At the selectmen's meeting last night, chief brought up an issue of ANOTHER cruiser which was totalled, and "needs" to be replaced! This makes FIVE CRUISERS TOTALLED in two and one half years! Isn't that an awful lot for a town with only 5 full time officers, and routinely one patrol officer on any given shift?
In 2005, there were the two cruisers that Lt. Baldwin, and officer Paquette drove into each other on Maple ave.; there was the cruiser that slid under a dump truck in Hampstead; and the Chrysler Imperial "surveillance vehicle, with the ghost plates on it"..... Sorry, can't say that without cracking up....
And now this cruiser... and why haven't we heard anything about this? Where did the accident happen? How did it happen? And why is it being replaced?
Selectmen you dropped the ball on this one! The police dept. does not have 9 vehicles, it has 11! And until last night we never had TWO "front line" cruisers, and TWO "back ups", We have always had ONE "front line" cruiser, and ONE " back up"! If you dont believe us look back at tapes of selectmens meetings and budget meetings where this has come up many times before.
What the selectmen should have asked was;
1.) Why do we NEED 11 vehicles when we only have one officer on patrol on any given shift?
2.) When did the selectmen authorize the Lt. his own car? or the Detective for that matter?
3.) Why do we NEED 2 "front line" cruisers, and 2 "back ups" for ONE GUY TO DRIVE?
4.) Why is the Durango parked in the chief's driveway if he is now driving the Mercury? How many cars have the taxpayers generously provided for his PERSONAL USE?
5.) If we only put 33,000 miles on our "front line" cruisers in 13 months, as the chief stated last night, then why do they NEED to be replaced every two years? at 33k/yr. they should last 6-7 years before replacement, as most other depts. do.
But, of course, that is not what happened. And where is the budget committee on this?
And you wonder why our police dept. has half the job of Hampstead, at $150,000 more!
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ATKINSON's Vietnam HONOR ROLL as VOTED and PASSED by 2005 Town Meeting and re-approved at Special Town Meeting Sept. 12
EDITORIAL-
A voice of compassion, an example of fairness and reasonable government.
One who believes in the strength and comfort you, your children and your family can draw from good government leadership.
A person who knows Atkinson is our home -- our most important possession that must be preserved and protected through fair taxes and sound community planning and where our children must be safe to grow to become a new generation of leaders.
One who knows that the citizens of Atkinson are all neighbors with her leadership to be dedicated and responsive to all.
One who believes that when those from Atkinson have served our nation and honors are deserved, those honors must be given.
In Valerie Tobin, we now have a leader we know we can entrust with these responsibilities because they are part of her character.
It is our honor to endorse Valerie for election to Atkinson’s Board of Selectmen.
Just a note for those who wish to count the deer.
In January 08 this blog had 16,000 hits and 1,500 unique visitors (for the month).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
In 2007 this blog had over 100,000 hits and 5,750 unique visitors (for the year).
EDITORIAL-
"I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense . . ." [TP, 1776]
We take no small measure of umbrage at such a hostile official act against this BLOG’s patron. Therefore, a timely Editorial comment is both appropriate and necessary.
Discussion of Atkinson’s financial direction, from any viewpoint, is fundamental and encouraged and we will always attempt to limit and correct errors.
However, Righteous indignation towards purported error of such inconsequential nature is not appropriate.
The ENTIRE car deal is problematic. If it was caused by poor judgement, improper exercise of authority, neglect or mistake or even specious reasoning, this will never trump the facts that the entire questionable transaction started and ended within a very small circle of confidants.
We find the entire circumstances surrounding the disposition of the police Cruiser highly irregular at the least and the "explanations" somewhat trifling and exhaustive of our intellect.
Mr. Consentino: It’s time to go. Being Chief of Atkinson’s Police Department is NOT a birthright. That is a fabled legend of yesteryear.
Historically in Atkinson, police chief appointments were made "under the hand of the selectmen" for terms of one year at a time, as was also the case in the beginning of Mr. Consentino’s assorted and discontinuous stream of appointments to this position.
Your only remaining credential established on a claim of indispensability has faded.
So time is neigh. Plan a graceful exit, Clean out your desk, Accept the gratitude and tearful sentiments from some. We plan no editorial recriminations. It is time. Thank you for your service, We wish you a long and happy retirement. Bon Voyage.
LETTER
"To All Atkinson Residents,
I am writing to ask for your help. A member of the Atkinson Police Department needs our help. I am here to ask for your help in Corporal John Lapham's fight for his life. As you are aware, John has been diagnosed with Leukemia. He has been once again hospitalized with an infection that is threatening his life. He is one of the bravest people that I have ever met. He has never asked of anything from the residents of the town. Now is our chance to step up and help both him and his family out. As everyone is aware John has been out of work for a few months. His family has been busy helping John to get better. He needs our help, and I am hoping that this town can step up to the plate and help. From the moment that I met John, I have admired him. He does alot, but never asks for anything in return. He has helped so many people in this town. I for one am one of those people. Please help him.
There is a fund set-up in his name at TDBanknorth in Plaistow. Any amount will help John, while he is out of work. It would be great if this town could help ease a burden off his wife.
Thank You
Also if anyone would like to send a card, please address it to:
John Lapham
c/o Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Ctr.
Inpatient mail
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
United States
Please show Corporal John Lapham, that this community can stand up and show our support to those in need. I for one, miss John and can not wait until he can get better and return to work. Please show him that we support him. "
16 comments:
I'm in shock that we have so so many cars for the police dept. Does anyone in our town government know that this country is in a recession? Don't ya think that a bit of a cutback is in order here? With all of those cars and vans and suv's , you could use one of those instead of an another new car? Am i just missing something here?
We can post all the whines we want but until someone has the guts to go into a Selectman's meeting and challenge them directly on all the chief's budget misappropriations and misuse of taxpayer dollars, NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
I agree. I thought I had missed something. When did the cruiser get damaged? I drive by the station everyday and there are always 2 cars sitting.
Why would the BOS even entertain the thought of another car ?
atkinson-factor, I think you hit the nail on the head. We are in a recession! Why so many cruisers? One for each part time cop? Sounds more and more as a "company car" perk to me.
No to drive this off topic, I have just read that the water issue is back on the table. Here we go again.
atkinson-factor, I think you hit the nail on the head. We are in a recession! Why so many cruisers? One for each part time cop? Sounds more and more as a "company car" perk to me.
atkinson-factor, I think you hit the nail on the head. We are in a recession! Why so many cruisers? One for each part time cop? Sounds more and more as a "company car" perk to me.
I just drove by the Police station this morning, i couldn't believe how empty the station parking lot was. Where did all of the cars go? I laughed how a few days ago, you couldn't fit another car in the parking lot, and now there are about 4 cars. Here is a perfect case in point how your police chief is decieving you and your tax money. Funny and wicked all rolled in one.
Okay so this is what I am told by a friend who used to work for the Police Department. First, the detective no longer has a take home car. Second, the Lt. has a take home car. Not only does he take it home, he takes it just about to everywhere he goes. Given todays gas prices, it is a good perk. And you already know the story of the Dareango.
There are two cars, one is for day/evening shift and the other is for the midnight shift. You really can't run one car 24 hours a day. As for the others, you know who uses them.
Now somethings may have changed since my friend left the department, but I doubt it.
Paul, so are you telling us that if the Lt wants to use the car to go to Home Depot in Plaistow to pick up a few odds or ends for his home he can do that? Or how about taking the family out for a pizza?
My company provides us with a paid cell phone, however I use it for company work and not to call my long lost friend in Florida.
I have heard this rumour that there is a unwritten rule for all of our police officers to do at least 70 miles a day on thier shift. Is this true? Inquiring minds would like to know. I know some other towns are telling their officer's to keep the driving to a low level due to gas prices, to save tax payers dollars.
To the moderator of this blog, please consider this as an article for the Atkinson Reporter that was published in the Eagle Tribune.
------------------------------
Large groundwater withdrawal is back on the table in Atkinson
By Meghan Carey
Staff writer
ATKINSON — Hampstead Area Water Co. resubmitted its application for a large groundwater withdrawal to the state.
The water company originally submitted the application to drill and test wells a year ago, but the state Department of Environmental Services found the application incomplete, according to DES spokesman Stephen Roy.
Now another consultant has rewritten the application, he said. The sites within Atkinson are the same, but there are different production and volume amounts for each well, Roy said.
"Oftentimes, in New Hampshire, larger water systems have multiple well sources to provide water to the whole system," Roy said. "In this case, the proposal is for three new well fields."
The completed application begins a long review process, beginning with a public hearing that the town requested, Roy said.
At that meeting, there will be a presentation on the general large water withdrawal process by DES and a project-specific presentation by Hampstead Area Water Co.
The forum will then be opened up for questions, which will be recorded and responded to individually as part of the DES review process, Roy said. There also will be a 45-day period after the public hearing, during which anyone can submit written questions about the process.
For each question, Roy said, the review team will have to respond in writing. At the end, it will deny, approve for testing or ask the water company for more information, he said.
There will be the opportunity for another public hearing at the end of the application process, Roy said. Last year, an informal meeting was held by DES, but Hampstead Area Water Co. didn't attend because the application had been denied, Roy said.
Selectmen Chairman Paul Sullivan said the selectmen reserved Dyke Auditorium at Atkinson Academy earlier this week to make sure there is room for everyone interested to attend. The meeting will be on May 7 at 7 p.m.
The town is taking the application one step at a time, and will consult with Sumner Kalman, the town's lawyer, later in the process to find out how the water withdrawal ordinance will play into the water company's application.
Yes, I am saying that the Lt. would and has taken the car to do errands. I was told that he even takes it to the other towns that he works part-time for. This was all told to me from a firend who was on the department, but he too was forced out.
The budget committee has raised the issue of the number of cars for at least 5 years that I know about.
Problem is the selectmen did not have the will to reign in the chief's buying spree, nor did the budget committee have the will to not fund these purchases.
I tried two years in a row to change the cruiser lease line beck to new cruiser expense. This would have taken the purpose for leasing these vehicles out of the budget and forced it into a warrant article for the people to vote upon.
But the votes were not there to do it.
I think that the people are paying therefore they ought to have a say in what is purchased.
In 2003, when the voters turned down the vote on a new elderly affairs car, we had 9 vehicles total. 3 months after that chief bought a Chrysler Imperial as a "surveillance vehicle", out of the donation account. 3 months later, there was no need for it as a surveillance vehicle and chief shifted it to elderly affairs, even put signs on the doors.
In 2005 he bought the Ford Expedition, without any vote of the board of selectmen, nor presentation to the voters, he simply ordered it 8 days after the election. This brought us to 11 vehicles, and in 2007, we traded in one and got two. bringing us to 12 before his son got the old detail car, bringing us back down to 11.
If my memory serves me that is how it went. No supervision or restraint from the only people in town AUTHORIZED to spend money, the selectmen.
I have seen his Atkinson police car behind th Plaistow PD, when he is on duty over there.
Mark,
why some people mark you as a bad person always attacking the Chief i will never understand. All i have ever seen from you is the truth and nothing but the facts. keep bringing the facts, and the truth will be known to all who read them.
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