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Friday, November 21, 2008

ATKINSON POLICE CHIEF TRIES TO MISLEAD THE TAXPAYERS AGAIN

PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS AN ARTICLE SUBMISSION

ATKINSON POLICE CHIEF TRIES TO MISLEAD THE TAXPAYERS AGAIN

Phil Says: Forced changes in elderly improvement
From the Eagle Tribune;



Letter: Forced changes in elderly fund no improvement

To the editor:

This letter is in response to your editorial of Nov. 17. I would like to set the record straight for the second time with your paper. I previously came to your office and explained the process of how the Elderly Affairs Department and the Police Departments Donation/Equipment fund worked. I will again advise you of the process that has been in place since 1994.

SECOND TIME, WHEN WAS THE FIRST? IS PHIL RESPONSIBLE FOR MARGO LEAVING THE EAGLE TRIBUNE? WHAT RIGHT DOES PHIL HAVE TO ADVISE ANY NEWSPAPER ABOUT ANYTHING?

You mention in your editorial the word "transparency" of the funds we received and how those funds were spent. Let's set that record straight. Whenever the Police Department wanted to use funds from our Donation/Equipment fund, the selectman were required to hold a public hearing during their regularly scheduled meeting. During this posted public hearing, I advised the selectmen exactly why we wanted to take funds out of this account. The selectmen then opened the public hearing to the public to see if they had any questions on how or why these funds were being requested. At the conclusion of that public hearing, the selectmen took a vote to authorize the withdrawal of these funds.

THIS IS A HALF TRUTH. GRANTED, A MEETING WAS HELD, BUT NO VOTE WAS EVER TAKEN. HALF TRUTHS DO NOT SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

Once a receipt was obtained for the items requested, that receipt was turned into the town's bookkeeper and she then produced a check. That check was sent to the Board of Selectmen for another approval prior to the funds being expended. That is open and full transparency.

IF THIS WERE TRUE, WHY DOESN’T THE AMOUNTS MATCH UP WITH THE AMOUNTS REQUESTED? AGAIN, MORE LIES FROM OUR CHIEF. SHAME ON HIM FOR MISLEADING THE TRUTH TO THE PUBLIC THAT PAYS HIM.

PLEASE SEE:
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/Donation_Ledger2005.pdf
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/Donation_Ledger2006.pdf
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/Donation_Ledger2007-08.pdf


At least once a month, a resident would come to the bookkeeper's office to look over all of the receipts that were paid out of the Police Departments Donation/equipment fund. That again is full and open transparency.

THE PEOPLE OF ATKINSON WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE PERSON (S) WHO DID THIS ONCE A MONTH. WAS IT THE CHIEF’S WIFE?

Now let me tell you how the new approved system is working. All funds received into the new Atkinson Police Charitable Fund are no longer open to scrutiny by the public, because, under direction of the attorney general's office, we were required to open a nonprofit charitable trust that is not open to public scrutiny under the right to know law.

THIS IS ANOTHER LIE. THE AGO DID NOT DEMAND THE TOWN SET UP A NON-PROFIT THE TAXPAYERS WOULD NOT FIND TRANSPARENT. THAT WAS ONE OPTION. THE AGO RECOMMENDED TURNING THE DONATION ACCOUNT OVER TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST FUNDS FOR MANAGEMENT, BUT THEN PHIL WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT OR THE TRUSTEES WOULD SAY NO, UNLIKE THE SELECTMEN. PHIL CREATED HIS OWN ACCOUNT SO IT WOULDN’T BE TRANSPARENT. THIS IS HIS OWN PRIVATE NON-PROFIT ACCOUNT. THE GOOD NEWS IS TAXPAYERS CAN STILL DONATE TO THE TRUSTEE OF THE TOWN TRUST FUND. THAT ACCOUNT IS TRANSPARENT. WHY WOULD ANYONE DONATE TO PHIL’S ACCOUNT. THE ANSWER IS: BECAUSE PHIL WILL FORCE THEM TO, IF THEY WANT SERVICES TO CONTINUE.

We are not required to advise anyone how these donations are going to be spent, or provide any receipts for these expenditures. This account no longer has full transparency as it did prior to the separation.

THIS IS WHY THE CHIEF SET UP HIS OWN ACCOUNT. STAFFED BY HIS OWN EMPLOYEES!


You also stated that I was the only person who decided how these donations were to be spent. That was not true. Any senior that needed assistance only had to ask the Police Department and we then provided them with the assistance they requested. Now that these funds are under the control of the charitable fund, we will adhere to the state laws governing a nonprofit charitable fund. Under the guidance of the attorney general's office, we set up a board of directors. They are Philip Consentino, president; William Anderson, vice president; Robert Neill; treasurer, Roger Culliford, secretary; and Richard Magoon, recording secretary. All of the directors are members of the Atkinson Police Department's Elderly Affairs Division.

OF COURSE THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY WILL DO ANYTHING THE CHIEF TELLS THEM TO DO.

Most seniors would rather go without than to go to the Town Hall and fill out a 15-page life history form just to get a one-time assistance with an oil delivery. That is why so many seniors know that they can always come to the Police Department and get the help that they need. So nothing really has changed except we are no longer transparent.

BECAUSE THAT’S THE WAY THE CHIEF WANTED IT. AND THERE IS NO 15 PAGE APPLICATION FOR HEATING ASSISTANCE. HEATING ASSISTANCE IS A STATE FUNDED PROGRAM WITH A SHORT APPLICATION, TO QUALIFY.

There will no longer be any public hearings advising the residents of how these donations will be spent. You will no longer be allowed to look over all of the receipts and slips indicating what these funds were used for. Remember, this new charitable trust was set up by the N.H. attorney general's Charitable Trust Division.

NO IT WASN’T, YOU DID THIS CHIEF.

We did not request to take the transparency away from the public; this was done against our wishes.

THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE CHIEF WANTED, SO IT WOULD NOT BE TRANSPARENT.

As far as separating the Police Department from the Elderly Affairs Department, this is a lose-lose situation for the town. We now have to turn over the full responsibility of the two old police cruisers and the new wheelchair van to the Elderly Affairs Department.

IT’S THE BEGINNING OF A WIN-WIN SITUATION. IT WILL BE AS SOON AS WE GET PHIL OUT OF ELDERLY AFFAIRS COMPLETELY.

Who is going to maintain these vehicles? Who is going to pay for all of the repairs? All of these expenses were paid through the Police Department's Donation/Equipment Fund. This can no longer be accomplished, because these vehicles are no longer under the control of the Police Department.

YES IT CAN, WE WILL TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR POLICE BUDGET AND PUT THE MONEY INTO THE ELDERLY AFFAIRS BUDGET WHERE IT BELONGS. NO MORE BLOATED POLICE BUDGET FOR YOU CHIEF.SINCE WHEN IS IT ONLY THE POLICE DEPT. WHO MAINTAINS VEHICLES?

Who takes the calls from seniors looking for rides to the doctors? Who houses all of the medical supplies? Who helps seniors when they have a problem with Medicare or a contractor that did not complete a job? That's right, the Police Department. The Elderly Affairs program cannot provide the services to our seniors that we do without the interaction of the Police Department.

YES THE COMMUNITY CENTER CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS WITHOUT PHIL.

Can you tell me is this new separation and new charitable fund going to help the residents of Atkinson or is it now going to reduce or completely dissolve the Elderly Affairs program?

THE ELDERLY AFFAIRS PROGRAM WILL NOT BE DISSOLVED. WE INTEND TO INCREASE SERVICES FOR EVERYONE (NOT JUST YOUR CHOSEN FEW) WHILE BEING TRANSPARENT. THE ELDERLY WILL DO BETTER WITHOUT YOU CHIEF. WE WILL SEE TO IT. AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE YOU ARE THE BEGINNING AND END ALL FOR ELDERLY AFFAIRS, YOU ARE NOT.

Please get your facts straight prior to printing your editorials.

THE PAPER HAS IT FACTS STRAIGHT. IT’S THE CHIEF THAT IS MISLEADING THE PUBLIC.

PHIL, STOP INTIMIDATING AND LYING TO THE PUBLIC AND OUR ELDERLY! THEY DON’T DESERVE BEING MISTREATED. YOU SIR, ARE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IN OUR TOWN. STEP DOWN NOW.

PHILIP V. CONSENTINO

Police chief

Director of elderly affairs

President of the Atkinson Police

Charitable Fund

Atkinson, N.H.


ATKINSON TAXPAYERS COMMITTEE

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

This lie is best:

"Who is going to maintain these vehicles? Who is going to pay for all of the repairs? All of these expenses were paid through the Police Department's Donation/Equipment Fund."

What a stinker! ALL of these expenses were paid by the TAXPAYERS through the PD budget you liar!! Show us the documentation to prove otherwise! You can't because it doesn't exist.

Tell you what Phil, why don't you use the new fund you have now like before? You sent everyone a letter saying it was the same thing under a new name. Why wouldn't you do that? And pay all the expenses like before? Hmmm????????

I like the same fund, new name marketing letter I paid for. It has con artist written all over it. We are weary of your abuse of the elderly. This needs to stop. Now.

Anonymous said...

I want to know why our selectmen are allowing Phil to SPIN the facts. They are his bosses and he's making them look like idiots.

If they can't control him, they should turn over the keys to the town to him, and go die where the elephants die. The taxpayers will deal with him.

Anonymous said...

Spoiled brat he is. I will vote for no increased elderly budget with Phil in the drivers seat. Use your donation account Phil, like you said you have done before. NO! No more. This has to stop.

Anonymous said...

Even though I have donated money to the Police Donation account before, the rant Mr. Consentino displayed in his editorial scares me. His contempt really showed through in those words. Does he really believe we elderly can not think for ourselves? Does he really believe we can't see through the mistruth, especially where the truth is so easily obtained?

I remember the writings that appeared in German newspapers during World War II, and they were similar to Mr. Consentino's. The hate, the contempt and the lies were all there. These are all examples of someone being mentally unbalanced that leads to very bad things.

It scares me now, to see our police chief writing the same way. I can't help but think Mr. Consentino has lost his way, and fear that someone different should hold the position of Police Chief. I fear he might do something bad, and I will not donate to his fund again. The good he appears to have done in the past is not worth the danger he presents today.

Thank you,

Anonymous said...

Phil, if transparency was really your goal, you could have, at any time given the information requested, conducted ALL of your business in public, as required by law, and turned the donation acocunt over to the trustees when the AGO recommended that.

It is obvious from your actions;

stonewalling giving info.

forming a private slush fund

stating in your letter that you are accountable to noone

stating that now that the money is under your control solely, things that used to be paid for by the donation acct. now have to go into the budget.

All of this demonstrates that you don't give half a shit about transparency, honesty, integrity, or the elderly;

All you evidently care about is your own political power, the ability to have people say what a saint you are for doing your job.

Yes I said doing your job;

Because you do not give these rides out of the goodness of your heart, you are the director of elderly affairs, it is your job!

A job you are paid for, seeing as you spend more time on that than doing police work. Thank God you have Lt. Baldwin to do the job you are supposed to be being paid to do.

You are a disgrace to the uniform.

Anonymous said...

Please consider this as a submission article.

To: PHILIP V. CONSENTINO

We want to know if the Chief went to the ET building in his police uniform to intimate the owners while out of his police jurisdiction. We bet the BAFOON did. If he did, he made himself look like the fool he is and disgraced our fair town. Town’s people don't have to put up with his foolishness.

Chief, we know you read this blog many times daily. Defend yourself publicly to our elderly and us. Be a man, not a no gun, golden badge hypocrite, and answer our questions here on the blog. Did you or did you not, go to the ET building with your uniform on while driving one of our police cars? Your fingerprints are all over this.

Atkinson Taxpayers want to know. We pay you, and we want your answer.

Not answering will prove we are right.

Blog readers stay tuned for the next radio broadcast regarding our illustrious Chief. You will not want to miss this. No police Chief has brought more shame to a town in the State of New Hampshire than your Elderly Police Chief. Please stay tuned.

Anonymous said...

People, please stop your anti consentino ranting's.
You're wasting your time, he sold his soul to the devil and we are stuck with him - like it or not. Only someone who's owned by the devil could lie, cheat and prey on the elderly without remorse. Stop wasting your breath.

Anonymous said...

That should be cheat and prey upon the elderly while claiming to be their savior!

Anonymous said...

From what I'm hearing on the street, Mr. Consentino is rapidly losing his support from the Elderly. The more he rants, the more support he will lose. Someone even told me that his own men at the station are laughing behind his back. How’s that for justice?

Let the ranting Bafoon rant. He will be gone before we know it.

Atkinson Reporter 2, Webmaster: Keep up the good work. The blog is working.

Anonymous said...

Article Submission

Webmaster says:

The transcript of the November 4 hearing regarding HAWC's loan request before the PUC is now available at www.just-goaway.com

It is 155 pages but an easy and interesting read.

For those of you who were particularly upset with the cancellation of the October 30 public hearing scheduled by the BOS I direct your attention to the end of Page 57, continuing on Page 58. Is this your interpretation of events?

Anonymous said...

So what do you do with a police chief who lies, breaks the law, and who residents have to take to court to get him to stop?

Anonymous said...

Excuse me, but don't all those items qualify him to run for the position of selectman again? Haven't the selectmen lied, broke the law and required the citizens to take them to court?

Anonymous said...

This transparency issue is being twisted.

Here is the RSA under Title I, Chapter 7:

Director of Charitable Trusts

Under 7:19-a, section II C. it states: (c) The charitable trust maintains a list disclosing each and every pecuniary benefit transaction, including the names of those to whom the benefit accrued and the amount of the benefit, and keeps such list available for inspection by members of the governing board and contributors to the charitable trust. The list shall also be reported to the director of charitable trusts each year as part of the charitable trust's annual report required under RSA 7:28;

If I donate $1.00, then according to my interpretation of this RSA, I get to see a list of all the people who received a benefit. I have not checked to confirm but the wording seems clear.

Then you would have the list of people getting handouts and you could send them information about all the state and local free stuff like Salem Caregivers, Fuel Assistence, etc they can get without having to be obligated to Phil. I bet he'd really appreciate that.

Does anyone know if you can legally obtain a list of the trusts donors? Then you could really put a crimp in his style. I bet he would appreciate that even more.

Website address on the RSA http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/I/7/7-19-a.htm

more here http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/I/7/7-28.htm

Anonymous said...

Officers and directors of a charitable trust can legally receive compensation. Amounts must be disclosed in the charitbable trust's annual report.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Phil

for demonstrating better than anyone ever could why transparency and accountability are needed so badly for both the police dept. and Elderly Affairs.

If you can lie to the people in print in the paper, when the accounts are readily available on the taxpayer website, then what would you do with no one looking over your shoulder?

After all these years you have just proven to me that I can't trust you, and I will never donate to you again. I will never call you for a ride again either.

Anonymous said...

You have to show up at the deliberative session to make a difference in these matters. Complaining all year will be for nothing if you don't show up. You can spare one day to straighten this mess out, tell your neighbors and friends.

Anonymous said...

Phil says:

"Who is going to maintain these vehicles? Who is going to pay for all of the repairs? All of these expenses were paid through the Police Department's Donation/Equipment Fund."

If all of these expenses were paid through the donation fund, I can't find them.

http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/Donation_Ledger2005.pdf
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/Donation_Ledger2006.pdf
http://www.atkinsontaxpayers.org/pdf/Donation_Ledger2007-08.pdf

His statement qualifies as a LIE unless of course I am missing something here. Someone please tell me where I have the facts wrong.

Anonymous said...

Why do we have a police department? We should negotiate a regional deal with Plaistow!

Anonymous said...

You are right those expenses are not there!

I cant believe chief lied.

Anonymous said...

Didn't Phil sue Acciard a couple of years ago, because Acciard said he lied?

I guess we know why Phil withdrew the suit.

Anonymous said...

Not only are the Chief's men laughing at him behind his back, you should hear what police officers in other towns are saying? Which towns...all of them.
Atkinson is the laughing stock of the state.

Anonymous said...

Why do we have a police department? We should negotiate a regional deal with Plaistow!

Anonymous said...

Speaking as an officer in a neighboring town, I don't enjoy mutual aid calls in Atkinson.

Atkinson has some great rank and file officers, but your administration is a joke! And the entire Southern NH Law Enforcement community knows it.

And I am making this post from a Town Library, so dont bother trying to trace it.

Anonymous said...

If you would like help in getting rid of the problem politicians in the town of Atkinson, please write to webmaster@atkinsontaxpayers.org and we will get in touch with you.

Anonymous said...

Oh? How can we help?