. Even more feel that way about the skills kids need to survive as adults, an Associated Press poll released Friday finds.
"A lot of kids, when they get out school, are kind of lost," said Jamie Norton, a firefighter in Gridley, Calif. "When you get out of high school, what are you educated to do?"
The views of the general population echo concerns from business and college leaders, who say they have to spend a lot of time and money on remedial education for people who completed high school but don't have the skills to succeed at work or in higher education.
Education ranks behind the economy and gas prices as a top issue for Americans, the survey said. However, nearly all those polled said the quality of a country's education system has a big impact on a country's overall economic prosperity.
Education was generally viewed to be as important as health care and slightly ahead of the Iraq war. Among minority parents, education is just as important an issue as the economy.
Minorities and whites rate schools differently. Fifty-nine percent of whites rate their local school as good or excellent, compared with 42 percent of minorities.
Minority parents are more likely to think their children are getting a better education than they received as children. Overall, the majority of those surveyed said the quality of U.S. schools has declined over the past 20 years.
Three-fourths of those surveyed believe schools place too much emphasis on the wrong subjects. Asked what subjects should be given more time in school, more than a third said math. English was a distant second, at 21 percent. A tiny fraction picked art, music and the sciences, such as biology and chemistry.
Parents may want more math in school because they feel unprepared to help at home, said Janine Remillard, who teaches math-related courses at the University of Pennsylvania's education school.
"Math is the subject that parents are often intimidated by," she said. "We've allowed a lot of kids to just say, 'I'm not good at math,' .... and those kids become parents."
Most think the United States is just keeping up or falling behind the rest of the world in education. On some recent international tests, U.S. students have posted flat scores and landed in the middle to bottom of the pack when compared with other nation's children.
Americans have mixed views about standardized tests, which have grown in importance. The 2002 federal No Child Left Behind law judges schools based on math and reading tests taken by their students. Schools face increasingly tough consequences for scores that miss the mark.
About half of those polled said standardized tests measure the quality of education offered by schools well, while the rest disagree.
The vast majority think classroom work and homework _ not standardized tests _ are the best ways to measure how well students are doing.
Larry Michalec, a computer programmer in San Deigo, called the testing a waste of time. "They're standardized and people aren't standardized," he said. "Children get taught to the test. They get taught to take the test. They don't get taught to learn." Continued...
http://townhall.com/news/us/2008/06/27/poll_schools_not_properly_preparing_kids
It's not much of a report card.
Half of Americans say U.S. schools are doing only a fair to poor job preparing kids for college and the work force. Even more feel that way about the skills kids need to survive as adults, an Associated Press poll released Friday finds.
"A lot of kids, when they get out school, are kind of lost," said Jamie Norton, a firefighter in Gridley, Calif. "When you get out of high school, what are you educated to do?"
The views of the general population echo concerns from business and college leaders, who say they have to spend a lot of time and money on remedial education for people who completed high school but don't have the skills to succeed at work or in higher education.
Education ranks behind the economy and gas prices as a top issue for Americans, the survey said. However, nearly all those polled said the quality of a country's education system has a big impact on a country's overall economic prosperity.
Education was generally viewed to be as important as health care and slightly ahead of the Iraq war. Among minority parents, education is just as important an issue as the economy.
Minorities and whites rate schools differently. Fifty-nine percent of whites rate their local school as good or excellent, compared with 42 percent of minorities.
Minority parents are more likely to think their children are getting a better education than they received as children. Overall, the majority of those surveyed said the quality of U.S. schools has declined over the past 20 years.
Three-fourths of those surveyed believe schools place too much emphasis on the wrong subjects. Asked what subjects should be given more time in school, more than a third said math. English was a distant second, at 21 percent. A tiny fraction picked art, music and the sciences, such as biology and chemistry.
Parents may want more math in school because they feel unprepared to help at home, said Janine Remillard, who teaches math-related courses at the University of Pennsylvania's education school.
"Math is the subject that parents are often intimidated by," she said. "We've allowed a lot of kids to just say, 'I'm not good at math,' .... and those kids become parents."
Most think the United States is just keeping up or falling behind the rest of the world in education. On some recent international tests, U.S. students have posted flat scores and landed in the middle to bottom of the pack when compared with other nation's children.
Americans have mixed views about standardized tests, which have grown in importance. The 2002 federal No Child Left Behind law judges schools based on math and reading tests taken by their students. Schools face increasingly tough consequences for scores that miss the mark.
About half of those polled said standardized tests measure the quality of education offered by schools well, while the rest disagree.
The vast majority think classroom work and homework _ not standardized tests _ are the best ways to measure how well students are doing.
Larry Michalec, a computer programmer in San Deigo, called the testing a waste of time. "They're standardized and people aren't standardized," he said. "Children get taught to the test. They get taught to take the test. They don't get taught to learn." Continued...
Wednesday, June 25
Intimidation of Bloggers attempted again...
Carol Grant said...
Publius,
Please accept as a separate article. Thank you.
Carol Grant
INTIMIDATION ATTEMPTS CONTINUE AGAINST ATKINSON BLOG AND BLOGGERS
This past spring, re-printed on the blog was a copy of an accusatory and threatening letter sent by Phil Consentino to Mark Acciard, threatening legal action against Acciard because Consentino did not like an Anonymous blog submission critical of himself. There was no proof or reason to think that Acciard wrote the blog submission, but Consentino blamed and accused him anyway.
Mr. Acciard bought Consentino’s letter to the attention of the selectmen as part of a complaint against Consentino. The selectmen stated that they had DEFINITLY NOT authorized the letter although it was written as official town correspondence on official Atkinson Police Dept. Stationery, with Consentino’s signature appearing over the title Chief of Police.
I reference that most recent past anti-blog, anti-blogger letter only because, to our great surprise, my husband and I also recently received one of those type of letters. It was written by Atty. Garry Lane who was hired by the town’s insurance company to represent four town officials in my recently settled law suit against them.
it seems that at least one of the defendants, possibly/probably in a snitty-fit because of having paid me a settlement, went whining to Lane about the fact that an Anonymous resident recently dared to exercise his/her right of free speech and free expression to express on the blog an opinion about how “It’s time to take these corrupt selectmen out of office and sue them personally.” That particular blog submission also said “It’s time to put a stop to... people running our town. People like Polito, Childs, Sapia, ...Police Chief, Town Administrator, and any other political hack that wants to participate.”
Lane referred to the blog posting as a “potentially very serious matter.” I personally think that the only “potentially very serious matter” is the fact that Lane and one or more of his defendant clients feel that they can get away with unsubstantiated false accusations against Ken or I for something we didn’t do.
When I submit something to the blog, it’s never personal. It always concerns a ballot or public issue, like the Vietnam Honor Roll or protecting our water resources---and I sign my name to what I submit. If Lane or his un-named whiner client feel that either Ken or I are going to tolerate the garbage of false accusations from EITHER of them, he/they better think twice.
You would think that town officials who just went through a defamation suit would have learned that false accusations and disparaging innocent people have serious consequences. Obviously, instead of counseling his un-learning client about the lesson the lawsuit should have taught him, Atty. Lane decided to pander to him.
In my response letter to Lane, I strongly pointed out the hypocrisy of his making false accusations on behalf of clients recently filed against for defamations and disparagements.
In speaking about public officials, Thomas Jefferson stated that “When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.”
That’s very true. As long as blog postings are not recklessly, deliberately or knowingly slanderous, Atkinsonians have a constitutional freedom and right to post and express their own opinions and criticisms of elected or appointed public officials. Certain officials wouldn’t have such a bad reputation in town if they hadn’t worked so hard at earning it by their misconduct.
Since the start of the blog, Atkinson residents have strongly criticized certain Atkinson officials for actions which residents see as misconduct and immoral and unethical behavior. It is and will continue to be the right of residents to criticize.
Criticized public officials could have cleaned up their act at any time but arrogantly chose not to, considering themselves above accountability to the residents of Atkinson. They bring public criticism on themselves by their repeated mis-conduct. Hopefully, critical postings will encourage public officials to clean up their act.
If there are more critical postings to come in the future from angry or disgusted Atkinson residents, so be it!
Bloggers shouldn’t ever allow themselves to be intimidated by insulting letters such as was sent by Atty. Lane.
In conclusion, it is repugnant to free speech that any resident should ever receive a letter sent in an attempt to intimidate or restrain anyone in the exercise of their free speech rights.
Carol Grant
Publius,
Please accept as a separate article. Thank you.
Carol Grant
INTIMIDATION ATTEMPTS CONTINUE AGAINST ATKINSON BLOG AND BLOGGERS
This past spring, re-printed on the blog was a copy of an accusatory and threatening letter sent by Phil Consentino to Mark Acciard, threatening legal action against Acciard because Consentino did not like an Anonymous blog submission critical of himself. There was no proof or reason to think that Acciard wrote the blog submission, but Consentino blamed and accused him anyway.
Mr. Acciard bought Consentino’s letter to the attention of the selectmen as part of a complaint against Consentino. The selectmen stated that they had DEFINITLY NOT authorized the letter although it was written as official town correspondence on official Atkinson Police Dept. Stationery, with Consentino’s signature appearing over the title Chief of Police.
I reference that most recent past anti-blog, anti-blogger letter only because, to our great surprise, my husband and I also recently received one of those type of letters. It was written by Atty. Garry Lane who was hired by the town’s insurance company to represent four town officials in my recently settled law suit against them.
it seems that at least one of the defendants, possibly/probably in a snitty-fit because of having paid me a settlement, went whining to Lane about the fact that an Anonymous resident recently dared to exercise his/her right of free speech and free expression to express on the blog an opinion about how “It’s time to take these corrupt selectmen out of office and sue them personally.” That particular blog submission also said “It’s time to put a stop to... people running our town. People like Polito, Childs, Sapia, ...Police Chief, Town Administrator, and any other political hack that wants to participate.”
Lane referred to the blog posting as a “potentially very serious matter.” I personally think that the only “potentially very serious matter” is the fact that Lane and one or more of his defendant clients feel that they can get away with unsubstantiated false accusations against Ken or I for something we didn’t do.
When I submit something to the blog, it’s never personal. It always concerns a ballot or public issue, like the Vietnam Honor Roll or protecting our water resources---and I sign my name to what I submit. If Lane or his un-named whiner client feel that either Ken or I are going to tolerate the garbage of false accusations from EITHER of them, he/they better think twice.
You would think that town officials who just went through a defamation suit would have learned that false accusations and disparaging innocent people have serious consequences. Obviously, instead of counseling his un-learning client about the lesson the lawsuit should have taught him, Atty. Lane decided to pander to him.
In my response letter to Lane, I strongly pointed out the hypocrisy of his making false accusations on behalf of clients recently filed against for defamations and disparagements.
In speaking about public officials, Thomas Jefferson stated that “When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.”
That’s very true. As long as blog postings are not recklessly, deliberately or knowingly slanderous, Atkinsonians have a constitutional freedom and right to post and express their own opinions and criticisms of elected or appointed public officials. Certain officials wouldn’t have such a bad reputation in town if they hadn’t worked so hard at earning it by their misconduct.
Since the start of the blog, Atkinson residents have strongly criticized certain Atkinson officials for actions which residents see as misconduct and immoral and unethical behavior. It is and will continue to be the right of residents to criticize.
Criticized public officials could have cleaned up their act at any time but arrogantly chose not to, considering themselves above accountability to the residents of Atkinson. They bring public criticism on themselves by their repeated mis-conduct. Hopefully, critical postings will encourage public officials to clean up their act.
If there are more critical postings to come in the future from angry or disgusted Atkinson residents, so be it!
Bloggers shouldn’t ever allow themselves to be intimidated by insulting letters such as was sent by Atty. Lane.
In conclusion, it is repugnant to free speech that any resident should ever receive a letter sent in an attempt to intimidate or restrain anyone in the exercise of their free speech rights.
Carol Grant
Town Administrator trying for Plaistow job!
From the Eagle Tribune;
One candidate, two towns Kleman interviews for jobs in Plaistow, Atkinson
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
Atkinson selectmen thought they had their man, but he's looking elsewhere.
Selectman Fred Childs said last week the board planned to offer a permanent position to interim Town Administrator Craig Kleman. They have been searching for a new administrator since winter, after the departure of Russell McAllister.
Plaistow selectmen also have been searching for a town manager since winter and, more recently, for an interim town administrator.
The parallel searches just became even more similar. Kleman met with Plaistow officials in nonpublic session Monday night. He confirmed yesterday that he was interviewing for the interim position in that town, too, but said he didn't want to comment beyond that.
Kleman has worked as interim administrator in Atkinson since mid-April. He was a candidate for the full-time job when he took the interim position. Selectmen liked the idea of a candidate "test drive," according to minutes from the selectmen's meeting March 31.
Childs said yesterday he heard Kleman probably was looking elsewhere — and he wasn't surprised. He said that's why it's tough to keep a town administrator for long — they're always looking. But he's confident Atkinson is Kleman's first choice.
"He wants the job," Childs said. "I know that."
Just last week, Childs said the selectmen planned to offer Kleman the full-time job, but they haven't yet. At the next meeting, scheduled for Monday, the selectmen and Kleman are expected to sign a 30-day extension to his interim contract, Childs said yesterday.
"I don't think he's too happy with that," Childs said. "I think he'd like to get it settled right away, and I can't blame him. There's other opportunities out there."
The other opportunity Kleman is trying for pays a lot more.
In Plaistow, he would likely make more than the $700 a week Atkinson is paying him in the interim job. Plaistow interim Town Administrator Jason Hoch is making $1,395 a week. He started as a full-time town manager and transitioned to an interim town administrator two months after giving his notice.
Hoch's last day is Saturday, and Plaistow selectmen are trying to get someone to take over right away. After Kleman's interview Monday, the selectmen said they were done interviewing candidates. Selectman Dan Poliquin said yesterday the town has made an offer for the interim position and will announce it Friday.
If Kleman is trying for the permanent position in Plaistow, too, he stands to make more money than he would in Atkinson.
Plaistow selectmen advertised a salary range of $84,000 to $95,000 for the town manager position. Atkinson didn't put a salary range in its advertisement because each administrator wants something different, Childs said. He would not say what range the selectmen are considering now that they have a candidate in mind. McAllister made about $62,000 a year.
Atkinson selectmen plan to hire a permanent administrator in the next month. Plaistow doesn't plan to have a town manager onboard until October.
One candidate, two towns Kleman interviews for jobs in Plaistow, Atkinson
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
Atkinson selectmen thought they had their man, but he's looking elsewhere.
Selectman Fred Childs said last week the board planned to offer a permanent position to interim Town Administrator Craig Kleman. They have been searching for a new administrator since winter, after the departure of Russell McAllister.
Plaistow selectmen also have been searching for a town manager since winter and, more recently, for an interim town administrator.
The parallel searches just became even more similar. Kleman met with Plaistow officials in nonpublic session Monday night. He confirmed yesterday that he was interviewing for the interim position in that town, too, but said he didn't want to comment beyond that.
Kleman has worked as interim administrator in Atkinson since mid-April. He was a candidate for the full-time job when he took the interim position. Selectmen liked the idea of a candidate "test drive," according to minutes from the selectmen's meeting March 31.
Childs said yesterday he heard Kleman probably was looking elsewhere — and he wasn't surprised. He said that's why it's tough to keep a town administrator for long — they're always looking. But he's confident Atkinson is Kleman's first choice.
"He wants the job," Childs said. "I know that."
Just last week, Childs said the selectmen planned to offer Kleman the full-time job, but they haven't yet. At the next meeting, scheduled for Monday, the selectmen and Kleman are expected to sign a 30-day extension to his interim contract, Childs said yesterday.
"I don't think he's too happy with that," Childs said. "I think he'd like to get it settled right away, and I can't blame him. There's other opportunities out there."
The other opportunity Kleman is trying for pays a lot more.
In Plaistow, he would likely make more than the $700 a week Atkinson is paying him in the interim job. Plaistow interim Town Administrator Jason Hoch is making $1,395 a week. He started as a full-time town manager and transitioned to an interim town administrator two months after giving his notice.
Hoch's last day is Saturday, and Plaistow selectmen are trying to get someone to take over right away. After Kleman's interview Monday, the selectmen said they were done interviewing candidates. Selectman Dan Poliquin said yesterday the town has made an offer for the interim position and will announce it Friday.
If Kleman is trying for the permanent position in Plaistow, too, he stands to make more money than he would in Atkinson.
Plaistow selectmen advertised a salary range of $84,000 to $95,000 for the town manager position. Atkinson didn't put a salary range in its advertisement because each administrator wants something different, Childs said. He would not say what range the selectmen are considering now that they have a candidate in mind. McAllister made about $62,000 a year.
Atkinson selectmen plan to hire a permanent administrator in the next month. Plaistow doesn't plan to have a town manager onboard until October.
Sunday, June 22
Coffee shop proposed in Atkinson
Coffee shop proposed in Atkinson
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
ATKINSON — Residents may soon have a place to grab a morning coffee and to chat.
Lincoln Jackson has applied for Planning Board approval to build a 9,000-square-foot restaurant and office at 117 Main St. The local resident said he plans to use the space for a coffee shop, according to Shirley Galvin, the Planning Department's administrative assistant.
There are a few tables outside the Village Store and restaurant dining at the Atkinson Country Club but really no coffee shop in town, Galvin said.
The Safety Committee and Planning Board both reviewed the plans at their meetings this week. The Planning Board continued the site plan hearing to its next meeting July 23, Chairwoman Sue Killam said yesterday.
The continuation will give the town's engineer time to examine the most recently submitted plans, she said. The board accepted the initial plan in April.
Killam said she expects the proposal to go forward.
The plans are available for review in the planning office at Town Hall, she said.
James Lavelle Associates presented the plan to the town, but the company could not be reached yesterday for comment.
The vacant Main Street property is for sale for $299,000 through Coldwell Banker. Jackson, the potential owner, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
ATKINSON — Residents may soon have a place to grab a morning coffee and to chat.
Lincoln Jackson has applied for Planning Board approval to build a 9,000-square-foot restaurant and office at 117 Main St. The local resident said he plans to use the space for a coffee shop, according to Shirley Galvin, the Planning Department's administrative assistant.
There are a few tables outside the Village Store and restaurant dining at the Atkinson Country Club but really no coffee shop in town, Galvin said.
The Safety Committee and Planning Board both reviewed the plans at their meetings this week. The Planning Board continued the site plan hearing to its next meeting July 23, Chairwoman Sue Killam said yesterday.
The continuation will give the town's engineer time to examine the most recently submitted plans, she said. The board accepted the initial plan in April.
Killam said she expects the proposal to go forward.
The plans are available for review in the planning office at Town Hall, she said.
James Lavelle Associates presented the plan to the town, but the company could not be reached yesterday for comment.
The vacant Main Street property is for sale for $299,000 through Coldwell Banker. Jackson, the potential owner, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Saturday, June 21
Monday, June 16
Proposal could affect water supply in 2 towns
From the Eagle-Tribune today!
Proposal could affect water supply in 2 towns
By Rebecca Correa
Staff writer
NEWTON — The water supply for more than 150 families in Plaistow and Newton could be affected by a plan to build pump houses in the town's largest aquifer.
The Hampstead Area Water Co. has proposed a 742-acre water franchise, or pump houses, on land that abuts Plaistow. The proposal is meant to serve Sargent Woods, a senior housing project with 80 units, now under construction in Newton.
But Plaistow and Newton officials said the water franchise could affect those who already live in town — and they're hoping residents attend an informational meeting about the topic tonight.
Newton Planning Board member James Doggett said in the worst-case scenario, the proposal could limit the water supply for every house along Smith Corner Road, Peaslee Crossing Road and part of Route 108.
And it won't just be Newton's private wells that are affected.
"There are houses in Plaistow that sit on the aquifer that could potentially be looking at water problems because HAWC petitioned (to withdraw) 30,000 gallons a day," Doggett said.
Plaistow plans to send representatives to the meeting tonight for exactly that reason.
Specifically, the proposal would hurt residents of Sweet Hill Road and Greenfield Drive, according to Leigh Komornick, Plaistow's planning coordinator.
Residents in the Sweet Hill Road neighborhood are already experiencing water pressure problems and drawing more water out of the same aquifer would only make their problems worse, Komornick said.
"From what I understand, they (are) concerned about the adequacy of water now," she said. "I don't know if it's the amount or the pressure, but they are already having problems."
Komornick said a third housing development has been approved on the Newton border, but construction hasn't started yet. Houses there could be affected, too, she said.
"I think there's going to be significant withdrawal going on," Komornick said.
The withdrawal does not require town approval and the state would have given the water company the OK. But Newton selectmen intervened at the request of the Planning Board.
Doggett said the intervention allows for the public meeting tonight. At the very least, he said, it will give residents a chance to be informed and stall the installation of more than a dozen pump houses.
"What selectmen can do to try to affect the (state) Public Utilities Commission decision is limited," he said. "But if 600 people showed up to the meeting tonight and said they don't want this, the Public Utilities Commission, one assumes would actually listen to this."
The Hampstead Area Water Co. is based in Atkinson and has been in business for about 30 years. It is the third-largest private water provider in the state and serves at least 10 communities.
A phone call to the general manager of the company was not returned.
Doggett said he doesn't like the lack of local control that comes with the proposal. If the pump houses are put in, he said, the opportunities for the company are endless. For starters, if the town ever wanted municipal water, the Hampstead Area Water Co. would have the rights or could require the town buy them out.
"They can actually petition the rights to bottle water right here in town, too," he said. "The franchise is sort of like telling residents you can only shop at that car dealership or shop on a store on your street. Individual homeowners have certain rights and no company should be able to petition the state and take away your right to make a decision."
Doggett said Planning Board members are also unhappy the company didn't compromise with them and build a smaller franchise.
"It seems way in excess of what they need," he said. "They also offered to reduce the size of their franchise request and they rescinded that offer just two weeks later."
But most residents in both towns don't know enough about the proposal to make up their minds one way or another.
Newton town office manager Mary Winglass said the meeting is a prime time for people, herself included, to find out exactly what the positive and negative impacts of the proposal would be.
"What we're trying to do at this meeting is, first of all, get answers to questions about it," she said. "We want to find out what kind of rights does it give the homeowners. Will water taken be off the property and can we manage this?"
Doggett said he's sure most people in town don't know about the water franchise, but everyone should become informed and attend the meeting tonight to voice their opinions. The Public Utilities Commission will also hold an informational meeting at a later date this summer.
"Nine out of 10 people who have no idea what's going on will assume the Planning Board blessed this, and we don't," he said. "We've struggled hard and long to make sure the town is well served and when the townspeople don't pay attention, there's only so much we can do."
Staff writer Meghan Carey contributed to this report.
Water Worries
Who: Residents of Newton and Plaistow
What: Informational meeting about proposed water franchise
When: Today at 7 p.m.
Where: Sanborn Middle School gymnasium, 31A West Main St.
Why: Discuss a water franchise scheduled to be built on the Newton/Plaistow line
WOW!! Did you read THAT???
THE NEWTON SELECTMEN INTERVENED IN THE PROCESS ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN AT THE REQUEST OF THE PLANNING BOARD!
This is what the citizens of Atkinson asked our esteemed leaders, Selectman Sapia, Childs, and Sullivan to do on our behalf, and they told us;
Sorry, it's the States problem, not ours!
GUYS, It is YOUR problem to do what the voters ask you to do, NO MATTER WHAT!!!
Our planning board, and selectmen, were only too happy to ignore this potential problem.
And they wonder why they get so much criticism....
Proposal could affect water supply in 2 towns
By Rebecca Correa
Staff writer
NEWTON — The water supply for more than 150 families in Plaistow and Newton could be affected by a plan to build pump houses in the town's largest aquifer.
The Hampstead Area Water Co. has proposed a 742-acre water franchise, or pump houses, on land that abuts Plaistow. The proposal is meant to serve Sargent Woods, a senior housing project with 80 units, now under construction in Newton.
But Plaistow and Newton officials said the water franchise could affect those who already live in town — and they're hoping residents attend an informational meeting about the topic tonight.
Newton Planning Board member James Doggett said in the worst-case scenario, the proposal could limit the water supply for every house along Smith Corner Road, Peaslee Crossing Road and part of Route 108.
And it won't just be Newton's private wells that are affected.
"There are houses in Plaistow that sit on the aquifer that could potentially be looking at water problems because HAWC petitioned (to withdraw) 30,000 gallons a day," Doggett said.
Plaistow plans to send representatives to the meeting tonight for exactly that reason.
Specifically, the proposal would hurt residents of Sweet Hill Road and Greenfield Drive, according to Leigh Komornick, Plaistow's planning coordinator.
Residents in the Sweet Hill Road neighborhood are already experiencing water pressure problems and drawing more water out of the same aquifer would only make their problems worse, Komornick said.
"From what I understand, they (are) concerned about the adequacy of water now," she said. "I don't know if it's the amount or the pressure, but they are already having problems."
Komornick said a third housing development has been approved on the Newton border, but construction hasn't started yet. Houses there could be affected, too, she said.
"I think there's going to be significant withdrawal going on," Komornick said.
The withdrawal does not require town approval and the state would have given the water company the OK. But Newton selectmen intervened at the request of the Planning Board.
Doggett said the intervention allows for the public meeting tonight. At the very least, he said, it will give residents a chance to be informed and stall the installation of more than a dozen pump houses.
"What selectmen can do to try to affect the (state) Public Utilities Commission decision is limited," he said. "But if 600 people showed up to the meeting tonight and said they don't want this, the Public Utilities Commission, one assumes would actually listen to this."
The Hampstead Area Water Co. is based in Atkinson and has been in business for about 30 years. It is the third-largest private water provider in the state and serves at least 10 communities.
A phone call to the general manager of the company was not returned.
Doggett said he doesn't like the lack of local control that comes with the proposal. If the pump houses are put in, he said, the opportunities for the company are endless. For starters, if the town ever wanted municipal water, the Hampstead Area Water Co. would have the rights or could require the town buy them out.
"They can actually petition the rights to bottle water right here in town, too," he said. "The franchise is sort of like telling residents you can only shop at that car dealership or shop on a store on your street. Individual homeowners have certain rights and no company should be able to petition the state and take away your right to make a decision."
Doggett said Planning Board members are also unhappy the company didn't compromise with them and build a smaller franchise.
"It seems way in excess of what they need," he said. "They also offered to reduce the size of their franchise request and they rescinded that offer just two weeks later."
But most residents in both towns don't know enough about the proposal to make up their minds one way or another.
Newton town office manager Mary Winglass said the meeting is a prime time for people, herself included, to find out exactly what the positive and negative impacts of the proposal would be.
"What we're trying to do at this meeting is, first of all, get answers to questions about it," she said. "We want to find out what kind of rights does it give the homeowners. Will water taken be off the property and can we manage this?"
Doggett said he's sure most people in town don't know about the water franchise, but everyone should become informed and attend the meeting tonight to voice their opinions. The Public Utilities Commission will also hold an informational meeting at a later date this summer.
"Nine out of 10 people who have no idea what's going on will assume the Planning Board blessed this, and we don't," he said. "We've struggled hard and long to make sure the town is well served and when the townspeople don't pay attention, there's only so much we can do."
Staff writer Meghan Carey contributed to this report.
Water Worries
Who: Residents of Newton and Plaistow
What: Informational meeting about proposed water franchise
When: Today at 7 p.m.
Where: Sanborn Middle School gymnasium, 31A West Main St.
Why: Discuss a water franchise scheduled to be built on the Newton/Plaistow line
WOW!! Did you read THAT???
THE NEWTON SELECTMEN INTERVENED IN THE PROCESS ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN AT THE REQUEST OF THE PLANNING BOARD!
This is what the citizens of Atkinson asked our esteemed leaders, Selectman Sapia, Childs, and Sullivan to do on our behalf, and they told us;
Sorry, it's the States problem, not ours!
GUYS, It is YOUR problem to do what the voters ask you to do, NO MATTER WHAT!!!
Our planning board, and selectmen, were only too happy to ignore this potential problem.
And they wonder why they get so much criticism....
Timberlane community wants academic improvement
From Today's Eagle Tribune;
Timberlane community wants academic improvement
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
PLAISTOW — Extracurricular activities are stronger than academics at Timberlane Regional High School, according to some parents.
The voices of 43 parents who recently participated in an e-mail survey speak louder than their sum. Some 44 percent of responding parents said the quality of a Timberlane education has declined in the last three to five years, and 70 percent said academics are what need improvement at the high school. Approximately 1,600 students from Atkinson, Danville, Plaistow and Sandown students attend Timberlane High.
Those parents aren't alone. Local bloggers and discussion board members are echoing the sentiments online. Four local blogs and online forums have had a flurry of postings in the last two weeks under threads labeled "Timberlane has lost its way" and "Timberlane is going down the tubes."
While the posters allege the school administration doesn't see what's going on, Superintendent Richard La Salle said last week he knows improvements are needed at each school.
"I think that there's always a problem with quality," he said.
Administrators have targeted reading and writing at the elementary and middle-school levels as the areas that need immediate attention, La Salle said. At the high school, the superintendent said he has a problem that just 70 percent of graduates go on to some form of college. The statewide average is 75 percent.
"In this day and age, I think the minimum standard is some form of post-secondary education," La Salle said. "We have to get that number up."
At the elementary and middle schools, a new reading program is already in place. Teachers use six steps to help them identify students who are struggling with reading before their grades start to reflect it, La Salle said. His hope is that will prevent students from falling too far behind now, especially since reading is a basis for all subjects.
Anne Isenberg, a mother of two from Atkinson, was recruited this spring to work on the Strategic Planning Committee. She said there's a discrepancy between the community's opinions of the school district and what the district is doing.
When she and her family moved to the area in 1995, she started talking to people about the schools. What Isenberg found was a community distrust in the schools — and she says that hasn't gone away. A lesson in public relations would help the situation, she said.
"They have been very quiet," Isenberg said of school administrators. "They have to realize that without any communication, the rumor mill fills in."
Improvements in communication can go both ways, according to School Board member Stephen Brown.
There's a time at every meeting for parents and taxpayers to make comments about the district, but that time is rarely used. Brown said it's a much more appropriate forum than posting on blogs.
"We listen, we discuss and reply to those comments," Brown said. "We are constantly striving to make the school district better."
The Strategic Planning Committee, which is made up of parents, administrators, teachers and a School Board member, is striving to do the same.
Isenberg and Kate Delfino of Atkinson, two of the parent representatives on the committee, are taking their roles seriously — starting with conducting the parent e-mail survey.
Isenberg said she didn't have every parents' e-mail address, but tried to get the survey to as many people as possible. The results are not scientific and from a narrow segment of the population, but both women said they are still indicative of parents' general opinions.
"It's one piece in a very large puzzle that we are putting together," Delfino said. "It's really just to be able to quantify some of the thoughts and concerns that are on some parents' minds."
Thirty-five percent of those parents said the quality of a Timberlane Regional High School education has stayed the same. Just 12 percent of those surveyed said it had improved over the last three to five years. Forty-four percent said quality has declined.
When asked what the strengths of the high school were, most parents said performing arts and athletics. Safety and security, clubs and special interests tied for third.
Academics didn't make the list.
Whether community sentiment changes in the future, the plan is to change the education provided to the students over the next 10 years, La Salle said.
The Strategic Planning Committee is collecting data from another parent study, state assessment testing, SAT and ACT scores, and the NHEIAP — a state Department of Educational improvement and assessment program — report, the La Salle said.
When the data is turned into a 10-year plan this fall, La Salle said it will be used as a planner during the coming budgeting process and for the years to come.
Timberlane community wants academic improvement
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
PLAISTOW — Extracurricular activities are stronger than academics at Timberlane Regional High School, according to some parents.
The voices of 43 parents who recently participated in an e-mail survey speak louder than their sum. Some 44 percent of responding parents said the quality of a Timberlane education has declined in the last three to five years, and 70 percent said academics are what need improvement at the high school. Approximately 1,600 students from Atkinson, Danville, Plaistow and Sandown students attend Timberlane High.
Those parents aren't alone. Local bloggers and discussion board members are echoing the sentiments online. Four local blogs and online forums have had a flurry of postings in the last two weeks under threads labeled "Timberlane has lost its way" and "Timberlane is going down the tubes."
While the posters allege the school administration doesn't see what's going on, Superintendent Richard La Salle said last week he knows improvements are needed at each school.
"I think that there's always a problem with quality," he said.
Administrators have targeted reading and writing at the elementary and middle-school levels as the areas that need immediate attention, La Salle said. At the high school, the superintendent said he has a problem that just 70 percent of graduates go on to some form of college. The statewide average is 75 percent.
"In this day and age, I think the minimum standard is some form of post-secondary education," La Salle said. "We have to get that number up."
At the elementary and middle schools, a new reading program is already in place. Teachers use six steps to help them identify students who are struggling with reading before their grades start to reflect it, La Salle said. His hope is that will prevent students from falling too far behind now, especially since reading is a basis for all subjects.
Anne Isenberg, a mother of two from Atkinson, was recruited this spring to work on the Strategic Planning Committee. She said there's a discrepancy between the community's opinions of the school district and what the district is doing.
When she and her family moved to the area in 1995, she started talking to people about the schools. What Isenberg found was a community distrust in the schools — and she says that hasn't gone away. A lesson in public relations would help the situation, she said.
"They have been very quiet," Isenberg said of school administrators. "They have to realize that without any communication, the rumor mill fills in."
Improvements in communication can go both ways, according to School Board member Stephen Brown.
There's a time at every meeting for parents and taxpayers to make comments about the district, but that time is rarely used. Brown said it's a much more appropriate forum than posting on blogs.
"We listen, we discuss and reply to those comments," Brown said. "We are constantly striving to make the school district better."
The Strategic Planning Committee, which is made up of parents, administrators, teachers and a School Board member, is striving to do the same.
Isenberg and Kate Delfino of Atkinson, two of the parent representatives on the committee, are taking their roles seriously — starting with conducting the parent e-mail survey.
Isenberg said she didn't have every parents' e-mail address, but tried to get the survey to as many people as possible. The results are not scientific and from a narrow segment of the population, but both women said they are still indicative of parents' general opinions.
"It's one piece in a very large puzzle that we are putting together," Delfino said. "It's really just to be able to quantify some of the thoughts and concerns that are on some parents' minds."
Thirty-five percent of those parents said the quality of a Timberlane Regional High School education has stayed the same. Just 12 percent of those surveyed said it had improved over the last three to five years. Forty-four percent said quality has declined.
When asked what the strengths of the high school were, most parents said performing arts and athletics. Safety and security, clubs and special interests tied for third.
Academics didn't make the list.
Whether community sentiment changes in the future, the plan is to change the education provided to the students over the next 10 years, La Salle said.
The Strategic Planning Committee is collecting data from another parent study, state assessment testing, SAT and ACT scores, and the NHEIAP — a state Department of Educational improvement and assessment program — report, the La Salle said.
When the data is turned into a 10-year plan this fall, La Salle said it will be used as a planner during the coming budgeting process and for the years to come.
Friday, June 13
In honor of Father's day.....
Publius, please accept this as an article submission.
In honor of Father's day......
I would like to take this opportunity to look at two aspects of Father's Day. First our Town Father's; our board of selectmen...
This blog has been roundly criticized among the elected officials in town for casting the light of public scrutiny upon their actions. And with measured success. This blog has served as a forum for public discussion that because of the documented actions of some of our public officials, can not take place in public. This and other sites like the Atkinson Taxpayers.org site, with their repository of public documents, has been invaluable in showing th people of Atkinson just how corrupt our town government was. For all of our predjudice against builders and developers, it has been town employees and their willing accomplices serving as elected officials who have given this town it's problems.
And what about our current board? It is my observation that Mr. Sullivan's heart is in the right place, he is evidently an honorable man trying to do the right thing, while not inconveniencing the execution of town government. Mr. Friel, to my observation, has been reasonable, well informed, eminently prepared, and has not been one to make a hasty decision, without the appropriate research. All in all, in my humble opinion he has tried to do the right thing, and has largely succeeded. He has been a welcome change in a board that has had more than it's share of problems in recent years.
And my second issue;
Have you ever noticed how father's are portrayed in the media?
The last HONORABLE TV Dad, was Bill Cosby! Most Dad's are portrayed as incompetent, ineffectual, invisible, or just plain not in the picture. This does a disservice to the Men that choose to be Dad's.
Anyone can be a Father, that can happen by accident, but it takes effort to be a Dad! You can not be an accidental Dad. A Dad is far more important than a Father. And it is a position of honor, that the media, by ans large, does not recognize. It is my opinion that these popular images of Father's rather than Dads harm society as a whole.
Dads, you perform a societally necessary job. Keep doing it, and keep doing it superlatively. Happy Father's Day!
In honor of Father's day......
I would like to take this opportunity to look at two aspects of Father's Day. First our Town Father's; our board of selectmen...
This blog has been roundly criticized among the elected officials in town for casting the light of public scrutiny upon their actions. And with measured success. This blog has served as a forum for public discussion that because of the documented actions of some of our public officials, can not take place in public. This and other sites like the Atkinson Taxpayers.org site, with their repository of public documents, has been invaluable in showing th people of Atkinson just how corrupt our town government was. For all of our predjudice against builders and developers, it has been town employees and their willing accomplices serving as elected officials who have given this town it's problems.
And what about our current board? It is my observation that Mr. Sullivan's heart is in the right place, he is evidently an honorable man trying to do the right thing, while not inconveniencing the execution of town government. Mr. Friel, to my observation, has been reasonable, well informed, eminently prepared, and has not been one to make a hasty decision, without the appropriate research. All in all, in my humble opinion he has tried to do the right thing, and has largely succeeded. He has been a welcome change in a board that has had more than it's share of problems in recent years.
And my second issue;
Have you ever noticed how father's are portrayed in the media?
The last HONORABLE TV Dad, was Bill Cosby! Most Dad's are portrayed as incompetent, ineffectual, invisible, or just plain not in the picture. This does a disservice to the Men that choose to be Dad's.
Anyone can be a Father, that can happen by accident, but it takes effort to be a Dad! You can not be an accidental Dad. A Dad is far more important than a Father. And it is a position of honor, that the media, by ans large, does not recognize. It is my opinion that these popular images of Father's rather than Dads harm society as a whole.
Dads, you perform a societally necessary job. Keep doing it, and keep doing it superlatively. Happy Father's Day!
Monday, June 9
Timberlane has lost it's way
Publius, please accept this as an article submission.
ARTICLE SUBMISSION
Timberlane is going down the tubes, when will the school board stop it?
In 1975 the Timberlane Junior High School opened to much fanfare. I was in the eighth grade at the time. We had been attending double sessions at the high school for three years, while construction was going on. It, like the high school when it opened, was a model school, in layout, curriculum, and achievement. In the 70's Timberlane, believe it or not, was one of the highest academically rated school districts in NH. At a time when schools were something both much greater, and much less than they are today.
It was not a "middle school". There was no "Team Teaching". There was an English dept., a social studies dept., a science dept., a math dept., and so on. There was no "peer mediation", "grade inflation", "mandatory promotion", "SAC", "in-school suspension", or any of the other namby-pamby, wishy-washy, feel good, new age crap, that is currently choking this once fine institution.
I say it was one something more, because it was once a place where learning happened. Where Learning was EXPECTED to happen. Where Students were EXPECTED to do their work, maintain discipline, and accomplish a body of work in order to graduate on to the High School.
I say it was also much less than it is today because it was, at that time, more focused on the children learning than making the parents feel good about their child's performance, or lack thereof, as it is today. It didn't perform social work, as it does today. It didn't make excuses about children's laziness in failing to do homework as it does today. Contrary to the opinions of principal Hogan a child's natural laziness is not that child "doing their best" or "working at their pace" and the latter is never "ok"!
I am writing this because I recently had confirmation of something I had only heard about, and had not believed. I know of a child who graduated the eighth grade this year, and is going into the high school in the fall. A normal occurrence, I know, except that this child's graduated with 3 "F"'s and 1 "D-" all in core subjects. Unfortunately, the one subject that this child passed, with a "C", was language arts, and this child has not the ability to coherently write a report. No sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling skills commensurate with an eighth grade education.
When the parent spoke to Mr. Hogan about this atrocity, the parent was told that their child had not graduated but had merely gotten a "promotion certificate". When the parent asked if the child had to go to summer school, Mr. Hogan replied that the child should. The parent, picking up on the "should", asked if the child's "promotion" was contingent upon successfully completing summer school? Mr. Hogan then replied that summer school was not mandatory, but should be attended by this child. The parent then asked "if the child was not sent to summer school, would the child still go into the ninth grade in the fall? Mr. Hogan said YES! He went on that "studies have shown that it would hurt(the child) developmentally more for (the child) to stay back than to go on" He said "(the child) would catch up in high school"! THIS FROM A PRINCIPAL!!!
Mr. Hogan then explained that High school is a credit based institution and some kids will get their 20 credits in 3.5 years, some will get them in 4 years, and some will have to take that extra class, or semester to graduate, and that's ok. Well, I say, NO that is not ok! This is the attitude that has created the situation where 21% of high schoolers can not read or write well enough to fill out their own job application. This is why 74% of College freshman have to take remedial math or English, their parents effectively paying college rates to teach their kids what should have been taught in high school. Education is the single greatest defining attribute of life. People are judged by how they speak and what they know. Professional door will open or close based upon a person's education, and we are leaving it in the hands of those who are more concerned with the children's self esteem than what they actually know.
Here are some facts for the parents reading this, that they may be unaware of. Students are allowed to take re-tests. If a student wishes to bring up their grade, regardless of that grade they may take the same test again, and take the average of the two grades. When they have to write a report, they are given a list of websites from which to gather their info., in most cases they merely cut and paste from those websites to form the report. They learn nothing! I know of four eighth grade girls who had to do reports on historical figures, Vincent Van Gogh, Harriet Tubman, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and the reports they handed in were cut and pasted from websites. No original content! I thought they would learn a lesson from this and said nothing. They did learn a valuable lesson, they got "B"'s!
There is so much more to learn than there was when we went to school, and the district, particularly the middle school is doing a horrible job of teaching it., The curriculum is weak. And even that is not taught to full effectiveness. There seems to be little if any oversight.
Now here is my question to the school board;
What are you going to do to bring this school district back to its glory days?
We, as parents pay Timberlane $12,553/student per year! Timberlane has a $59Million budget and roughly 4700 kids district wide.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 58% Proficiency level in grade 10 math.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 76% Proficiency level in grade 10 reading.
This is what we consider acceptable? In 25 years this district which was 1st in the county, and 6th in the state, now places 15th in the COUNTY in reading, and 18th in the COUNTY in math!
We only have 8 more slots to fall before WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM!!! AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!!
I ask the school board these questions because they are not supposed to sit there and act as bobble-heads whenever superintendent McDonald says something. The school board is SUPPOSED to be running the district! They are the people we elected to look into these things, and see that we are getting the most for our money. We are not!
Does the school board look into, and question curriculum and practices? Do they discuss educational philosophy with Dr. McDonald, and inform him of the direction the district is to take in bringing up test scores and achievement?
This is the basic problem with public education, it is not responsive to the needs of its customers. It gets its money no matter what, whereas in the private sector, if a school had the deplorable standards of TRMS, it would go out of business, because its customers, the parents, would not pay $11,702/yr. for their kids to be shuffled along whether they did the work or not.
It doesn't work this way in the real world. When you have a job(in the private sector, this doesn't hold true for a government job) you have to perform to a certain level. You have to accomplish certain tasks, or you will be fired. Schools rarely make these demands anymore.
I want my school board to answer one question for me;
Why cant Timberlane have the academic achievement of Phillips Academy in Exeter, or even Boston Latin in Roxbury( a public school with significant minority enrollment), or even Central Catholic in Lawrence?
Or how about this question;
Why is it that I can pay $8,000 tuition to send my kid to Pinkerton, one of the best schools in the state, or $3,500 to St. Joes and Timberlane costs almost $13,000 to do an inferior job?
signed,
Mark R. Acciard
ARTICLE SUBMISSION
Timberlane is going down the tubes, when will the school board stop it?
In 1975 the Timberlane Junior High School opened to much fanfare. I was in the eighth grade at the time. We had been attending double sessions at the high school for three years, while construction was going on. It, like the high school when it opened, was a model school, in layout, curriculum, and achievement. In the 70's Timberlane, believe it or not, was one of the highest academically rated school districts in NH. At a time when schools were something both much greater, and much less than they are today.
It was not a "middle school". There was no "Team Teaching". There was an English dept., a social studies dept., a science dept., a math dept., and so on. There was no "peer mediation", "grade inflation", "mandatory promotion", "SAC", "in-school suspension", or any of the other namby-pamby, wishy-washy, feel good, new age crap, that is currently choking this once fine institution.
I say it was one something more, because it was once a place where learning happened. Where Learning was EXPECTED to happen. Where Students were EXPECTED to do their work, maintain discipline, and accomplish a body of work in order to graduate on to the High School.
I say it was also much less than it is today because it was, at that time, more focused on the children learning than making the parents feel good about their child's performance, or lack thereof, as it is today. It didn't perform social work, as it does today. It didn't make excuses about children's laziness in failing to do homework as it does today. Contrary to the opinions of principal Hogan a child's natural laziness is not that child "doing their best" or "working at their pace" and the latter is never "ok"!
I am writing this because I recently had confirmation of something I had only heard about, and had not believed. I know of a child who graduated the eighth grade this year, and is going into the high school in the fall. A normal occurrence, I know, except that this child's graduated with 3 "F"'s and 1 "D-" all in core subjects. Unfortunately, the one subject that this child passed, with a "C", was language arts, and this child has not the ability to coherently write a report. No sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling skills commensurate with an eighth grade education.
When the parent spoke to Mr. Hogan about this atrocity, the parent was told that their child had not graduated but had merely gotten a "promotion certificate". When the parent asked if the child had to go to summer school, Mr. Hogan replied that the child should. The parent, picking up on the "should", asked if the child's "promotion" was contingent upon successfully completing summer school? Mr. Hogan then replied that summer school was not mandatory, but should be attended by this child. The parent then asked "if the child was not sent to summer school, would the child still go into the ninth grade in the fall? Mr. Hogan said YES! He went on that "studies have shown that it would hurt(the child) developmentally more for (the child) to stay back than to go on" He said "(the child) would catch up in high school"! THIS FROM A PRINCIPAL!!!
Mr. Hogan then explained that High school is a credit based institution and some kids will get their 20 credits in 3.5 years, some will get them in 4 years, and some will have to take that extra class, or semester to graduate, and that's ok. Well, I say, NO that is not ok! This is the attitude that has created the situation where 21% of high schoolers can not read or write well enough to fill out their own job application. This is why 74% of College freshman have to take remedial math or English, their parents effectively paying college rates to teach their kids what should have been taught in high school. Education is the single greatest defining attribute of life. People are judged by how they speak and what they know. Professional door will open or close based upon a person's education, and we are leaving it in the hands of those who are more concerned with the children's self esteem than what they actually know.
Here are some facts for the parents reading this, that they may be unaware of. Students are allowed to take re-tests. If a student wishes to bring up their grade, regardless of that grade they may take the same test again, and take the average of the two grades. When they have to write a report, they are given a list of websites from which to gather their info., in most cases they merely cut and paste from those websites to form the report. They learn nothing! I know of four eighth grade girls who had to do reports on historical figures, Vincent Van Gogh, Harriet Tubman, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and the reports they handed in were cut and pasted from websites. No original content! I thought they would learn a lesson from this and said nothing. They did learn a valuable lesson, they got "B"'s!
There is so much more to learn than there was when we went to school, and the district, particularly the middle school is doing a horrible job of teaching it., The curriculum is weak. And even that is not taught to full effectiveness. There seems to be little if any oversight.
Now here is my question to the school board;
What are you going to do to bring this school district back to its glory days?
We, as parents pay Timberlane $12,553/student per year! Timberlane has a $59Million budget and roughly 4700 kids district wide.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 58% Proficiency level in grade 10 math.
The Timberlane district currently boasts a 76% Proficiency level in grade 10 reading.
This is what we consider acceptable? In 25 years this district which was 1st in the county, and 6th in the state, now places 15th in the COUNTY in reading, and 18th in the COUNTY in math!
We only have 8 more slots to fall before WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM!!! AND NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!!
I ask the school board these questions because they are not supposed to sit there and act as bobble-heads whenever superintendent McDonald says something. The school board is SUPPOSED to be running the district! They are the people we elected to look into these things, and see that we are getting the most for our money. We are not!
Does the school board look into, and question curriculum and practices? Do they discuss educational philosophy with Dr. McDonald, and inform him of the direction the district is to take in bringing up test scores and achievement?
This is the basic problem with public education, it is not responsive to the needs of its customers. It gets its money no matter what, whereas in the private sector, if a school had the deplorable standards of TRMS, it would go out of business, because its customers, the parents, would not pay $11,702/yr. for their kids to be shuffled along whether they did the work or not.
It doesn't work this way in the real world. When you have a job(in the private sector, this doesn't hold true for a government job) you have to perform to a certain level. You have to accomplish certain tasks, or you will be fired. Schools rarely make these demands anymore.
I want my school board to answer one question for me;
Why cant Timberlane have the academic achievement of Phillips Academy in Exeter, or even Boston Latin in Roxbury( a public school with significant minority enrollment), or even Central Catholic in Lawrence?
Or how about this question;
Why is it that I can pay $8,000 tuition to send my kid to Pinkerton, one of the best schools in the state, or $3,500 to St. Joes and Timberlane costs almost $13,000 to do an inferior job?
signed,
Mark R. Acciard
Friday, June 6
Atkinson police officer loses battle with cancer
Atkinson police officer loses battle with cancer
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
ATKINSON — He is described as both a fighter and a family man, but only cancer could take police Cpl. John Lapham away from the people he loved.
Lapham, 39, of Chester lost his 6-month battle with acute leukemia yesterday afternoon.
"He fought to the last minute, that's for sure," said his best friend, Kevin Donnelly. "That's what everyone who came after the passing said."
Donnelly was at his bedside along with Lapham's wife, Amy, parents, sister and another close friend when he died at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Lapham was diagnosed with the disease in December. He received a bone marrow transplant two months ago, but later endured complications from drug reactions and recently developed pneumonia.
Lapham's father, Stan, said throughout his son's illness that he was fighting as hard as he could to stay alive so he could be there for his wife and two young sons, Matthew and Justin. No family members were available for comment last night.
Lapham was a police officer in Hampstead before taking over the midnight shift at the Atkinson Police Department eight years ago.
The shift, according to Donnelly, was Lapham's choice.
"He was a father before he was a cop," Donnelly said. "His goal every day was to be home to eat dinner with his family, and he was successful with that about 99.98 percent of the time."
Donnelly said he hopes all the support people have provided Lapham over the last six months will now be given to his family.
"His poor wife has to go home to his 4- and 6-year-old and break them the news," he said. "We have to keep remembering the family."
Lapham was a favorite of many youngsters at Atkinson Academy, where he was the Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer. Last night, the Atkinson youth baseball league held a moment of silence for Lapham before the evening's first pitches were thrown. It was the first time many of the children heard the news.
"He's going to be sadly missed and the good thing I want people to remember him for is the pivotal impact he had on the school, Atkinson Academy," Lt. William Baldwin said. "He had a huge impact on the students there in the DARE program. They all liked him."
Baldwin said the loss of Lapham is another devastating blow to the Police Department. Sgt. Diane Kinney, who served the town for 35 years, and secretarial volunteer Rose Ann Masello both died of cancer just over a month ago.
"I can't put it into words," Baldwin said.
Lapham's peers at the Police Department were so optimistic he would return that they hired a part-time officer to fill his shift for a year with the hope of having a spot available when he was well again.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be made at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home in Plaistow today.
Lapham's family still needs help
Anyone interested in donating to the Laphams can make a deposit at any Banknorth location, or send a check to: Cpl. John Lapham Fund, c/o TD Banknorth, N.A., 47 Plaistow Road, PO Box 368, Plaistow, NH 03824.
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
ATKINSON — He is described as both a fighter and a family man, but only cancer could take police Cpl. John Lapham away from the people he loved.
Lapham, 39, of Chester lost his 6-month battle with acute leukemia yesterday afternoon.
"He fought to the last minute, that's for sure," said his best friend, Kevin Donnelly. "That's what everyone who came after the passing said."
Donnelly was at his bedside along with Lapham's wife, Amy, parents, sister and another close friend when he died at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Lapham was diagnosed with the disease in December. He received a bone marrow transplant two months ago, but later endured complications from drug reactions and recently developed pneumonia.
Lapham's father, Stan, said throughout his son's illness that he was fighting as hard as he could to stay alive so he could be there for his wife and two young sons, Matthew and Justin. No family members were available for comment last night.
Lapham was a police officer in Hampstead before taking over the midnight shift at the Atkinson Police Department eight years ago.
The shift, according to Donnelly, was Lapham's choice.
"He was a father before he was a cop," Donnelly said. "His goal every day was to be home to eat dinner with his family, and he was successful with that about 99.98 percent of the time."
Donnelly said he hopes all the support people have provided Lapham over the last six months will now be given to his family.
"His poor wife has to go home to his 4- and 6-year-old and break them the news," he said. "We have to keep remembering the family."
Lapham was a favorite of many youngsters at Atkinson Academy, where he was the Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer. Last night, the Atkinson youth baseball league held a moment of silence for Lapham before the evening's first pitches were thrown. It was the first time many of the children heard the news.
"He's going to be sadly missed and the good thing I want people to remember him for is the pivotal impact he had on the school, Atkinson Academy," Lt. William Baldwin said. "He had a huge impact on the students there in the DARE program. They all liked him."
Baldwin said the loss of Lapham is another devastating blow to the Police Department. Sgt. Diane Kinney, who served the town for 35 years, and secretarial volunteer Rose Ann Masello both died of cancer just over a month ago.
"I can't put it into words," Baldwin said.
Lapham's peers at the Police Department were so optimistic he would return that they hired a part-time officer to fill his shift for a year with the hope of having a spot available when he was well again.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be made at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home in Plaistow today.
Lapham's family still needs help
Anyone interested in donating to the Laphams can make a deposit at any Banknorth location, or send a check to: Cpl. John Lapham Fund, c/o TD Banknorth, N.A., 47 Plaistow Road, PO Box 368, Plaistow, NH 03824.
Saturday, May 31
Atkinson feels loss of popular businessman
Atkinson feels loss of popular businessman
By John Basilesco
Staff Writer
ATKINSON — Lifelong resident and local businessman Peter Lewis died doing what he loved most — cutting hay on his farm on Salem Road.
Lewis, 68, who had been battling cancer for the past year, was cutting hay Wednesday morning when he suffered a heart attack, according to his brother.
Steven Lewis said his brother had undergone a chemotherapy treatment Tuesday and had been doing much better.
"He died doing what he loved doing," Lewis said, his voice breaking. "It was a beautiful day. He was out on his tractor cutting hay. That was his true passion — farming."
While he operated a small cattle farm, his main business was Lewis Builders in Atkinson, one of the largest building companies in New Hampshire, his brother said. Along with building houses and condominiums, the company built Atkinson Country Club in the 1990s.
Born and raised on a large dairy farm in town, Peter Lewis lived in Atkinson his whole life.
He was an active member of the community. He helped Atkinson in many ways — often behind the scenes — his brother and friends said. This included helping create Atkinson's new town center on Academy Avenue.
"We are all going to feel a great loss in this community with the passing of Peter Lewis," selectmen's Chairman Paul Sullivan said. "Peter is citizen of the decade, if not citizen of the century, for the town of Atkinson."
He served on countless town committees and task forces, helping with a wide variety of projects, including the town center and a new library.
"He was honest, direct and a very private individual," Sullivan said. "His company built residential neighborhoods in Atkinson and, more recently, it built the landmark Atkinson Country Club, which put Atkinson on the map. He had a vision and he built that restaurant and the country club that is enjoyed by many people in this town and surrounding towns."
Police Chief Philip Consentino, a longtime friend, said, "Peter and I were close friends. It's almost a lifetime we have known each other. Only six months in age separated us. I'm sure going to miss him. One of the big differences between Peter and I is that when we got in trouble, I always got caught, but he never did."
Martin Feuer, another longtime friend, said, "I think he will be missed by all the citizens of Atkinson. He always had the interests of Atkinson and its citizens at heart. He's done a lot of wonderful things for a lot of people. He was a very quiet fellow, unassuming, and always willing to lend a hand no matter what the situation was."
Feuer said he will never forget the time his sawmill roof caved in many years ago under the weight of heavy snow. Lewis and his father came over and spent a couple of days rebuilding the roof. They wouldn't take a penny for their efforts, Feuer said.
"He would always be the one that would show up if there was any work to be done in town," Feuer said. "He was always willing to help any group that needed any assistance with both his time and also with his funds."
Along with Lewis Builders, Lewis owned Hampstead Water Co. and East Coast Lumber, a popular business on Route 111 in Hampstead that he owned with one of Feuer's sons.
Stephen Lewis said his brother remained humble despite his business success.
Even though he was the owner of Lewis Builders, it wasn't unusual to see him operating construction equipment or handling a shovel side by side with his employees at a construction site, Lewis said.
"He came from very modest beginnings and everything he had he worked for and earned," Lewis said. "We grew up in a house with no central heating or running water."
"He was a self-made man. He didn't go to college, but he had an abstract ability to look at problems and find solutions that other people wouldn't see. He could look at some land and know just how a street should be built on it, including the drainage."
Peter Lewis is survived by his wife, Alice, two children and four grandchildren.
By John Basilesco
Staff Writer
ATKINSON — Lifelong resident and local businessman Peter Lewis died doing what he loved most — cutting hay on his farm on Salem Road.
Lewis, 68, who had been battling cancer for the past year, was cutting hay Wednesday morning when he suffered a heart attack, according to his brother.
Steven Lewis said his brother had undergone a chemotherapy treatment Tuesday and had been doing much better.
"He died doing what he loved doing," Lewis said, his voice breaking. "It was a beautiful day. He was out on his tractor cutting hay. That was his true passion — farming."
While he operated a small cattle farm, his main business was Lewis Builders in Atkinson, one of the largest building companies in New Hampshire, his brother said. Along with building houses and condominiums, the company built Atkinson Country Club in the 1990s.
Born and raised on a large dairy farm in town, Peter Lewis lived in Atkinson his whole life.
He was an active member of the community. He helped Atkinson in many ways — often behind the scenes — his brother and friends said. This included helping create Atkinson's new town center on Academy Avenue.
"We are all going to feel a great loss in this community with the passing of Peter Lewis," selectmen's Chairman Paul Sullivan said. "Peter is citizen of the decade, if not citizen of the century, for the town of Atkinson."
He served on countless town committees and task forces, helping with a wide variety of projects, including the town center and a new library.
"He was honest, direct and a very private individual," Sullivan said. "His company built residential neighborhoods in Atkinson and, more recently, it built the landmark Atkinson Country Club, which put Atkinson on the map. He had a vision and he built that restaurant and the country club that is enjoyed by many people in this town and surrounding towns."
Police Chief Philip Consentino, a longtime friend, said, "Peter and I were close friends. It's almost a lifetime we have known each other. Only six months in age separated us. I'm sure going to miss him. One of the big differences between Peter and I is that when we got in trouble, I always got caught, but he never did."
Martin Feuer, another longtime friend, said, "I think he will be missed by all the citizens of Atkinson. He always had the interests of Atkinson and its citizens at heart. He's done a lot of wonderful things for a lot of people. He was a very quiet fellow, unassuming, and always willing to lend a hand no matter what the situation was."
Feuer said he will never forget the time his sawmill roof caved in many years ago under the weight of heavy snow. Lewis and his father came over and spent a couple of days rebuilding the roof. They wouldn't take a penny for their efforts, Feuer said.
"He would always be the one that would show up if there was any work to be done in town," Feuer said. "He was always willing to help any group that needed any assistance with both his time and also with his funds."
Along with Lewis Builders, Lewis owned Hampstead Water Co. and East Coast Lumber, a popular business on Route 111 in Hampstead that he owned with one of Feuer's sons.
Stephen Lewis said his brother remained humble despite his business success.
Even though he was the owner of Lewis Builders, it wasn't unusual to see him operating construction equipment or handling a shovel side by side with his employees at a construction site, Lewis said.
"He came from very modest beginnings and everything he had he worked for and earned," Lewis said. "We grew up in a house with no central heating or running water."
"He was a self-made man. He didn't go to college, but he had an abstract ability to look at problems and find solutions that other people wouldn't see. He could look at some land and know just how a street should be built on it, including the drainage."
Peter Lewis is survived by his wife, Alice, two children and four grandchildren.
Thursday, May 29
Timberlane looks to target truancy Superintendent considering partnership with court
Timberlane looks to target truancy Superintendent considering partnership with court system
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
PLAISTOW — Timberlane officials are considering the possibility of holding court in school to help them cut down on students skipping class.
The Timberlane Regional School Board recently voted to hire a truant officer, but the district's intervention might not stop there.
Superintendent Richard La Salle is also exploring the possibility of partnering with the state family court system to see if it could hold court at the high school once a week or initiate a fine for parents who repeatedly fail to send their children to class. If it did so, Timberlane would be the first school in this area to take this step.
"This is a last resort," La Salle said. "Our administrators work very hard."
Truancy — an unexcused absence from class — becomes habitual at 20-1/2 absences, said Charles Coker, Timberlane's director of secondary education. If a parent doesn't know why a student is out, or the administration doesn't agree with a parent's reason, the school also considers the student truant.
So far this year, there are 13 students at the high school who fall into that category, Coker said. That's down from 28 students last year and 33 the year before, he said. But those figures could still change before the school year is over.
"Those people could use significant interventions," he said.
Both La Salle and Coker have worked in districts where the court system has been involved.
La Salle said while he worked in Nashua, parents who didn't send frequently absent kids to school were fined $200 for each day the student missed.
Coker said his former school district in St. Louis held family court in the school once a week. That seemed to drive the message home very quickly, he said.
Sarah Browning, who handles attendance and discipline issues for the state Department of Education, said a setup like this with the court system would be done on a district-by-district basis. But any school that has a frequently truant student can file a Child in Need of Services petition in juvenile court and bring everyone involved in front of a judge.
"While that isn't often the first step, I wouldn't characterize it as uncommon," she said.
The practice of bringing the court hearing into the school would be a good use of community resources and could work as a model for other schools if it were to work out for Timberlane, Browning said.
"In this day and age, we need to think outside the box and be creative," she said.
Currently at Timberlane, the only tools administrators have to combat truancy are after-school detentions, Saturday detentions, counseling from guidance and suspension. But Coker said suspension is not an appropriate solution to those who skip school.
Truancy is mostly a high school problem, and isn't as much of an issue in the lower level schools, Coker said.
Elementary school parents always call in when their children are sick, and only a few don't send their child to school "appropriately," he said. The same goes at the middle school, he said, where most students haven't figured out how to disappear on their own yet.
Timberlane has had $1,100 in its budget for a truant officer position for a few years now, but never hired anyone to fill it. La Salle is looking for someone who would work on a contractual basis and do mostly home visits to try to get families back on track. He'd like to bring someone on board as soon as possible.
The truant officer — who would have either a counseling or law enforcement background — could occasionally use the "old-fashioned" method of grabbing students off the streets and driving them back to school, he said.
But officials want this person to meet with parents of the students who miss the most school and help them get compliance from their children, La Salle said. It could be that there is a separate issue, like addiction, and the officer would help those parents find resources to help.
The truant officer could also file a Child in Need of Services petition in juvenile court, asking the court to intervene, he said.
If a student is missing a lot of school, it's usually for one of two reasons, La Salle said. Either the child is out of control and delinquent, or the child is being raised by an irresponsible parent, he said.
A judge could interpret that in many ways, but, either way, four hearings would have to be held. It could be a benefit to have those held in the school so administrators don't have to leave the building, Coker said.
Other school districts in the area have truant officers, but none has an agreement with the court like the one Timberlane is considering.
Keith Pfeiffer, superintendent of the Sanborn Regional School District, said he uses the police chiefs in Kingston and Newton, as well as the school resource officer, as truant officers. While that system works well, he was intrigued by the idea of bringing the court system into the school.
"That would be a nice idea," Pfeiffer said. "Typically, we go to Rockingham County in Brentwood, which is not too far from us."
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
PLAISTOW — Timberlane officials are considering the possibility of holding court in school to help them cut down on students skipping class.
The Timberlane Regional School Board recently voted to hire a truant officer, but the district's intervention might not stop there.
Superintendent Richard La Salle is also exploring the possibility of partnering with the state family court system to see if it could hold court at the high school once a week or initiate a fine for parents who repeatedly fail to send their children to class. If it did so, Timberlane would be the first school in this area to take this step.
"This is a last resort," La Salle said. "Our administrators work very hard."
Truancy — an unexcused absence from class — becomes habitual at 20-1/2 absences, said Charles Coker, Timberlane's director of secondary education. If a parent doesn't know why a student is out, or the administration doesn't agree with a parent's reason, the school also considers the student truant.
So far this year, there are 13 students at the high school who fall into that category, Coker said. That's down from 28 students last year and 33 the year before, he said. But those figures could still change before the school year is over.
"Those people could use significant interventions," he said.
Both La Salle and Coker have worked in districts where the court system has been involved.
La Salle said while he worked in Nashua, parents who didn't send frequently absent kids to school were fined $200 for each day the student missed.
Coker said his former school district in St. Louis held family court in the school once a week. That seemed to drive the message home very quickly, he said.
Sarah Browning, who handles attendance and discipline issues for the state Department of Education, said a setup like this with the court system would be done on a district-by-district basis. But any school that has a frequently truant student can file a Child in Need of Services petition in juvenile court and bring everyone involved in front of a judge.
"While that isn't often the first step, I wouldn't characterize it as uncommon," she said.
The practice of bringing the court hearing into the school would be a good use of community resources and could work as a model for other schools if it were to work out for Timberlane, Browning said.
"In this day and age, we need to think outside the box and be creative," she said.
Currently at Timberlane, the only tools administrators have to combat truancy are after-school detentions, Saturday detentions, counseling from guidance and suspension. But Coker said suspension is not an appropriate solution to those who skip school.
Truancy is mostly a high school problem, and isn't as much of an issue in the lower level schools, Coker said.
Elementary school parents always call in when their children are sick, and only a few don't send their child to school "appropriately," he said. The same goes at the middle school, he said, where most students haven't figured out how to disappear on their own yet.
Timberlane has had $1,100 in its budget for a truant officer position for a few years now, but never hired anyone to fill it. La Salle is looking for someone who would work on a contractual basis and do mostly home visits to try to get families back on track. He'd like to bring someone on board as soon as possible.
The truant officer — who would have either a counseling or law enforcement background — could occasionally use the "old-fashioned" method of grabbing students off the streets and driving them back to school, he said.
But officials want this person to meet with parents of the students who miss the most school and help them get compliance from their children, La Salle said. It could be that there is a separate issue, like addiction, and the officer would help those parents find resources to help.
The truant officer could also file a Child in Need of Services petition in juvenile court, asking the court to intervene, he said.
If a student is missing a lot of school, it's usually for one of two reasons, La Salle said. Either the child is out of control and delinquent, or the child is being raised by an irresponsible parent, he said.
A judge could interpret that in many ways, but, either way, four hearings would have to be held. It could be a benefit to have those held in the school so administrators don't have to leave the building, Coker said.
Other school districts in the area have truant officers, but none has an agreement with the court like the one Timberlane is considering.
Keith Pfeiffer, superintendent of the Sanborn Regional School District, said he uses the police chiefs in Kingston and Newton, as well as the school resource officer, as truant officers. While that system works well, he was intrigued by the idea of bringing the court system into the school.
"That would be a nice idea," Pfeiffer said. "Typically, we go to Rockingham County in Brentwood, which is not too far from us."
The Right to Know issue, from someone who is involved
Publius, please accept this as an ARTICLE SUBMISSION.
Mr. Brownfield’s presentation to the Board of Selectmen, regarding DENIAL OF RIGHT TO KNOW INFORMATION by our Selectmen is now on youtube for your immediate viewing. It is only 7 minutes long! Copy and paste in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3YPBWB_jDE
Town Government cries “FOUL” to the press, when caught denying, refusing, and illegally withholding - - Right to Know Information. This is a clear case of Selectmen “trying to put a shine on a sneaker” before being held accountable to a higher authority. What the video shows - Chairman of the Board Paul Sullivan at the Selectmen’s Meeting on 5/5/2008 restricts town resident Mr. Brownfield to only 10 minutes to discuss (1) DENIAL OF RIGHT TO KNOW INFORMATION, (2) Freedom of Speech, (3) A new petition to revalue the Town of Atkinson signed by more than 150 taxpayers. Sullivan refuses to allow Mr. Brownfield to appear again before the Board to discuss Items (2) and (3). Brownfield's Freedom of Speech to discuss Freedom of Speech is denied as is legally required Right to Know information.
Tuesday, May 6
Selectmen’s Meeting May 5, 2008 8:15 PM
Board Members: Paul Sullivan, Fred Childs, Bill Friel
Mr. Brownfield’s presentation to the Atkinson Board of Selectmen:
Brownfield says: I am to speak with alacrity, as it is my understanding that you have limited me to only 10 minutes to discuss the following issues:
1. Denial by the Board of Selectmen of required Right to Know information.
2. Freedom of Speech – Removal of all atkinson-reporter.blogspot.com signs from the town prior to an election.
3. The new Petition to revalue the Town of Atkinson signed by over 150 property owners.
Given the 10-minute “constriction” this board forced upon me, I will address the denial of Right to Know issues. I will begin by reading my presentation. Afterwards I will seek specific answers to my questions.
Sirs,
On April 14 of this year, I presented a Request to Know letter to the Chairman of this Board of Selectmen on behalf of the Atkinson Taxpayers Committee. A second letter was presented on April 23rd and again on May 2nd along with a copy of the Right to Know Law. I asked this copy of the Right to Know Law to be distributed to each selectman. Did you gentlemen receive, read and understand all the information presented?
So we assume that you are aware that you can be held individually and collectively responsible for not complying with the law.
To date, I have not received any information regarding my RIGHT TO KNOW requests for:
1. The minutes of the meeting between Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Sapia regarding their discussion of Town counsel’s opinion as to the legality of removing atkinson-reporter.blogspot.com signs prior to our last election. (THIS CONSTITUES A FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISSUE)
2. The minutes of the meeting between selectmen regarding your response to Mr. Artus’s 14 questions when he appeared in front of the board. You provided only four (weak and incomplete) responses to the 14 questions.
As you know, the law requires that all minutes must be written within 72 hours and posted FREE OF CHARGE within 144 hours (6 days). To date, that information is not available and has not been given to me.
My questions to you tonight are:
1. Why are the minutes not approved and posted within the legal requirements?
2. Why is this board not meeting its legal requirements?
3. Why have I not received my required answers to my committee’s questions under the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW?
4. When will I have ALL the answers to my questions?
5. When is this board going to stop breaking the laws of this state and . . .
6. When is this board going to meet its legal responsibilities in answering RTK requests and stop wasting the taxpayers time and money?
7. What policy is this board going to put into place to reimburse taxpayers for the amount of money and time spent, when these
requests are not met in the legal time allowed?
Sirs, it appears that the past and present board believes that the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW is. . . a. . . joke! Further, the past and present board believes that it can withhold, not declare, falsify and even remove information from town files, in order to keep the taxpayer from getting information the board does not want the public to have. This is further evidenced by this boards new policy of charging $15.00 an hour plus .50 cents a copy to get RTK information. This policy CLEARLY goes against the intent of the Right to Know Law.
The most important question I ask is the following:
1. Will you commit tonight, to stop breaking the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW or are you going to force the taxpayers of this town, to take you to superior court to get you to obey the laws of this state?
Sirs, I present you, individually with my fourth request for the information you are withholding in violation of the Right to Know Law.
Comments:
1. Selectmen refuse to commit to Mr. Brownfield for a date for their reply.
2. Selectmen refuse to allow Brownfield to appear again before the board to discuss his two other issues, Freedom of Speech – Removal of all atkinson-reporter.blogspot.com signs from the town prior to an election and the new Petition to revalue the Town of Atkinson, signed by over 150 property owners.
3. Sullivan promised in the video to ANSWER IN WRITING the following question –“Will you commit tonight, to stop breaking the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW or are you going to force the taxpayers of this town, to take you to superior court to get you to obey the laws of this state?” To date (5/29/2008) No ANSWER IN WRITING by Sullivan has been provided. This is yet another BROKEN PROMISE just as the Selectmen’s Office is “littered” with broken promises to provide Right to Know Information to the citizens of Atkinson.
Mr. Brownfield’s presentation regarding DENIAL OF RIGHT TO KNOW INFORMATION by our Selectmen is now on youtube for your immediate viewing. It is only 7 minutes long! Copy and paste in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3YPBWB_jDE
Mr. Brownfield’s presentation to the Board of Selectmen, regarding DENIAL OF RIGHT TO KNOW INFORMATION by our Selectmen is now on youtube for your immediate viewing. It is only 7 minutes long! Copy and paste in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3YPBWB_jDE
Town Government cries “FOUL” to the press, when caught denying, refusing, and illegally withholding - - Right to Know Information. This is a clear case of Selectmen “trying to put a shine on a sneaker” before being held accountable to a higher authority. What the video shows - Chairman of the Board Paul Sullivan at the Selectmen’s Meeting on 5/5/2008 restricts town resident Mr. Brownfield to only 10 minutes to discuss (1) DENIAL OF RIGHT TO KNOW INFORMATION, (2) Freedom of Speech, (3) A new petition to revalue the Town of Atkinson signed by more than 150 taxpayers. Sullivan refuses to allow Mr. Brownfield to appear again before the Board to discuss Items (2) and (3). Brownfield's Freedom of Speech to discuss Freedom of Speech is denied as is legally required Right to Know information.
Tuesday, May 6
Selectmen’s Meeting May 5, 2008 8:15 PM
Board Members: Paul Sullivan, Fred Childs, Bill Friel
Mr. Brownfield’s presentation to the Atkinson Board of Selectmen:
Brownfield says: I am to speak with alacrity, as it is my understanding that you have limited me to only 10 minutes to discuss the following issues:
1. Denial by the Board of Selectmen of required Right to Know information.
2. Freedom of Speech – Removal of all atkinson-reporter.blogspot.com signs from the town prior to an election.
3. The new Petition to revalue the Town of Atkinson signed by over 150 property owners.
Given the 10-minute “constriction” this board forced upon me, I will address the denial of Right to Know issues. I will begin by reading my presentation. Afterwards I will seek specific answers to my questions.
Sirs,
On April 14 of this year, I presented a Request to Know letter to the Chairman of this Board of Selectmen on behalf of the Atkinson Taxpayers Committee. A second letter was presented on April 23rd and again on May 2nd along with a copy of the Right to Know Law. I asked this copy of the Right to Know Law to be distributed to each selectman. Did you gentlemen receive, read and understand all the information presented?
So we assume that you are aware that you can be held individually and collectively responsible for not complying with the law.
To date, I have not received any information regarding my RIGHT TO KNOW requests for:
1. The minutes of the meeting between Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Sapia regarding their discussion of Town counsel’s opinion as to the legality of removing atkinson-reporter.blogspot.com signs prior to our last election. (THIS CONSTITUES A FREEDOM OF SPEECH ISSUE)
2. The minutes of the meeting between selectmen regarding your response to Mr. Artus’s 14 questions when he appeared in front of the board. You provided only four (weak and incomplete) responses to the 14 questions.
As you know, the law requires that all minutes must be written within 72 hours and posted FREE OF CHARGE within 144 hours (6 days). To date, that information is not available and has not been given to me.
My questions to you tonight are:
1. Why are the minutes not approved and posted within the legal requirements?
2. Why is this board not meeting its legal requirements?
3. Why have I not received my required answers to my committee’s questions under the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW?
4. When will I have ALL the answers to my questions?
5. When is this board going to stop breaking the laws of this state and . . .
6. When is this board going to meet its legal responsibilities in answering RTK requests and stop wasting the taxpayers time and money?
7. What policy is this board going to put into place to reimburse taxpayers for the amount of money and time spent, when these
requests are not met in the legal time allowed?
Sirs, it appears that the past and present board believes that the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW is. . . a. . . joke! Further, the past and present board believes that it can withhold, not declare, falsify and even remove information from town files, in order to keep the taxpayer from getting information the board does not want the public to have. This is further evidenced by this boards new policy of charging $15.00 an hour plus .50 cents a copy to get RTK information. This policy CLEARLY goes against the intent of the Right to Know Law.
The most important question I ask is the following:
1. Will you commit tonight, to stop breaking the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW or are you going to force the taxpayers of this town, to take you to superior court to get you to obey the laws of this state?
Sirs, I present you, individually with my fourth request for the information you are withholding in violation of the Right to Know Law.
Comments:
1. Selectmen refuse to commit to Mr. Brownfield for a date for their reply.
2. Selectmen refuse to allow Brownfield to appear again before the board to discuss his two other issues, Freedom of Speech – Removal of all atkinson-reporter.blogspot.com signs from the town prior to an election and the new Petition to revalue the Town of Atkinson, signed by over 150 property owners.
3. Sullivan promised in the video to ANSWER IN WRITING the following question –“Will you commit tonight, to stop breaking the RIGHT TO KNOW LAW or are you going to force the taxpayers of this town, to take you to superior court to get you to obey the laws of this state?” To date (5/29/2008) No ANSWER IN WRITING by Sullivan has been provided. This is yet another BROKEN PROMISE just as the Selectmen’s Office is “littered” with broken promises to provide Right to Know Information to the citizens of Atkinson.
Mr. Brownfield’s presentation regarding DENIAL OF RIGHT TO KNOW INFORMATION by our Selectmen is now on youtube for your immediate viewing. It is only 7 minutes long! Copy and paste in your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3YPBWB_jDE
Wednesday, May 28
Atkinson selectmen, residents at odds over right-to-know requests
Article submission: Eagle Tribune, today...May 28, 2008
Atkinson selectmen, residents at odds over right-to-know requests
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
ATKINSON — Town officials said they are overburdened by right-to-know requests that are too broad to easily research.
Selectmen want to know if they are legally required to do lengthy research to fulfill the blanket requests, according to selectmen's Chairman Paul Sullivan.
The town has sent a response letter to each request, but those making the requests said they aren't getting the information they want — and they don't think they ever will.
Some requests have been for copies of minutes from each meeting during which a specific topic was discussed, Sullivan said. The time it takes for staff members to go through each set of minutes and look for a specific topic costs the town money, he said.
"We need to figure out if this is our obligation to research," he said.
It's not, according to Bill Chapman, a Concord attorney who specializes in right-to-know law. Government bodies are required to fulfill reasonably described requests, he said.
"If we look at it from just a common sense basis, to say all minutes where a particular matter has been discussed is not reasonably describing it," Chapman said.
The person filing the request should ask for copies of minutes from specific meeting dates, he said. Or, since agencies are required to keep all minutes on file, the person asking should be able to look through years of minutes themselves, he said.
"The purpose of the right-to-know law is to not only honor the public's right to know, but also to not put undue burden on the governing body," Chapman said.
He said he doesn't recall a case where the words "reasonably described" were challenged. But those who file right-to-know requests in Atkinson have not been satisfied with the town's answers, and one resident said he's ready to challenge officials on it.
Leon Artus said between his committee — Atkinson Taxpayers for Fair Evaluations — and others, more than 30 right-to-know requests have been filed in town since the beginning of the year. He said many of those requests are "in transition" now because he didn't get the answers he wanted.
"Never have, and obviously never will, until it's taken to a higher authority," he said.
But selectmen maintain they are following the law.
Selectman Bill Friel said requests need to be more specific.
"This one also asks for some conclusions for us to answer, which isn't part of the right-to-know law," he said.
Large green, black and white Right to Know Law signs are now posted around Town Hall, reminding residents of what they can and cannot request.
The town is required, by law, to respond to the requests within five business days. But with requests for all public mentions of a certain subject, such as assessing, there isn't time for interim Town Administrator Craig Kleman to do lots of research, especially in that time frame, the selectmen said.
Since he arrived in April, Kleman said he has worked on four right-to-know projects. The requests ranged from meeting minutes to information on personnel files, which cannot be publicly released, he said.
"It's a very time-consuming process and, you know, you want to make sure you are really answering the spirit of the right-to-know law," he said.
Kleman said he couldn't estimate how long he spends on each case nor the total amount of time he has spent.
Atkinson selectmen, residents at odds over right-to-know requests
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
ATKINSON — Town officials said they are overburdened by right-to-know requests that are too broad to easily research.
Selectmen want to know if they are legally required to do lengthy research to fulfill the blanket requests, according to selectmen's Chairman Paul Sullivan.
The town has sent a response letter to each request, but those making the requests said they aren't getting the information they want — and they don't think they ever will.
Some requests have been for copies of minutes from each meeting during which a specific topic was discussed, Sullivan said. The time it takes for staff members to go through each set of minutes and look for a specific topic costs the town money, he said.
"We need to figure out if this is our obligation to research," he said.
It's not, according to Bill Chapman, a Concord attorney who specializes in right-to-know law. Government bodies are required to fulfill reasonably described requests, he said.
"If we look at it from just a common sense basis, to say all minutes where a particular matter has been discussed is not reasonably describing it," Chapman said.
The person filing the request should ask for copies of minutes from specific meeting dates, he said. Or, since agencies are required to keep all minutes on file, the person asking should be able to look through years of minutes themselves, he said.
"The purpose of the right-to-know law is to not only honor the public's right to know, but also to not put undue burden on the governing body," Chapman said.
He said he doesn't recall a case where the words "reasonably described" were challenged. But those who file right-to-know requests in Atkinson have not been satisfied with the town's answers, and one resident said he's ready to challenge officials on it.
Leon Artus said between his committee — Atkinson Taxpayers for Fair Evaluations — and others, more than 30 right-to-know requests have been filed in town since the beginning of the year. He said many of those requests are "in transition" now because he didn't get the answers he wanted.
"Never have, and obviously never will, until it's taken to a higher authority," he said.
But selectmen maintain they are following the law.
Selectman Bill Friel said requests need to be more specific.
"This one also asks for some conclusions for us to answer, which isn't part of the right-to-know law," he said.
Large green, black and white Right to Know Law signs are now posted around Town Hall, reminding residents of what they can and cannot request.
The town is required, by law, to respond to the requests within five business days. But with requests for all public mentions of a certain subject, such as assessing, there isn't time for interim Town Administrator Craig Kleman to do lots of research, especially in that time frame, the selectmen said.
Since he arrived in April, Kleman said he has worked on four right-to-know projects. The requests ranged from meeting minutes to information on personnel files, which cannot be publicly released, he said.
"It's a very time-consuming process and, you know, you want to make sure you are really answering the spirit of the right-to-know law," he said.
Kleman said he couldn't estimate how long he spends on each case nor the total amount of time he has spent.
Towns Merge Police Departments
Anonymous said...
Publius: Article Submission:
Towns Merge Police Departments
Why not Atkinson & Plaistow?
Manchester Union Leader
TOWNS TEAM UP FOR POLICE PROTECTION
By KATHRYN MARCHOCKI
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Monday, May. 26, 2008
The small, southern New Hampshire towns of Greenville and Temple broke barriers when they forged a new jointly run police department three years ago.
The concept has been such a hit in terms of efficiency, savings, and retaining high-quality officers that the towns recently renewed their agreement for five years and caught the eye of other communities exploring regional police services, local officials said.
"For us, it's been fantastic," Temple-Greenville Police Chief James H. McTague said.
"I'm not saying a merger is for everyone. But based on our experience, it was the best thing that either town could have done," he added.
Still, McTague admits convincing the two towns to give up their separate police departments and create a joint new one was a hard sell.
Merging police forces -- or fire departments and road agents for that matter -- strikes at the heart of New Hampshire's precious local control credo. But Yankee thrift can be equally compelling and seems to be driving the latest cluster of communities considering a shared force.
"With costs and everything today, you've got to say, 'Okay, how do we get the most bang for the buck?' We've got to look at every option," Antrim Town Administrator Bill Prokop said.
Antrim recently joined with Deering, Bennington and Hancock -- all communities of less than 2,700 tucked in the northwestern corner of Hillsborough County -- to explore a regional police force. The recent departure of Antrim's police chief provided the opportunity to revisit the issue.
"We're always trying to cut or maintain costs and improve services," especially in an era of rising fuel, health insurance and retirement costs, Antrim Selectmen Chairman Michael D. Genest said.
McTague predicts other communities will give regionalization a serious look given the savings it offers.
Greenville shaved $115,000 from its police budget and Temple $46,000 during the first year their towns merged forces, he said.
A joint force also solved problems that towns struggled with individually. Temple no longer had to build a police station to replace its one-room quarters and got better coverage, while Greenville got a good quality force, McTague explained. And he said better pay staunched the flow of officers leaving to work at other forces just after the towns invested considerable money in training and equipping them.
"I think you are going to find more and more towns say, when their chief retires or move on, that this is something we should consider, especially with the economy and officers (leaving)," McTague said.
"I think more communities are looking at it than they have in the past," agreed Earl M. Sweeney, the state's assistant commissioner of safety.
More towns have seen their populations rise from 300 to 400 people to 1,200 to 1,400 -- large enough to have more crime and collisions, but not big enough to field their own full-time police departments, he said.
"We've got some of these communities at the awkward stage that they are not quite large enough to have a police department, but they have enough business that the citizens want a little more protection. Some of these small communities might be able to band together and create a regional police department," Sweeney added.
And state police, which generally would cover these towns, "are stretched," Sweeney said. There aren't enough troopers to provide 24-hour coverage statewide and response times can be long, he added.
Yankee tradition
Advantages of regional police forces include economies of scale that can allow towns to put more cruisers on the road, provide round-the-clock coverage and even hire a detective to follow up on cases, Sweeney said.
But the hurdles can be significant.
Towns must consider topography, square miles a regional force would cover, response time, and be in the same county and served by the same district court, Sweeney said.
Regional police forces -- while common in other parts of the country -- are rare in New Hampshire.
The state law that allows communities to forge intermunicipal agreements is 31 years old. But the Temple-Greenville Police Department is the only one created under the statute currently in existence.
"It's a New England, Yankee tradition that we like to have control of our own municipal services," Sweeney said. "It's like community policing; everyone likes to have their own police officer."
"It's a New Hampshire thing," Cheshire County Sheriff Richard A. Foote agreed. "People have their own police departments and their police chiefs and that's what the individual towns want .... There is no right or wrong decision."
But James B. Andrews, who wrote and helped pass RSA 53-A, said the intermunicipal agreement law enables towns to govern themselves more efficiently, less expensively and with more professional help.
"I can't understand why there hasn't been a lot of them. I don't think that's progressive," added Andrews, executive director of the New Hampshire Local Government Center Inc., a nonprofit group that represents cities and towns.
"Maybe there is the thought that, 'Oh, we're going to lose some control,' which isn't the case. It makes financial sense and it makes good government sense," he added.
It's more common for small towns to hire a county sheriff's department or larger, neighboring community to provide police coverage for a fee than to create shared police departments, state and county officials said. For instance, Gilsum, a town of about 740 people with no police department, pays to have Cheshire County deputy sheriff's provide police coverage, Foote said.
Meanwhile, state police often remain the only law enforcers in rural areas where many small towns have no police force of their own, Sweeney said.
"A lot of the smaller communities rely on state police heavily for their help. You can certainly see it in the North Country. They do a great job. The communities are pleased and, let's face it, may not be able to afford any more than that," said Peter Morency, Berlin police chief and president of the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police.
Link to article:
http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Towns+tea
Publius: Article Submission:
Towns Merge Police Departments
Why not Atkinson & Plaistow?
Manchester Union Leader
TOWNS TEAM UP FOR POLICE PROTECTION
By KATHRYN MARCHOCKI
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Monday, May. 26, 2008
The small, southern New Hampshire towns of Greenville and Temple broke barriers when they forged a new jointly run police department three years ago.
The concept has been such a hit in terms of efficiency, savings, and retaining high-quality officers that the towns recently renewed their agreement for five years and caught the eye of other communities exploring regional police services, local officials said.
"For us, it's been fantastic," Temple-Greenville Police Chief James H. McTague said.
"I'm not saying a merger is for everyone. But based on our experience, it was the best thing that either town could have done," he added.
Still, McTague admits convincing the two towns to give up their separate police departments and create a joint new one was a hard sell.
Merging police forces -- or fire departments and road agents for that matter -- strikes at the heart of New Hampshire's precious local control credo. But Yankee thrift can be equally compelling and seems to be driving the latest cluster of communities considering a shared force.
"With costs and everything today, you've got to say, 'Okay, how do we get the most bang for the buck?' We've got to look at every option," Antrim Town Administrator Bill Prokop said.
Antrim recently joined with Deering, Bennington and Hancock -- all communities of less than 2,700 tucked in the northwestern corner of Hillsborough County -- to explore a regional police force. The recent departure of Antrim's police chief provided the opportunity to revisit the issue.
"We're always trying to cut or maintain costs and improve services," especially in an era of rising fuel, health insurance and retirement costs, Antrim Selectmen Chairman Michael D. Genest said.
McTague predicts other communities will give regionalization a serious look given the savings it offers.
Greenville shaved $115,000 from its police budget and Temple $46,000 during the first year their towns merged forces, he said.
A joint force also solved problems that towns struggled with individually. Temple no longer had to build a police station to replace its one-room quarters and got better coverage, while Greenville got a good quality force, McTague explained. And he said better pay staunched the flow of officers leaving to work at other forces just after the towns invested considerable money in training and equipping them.
"I think you are going to find more and more towns say, when their chief retires or move on, that this is something we should consider, especially with the economy and officers (leaving)," McTague said.
"I think more communities are looking at it than they have in the past," agreed Earl M. Sweeney, the state's assistant commissioner of safety.
More towns have seen their populations rise from 300 to 400 people to 1,200 to 1,400 -- large enough to have more crime and collisions, but not big enough to field their own full-time police departments, he said.
"We've got some of these communities at the awkward stage that they are not quite large enough to have a police department, but they have enough business that the citizens want a little more protection. Some of these small communities might be able to band together and create a regional police department," Sweeney added.
And state police, which generally would cover these towns, "are stretched," Sweeney said. There aren't enough troopers to provide 24-hour coverage statewide and response times can be long, he added.
Yankee tradition
Advantages of regional police forces include economies of scale that can allow towns to put more cruisers on the road, provide round-the-clock coverage and even hire a detective to follow up on cases, Sweeney said.
But the hurdles can be significant.
Towns must consider topography, square miles a regional force would cover, response time, and be in the same county and served by the same district court, Sweeney said.
Regional police forces -- while common in other parts of the country -- are rare in New Hampshire.
The state law that allows communities to forge intermunicipal agreements is 31 years old. But the Temple-Greenville Police Department is the only one created under the statute currently in existence.
"It's a New England, Yankee tradition that we like to have control of our own municipal services," Sweeney said. "It's like community policing; everyone likes to have their own police officer."
"It's a New Hampshire thing," Cheshire County Sheriff Richard A. Foote agreed. "People have their own police departments and their police chiefs and that's what the individual towns want .... There is no right or wrong decision."
But James B. Andrews, who wrote and helped pass RSA 53-A, said the intermunicipal agreement law enables towns to govern themselves more efficiently, less expensively and with more professional help.
"I can't understand why there hasn't been a lot of them. I don't think that's progressive," added Andrews, executive director of the New Hampshire Local Government Center Inc., a nonprofit group that represents cities and towns.
"Maybe there is the thought that, 'Oh, we're going to lose some control,' which isn't the case. It makes financial sense and it makes good government sense," he added.
It's more common for small towns to hire a county sheriff's department or larger, neighboring community to provide police coverage for a fee than to create shared police departments, state and county officials said. For instance, Gilsum, a town of about 740 people with no police department, pays to have Cheshire County deputy sheriff's provide police coverage, Foote said.
Meanwhile, state police often remain the only law enforcers in rural areas where many small towns have no police force of their own, Sweeney said.
"A lot of the smaller communities rely on state police heavily for their help. You can certainly see it in the North Country. They do a great job. The communities are pleased and, let's face it, may not be able to afford any more than that," said Peter Morency, Berlin police chief and president of the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police.
Link to article:
http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Towns+tea
Tuesday, May 27
Conflicts of Interest- Redux
It has come to this blog's attention that for the first time we have a selectman, who is not only the ex-officio liason to the planning board, but also vie-chair of the ZBA!
Now for those who don't know, the ZBA is supposed to remain independent due to their legal ability to overrule decisions of both the planning board, and the selectmen.
It would appear to be a clear conflict of interest for one man to sit on all three, even if he recused himself. When elected, selectman Friel should have resigned from the ZBA. Failing that ZBA chairman, Polito, should have recognized the inherent conflict and asked him to resign, but, of course, this IS Atkinson, and neither of those circumstances happened.
So Let's take a recent case history here in town; The selectmen decide to violate conservation deed restrictions on town owned land, by not just allowing, but advocating for a business owner to put up an enormous sign, on town property. The selectmen go to the planning board and speak on the business owners behalf. The case goes to the ZBA, where the vice-chair, is someon who has had a hand in this decision already at two stages of the process, would this contaminate the fairness of the process? Yup!
But as the selectmen have told you for the last 5 years, no one in town cares about conflict of interest, but for two people with vendettas. Dont expect the conflict of interest committee to do anything, they have been looking the other way for years.
Now for those who don't know, the ZBA is supposed to remain independent due to their legal ability to overrule decisions of both the planning board, and the selectmen.
It would appear to be a clear conflict of interest for one man to sit on all three, even if he recused himself. When elected, selectman Friel should have resigned from the ZBA. Failing that ZBA chairman, Polito, should have recognized the inherent conflict and asked him to resign, but, of course, this IS Atkinson, and neither of those circumstances happened.
So Let's take a recent case history here in town; The selectmen decide to violate conservation deed restrictions on town owned land, by not just allowing, but advocating for a business owner to put up an enormous sign, on town property. The selectmen go to the planning board and speak on the business owners behalf. The case goes to the ZBA, where the vice-chair, is someon who has had a hand in this decision already at two stages of the process, would this contaminate the fairness of the process? Yup!
But as the selectmen have told you for the last 5 years, no one in town cares about conflict of interest, but for two people with vendettas. Dont expect the conflict of interest committee to do anything, they have been looking the other way for years.
Sunday, May 25
Town offers settlement in Federal Civil Right Suit!
This Is the case that for the last three years Phil and Jack have been saying had no merit, that Frank said was "a million dollar joke".
The really unbelievable thing here is that in New Hampshire, which is notorious for not giving monetary judgements unless ACTUAL MONEY was lost, they still felt the need to settle, with a $30,000 payment.
Article Submission, re today's Eagle Tribune:
Town, resident settle lawsuit for $30,000
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
CONCORD — Atkinson resident Carol Grant has settled a lawsuit against the town and four officials for $30,000.
Grant, who has often been at odds with town officials, claimed Selectman Fred Childs, police Chief Philip Consentino, former Selectman Jack Sapia and Moderator Frank Polito damaged her reputation during selectmen's meetings in 2005.
After mediation, Grant was awarded $30,000 and the promise that her name won't be mentioned at future selectmen's meetings unless she is present, she said.
In exchange, Grant can't bring the same claims against the town or those officials, according to Garry Lane, the town's attorney. Both parties agreed to work out future problems — outside of court, he said.
The case, which was filed in Superior Court in January 2007, was immediately moved to U.S. District Court because Grant alleged the defendants infringed on her constitutional rights.
"There's so much back-and-forth hostility," Lane said. "We needed something to kind of break that cycle, a way to move forward."
Grant sued for "malice, slander and libel with intentional infliction of harm" for officials' comments during meetings about the Vietnam Memorial Honor Rolls.
She said yesterday she's glad the case is over and she doesn't have to worry about her name "being raked over the coals" at selectmen's meetings anymore. Grant said she didn't seek a specific amount of money.
"It wouldn't matter whether they paid one penny or $1 million, just the fact that they had to pay something was satisfaction enough," she said. "I'm not out to make money off the town, but I wanted them to pay something as an acknowledgement that they'd engaged in wrongdoing."
Lane said there was no admission of liability in the case. Insurance companies for the town and the four individuals paid the $30,000. Everyone apologized and agreed to mediate any future problems, instead of seeking litigation, he said.
"We'll talk about issues, but not make nasty comments about each other," Lane said.
Selectmen Chairman Paul Sullivan said yesterday the case was over and a copy of the settlement is available at Town Hall.
"We did finally find mutual grounds to settle," he said.
There is still one civil lawsuit pending against the town, according to Sullivan. Former Budget Committee member Mark Acciard filed a $3 million lawsuit against the town, Consentino, Sapia and Polito in Superior Court in January. He's seeking compensation for damages, lost wages and loss of reputation for incidents that occurred between 2004 and December 2007.
Acciard is claiming the town didn't protect his reputation during public meetings.
Another chapter in the Sapia, Consentino, Childs as selectmen story closes.
The really unbelievable thing here is that in New Hampshire, which is notorious for not giving monetary judgements unless ACTUAL MONEY was lost, they still felt the need to settle, with a $30,000 payment.
Article Submission, re today's Eagle Tribune:
Town, resident settle lawsuit for $30,000
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
CONCORD — Atkinson resident Carol Grant has settled a lawsuit against the town and four officials for $30,000.
Grant, who has often been at odds with town officials, claimed Selectman Fred Childs, police Chief Philip Consentino, former Selectman Jack Sapia and Moderator Frank Polito damaged her reputation during selectmen's meetings in 2005.
After mediation, Grant was awarded $30,000 and the promise that her name won't be mentioned at future selectmen's meetings unless she is present, she said.
In exchange, Grant can't bring the same claims against the town or those officials, according to Garry Lane, the town's attorney. Both parties agreed to work out future problems — outside of court, he said.
The case, which was filed in Superior Court in January 2007, was immediately moved to U.S. District Court because Grant alleged the defendants infringed on her constitutional rights.
"There's so much back-and-forth hostility," Lane said. "We needed something to kind of break that cycle, a way to move forward."
Grant sued for "malice, slander and libel with intentional infliction of harm" for officials' comments during meetings about the Vietnam Memorial Honor Rolls.
She said yesterday she's glad the case is over and she doesn't have to worry about her name "being raked over the coals" at selectmen's meetings anymore. Grant said she didn't seek a specific amount of money.
"It wouldn't matter whether they paid one penny or $1 million, just the fact that they had to pay something was satisfaction enough," she said. "I'm not out to make money off the town, but I wanted them to pay something as an acknowledgement that they'd engaged in wrongdoing."
Lane said there was no admission of liability in the case. Insurance companies for the town and the four individuals paid the $30,000. Everyone apologized and agreed to mediate any future problems, instead of seeking litigation, he said.
"We'll talk about issues, but not make nasty comments about each other," Lane said.
Selectmen Chairman Paul Sullivan said yesterday the case was over and a copy of the settlement is available at Town Hall.
"We did finally find mutual grounds to settle," he said.
There is still one civil lawsuit pending against the town, according to Sullivan. Former Budget Committee member Mark Acciard filed a $3 million lawsuit against the town, Consentino, Sapia and Polito in Superior Court in January. He's seeking compensation for damages, lost wages and loss of reputation for incidents that occurred between 2004 and December 2007.
Acciard is claiming the town didn't protect his reputation during public meetings.
Another chapter in the Sapia, Consentino, Childs as selectmen story closes.
Tuesday, May 20
Monday, May 19
Which do YOU think is the greater crime?...
Attempting to abduct a 10 year old child walking home from school? Or placing fliers on mailboxes?
Evidently, to our police chief, the fliers are the greater crime!
At tonights selectmens meeting chief Consentino commented on WMUR's headline story tonight, that on Thursday last there was an attempted abduction in Atkinson!
We are only NOW hearing about this 4 DAYS after the incident!!! WHY???
Chief Consentino claims it is because he didn't find our about the incident until the end of the duty day on Friday when he was cleaning out his inbox. He stated that by then it was too late to involve the school or the media.
This blog finds it improbable that an incident of this magnitude happens in Atkinson, and the chief of police doesnt even know about it for 27 hours after it happens!
Compare that to chief Consentino's brief self appointed stint as a federal US Postal Service Inspector, where he saw the crime being committed, pulled over the perp, called the USPS inspectors, complained to the postmaster, and reported all of this at a selectmens meeting that night! Yessiree!! Justice is swift when you have previously pissed off our chief law enforcement officer.
Yet when one of our children is in danger from a possible child predator, the story is "well no one told me"!
Another episode in the lives of our Keystone Coppish chief of police.
Evidently, to our police chief, the fliers are the greater crime!
At tonights selectmens meeting chief Consentino commented on WMUR's headline story tonight, that on Thursday last there was an attempted abduction in Atkinson!
We are only NOW hearing about this 4 DAYS after the incident!!! WHY???
Chief Consentino claims it is because he didn't find our about the incident until the end of the duty day on Friday when he was cleaning out his inbox. He stated that by then it was too late to involve the school or the media.
This blog finds it improbable that an incident of this magnitude happens in Atkinson, and the chief of police doesnt even know about it for 27 hours after it happens!
Compare that to chief Consentino's brief self appointed stint as a federal US Postal Service Inspector, where he saw the crime being committed, pulled over the perp, called the USPS inspectors, complained to the postmaster, and reported all of this at a selectmens meeting that night! Yessiree!! Justice is swift when you have previously pissed off our chief law enforcement officer.
Yet when one of our children is in danger from a possible child predator, the story is "well no one told me"!
Another episode in the lives of our Keystone Coppish chief of police.
Sunday, May 18
a Lot of planned action at Tommorrow's Meeting
Well, the selectmen have a lot to do at Monday's meeting;
1.) They have to decide whether or not to spend $28,000 of OUR money on an 11th car for our 5 full time officers.
2.) They have to decide whether or not they are going to reprimand, discipline, or fire Phil over his lack of fiduciary management, misstatements to the board, and outright refusal to follow long established written town policy.
3.) There is an action item on the agenda; "application to contact town counsel" Never seen that before, it will be interesting to hear what that is all about.
Remember this board has reamed Teddy, for much less, than what Phil admitted to last week. The issue is very simple, and not as Phil put it, "what's the difference, you are paying him these days anyway."
The town had an established policy that states that sick days may only be used when you are sick. If you fail to use them in a year, the town, at the end of the year, will buy them back form you for 50% of their value. Like a bonus.
Lt. Baldwin probably did nothing wrong here, because his role was merely to ask for the sick time. It was his dept. heads responsibility to say; "i'm sorry, but town policy precludes me from allowing that. Contrary to what the chief implied, reserve and guard members DO get paid, and very well when they are on their summer camp. As a matter of fact, according to military. com, the difference between Lt. Baldwins Atkinson pay, and his military pay is about $144.00/week. Yet the chief has seen fit to have the taxpayers of Atkinson almost DOUBLE his military pay for the last six years, in contravention of town policy. This has cost the town approximately $6,400.00 in total. Even if Lt. Baldwin never got sick and traded all of his days at the end of the year for that period, the loss to the taxpayers is still $3,200.00
Is this right? Honest? Is this the kind of behavior we want in ANY dept. head?
1.) They have to decide whether or not to spend $28,000 of OUR money on an 11th car for our 5 full time officers.
2.) They have to decide whether or not they are going to reprimand, discipline, or fire Phil over his lack of fiduciary management, misstatements to the board, and outright refusal to follow long established written town policy.
3.) There is an action item on the agenda; "application to contact town counsel" Never seen that before, it will be interesting to hear what that is all about.
Remember this board has reamed Teddy, for much less, than what Phil admitted to last week. The issue is very simple, and not as Phil put it, "what's the difference, you are paying him these days anyway."
The town had an established policy that states that sick days may only be used when you are sick. If you fail to use them in a year, the town, at the end of the year, will buy them back form you for 50% of their value. Like a bonus.
Lt. Baldwin probably did nothing wrong here, because his role was merely to ask for the sick time. It was his dept. heads responsibility to say; "i'm sorry, but town policy precludes me from allowing that. Contrary to what the chief implied, reserve and guard members DO get paid, and very well when they are on their summer camp. As a matter of fact, according to military. com, the difference between Lt. Baldwins Atkinson pay, and his military pay is about $144.00/week. Yet the chief has seen fit to have the taxpayers of Atkinson almost DOUBLE his military pay for the last six years, in contravention of town policy. This has cost the town approximately $6,400.00 in total. Even if Lt. Baldwin never got sick and traded all of his days at the end of the year for that period, the loss to the taxpayers is still $3,200.00
Is this right? Honest? Is this the kind of behavior we want in ANY dept. head?
Thursday, May 15
Atkinson's recent past and ongiong legal woes...
This article is a reprint and intended to inform the public about the true costs of unsupervised employees.
This is intended to be merely informative, and a timeline for those who are uninformed. Below is a listing, along with highlights and results for most of the lawsuits against the town for the last 7 years or so. All of this is public information, and readily obtainable.
Acciard v. Town of Atkinson, Consentino, Sapia, et al.
We have all watched this one play out. Here's the quick recap; Acciard brought Consentino up on ethics charges, Court agreed. Consentino violated Order was found in Contempt of Court. Consentino appealed Supreme Court, lost again. We paid for all of this. Consentino and selectmen made many comments at meetings both when Acciard was there, and not. Consentino called his company told them he was being investigated. Consentino sent him a letter from town threatening lawsuit, selectmen pled ignorance, did nothing. Verbal threats, Acciard sued. No resolution yet, still in process.
Federal Court Civil Rights Case- Grant v. Town of Atkinson, Consentino, Sapia, et al.
We have all seen the meetings, where this drama played out. Selectmen shouting down Mrs. Grant as she read a statement, interupting her to tell her they don't interupt her, talking derogatorily about her after she has left the room. All of this culminating in the selectmen calling the police to evict Mrs. Grant, her husband and son from Town Hall, because she read a statement that they didn't like! It would have been so easy just to say Thank you, and goodbye, but no, that is not what our potentates do. This case has already cost the town $$$$$ in legal costs, and there are rumors floating around town of a settlement but this blog does not have confirmation or details, but watch out, when we do.
Petition to remove Childs and Sapia from office for violating their oaths of office. Allegations included improper use of force, selectmens refusal to deal publicly with elderly affairs in an attempt to circumvent Acciard's Court Order, the selectmens usurpation of the Library Trustees authority, the selectmen's purchase of an SUV without a vote. Sapia and Childs vote to pay Consentino's personal legal costs! Consentino was not on trial he was merely a witness who thought he needed legal advice, which was probably true in light of the fact that he claimed 5th ammendment protection from SELF-INCRIMINATION 31 TIMES IN A ROW! You can't claim protection from self- incrimination, unless you've COMMITTED A CRIME TO BE INCRIMINATED IN! However this was not the taxpayers responsibility to pay. Mrs. Grant represented herself,and failed to remove them.
Vietnam Honor Roll panel committee et al. v. Town of Atkinson, We all know the issues, we all know the selectmen refused to follow the 2005 town meeting vote, resulted in mediation agreement, rescinded by town wide vote in 2007.
Frank Polito v. Town of Atkinson, THIS ONE IS A BEAUT!!! Our selectmen did not like Mr. Boyle's offer to the fire chief of live hydrants, in exchange for requiring him to lay a 12' wide paved path with a 90 degree bend in it through the woods linking Winslow dr. to Woodlawn dr., They evidently got our town moderator to sue the town(after town counsel told them that they could not sue the town, as they represent the town) to FORCE Mr. Boyle to lay the path after he had already given the hydrant. Mr. Polito represented himself, and the court threw the case out for lack of standing! They said that as he lived three miles away from the site, it would not affect him, therefore he had no standing to sue. Still cost the town money, though.
Mark Acciard v. Phil Consentino Petition for injunctive relief; (3 cases in one, initial case+ contempt case+ Phil Supreme court appeal) Acciard filed this case asking the court to review the conflict of interest committee's decision that there was no conflict in a selectmen who is also police chief, deciding police issues. Court sided with Acciard, issued Court Order, directing Phil to recuse himself from any discussions of police or elderly affairs business. Phil continued to deal with these issues, Acciard brought him up on charges of contempt. Court issued contempt order, saying that if he continued to defy the court he could be placed in jail. Phil appealed to the Supreme Court(at taxpayer expense) and lost again. Acciard represented himself, and won 3 out of 3. Think about that for a moment, the Town's chief law enforcement officer found in contempt of court for willfully violating a Court Order!
William Baldwin v. Town of Atkinson, Now Lt. Baldwin sued the town because he didn't feel he was being promoted to Lt. fast enough. Claimed to have a contract guaranteeing him the Lt. spot, in reality it guaranteed consideration for the Lt. spot. It claimed Town had not paid tuition assistance, when the Town had cancelled check to prove otherwise. Case settled for nominal sum to avoid the cost of litigation.
William Baldwin had a second issue that almost erupted into a legal matter, and that was over his town pay when he was deployed to Boston, then Kuwait for the U.S.C.G. You can refer to the selectmen's minutes from for May 19, 2003, and you will see what I mean;
What hapenned was Baldwin was called up to active duty. Selectmen Boyle made a motion to advance him $5,900 to cover the difference between his military pay and his Sgt. Pay with the PD. The board asked Sgt. Baldwin to furnish his military Leave and Earnings statement, so that they could reconcile accounts. He refused, instead he furnished a commanders base pay letter, which only listed base pay, leaving out all his entitlements. This listed his pay as something on the order of $2,400/mo. when he was ACTUALLY receiving approx. $4,500/ mo. Chief Consentino was insistent that Sgt. Baldwin get the $511.51 per WEEK diff. claimed in the letter. The Board finally ordered Sgt. Baldwin to either give them the LES or return the $5,900 advance. The LES showed a difference of approx. $450./mo. The advance the Board gave him would have covered him for 14 months! There were 8 stories in the Eagle-Tribune during this time, about how the board was "nickle and diming" him, and how his wife and family were sufferring. No mention of the fact that for the first 3 months of his deployment he was stationed in Boston and able to travel home. No mention of his and Consentino's efforts to get him an extra $2,000/mo. over and above what he deserved.
Does this sound honest and forthright to you? Also check out the minutes of June 9, 2003.
Officer Gary Lorden & IBPO v. Town of Atkinson, This complaint was before the Public Employee Labor Relations Board, alleging improper conduct, retribution, and threats from the police chief towards officer Lorden. Case was settled, and officer Lorden received compensation for his losses.
Officer Micheal Rivera & IBPO v. Town of Atkinson, This case was also before the PELRB. Oficer Rivera was one of the organizers of the Union. After Chief was notified Officer rivera received numerous write ups, notably for failing to meet his quota of tickets while on 12am -8am shift. (officer Baldwin even testified that there has never been a quota). He was then notified that he would not receive his permanent status with Atkinson PD. He lsot because he was only probationary, but then won on appeal, case was settled, money was paid.
And them there is the Dale Childs matter; Mrs. Childs filed a complaint with Police standards and training, complaining that Phil worked too many hours to be part-time, and he was not qualified to be full-time. Phil sent officer Anderson over to Mrs. Childs house to take photos of the Hampstead Animal Control Car in her driveway. He then sent a Letter, On official staionary, signed "Chief Phil v. Consentino", to the Hampstead Board of Selectmen about Mrs. Childs, ciritcal of her use of the vehicle. When this was written about in the Eagle-Tribune, he claimed he was investigating her as "Phil Consentino, Resident, not Phil Consentino, Chief", but he signed the official letter, Chief.
Does anyone see a common thread here?
All of these cases happened allegedly due to official misconduct on the part of the Chief.
All cost this town money in legal fees, court costs, settlement costs, increased insurance premiums, and more.
It is time to end this madness. How much should one man's ego cost the town?
This is intended to be merely informative, and a timeline for those who are uninformed. Below is a listing, along with highlights and results for most of the lawsuits against the town for the last 7 years or so. All of this is public information, and readily obtainable.
Acciard v. Town of Atkinson, Consentino, Sapia, et al.
We have all watched this one play out. Here's the quick recap; Acciard brought Consentino up on ethics charges, Court agreed. Consentino violated Order was found in Contempt of Court. Consentino appealed Supreme Court, lost again. We paid for all of this. Consentino and selectmen made many comments at meetings both when Acciard was there, and not. Consentino called his company told them he was being investigated. Consentino sent him a letter from town threatening lawsuit, selectmen pled ignorance, did nothing. Verbal threats, Acciard sued. No resolution yet, still in process.
Federal Court Civil Rights Case- Grant v. Town of Atkinson, Consentino, Sapia, et al.
We have all seen the meetings, where this drama played out. Selectmen shouting down Mrs. Grant as she read a statement, interupting her to tell her they don't interupt her, talking derogatorily about her after she has left the room. All of this culminating in the selectmen calling the police to evict Mrs. Grant, her husband and son from Town Hall, because she read a statement that they didn't like! It would have been so easy just to say Thank you, and goodbye, but no, that is not what our potentates do. This case has already cost the town $$$$$ in legal costs, and there are rumors floating around town of a settlement but this blog does not have confirmation or details, but watch out, when we do.
Petition to remove Childs and Sapia from office for violating their oaths of office. Allegations included improper use of force, selectmens refusal to deal publicly with elderly affairs in an attempt to circumvent Acciard's Court Order, the selectmens usurpation of the Library Trustees authority, the selectmen's purchase of an SUV without a vote. Sapia and Childs vote to pay Consentino's personal legal costs! Consentino was not on trial he was merely a witness who thought he needed legal advice, which was probably true in light of the fact that he claimed 5th ammendment protection from SELF-INCRIMINATION 31 TIMES IN A ROW! You can't claim protection from self- incrimination, unless you've COMMITTED A CRIME TO BE INCRIMINATED IN! However this was not the taxpayers responsibility to pay. Mrs. Grant represented herself,and failed to remove them.
Vietnam Honor Roll panel committee et al. v. Town of Atkinson, We all know the issues, we all know the selectmen refused to follow the 2005 town meeting vote, resulted in mediation agreement, rescinded by town wide vote in 2007.
Frank Polito v. Town of Atkinson, THIS ONE IS A BEAUT!!! Our selectmen did not like Mr. Boyle's offer to the fire chief of live hydrants, in exchange for requiring him to lay a 12' wide paved path with a 90 degree bend in it through the woods linking Winslow dr. to Woodlawn dr., They evidently got our town moderator to sue the town(after town counsel told them that they could not sue the town, as they represent the town) to FORCE Mr. Boyle to lay the path after he had already given the hydrant. Mr. Polito represented himself, and the court threw the case out for lack of standing! They said that as he lived three miles away from the site, it would not affect him, therefore he had no standing to sue. Still cost the town money, though.
Mark Acciard v. Phil Consentino Petition for injunctive relief; (3 cases in one, initial case+ contempt case+ Phil Supreme court appeal) Acciard filed this case asking the court to review the conflict of interest committee's decision that there was no conflict in a selectmen who is also police chief, deciding police issues. Court sided with Acciard, issued Court Order, directing Phil to recuse himself from any discussions of police or elderly affairs business. Phil continued to deal with these issues, Acciard brought him up on charges of contempt. Court issued contempt order, saying that if he continued to defy the court he could be placed in jail. Phil appealed to the Supreme Court(at taxpayer expense) and lost again. Acciard represented himself, and won 3 out of 3. Think about that for a moment, the Town's chief law enforcement officer found in contempt of court for willfully violating a Court Order!
William Baldwin v. Town of Atkinson, Now Lt. Baldwin sued the town because he didn't feel he was being promoted to Lt. fast enough. Claimed to have a contract guaranteeing him the Lt. spot, in reality it guaranteed consideration for the Lt. spot. It claimed Town had not paid tuition assistance, when the Town had cancelled check to prove otherwise. Case settled for nominal sum to avoid the cost of litigation.
William Baldwin had a second issue that almost erupted into a legal matter, and that was over his town pay when he was deployed to Boston, then Kuwait for the U.S.C.G. You can refer to the selectmen's minutes from for May 19, 2003, and you will see what I mean;
What hapenned was Baldwin was called up to active duty. Selectmen Boyle made a motion to advance him $5,900 to cover the difference between his military pay and his Sgt. Pay with the PD. The board asked Sgt. Baldwin to furnish his military Leave and Earnings statement, so that they could reconcile accounts. He refused, instead he furnished a commanders base pay letter, which only listed base pay, leaving out all his entitlements. This listed his pay as something on the order of $2,400/mo. when he was ACTUALLY receiving approx. $4,500/ mo. Chief Consentino was insistent that Sgt. Baldwin get the $511.51 per WEEK diff. claimed in the letter. The Board finally ordered Sgt. Baldwin to either give them the LES or return the $5,900 advance. The LES showed a difference of approx. $450./mo. The advance the Board gave him would have covered him for 14 months! There were 8 stories in the Eagle-Tribune during this time, about how the board was "nickle and diming" him, and how his wife and family were sufferring. No mention of the fact that for the first 3 months of his deployment he was stationed in Boston and able to travel home. No mention of his and Consentino's efforts to get him an extra $2,000/mo. over and above what he deserved.
Does this sound honest and forthright to you? Also check out the minutes of June 9, 2003.
Officer Gary Lorden & IBPO v. Town of Atkinson, This complaint was before the Public Employee Labor Relations Board, alleging improper conduct, retribution, and threats from the police chief towards officer Lorden. Case was settled, and officer Lorden received compensation for his losses.
Officer Micheal Rivera & IBPO v. Town of Atkinson, This case was also before the PELRB. Oficer Rivera was one of the organizers of the Union. After Chief was notified Officer rivera received numerous write ups, notably for failing to meet his quota of tickets while on 12am -8am shift. (officer Baldwin even testified that there has never been a quota). He was then notified that he would not receive his permanent status with Atkinson PD. He lsot because he was only probationary, but then won on appeal, case was settled, money was paid.
And them there is the Dale Childs matter; Mrs. Childs filed a complaint with Police standards and training, complaining that Phil worked too many hours to be part-time, and he was not qualified to be full-time. Phil sent officer Anderson over to Mrs. Childs house to take photos of the Hampstead Animal Control Car in her driveway. He then sent a Letter, On official staionary, signed "Chief Phil v. Consentino", to the Hampstead Board of Selectmen about Mrs. Childs, ciritcal of her use of the vehicle. When this was written about in the Eagle-Tribune, he claimed he was investigating her as "Phil Consentino, Resident, not Phil Consentino, Chief", but he signed the official letter, Chief.
Does anyone see a common thread here?
All of these cases happened allegedly due to official misconduct on the part of the Chief.
All cost this town money in legal fees, court costs, settlement costs, increased insurance premiums, and more.
It is time to end this madness. How much should one man's ego cost the town?
Wednesday, May 14
Did the chief admit to falsifying Sick pay vouchers?
The selectmen's workshop on Monday night held many revelations. One was that chief Consentino admitted "for the last 6 years" submitting sick pay vouchers for Lt. Baldwin when he does his Coast Guard Summer Camp, for 2 weeks every summer. This evidently fraudulent document submission troubles many who heard it.
Paul Sullivan read the Town's policy on sick pay, right from the employee handbook. This policy has been in place since chief was a selectmen, and yet he admits ignoring it. The policy is that the Town can not condone people taking sick pay if they are not sick, simple, right? What would happen if in the winter Lt. Baldwin actually did get sick and couldn't come into work? Does anyone believe that his SALARY is going to be docked for that day, because he has no sick time left?
Chief made a very compelling but false case for why his protege needs this time, because "it is not fair for him to not get paid while he is defending the country",
Well, Phil, summer camp is just that "camp"!, Training, meetings, job orientation to teach you everything you forgot since your last "summer camp"!, and he gets PAID VERY WELL FOR THIS!
This is from the pay charts at military.com;
An e-7 with 12 years of service is earning $3,600/mo. in BASE PAY! That does not include entitlements. ie: rations pay, quarters allowance, VHA, COLA, Clothing allowance, separation pay, combat theatre pay(if that is the case). An E-7 with that amount of service, should be earning $2045.00 for that two weeks.
Set that against the $1,169.00/week that Lt. Baldwin makes in Atkinson. And he is leaving our town to go do training, and taking a pay cut of $144.00/week!
BUT NO.... He gets PAID BY THE TOWN FOR THESE TWO WEEKS AS WELL! This is your tax dollars at work.... According to the chief(because he has been signing and submitting these vouchers) He has been getting his $1,169.00 from the town PLUS his $1,022.50 from the military! WOW! WHAT A RACKET! Where I work this would be called FRAUD! and I would be fired if I had the basic level of dishonesty necessary to pull it off, not to mention the arrogance to tell the entire town about it on television!
Our spendthrift police chief also went on and on about how the town screwed the erstwhile Lt. over military pay 4 years ago, leaving the poor destitute Lt. to fight for his compensation. it was ALL False!
Got to http://www.town-atkinsonnh.com/ and click on the selectmen's minutes form June 9,2003 if you don't believe me. Here is what happened, you judge for yourself who was right and who was trying to scam the town;
In March or April The Sgt. Baldwin received notice he would be deployed. He asked if the town would do anything for him. Then Selectmen Boyle assured him that the Town would pay the difference between his town pay and his military pay, and that he would not lose any money. That was the honorable and fair thing to do.
Before Sgt. Baldwin was deployed, the Town, at Mr. Boyle's behest, ADVANCED him $5,900.00, or 6 weeks pay so that his family would not suffer. The town directed him to furnish them with a copy of his Military Leave and Earnings Statement, so that they could calculate the difference between the two pay rates. Sgt. Baldwin, instead furnished the town with a commanders base pay letter, which only states his base pay and not all of his allowances, or extra pay. The town again asked for the leave and earnings statement. Sgt. Baldwin refused. Chief Consentino harangued the selectmen week after week, claiming they were "nickle and diming" the Sgt. Again, read the minutes through the summer of 2003, or look in the back issues of the Eagle Tribune for the stories about how his family was destitute, because of the town, most most especially mr.Boyle's lack of compassion.
Here is the issue;
Sgt. Baldwins town pay at the time was approximately $4,228.00/ mo.
Commanders base pay letter showed a base pay letter showed a base pay of only $2,400.00/mo. or so.
The difference that Sgt. Baldwin was in effect trying to obtain, and chief was lobbying for was $511.51/wk. or $2,199.50/mo. See Selectmen's minutes May 19, 2003
When the LES was obtained it showed an ACTUAL DIFFERENCE in pay of only about $450.00/ MONTH!
This means that the chief and the Sgt. were trying to obtain from the town an extra $1,650.00 per month of our tax dollars, again in the private sector this would be called fraud, and would be grounds for firing!
Remember that through all of this the Sgt. was being paid by the military, his $4,500/mo or so, PLUS he had been advanced $5,900.00 from the town.
This frivolous, and dishonest philandering of tax dollars must stop, and it is the job of the selectmen to not only put a stop to it, but to FIRE those who are dishonest enough to do it!
Paul Sullivan read the Town's policy on sick pay, right from the employee handbook. This policy has been in place since chief was a selectmen, and yet he admits ignoring it. The policy is that the Town can not condone people taking sick pay if they are not sick, simple, right? What would happen if in the winter Lt. Baldwin actually did get sick and couldn't come into work? Does anyone believe that his SALARY is going to be docked for that day, because he has no sick time left?
Chief made a very compelling but false case for why his protege needs this time, because "it is not fair for him to not get paid while he is defending the country",
Well, Phil, summer camp is just that "camp"!, Training, meetings, job orientation to teach you everything you forgot since your last "summer camp"!, and he gets PAID VERY WELL FOR THIS!
This is from the pay charts at military.com;
An e-7 with 12 years of service is earning $3,600/mo. in BASE PAY! That does not include entitlements. ie: rations pay, quarters allowance, VHA, COLA, Clothing allowance, separation pay, combat theatre pay(if that is the case). An E-7 with that amount of service, should be earning $2045.00 for that two weeks.
Set that against the $1,169.00/week that Lt. Baldwin makes in Atkinson. And he is leaving our town to go do training, and taking a pay cut of $144.00/week!
BUT NO.... He gets PAID BY THE TOWN FOR THESE TWO WEEKS AS WELL! This is your tax dollars at work.... According to the chief(because he has been signing and submitting these vouchers) He has been getting his $1,169.00 from the town PLUS his $1,022.50 from the military! WOW! WHAT A RACKET! Where I work this would be called FRAUD! and I would be fired if I had the basic level of dishonesty necessary to pull it off, not to mention the arrogance to tell the entire town about it on television!
Our spendthrift police chief also went on and on about how the town screwed the erstwhile Lt. over military pay 4 years ago, leaving the poor destitute Lt. to fight for his compensation. it was ALL False!
Got to http://www.town-atkinsonnh.com/ and click on the selectmen's minutes form June 9,2003 if you don't believe me. Here is what happened, you judge for yourself who was right and who was trying to scam the town;
In March or April The Sgt. Baldwin received notice he would be deployed. He asked if the town would do anything for him. Then Selectmen Boyle assured him that the Town would pay the difference between his town pay and his military pay, and that he would not lose any money. That was the honorable and fair thing to do.
Before Sgt. Baldwin was deployed, the Town, at Mr. Boyle's behest, ADVANCED him $5,900.00, or 6 weeks pay so that his family would not suffer. The town directed him to furnish them with a copy of his Military Leave and Earnings Statement, so that they could calculate the difference between the two pay rates. Sgt. Baldwin, instead furnished the town with a commanders base pay letter, which only states his base pay and not all of his allowances, or extra pay. The town again asked for the leave and earnings statement. Sgt. Baldwin refused. Chief Consentino harangued the selectmen week after week, claiming they were "nickle and diming" the Sgt. Again, read the minutes through the summer of 2003, or look in the back issues of the Eagle Tribune for the stories about how his family was destitute, because of the town, most most especially mr.Boyle's lack of compassion.
Here is the issue;
Sgt. Baldwins town pay at the time was approximately $4,228.00/ mo.
Commanders base pay letter showed a base pay letter showed a base pay of only $2,400.00/mo. or so.
The difference that Sgt. Baldwin was in effect trying to obtain, and chief was lobbying for was $511.51/wk. or $2,199.50/mo. See Selectmen's minutes May 19, 2003
When the LES was obtained it showed an ACTUAL DIFFERENCE in pay of only about $450.00/ MONTH!
This means that the chief and the Sgt. were trying to obtain from the town an extra $1,650.00 per month of our tax dollars, again in the private sector this would be called fraud, and would be grounds for firing!
Remember that through all of this the Sgt. was being paid by the military, his $4,500/mo or so, PLUS he had been advanced $5,900.00 from the town.
This frivolous, and dishonest philandering of tax dollars must stop, and it is the job of the selectmen to not only put a stop to it, but to FIRE those who are dishonest enough to do it!
Tuesday, May 13
PLEASURE VEHICLES? BOUGHT BY US? FOR THEM?
Can anyone tell me why We the Taxpayers are buying "pleasure vehicles" for the personal use of the chief of police and his family, and treasured assistants?
These were the chief's own words Monday night.
Can anyone tell me how BOTH the Durango, AND the Mercury get from the chief's driveway at night, to the police station during the day?
How about this one. WHEN did WE authorize Lt. Baldwin to have a take home car, and the chief to have TWO?
HOw about why do we NEED a new vehicle when we already have 10? We have one patrol officer on each shift, and we have 10 vehicles, and why? because our Obersturmfurher has assigned each one a purpose, and, never shall it be used for another! This on is a cruiser! That one is only for Details! This one is only for the detective!, Those three are only for the elderly!
We have 10 vehicles currently, and 6 of them have been acquired since 2005! They are new! when does enough become enough?
No other town have two vehicles for EVERY FULL TIME OFFICER!
Hampstead, which is 40% larger uses $10,000 less in Gas. Why?
Why is no one asking these questions?
Getting these vehicles cheap is only a virtue, if their acquisition saves the town from buying a new vehicle. But no, in Atkinson we get the free vehicles, ANd buy the new ones too. It boggles the mind.
But we are grateful to our chief for finally admitting that he bought two vehicles that are not fit to be police vehicles, so why dont we get rid of those two, and get him his new cruiser, that way we shave the size of the fleet by one vehicle in the process.
But what happened to how those two cars were bought? The Durango was donated by Rockingham Dodge, and we were told by the chief that we NEEDED this as a DARE truck because the old DARE truck was not serviceable, had too many miles, etc. The Mercury, we HAD to buy to replace the 1993 Chrysler that we HAD to buy after the voters turned down a new elderly car. Chief told us that he NEEDED a surveillance vehicle. 6 months later it wasnt being used for surveillance, and it got an elderly sign on the door! He got his elderly car even though the voters said no! When they totalled it, he NEEDED to have it replaced, Now it is not fit to be a police vehicle! MAKE UP YOUR MIND! is it a police vehicle or not?
How about for once we get some honesty out of this subject?
These were the chief's own words Monday night.
Can anyone tell me how BOTH the Durango, AND the Mercury get from the chief's driveway at night, to the police station during the day?
How about this one. WHEN did WE authorize Lt. Baldwin to have a take home car, and the chief to have TWO?
HOw about why do we NEED a new vehicle when we already have 10? We have one patrol officer on each shift, and we have 10 vehicles, and why? because our Obersturmfurher has assigned each one a purpose, and, never shall it be used for another! This on is a cruiser! That one is only for Details! This one is only for the detective!, Those three are only for the elderly!
We have 10 vehicles currently, and 6 of them have been acquired since 2005! They are new! when does enough become enough?
No other town have two vehicles for EVERY FULL TIME OFFICER!
Hampstead, which is 40% larger uses $10,000 less in Gas. Why?
Why is no one asking these questions?
Getting these vehicles cheap is only a virtue, if their acquisition saves the town from buying a new vehicle. But no, in Atkinson we get the free vehicles, ANd buy the new ones too. It boggles the mind.
But we are grateful to our chief for finally admitting that he bought two vehicles that are not fit to be police vehicles, so why dont we get rid of those two, and get him his new cruiser, that way we shave the size of the fleet by one vehicle in the process.
But what happened to how those two cars were bought? The Durango was donated by Rockingham Dodge, and we were told by the chief that we NEEDED this as a DARE truck because the old DARE truck was not serviceable, had too many miles, etc. The Mercury, we HAD to buy to replace the 1993 Chrysler that we HAD to buy after the voters turned down a new elderly car. Chief told us that he NEEDED a surveillance vehicle. 6 months later it wasnt being used for surveillance, and it got an elderly sign on the door! He got his elderly car even though the voters said no! When they totalled it, he NEEDED to have it replaced, Now it is not fit to be a police vehicle! MAKE UP YOUR MIND! is it a police vehicle or not?
How about for once we get some honesty out of this subject?
Monday, May 12
Selectmen Workshop TONIGHT!
One of the topics on this workshop is "police vehicle allocation"!
As many of you know, this subject has been one of contention for 5 years now, ever since chief Consentino started dramatically increasing the size of the police fleet shortly after winning the selectmen's seat.
We currently have 4 fewer officers than we had in 2003, yet we have 4 MORE vehicles! And Our empire building police chief WANTS ANOTHER ONE!
Here is the allocation;
We have TWO elderly affairs taxis
One wheelchair van
The CHIEFS PERSONAL GREEN MERCURY
the CHIEFS PERSONAL DURANGO
The LT's PERSONAL CAR
The DETECTIVE'S PERSONAL CAR(this one he does not take home, the others do!)
ONE SUV(purchased without voter or selectmen input)
THREE Cruisers!
All for the ONE patrol officer on any given shift!
In these days of $3.50/gal. gas, why are the taxpayers of Atkinson paying for the Lt. to have a take home car, he only lives 1/2 a mile from the station! And our chief to have TWO TAKE HOME VEHICLES?
And when did the selectmen AUTHORIZE him to have a SECOND take home vehicle?
And why are we paying for him to use his OFFICIAL car to take his dog grocery shopping?
And why are we paying for our Lt. to take his OFFICIAL vehicle to his part time jobs in Plaistow, Kingston, or Boston?
It appears that our hard earned money is paying the personal gasoline bills of our police administration, WHY SELECTMEN?
As many of you know, this subject has been one of contention for 5 years now, ever since chief Consentino started dramatically increasing the size of the police fleet shortly after winning the selectmen's seat.
We currently have 4 fewer officers than we had in 2003, yet we have 4 MORE vehicles! And Our empire building police chief WANTS ANOTHER ONE!
Here is the allocation;
We have TWO elderly affairs taxis
One wheelchair van
The CHIEFS PERSONAL GREEN MERCURY
the CHIEFS PERSONAL DURANGO
The LT's PERSONAL CAR
The DETECTIVE'S PERSONAL CAR(this one he does not take home, the others do!)
ONE SUV(purchased without voter or selectmen input)
THREE Cruisers!
All for the ONE patrol officer on any given shift!
In these days of $3.50/gal. gas, why are the taxpayers of Atkinson paying for the Lt. to have a take home car, he only lives 1/2 a mile from the station! And our chief to have TWO TAKE HOME VEHICLES?
And when did the selectmen AUTHORIZE him to have a SECOND take home vehicle?
And why are we paying for him to use his OFFICIAL car to take his dog grocery shopping?
And why are we paying for our Lt. to take his OFFICIAL vehicle to his part time jobs in Plaistow, Kingston, or Boston?
It appears that our hard earned money is paying the personal gasoline bills of our police administration, WHY SELECTMEN?
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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
