From the eagle Tribune;
Search for new superintendent will cost Timberlane $30,000
PLAISTOW - The Timberlane Regional School District will be starting a national search today for a new superintendent, hoping to find the right candidate by July 1.
At a meeting last night of the SAU 55 Board, 15 Timberlane and Hampstead school board members voted to pay the New England School Development Council $30,000 to search the country for the right person to replace superintendent Richard La Salle, who announced two weeks ago that he will be leaving this summer for a new job at an educational nonprofit center. La Salle makes $138,679 a year.
Chairman Gregory Hoppa explained the board had four options to search for a new superintendent and they debated each one.
"We can perform a national search for around $30,000," he said. "Next is a regional search by the New Hampshire School Board Association that would cost $10,000 and take 12 to 16 weeks. The next process is an in-house search, which would cost about $2,000. I don't consider anything a coronation, but we do have the option to select an internal candidate if we have someone of merit."
Business director George Stokinger said the district budget could absorb the cost of any of the four search options without a problem. But Hoppa said the real issue for the district is time, since they need a new superintendent to start well before the next school year.
"Other districts have had five or six months to do this," he said. "We have a start date of July 1 and this affects the talent pool. But I'm opposed to putting in someone as an interim superintendent. You gain more time, but that person does not have the authority to do what needs to be done."
Board member Peter Bealo said the board shouldn't shy away from paying more for a thorough search.
"It will cost us more in the long term if we don't make a good decision," he said. "I have great difficulty with this committee doing all the work to hire a candidate. No one on the Timberlane board are seasoned HR pros that can hire executives. I don't believe we can do all of this ourselves."
And Jaye Dimando said it might be possible to get the done more quickly than they might expect.
"Derry started their search for a superintendent in January and had a new superintendent in March," she said. "We could give a deadline."
But some board members did not believe the search process was necessary at all.
"I'm a proponent of hiring from within," Judy Graham said. "Existing employees generally require less training. They're familiar with the staff, the facilities and the culture. They know the people on the board and they can hit the ground running. It will save money. I would not feel bad about making a decision tonight."
She did not name assistant superintendent Winfried Feneberg as her preferred candidate, but did imply that he should have the job,
But other board members urged caution, including Nancy Steenson.
"I don't think anyone here would buy a car without doing research first," she said. "This is so much more important. It would be irresponsible to make a decision without doing research and getting resumes. If we get resumes from in-house candidates we can give them an edge for those reasons. But we need to at least open this up regionally."
Though La Salle is leaving, he also gave his advice to the board.
"As you go through this process, there's a lot of optimism in the beginning but you're going to run into some realities," he said. "The state of New Hampshire pays about 40 percent less than Massachusetts and less than many other states in the country. There is a critical shortage of district administrators. If you look at searches done by local districts, the number of candidates is relatively modest. It's the same short list of candidates applying to the same jobs."
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1 – 200 of 323 Newer› Newest»Bet they set up their seach headquarters in Las Vegas and throw interview parties to honor their nationally known puke candidates. And it's only our money. The schools can spend our money as much as they want. Lasalle showed em how to get around the rules and give everybody the spoils. Lasalle was a winner. Where they find him? National search? What a loser. It is always a greedy administratot and school that bankrupts and breaks the back of the home owners. Look at your tax bill. Refund us that $30,000 you stole. You can find a more honorable man than Lasalle advertising on Craig's List. Why don't you build yourself a new licker room for 10 million. It's free money.
Good bye Lasalle. Best news ever. Go to the meetings and watch the show to make sure the best person gets hired. Timberlane could finally get a savior.
Damn I thought this blog was dead. Lasalle is gone....great. Now just dont hire from within. There is no qualified person in the district to sit at the seat. They need new ideas and a shake up of administrators. The board has to also stop kissing the ars of the super and woodworth. Yes Judy I am talking about you, and many others.
TO April 11, 2012 8:56 AM
They wont refund the 30K or anything else. They will pass it into capital expendatures.
The right hire will save the district millions. $30K is nothing for the hiring job. IF THEY PICK THE RIGHT ONE. We need new ideas and a fresh perspective. Hiring from within means more of the same.
Does anyone realize what the LaSalle reign of terror has done to Timberlane Athletics. Lasalle came from Nashua and brough Angelo Fantasia with him. Fantasia had to replace the "living legend" Bucky Tardiff and guess what he has failed miserably.
We don't need to talk about the fact that Fantasia hires only teachers to coach. Teachers that may have a clue but most don't. Fantasia was given a diamond in the rough in Dave Kirsch and after one year of sub par hoop Dave was shown the door.
Why you ask? Not because his sone is going to one of the best High Schools in New England, not because Dave shook things up and made kids accountable but because one grandpapa didnt like the fact Dave made his little grandson sit after disobeying a play call.
Mr Hawkins from Plaistow, you are a clown and I hope when Johnny is playing intramural hoop next year at college his coach is nicer to him.
Come on Atkinson Reporter the dismissal of dave Kirsch is atravesty and one we must all come together on and fight.
I would give Tony DiBartolomeo a shot at running the schools. The only aspect of the school system that has been consistently successful is music. He insists on effort and excellence and it shows. If Mr. D were superintendent, I believe the staff would be motivated to perform at a higher level.
Unfortunately, Mr. D. is too smart to want the job. I asked.
You don't take a teacher and promote them to Head Admin.
I hear Billys going to apply.
Athletics??? Seriously??? That is your concern?? Please... I would rather have the kids pass the entrance exams to good schools then shoot better basketball. How many students go pro? How many go to college on sports scholorships? How many goto NECCO because they cant perform on the SATs. Sports are fun, but the world is a much more competitive place to give two cents about sports right now. Keep them and have fun in them and build team work, but dont spend any more money and please stop adding programs.
You don't take a teacher and promote them to Head Admin.
Why not? First, he is the head of the music department. Second, he has a record of excellence and leadership.
George Stokinger and Kathy Smith run the business. The SAU needs a leader.
Athletics isn't a bad thing to be concerned over. Like the Music program, over 90% of kids doing sports go on to college or the military, vs ~75 - 80% for the HS as a whole (which is atandard for the whole area BTW). Encouraging student athletics and music seems to be good in the scheme of things.
With sub 0.2% dropout rate, I would think the next big thing to concentrate on would be raising overall college attendance rate and then (maybe at same time, maybe not) start ratcheting up the level of colleges accepting our HS kids.
Maybe so, but the qualifications of a teacher and an Administrator are different. The ability to do one job well does not mean you can do all jobs well, or be competent at all jobs.
I dont think anyone aid get rid of Athletics. I think what was mentioned was stop making it such a consumption of money. Run a lean athletics program that allows full student participation. The drop out rate is low because that has been a priority point of the state. One of the reasons it is low is because it is so easy to sail through the school system. Kids that cant even make change at a counter or figure out a sales price are being escorted through the system. I know because I have talked with a number of them. And they say that they dont need to work hard at all to get through. Don't get me wrong, there are some very smart kids in the school that should be proud of themselves and acomplisments. But there are many others that dont belong in the grade they are in.
Judging from the writings here, the local schools have been failing students for a long time.
"Failing students" is a little harsher than reality. TRHS is on-par academically with pretty much all local HS's. Windham and Pinkerton are a little higher. Definitely plenty to work on, but that's par for the course at any school.
This board generally has a difficult time balancing pros and cons...
On par? Then the whole area needs an overhaul.
To be on par with mediocre iw well just mediocre. Why not set your sights to be as good if not better with the best schools out there. Even if they are not in the US.
To April 13, 2012 8:55 AM
Not a rational statement. You imply that sports participation is directly related to college admissions. It makes more sense that the type of people that play sprts are from the same group that have a high desire for college. So participation in sports would be a subgroup of the scolastic students that want to further education.
Yes, it is a rational statement.
Kids in music and athletics have an additional reason to be at school every day. Coaches and music teachers teach them how to work to achieve something. Also sometimes act as surrigate parents in trying to help kids succeed.
Data is data, EVERY year athletes and music kids go to college in significantly higher %'s than the general population. You don't have to like it, but facts are facts.
TRHS is on-par academically with pretty much all local HS's. Windham and Pinkerton are a little higher. Definitely plenty to work on, but that's par for the course at any school.
This is not true. TRSD is a District In Need of Improvement (DINI) and has been for all of La Salle's reign. Pollard, the middle school, and the high school are all perpetually SINI (School In Need of Improvement) ranked. The district is so bad that it has to submit teaching plans to the state for review.
If you have kids in the schools, open their books. Your kid doesn't bring home books? Timberlane has been pillaging the book budget since construction of the PAC. What little money is left has been spent of 'dollar store' texts.
Take a look at their homework assignments and tests. Some of the teachers are not knowledgable in their field of instruction. Some are functionally illiterate. Many have communication problems. Communication skills are key to instruction.
There are no midterms or finals at the high school. Big Tests are part of life -- whether you are taking the SATs to prepare for college or getting a certification as part of your career, the ability to prepare for and pass a Big Test will serve you well.
How do you fix this? Process is the great leveler. Instead of hiring and promoting teachers who earn advanced degrees, you hire teachers with sound communication skills and demonstrater mastery of their subject area. You only ask them to present, clarify, and reinforce their specialty. This used to be called teaching. Don't hire people who do not love to teach.
Buy a curriculum from a successful school system. Windham, Pinkerton, Exeter and MANY other school districts perform better than TRSD. Fall in love with one and offer to share the cost of curriculum development.
Re-engineer special needs. If you have spent any time inside the schools, you know that despite spending a ton of money on special needs, the results are terrible. Mainstreaming either adversely impacts the teaching level of the classes or overwhelms the less able students. Sort kids by ability from an early age so that each reaches his or her potential. Ensure that the schedule is structured so that mobility is EASY (for some kids, it's a maturity or circumstance hurdle). Tuition those with the greatest needs to schools and institutions with the best programs. Monies used to support inhouse programs, could be spent on the kids.
TRHS is on-par academically with pretty much all local HS's. Windham and Pinkerton are a little higher. Definitely plenty to work on, but that's par for the course at any school.
Timberlane needs to focus on education -- to craft a schedule such that the core teachings happen during the morning hours and less academically challenging activities happen after lunch.
Organize the morning as four 50 minute classes with five minutes for movement -- math, science, writing/literature, social studies. Stagger basic music and art classes through the lunch block. Use the afternoon for labs (writing, science, music, programming, industrial arts) and everything else (art, phys ed, foreign language).
This best prepares the kids for academic success as ideas are presented when they can be best absorbed. A teacher can have the same group of kids through four years of high school to facilitate transistion.
It may seem that such a schedule would leave some teachers idle for long periods, but that doesn't have to happen. For instance, with no music, art, or phys ed classes during the mornings, those teachers could start later in the day so that extracurricular activities (music, sports, drama) are part of their scheduled day. (This could open the door to extended days for motivated students and latch key kids.) Part time instructors, multiskilled teachers, and contracted artisans could fill foreign language and art class gaps. The rest of the core instructors would support the afternoon labs.
Outsource the evening division. It's very expensive and most of the cost is administrative/overhead. VLACS offers GED anytime, anywhere for $0 to NH residents. I think this would be better for working students than scheduled evening classes in Plaistow. The SAU could lease out space at night and on weekends for other classes (basket weaving and pottery which are currently offered plus real classes like CISSP training, SAT Prep, second languages, first aid, cpr, etc.) -- actually making money letting the market determine what the community wants.
If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got. In our case, what Timberlane has been for more than a generation is a poor school district. Let's do something different and see what happens.
"It makes more sense that the type of people that play sprts are from the same group that have a high desire for college. So participation in sports would be a subgroup of the scolastic students that want to further education."
There is nothing logical about this premise and conclusion.
Playing sports is not an indicator that they have a high desire for college. They are unrelated! Nothing in your argument proves evidence that playing sports leads to higher education.
It's been a rough stretch for Pennsylvania's state Legislature. Within the past two months, four onetime floor leaders have been sentenced, pleaded guilty or found guilty of corruption charges. But a jury verdict isn't stopping one of those legislators from running for re-election.
Former state House Speaker Bill DeWeese is campaigning for another term, though earlier this month, he gave a farewell address on the Pennsylvania House floor.
It's not that DeWeese expects to lose. In fact, he's running unopposed. It's just that the day he wins the primary, the 17-term Democrat will become constitutionally ineligible to keep serving.
Actually, He's Not Technically A Felon — Yet
In February, DeWeese was convicted of five corruption charges. A jury ruled he had used about $100,000 worth of state resources to conduct campaign work. The case was part of a long-running state corruption investigation that has led to the conviction of four legislators, plus one acquittal. When DeWeese emerged from the courtroom, he didn't apologize.
"I certainly feel I did nothing wrong," he said.
Pennsylvania's Constitution bars felons from holding office. DeWeese said that wouldn't stop his campaign.
"I believe that in the court of public opinion, I shall be favorably received to some substantial degree," he said to the gaggle of reporters.
DeWeese is now a felon, but that doesn't become official until the day he's sentenced, which happens to be the day of Pennsylvania's primary. So technically, he's eligible to run for office, even though he'll need to step down the same day. DeWeese is banking on an appeals court to overturn his verdict so he can return in time to run again in the fall.
A Likable Guy
Like a lot of people in Greene County, Ralph Bouchard likes DeWeese.
"If you needed to talk to him, he was always available," Bouchard says.
Standing behind the counter at a hardware store in Waynesburg, Bouchard says he assumes most legislators use state money to campaign. But he disapproves of DeWeese's quixotic effort.
It's usually hard to talk to people about state government. Most voters don't know who their state representative is. That isn't the case in DeWeese's southwestern Pennsylvania district. Not only do most voters have an opinion about the Democrat; they all seem to know DeWeese personally.
'I'm Still Going To Vote For Him'
Down the street at Classy Cuts, Cathy Hoskins is finishing up a perm for Marcia Marsh. They both insist DeWeese is a good man and have no problem with him running.
"He's brought a lot of new businesses, and like, the prison, and he's there for you," Hoskins says.
Marsh agrees. "He kept me on Social Security disability when they wanted to take me off it. And I can't work," she says.
"He just helps," Hoskins says.
Details that came out in the trial, like the fact that he threatened to fire a state employee for not doing enough campaign work, don't faze them. Nor does the fact that he won't be able to serve.
"I know. I'm still going to vote for him," Hoskins says. "And then if he has to, you know what I mean, give it up, then that's fine. I'm still going to vote for him."
"Me too," Marsh agrees. "He was loyal to me, so I'm going to stay loyal to him, too."
A Strange Day Ahead
DeWeese is proud of the fact that he got Pennsylvania to build two state prisons in his legislative district during his time in office.
"During this interview, right this second, I'm certainly thinking of the irony of some of my accomplishments, and the fact that I was able to build two big maximum security facilities," DeWeese says.
On April 24, DeWeese will win the Democratic nomination for an 18th term. He's running unopposed, after all. The same day, he'll receive a sentence of anything from probation to six years in prison. He'll become an official felon, and if he doesn't resign, the House of Representatives will expel him.
Yet barring a legal challenge, DeWeese will remain on the fall ballot. If he wins an appeal, DeWeese says he'll be back. If not, the 36-year legislator will have bid the House goodbye for the final time.
"I shall miss you. And I shall miss your friendship," DeWeese said to applause in his farewell speech on the House floor earlier this month.
They can like you for doing favors in this town. But a felony is a felony.
I'm tired of talking about the Chief and I think he likes all the attention, good or bad. He just wants to be in print. Haven't you ever wondered why he always goes to the newspaper with his stories? Who else does this? No one.
I'm also tired of your cat comments and threats to this woman. Normal people are put off by your ignorant comments and it only discredits you.
A misdemeanor is also a crime.
I recall Frank Polito saying nasty things on here about Carol Grant and he got caught. He almost lost his job and had to pay her for slandering her good name.
His job at Lucent. I'll bet they loved that publicity but kept him on.
He was also repsonbible for costing the Town over $100k last year in legal bills after he refused to let a photographer record a public meeting. Any moron knows meetings can be recorded (except the ones in the room who voted with him).
Let's get back on topic. Guess what I've heard? La Salle
is a mere figure head in the TRSD. The real power at SAU55 is Killer Kelli ( Kelli Killen ). Seems it's her way or the highway. No one would object, if her policies and initiatives were effective, but test scores have gone down ever since she arrived.
JMO
Never heard of her. What makes you think so?
LaSalle is in charge so it's his mess.
Lasalle was going to fix the problems by building a new high school. With your tax dollars of course. This is leadership?
It's a people problem. Its a curriculum problem. Not problem with hallways and classrooms duh. Isn't the Atkinson Academy building over 100 years old but seems to be doing well. We need a plan to fix the academics. Fire the weak teachers and bring in competent ones. The new hires are critical. I also think the sports facilities are a dump and need to be updated. We can't let that continue. It has to be done. I know people are against it but you will keep more of the good students local. Right now many are fleeing the district.
Playing sports is not an indicator that they have a high desire for college. They are unrelated! Nothing in your argument proves evidence that playing sports leads to higher education.
My comment of sports and higher education was in response to anothers statistic. Who stated that people who play sports are more likely to go to college. The assumption they make is that sports has something to do with it. I say it has nothing to do with it. If the stat is correct it makes more sense that Kids that go to secondary education are more inclined to play sports or music. I never stated that sports promote higher ed...they just have no impact. And the kids dont drop out to play sports as was mentioned earlier. In my opinion they are staying in because it is easy now. Kids can play sports anyplace. So bottom line.. focus on education and keep sports, but keep the focus on what is important.
oh say can you see, by the dawns....wait...its the 4th of july right? let the summer begin!!!!
It's April you moron.
To the editor,
The April 9th SAU #55 Board agenda to begin the replacement process for the Superintendent read almost like a script from Central Casting: 1) open the meeting, 2) call the roll, 3) pledge allegiance to the flag, 3) have a perfunctory discussion on the Superintendent Selection Process, 4) enter into non-public session and, ipso facto, proclaim that the Board had chosen and appointed a current administrator to succeed Richard La Salle. End of story.
That was a bold faced attempt at anointing the administration’s chosen successor in secret session, without the benefit of an open and transparent process.
But the taxpayers rebelled and would have none of it.
The Board was told that the scheduling of a non-public session under RSA91-A:3, II (a) “…disciplining, promotion or compensation of employees…” smacked of a coronation since there were no known candidates yet.
Then, the Board was enjoined to develop a search process that was open, transparent and involved as many stakeholders as possible in order to identify the best candidate for the position.
But foremost—since this chance comes only once every ten years or so—the Board needed to update the existing contract to stop throwing money at the superintendent and make it more realistic and taxpayer friendly.
Specifically:
1. Employment and term: One year, renewable—not three year minimum.
2. No Contract Renewal/Resignation Notices: 90 days instead of three years/60 days.
3. Vacation/Sick Leave: Non cumulative or redeemable - “use it or lose it.”
4. Professional Activities: no lecturing, consulting, teaching, etc. out of district allowed.
5. Retirement age: 65 instead of 57.
6. Retirement Annuities: none. Why pay an additional 7% annually when taxpayers are already fully funding their retirement?
7. All Benefits: stand-alone provisions—no linkage to Hampstead/Timberlane union contracts.
8. Medical/Dental Insurances: reduce taxpayer contributions.
9. Retirement Vacation/Sick Leave Redemption: none.
The SAU Board was very receptive to the suggestions and a motion was quickly made to move forward with a fully transparent and open national search instead of an in-house promotion.
However, Chairman Gregg Hoppa was none too happy with the way the taxpayers derailed his carefully designed plan and tried to salvage it by droning endlessly without putting the motion to a vote.
Eventually, Hoppa had to relent, the motion passed unanimously, the search was on and the unnecessarily long meeting ended.
But this inside power grab was not the most egregious issue of the night.
The SAU Board violated its own Policy BBBH, section H, par. 1 which requires that the Board meet on or after April 1st to reorganize and elect new officers.
Thus, the first order of business for the Board that night should have been the election of new officers with the full participation of newly elected members. Then, the new SAU Board—under a new chairman—could turn its attention to replacing the superintendent and other matters.
Had that been done, the meeting would have been pro forma and free of the Machiavellian shenanigans we witnessed.
Jorge Mesa-Tejada
Hampstead
Greg Hoppa? Where the "HE" double "L" do they find these people? Hampstead would have built a new police station a few years ago if it wan't for leeches like La Salle and Hoppa at SAU55 and the TRSD. Is your school system better than it was 4 years ago? Then, cut pay and benefits until test scores improve.
JMHO
The SAU board and school board are composed of PTA refugees. These people bow before the office of the superintendent. Need a lot of elections to convene a governing body that serves the community.
Election of new officers to run the SAU55 board is another top priority. Koppa needs to go. We need fair minded people without a personal agenda. People who think in terms of the students and community and not Lasalle and his personal ego maniacal plans.
Tri-Town Times
...
Mesa-Tejada said of the agenda, “Having a non-public session listed sounds to me as if there will be a coronation tonight.” He went on to express concern if that were the case, adding, “The superintendent’s selection must be open and transparent, whereby candidates are vetted in public session by stakeholders and the finalist chosen by open vote.”
He went on to challenge the SAU Board to consider all the elements of the selection process, including and most especially the contract terms. “Now is the time to bring those contracts up to date and make them more taxpayer friendly,” he said. “A review of the contract terms is essential because the current contract terms are harmful to taxpayers.” He then suggested where and how the contract benefits package should be reduced and union connections severed. The board members were receptive to his comments and suggestions, and Hoppa said they would be taken under advisement.
The SAU Board members, made up of Hampstead and Timberlane School District board members, then heard from Hoppa, who outlined what he perceived to be their options regarding the selection process. He said the board had three options: a national search conducted by NESDEC (New England School Development Council) that would cost $30,000 but did not have a timeframe; a regional search conducted by the New Hampshire School Boards Association that would cost $10,000 and take between 12 to 16 weeks, and an in-house search that would cost $1,800 to $2,000 and would allow greater time flexibility and therefore more transition time.
Hoppa said any direction the board takes involves risks. He said the number of districts that have already entered the selection search process for a new superintendent and the number still in the process has thinned the available pool of qualified candidates. In addition, the new superintendent would begin work by facing three contract negotiations and the budget building season.
The board members chose not to go into non-public session to discuss a possible in-house appointment, and the majority of the members expressed the desire for a national search, looking for the best and most qualified candidate. Some board members wanted a new superintendent to take the Timberlane/Hampstead School Districts in a new direction, while others opted for consistency. The board agreed on a desire to find and select the most highly qualified candidate regardless of whether that came from within or without the district.
Board member Michael Mascola of Atkinson, after a lengthy debate, made the motion to contract with NESDEC for a national search that would encompass regional and in-house aspects as well and not exceed $30,000. The motion was amended to add the goal of completion by July 1. The motion and amended motion were unanimously approved. The district will contact NESDEC and get things under way this week, with the intention of having a NESDEC search consultant at the SAU 55’s April 18 board meeting.
The NESDEC Search Consultants will work with a committee, and the SAU board will be represented, but the makeup of that subgroup will wait for direction from the NESDEC consultant team. The board also discussed creating another subgroup to review and suggest changes to the contract. That decision also will be taken up at the next meeting. The board also voted unanimously to have the next meeting video taped so it could be re-played to both districts’ residents. After the meeting adjourned, Assistant Superintendent Winfried Feneberg, the likely in-house candidate, had the board opted to go into non-public session at the meeting to consider a candidate, said, “I plan to take some time to think about whether I will be a candidate.”
It is so messed up you almost want to put it to a vote to pull Atkinson out of the District and have our own Middle and High School.
Yes. Definitely. I have wanted to do this for several years.
We already have a middle school, so even if we contracted with another town for HS until we could build our own or come up with a suitable arrangement.
How many HS students do we have, anyone?
Until this years vote on the locker rooms and gym renovations, every whim of the Superintendent and School Board has been voted in by the residents of Atkinson. Other towns have occasionally voted no. Those of you that think things are all messed up have only yourselves to blame. Think about your vote for once and ignore those feeling of awe you experience when La Salle enters he room.
I have long thought about a similar scenario. We separate from the SAU.
We keep the Academy as a pro rata investment share in the district. We build a junior high( NOT middle)/ high School behind The post Office.
We currently pay TRSD $12.000.000/yr. for the same investment we could provide a stellar education for our children, on par with phillips.
Atkinson has 488 students at the academy, and 578 or so at MS and HS. This will require no more than a 100,000 sq.ft. school.
Food for thought.
It would take a vote of all towns except Plaistow to do this. I would like out. When I was a kid, parents could tuition their kids to one of four schools. Of course, we have VLACS as well. Only Danville would be in tough share for space, but people are fleeing Danville, so that may correct itself.
We do not need the vote of the other towns to leave. They can't force us to use their school. We can just take our cash and run. Let's do it.
if only that were true. Look here...
http://www.timberlane.net/Articles%20of%20Agreement.pdf
This is awful.
Timberlane is perfect for Plaistow. They're working class and not very bright over there.
Here's an article about a NH town just starting the process of leaving their SAU. I think I remember reading in the "Union Leader" recently about a town that has just been given permission by the State to leave theirs. Maybe someone read the article too. I'll keep looking.
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120303/GJNEWS_01/703039951
So this stuff does happen.
Len, Try this;
195:25 Procedure for Withdrawal. – After the tenth anniversary of the date of operating responsibility, the school board of a cooperative school district may undertake a study of the feasibility and suitability of the withdrawal of one or more member districts from the cooperative district. A similar study shall be undertaken if, after the tenth anniversary of the date of operating responsibility, a pre-existing district shall, by a majority vote on a warrant article at a regular or special town meeting, direct the school board to conduct such a study. The study shall be conducted by a committee composed of at least one member of the school board from each of the pre-existing districts, one member of the board of selectmen from each town, and such other members as may be appointed by the committee. Within 180 days after the date of its formation, the committee shall report its findings to the state board of education. The committee shall submit to the state board of education either a report that withdrawal is not feasible or suitable, or a report that includes a withdrawal plan prepared in accordance with RSA 195:26. If the committee determines that withdrawal is not feasible or suitable, the town which voted to undertake the study may submit a minority report at the same time as the committee report is filed with the state board of education. If the committee report does not include a withdrawal plan, the minority report may include a withdrawal plan prepared in accordance RSA 195:26. If the state board approves a withdrawal plan, whether submitted by the committee or by minority report, the plan shall be submitted to the voters of the cooperative school district in accordance with RSA 195:29.
195:26 Withdrawal Plan. – A plan for the withdrawal of a member district or districts of a cooperative school district shall include the following:
I. The name of the withdrawing district or districts and the grades.
II. The number, composition, method of selection, and terms of office of the school board of the withdrawing district or districts and of the cooperative school board.
III. The method of apportioning the operating and capital expenses among the members of the cooperative school district if a change is to be proposed in conjunction with the withdrawal procedure.
IV. The proposed date of operating responsibility, at which time the withdrawing district shall be responsible for the education of its pupils and after which the cooperative district will no longer have such financial and educational responsibility.
V. The liability of the withdrawing district for its share of any outstanding indebtedness of the cooperative school district as detailed in RSA 195:27.
VI. A plan for the education of all students in the withdrawing school district and for the continuation of the school system of the cooperative district. This shall detail the proposed assignment of students in grades operated by the cooperative and withdrawing district or districts including, if any, tuition arrangements or contracts.
VII. Any other matters, not incompatible with law, which the planning committee may consider appropriate to include in the withdrawal plan.
And this;
195:28 Disposition of Property. – If a pre-existing school district withdraws from the cooperative school district, the cooperative school district shall transfer and convey title to any school building and land located in the withdrawing district to the withdrawing district upon payment by the withdrawing district of the costs of capital improvements and additions to said school building incurred by the cooperative school district, less the share which the withdrawing school district has already paid toward such costs and the share which the withdrawing school district is required to contribute toward such costs as provided in RSA 195:27. The amount of said capital improvements and additions and the time of transfer of title shall be determined by the agreement for withdrawal between the cooperative school district and the withdrawing school district. The withdrawing school district forfeits its equity in all other cooperative school district facilities.
Which scenario do you see playing out, Mark? It would have to come by warrant vote and Plaistow -- the prime beneficiary and most populus community -- would not vote for. That means Atkinson, Danville, and Sandown would all have to want out. Danville has never voted for any TRSD initiative, so I'm counting on a win here. Sandown would opt out. Atkinson, I don't know. Atkinson, until the $5,000,000 locker room renovation, has tended to support the SAU.
Peter Bealo is a Plaistow parent and rookie school board member. He has forums for timberlane parents. I started a topic about disolving the district over there (http://timberlaneschools.forumsland.com/timberlaneschools-about413.html). I suggest people who feel strongly about disolving the district register and post to that topic.
thanks...len!
To the snob on 4/17 @ 748 PM , I can and will agree with you about your saying Timberlane is perfect for Plaistow. When you say "they're working class and not very bright over there" I do disagree with you. They were bright enough to build the multi town school and you apparently went along with that.[ Unless your a new comer to - "rich"- town. ] If you hold yourself so high and mighty with your "rich" attitude then why didn't you and the other "rich" town snobs build your own school knowing how well off you and your snob friends are ? You certainly have enough town space to have built a school all of your "rich snob" own a long time ago have and had you not? You seem to be very interested in the building of a school of the towns own but your not interested in what is going on in town government. Are you at all aware of the police and elderly issues? Are you aware you and your fellow snobs are throwing away money each time the town officials screw up because of the to many suits that they are and were responsible for. It has cost the towns taxpayers enough to have been able to help defray the costs of school building materials and the bonding of a school with its building related costs . These costs could have been defrayed if it were not for the pay outs of the law suits that never seem to end. Do try to remember that they're are many towns people who are not as "rich" as you but they do pay their taxes. Some of them work for the town and others work outside of town while having to endure the brunt of being called residents of the laughing stock of the state. Of course you do not care about that or the questions put here, after all your "richer" than they are and you look down your nose at them. All in all I'd have to say that Plaistow would welcome you and your "rich" friends building a school all your own. They appear to be an up and coming town and guess what , they haven't any law suits to worry about as people less than you and your "rich" snob friends. That says a lot about Atkinson doesn't it? Oh well!! I'll have to assume your "rich" money talks and you do have it to throw away. JMO
Anon, Plaistow should be at the front of the parade to disolve the TRSD. Pollard, TRMS, and TRHS are all perpetually SINI. Your kids most likely will graduate without ever having attended a school that is NOT in need of improvement.
Len, Can you guarantee that a new school[s] in Atkinson will be safe from needing any improvements of any area of possible trouble or misfortune due to age or mismanagement? I think not and I dare say you really do as well but wont admit it. Lets stop the foolish thinking and come to reality with out misleading anyone with such wishful thoughts that you have in trying to sway people for a new school.
I don't think things could get worse. Check the NECAP scores. Check the SINI status of each school and the DINI status of the TRSD. There are no midterms or finals at the high school. We've had one teacher charged with rape of a student (plea bargained to simple assault) and another convicted of downloading child pornography. We had a kid bring a sword home from a field trip. Alcholo use in the MIDDLE SCHOOL was not reported to police as required by law.
I think we can do better.
This crime should all be out in the open but I get the sense the Administration hides alot more from us.
It would be in the open if the schools did not lawyer up. Think about it -- the superintendent of schools brings a lawyer to town meetings. A lawyer is one of about 100 expensive nonteaching positions the schools do not need.
I can agree with Len Mullen about the lawyering up at meetings. If any superintendent were worth his /her salt then they wouldn't have to have a lawyer nearby to guide them at meetings,etc. ------ As for the past wrongfulness of teachers and students during and after school it is nothing new. You only have to read the papers nation wide to see it isn't any thing new. A stricter employment standard is needed to help stop these things from happening. After some time goes by the teachers and supervisors should be held accountable for their actions by a committee of peers and school board members to keep their being employed by the SAU. You and I will never stamp out the abuses of what is known as natures human failure factors. If it were possible then we'd never be able to know right from wrong especially with youngsters who look up to teachers and the many leaders they look up to for guidance in their lives. JMHO
Len, The SD does not have to vote approval for a pre-existing SD to withdraw from a co-operative SD. The TOWN votes at TOWN meeting, to direct the SB to conduct the feasibility study.
The problem would be the STATE BOE. THEY have to give approval, and if they don't then the town must submit a minority study report.
I would think that this procedure could also be challenged as the State would effectively be FORCING the town to stay in the district against it's will. But that would be the process.
How many votes are required to hold a special town meeting?
What options do we have for other schools if we voted to get out?
Do we find out the options first or vote to move forward first?
Let's do something.
prior to the Middle school being built we did double sessions at the high school. High school went 6-12. and Ms went 12-6. I think those were the hours.
The option would be either double sessions at the academy while constructing a junior high/high school. Or leasing space to conduct classes during construction.
Or farming out to Pinkerton or another school. Could we actually allow the parents to pick the school and supplement the cost?
Bumper Sticker Sighting
"DON'T TELL OBAMA WHAT COMES AFTER A TRILLION"
As for the past wrongfulness of teachers and students during and after school it is nothing new. You only have to read the papers nation wide to see it isn't any thing new. A stricter employment standard is needed to help stop these things from happening.
I would contend that a superintendent and a school board allowing an admitted pedophile to continue to prowl the girl's locker room for fourteen months was unusual. To seal the minutes to the meeting that approved this is illegal.
I hear this, but I am tired of people telling me that it's the same everywhere. That doesn't work for me and we need to put a mechanism in place to deal with (fire) these people when they do not serve and inform us. It's for the children! ;)
We aren't any different with problem teachers and students than any where else in the country. What and where are the watchful parents that seem to be oblivious of what is going on with their children? The parents only react when the children and teachers are caught doing wrong things. I,m going to say that parents do fail to be more watchful of their children before they go off to school. I am saying if they would tell the children, especially the girls ,to not wear tight body revealing clothes it would help the situation some. All one has to do is go to the school and observe for themselves how they taunt the males with their way of dressing to understand what is being said here. I do agree that teachers should be accountable for their actions but until they are caught doing wrong there isn't any thing any one can do and then it is to late is it not? The SAU has its faults but those who are outraged let them do this by not stepping up to the plate by voting as they should or to run for the SAU board. I'm not sticking up for the SAU members or the teachers . I ,too, would like better accountability by them when it comes to educating children with in the moral and ethical standards they are supposed to have.
Taunt the males? Are you for real?
How about starting with an education before you preach your ethical standards without bias?
I do agree that teachers should be accountable for their actions but until they are caught doing wrong there isn't any thing any one can do and then it is to late is it not?
I guess you missed the part about how the school board and superintendent met in nonpublic session after ICE informed them that the girl's soccer coach and gym teacher at the middle school admitted to downloading pornographic videos of children and decided to let the the pedophile continue to prowl the locker rooms for fourteen months then sealed the minutes of the meeting for 99 years.
Why do so many people miss the essence of this? Moveover, why doesn't the SB and admin understand how wrong this is?
4/18@10:08 and Len Mullen, The word taunt was used to be less offensive in the real meaning of what I would like to have written. I'm sure that you had your boy /girl thoughts while attending school when it came to relationships. Yes! I'm for real. Stop hiding what is natural in thoughts at that age and beyond unless your dead. Temptation is human but control of it another thing. If you can't see that then you are dead of emotion and what comes naturally in timely human growth . --- No I didn't miss the part of the non public session after ICE. I thought I addressed that earlier at4/18@9:15. The meeting result of sealing the minutes says it all. There is nothing any one can do about it. That is not to say that if you or anyone else who has inside information about what was said and why the sealing took place can't bring these things out to the public. That is if that person has the guts to say it openly or as anonymous. Pleas do not get me wrong in my statements but do give me credit for being able to say what I have thus far. I try not to say things I'm not able to back up and that is why I haven't addressed each thing said so far on this site on the school issues. Thanks but it is JMHO of what should be done not unlike your opinion[s].
PARENTS ARE NOT PARTICIPATING. THAT IS THE PROBLEM. But they make it to all their kids sports practices and games.
Many parents priorities are skewed.
We can't continue to let the next guy operate like the current one. Parental involvement is the key.
We are not discussing the dress code, one put in place by the school. Your comments are still offensive and they do not discriminate, they just target all the young women calling them out as luring the men.
I am not going to tell you what I think about your biased sex obsessed attitude, but my child does not taunt, does not wear tight clothes and you are out of line.
Get real! Every school has a few "Little Lolitas" and a few lecherous teachers and male students in need of a cold shower. Relax, no one is talking about your little darling specifically.
You did not say a few, you said "I am saying if they would tell the children, especially the girls ,to not wear tight body revealing clothes it would help the situation some. All one has to do is go to the school and observe for themselves how they taunt the males with their way of dressing to understand what is being said here."
You get real.
BTW, Mr. Bias, the dress does not make anyone a Lolita.
I hope you never get on a jury.
.
I agree with 11:09 . I wonder if you have a guilty conscience in some way by your defensive position of your little darling. I do agree with 8:42 about parental priorities being skewed. If the parents would do their parenting as they should then the kids would have second thoughts about the things they do. Yes it is a world of one or more parents working and the other things that do take up our time but you have to find the time to be in control of your kids/brats. Wake up and stop thinking that kids ,yours or not, are just innocent in every way. You weren't I'm sure and neither was I growing up. The one thing I did have after the age of reasoning was respect for my family and myself. I was taught that way but that doesn't always happen in todays society does it?
12:13 , I am real which doesn't say much for you. When I said males that included males of all ages which includes teachers and so on. I thank 11:09 for his/her comments in my defense to you and any others who feel the same as you do about my so called alleging or singling out your kid as being less than what you expect of her. Why is it when any person says that a parent isn't doing what they should in their home regarding what is expected of kids once they leave home for any destination is attacked as if it weren't any of their person? It is every ones right to be critical with opinions that are pointing out moral or ethical standards that are not acceptable to the main stream of any destination be they students,teachers, or other parents? Do you go to a house of worship and pray for your family and their well being and safety, I do.
You are real rude to say the least. You cannot take any criticism when you blindly insult a group. Instead of formulating a valid argument, you pretended to be another anon to show your support for yourself.
You poor command of the language is a dead giveaway.
"my so called alleging or singling out your kid as being less than what you expect of her"
There you go again! Twisting words. MY CHILD IS NOT LESS THAN WHAT I EXPECT. No one said this, least of all me.
" It is every ones right to be critical with opinions that are pointing out moral or ethical standards that are not acceptable to the main stream of any destination be they students,teachers, or other parents? " - Since when is a student, teacher or other parent a DESTINATION? You make a statement, end with a question mark and you think somehow that you are making any sense at all? YOU are a TRHS failed case.
I may be rude but I did get my point across even if I haven't the proper way of the use of English in writing. I tell it as I see it and you can't take it because your so above the average person . Your not looking at all sides of the issues pro and cons to make a final determination of what is right in order to form any opinion. If you are so above me then why is it your offended and why aren't you running for the openings at SAU? Your problem really is that I struck a sore spot in your phoney bodily armor. The word "destination" was used in place of private and public places and/or gatherings. I do apologize that my writing skills are less than your own but then I'm only human and do admit to my mistakes openly and with truth, do you do the same? I rather doubt it after all your one of the "rich" in town that look down your noses to the average person who also pays taxes to educate children. If you do not like what I've had to say then just ignore my future commentaries as I will continue to be a part of this sites opinion[s].
Now for something completely different. I live in Atkinson and own land in Plaistow. I'm going to retire next year. I'd like to sell my land in Plaistow. Now I'm not a crass materialist like some, but I don't want to get skinned on the sale either. So, I called in an appraiser. You know what he told me. If my Plaistow property were in Atkinson it would be worth $100K more. He told me Atkinson is a much more desirable community than Plaistow.
Guess that puts the kibosh on that guy that thinks Plaistow is "up and coming". "Up and coming" for whom? Businesses on RT 125 maybe and traffic light peddlers. Westville residents have been driven out and now they're zeroing in on Old Road. Anyone notice that there are 12 traffic signals along RT 125 between RT495 and the Kingston line? And more are coming. Now if Atkinson could just dump Timberlane and Police Chief Consentino who knows how much land values would rise.
Not that I want to take away from your personal cares for selling property in Plaistow because I could care less what it is worth to you. However, I hear the town of Plaistow is getting ready to sell and buy property for its future needs. They want to raise money to help with other costs and buy land for other reasons. Why not approach them to see what use they may have for your land or feel them out to see what you can for a future sale to a big box company. That way you can still make some money to spend in Plaistow and still keep the town shopping free and as crooked and costly as ever . Some of what I've said here is tongue in cheek but yet sincere in a non wealthy way of thinking .
But you don't get your point across, because you make no sense. You called 'people' a 'destination' and now you are trying to claim you meant something else.
You don't know if I am rich either, but it's clear that you are not or you would not be so openly critical of people who are. Maybe you just have an inferiority complex, 'cause you keep talking about your lack of money and how dumb you are.
When I first mentioned the idea in a previous post of separating from the district I did not expect so much agreement. I applaud that. Regardless of what we do, we need to focus on the education. This means many things. It includes all the things that have been mentioned and more. Sadly the discussion has spiraled down to the blame game. Blame parent, or how the girls dress, or the SB. Honestly it is everything and not one thing. There are a lot of problems to fix.
Must be the thing to do. Windham is doing it too.
http://windham.patch.com/articles/school-board-begins-preparing-for-sau-withdrawal
Let's have a public meeting and talk options over.
10:19, Yes there are a lot of things to fix. one is it starts at home ,if it needs fixing, and at the school and SAU. In my opinion the lawyers should advise both sides of any issue and stay completely away from what the SAU should do. Lawyering up at meetings has its place but not in all the decisions made as they do now by telling the elected and appointed members what to do. We pay them to advise and not to decide what any vote or decision should be. If the members can't do their job with out the lawyers non neutral influences then they shouldn't be in the positions they are in. If non neutrality advising by the lawyers is what has to be as far as members and lawyers are concerned then disband the membership of the SAU and let the lawyers decide what they may in all SAU issues. I maybe called extreme among other things but it does give thought to the readers to think about. Politics are such a dirty game and the SAU is political in so many ways. ------ 8:32, I am of average income and not rich as you have tried to point out. Your wrong when you say I'm dumb or I wouldn't be writing here answering your foolish thinking about me and what I've written here in particular. By the way ,I never said I were dumb, YOU DID and that is really and very dumb of you to be able to say I did. Stop trying to look down your nose like the "rich" that we both are not.
"By the way ,I never said I were dumb"
You are dumb and hung up on being not rich. You write about your lack of intelligence and lack of money all the time.
You no better with your self only attitude. Where is your want of community and sharing the problems of making things right. I try where you just are critical and sit back doing nothing to help with the problems. I see nothing from you except to be able to rag on me . Could it be your one of the SAU people who wants to control all of us so as to be able to do what you and your buddies want and not the voting public who put you there. I see the site has had nothing really to say on the SAU/ school subject for a day or so. Exceptfor the comment by except for 10:19 and 12:20 Get a life outside your self.
You try? You are blindly attacking people here, moreover you do not know who they are or what they do for the community. Where do you get off accusing anyone of anything, or accusing anyone of being buddies with other anon people? You don't know what anyone stands, or who their friends are! This is an anon blog!
You have a very serious problem with your illogical thinking and blind accusations.
What blind accusations? What I blogged was what I knew and what I've heard which is no more than you and your looking down your nose. I question your ability to be fair and honest if your a SAU member. It appears that I'm not that far off in what I've had to say and there seems to be others who agree . Just go back and read all the blogs from the star and then tell me if I'm wrong but not before then. You and your "people" say It is not my business to comment on the students appearances and yet you bitch about what has happened thus far. Aren't you and the other "people" being hypocrits and have you gone to the school to see little Missy and Johnny in their choices of dressing appearances? Just wondering is all and it is JMHO.
Physiatric Evaluation???
meow meow
purr purr
whoop whoop thats the sound of the police, whoop whoop thats the sound of the beast
meow
I'm not the cat person who you attack for writing as I do. Maybe if you get scratched by one of her cats and get cat scratch fever you'd be better off. The antibiotics used in the cure may clear out your other ailments... mainly your brains where your biased, hateful and clouded thought process are. JMHO
I'm not an SAU member and I don't see anyone agreeing with the nonsensical BS you write. Who are 'your people' that you refer to? Hafl of what you blame us for here was not even written.
To the other moron who writes about cats. We all know there are no cats but we all see that there are nasty people in our town who just like to cause trouble.
BTW, 'Physiatric' is not a word. Maybe you are a gradute of Timberlane HS.
I am sorry but I can no longer read this Blog. It has lost all it's integrity. To read bloggers that fight with each other ,write sheer nonsense, waste time and energy. For most people reading this blog is completely a waste of time. The subject was EDUCATION and it turns into a battlefield of inane topics. The Blog has come to be a thing of the past for me. Too bad because it could have been what it was intended to be from the being. I can see where there are many others who feel the same way as I do.
If you give up, they win.
Who is they? The people in Town who oppose the taxpayers, who trespass and vandalize and are obsessed with cats. Ignore them, they want you to go away and not come here. This is how they are exposed so stayed tuned and talk about the real issues, they will be defeated and we need to get real issues resolved.
oh no now where down to 6 bloggers. What shall we do. Pack up and move out. Yes in deed.
Good by all.
Admin
How about if you all move and we stay here and defend the community?
It's depressing to read the comments here when so many have no command of the English language and are out in our community. Hopefully they are not representing us in our time of need.
It's raining like cats and dogs today. Happy Earth Day to all of you that respect the Earth and refrain from harming it.
I kind of enjoy reading the wackiness of the bloggers striking out at one another. Why turn on the tv when you can see the soap opera here in town with its many twists and turns by the well known crackpots . It goes to show how the crackpots are so defensive when they are when their being kicked around and it is so deservedly so. These same people do things to further trouble or to cover there rear ends especially when they're caught in any thing that they seem or appear to be guilty about. In a way it is to bad the site has to be anonymous except for a few that do post their names. I can see why they do knowing they already have had dirty deeds done to them and are willing to fight the trouble makers. I do not just mean property damage I mean those who have had their good names harmed. To make them whole again the court actions were made against some but not all perpetrators of most of these civil and criminal claims. It is time to stop all this and get the town where it should be today and in future tomorrows . Get rid of the trouble makers that have cost the town so much.
The people who have had property damage, have also had their good names harmed here. It seems to go hand in hand in Atkinson.
The damage to property and the peoples good names were done by sneaky low lives . Why don't we all be as sneaky as them by going to the polls and do every thing that we can before then to get them to stop hurting and harassing good people. You'd think this bed room community wouldn't have the problems of towns and cities bigger in population with commercial business and malls, but there are those problems in Atkinson. Why can't the town take back its rightful place is beyond me when all it takes is the outrage of its citizens to do what is necessary to take back the town. If there is to much a threat of reprisals then go to the polls where your vote is private when you put your ballot in the box. At least that will be a start for the civility and good quite living of the town instead of the way it is called the laughing stock of New Hampshire.
That's good but a big part of the problem are those who support the sneaky low lifes are not elected, they are appointed or hired. We have a few unqualified people in Town who man top positions in emergency management and they aren't doing htier job, for whatever reason. We also have a few cronies in Town Hall who work to take away our rights. They are a big problem.
Let's not forget the voter fraud. Do you know how many out of staters used same day registration to cancel out your vote last election? Do you know how many out of staters are going to cancel out your vote in the up coming Presidential election?
We need to get rid of same day registration AND require ID when one registers. Voter records need to be purged every three years not ten years.
Visit http://www.cnht.org/news/2012/04/20/rock-paper-hand-grenades-with-ed-naile/
April 23, 2012
Atkinson police station work expected to start soon
By Cara Hogan
chogan@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Mon Apr 23, 2012, 12:44 AM EDT
ATKINSON — The police station will have a new roof and better quality air soon.
Contractors walked through the police station on Thursday, putting together bids to repair water damage to the ceiling, air ducts and roof.
Police Chief Philip Consentino said after many delays, he's happy to see the project getting started.
"This is a little sooner than I thought," Consentino said. "(Town Administrator William) Innes has been really great. He's on top of things and moving this project right along."
The selectmen have set a deadline for requests for proposals, according to Barbara Snicer, the town's administrative assistant.
"Next Friday at noon is the deadline for bids," she said. "Then we'll present the bids to selectmen. We're most anxious to have it get started as soon as possible."
The department has had air quality issues for more than a year, causing some employees to complain about coughs and other health problems. The problems were addressed in last year's Municipal Resources report, an independent analysis of the department.
"Members of the police department feel the town does not care about their health," the report said. "Employees who have read reports on the air quality issue state there are three types of mold above the false ceiling and that fiberglass is being blown through the ventilation systems."
The cause is water damage from the roof leaking over the years, according to the report.
Consentino said when the contractors came in on Thursday to look at the damage to the ceiling, one of them got up on a ladder and took out a ceiling tile.
"As soon as they removed a tile, all this dust came down," he said. "The guy doing the work had to go put a mask on. We opened the doors to vent it out. It's really bad up there."
He said fixing the air quality in the station will require a lot of work.
"They're replacing the tiles, the duct work, cleaning it all out, checking for mold and vacuuming everything," Consentino said. "They also put out an RFP on the roof. It's a shame to get all the work done with the tiles repaired and then have water coming in when the roof leaks. Hopefully, they're going to do both projects at the same time."
He said the town should have repaired the roof before now.
"The roof should have been addressed years ago, rather than putting a Band-Aid on," he said. "Consequently, it will cost the town a lot of money."
Dispatcher Lynne Cunningham said she's not going to feel better about working in the station until the construction starts.
"They've looked at it before, but, hopefully, they're going to do what they're supposed to do," she said. "We're not getting any healthier in this building. (When) they took down a few tiles, I started sneezing and the chief started coughing. Hopefully, they're going to do it and they'll do it fast."
The health of the employees is a priority for the town, and the project should be starting soon, Snicer said.
"If we're very lucky and the busy season hasn't begun for the roofers or the contractors, they'll be able to get started on it fairly quickly," she said.
I thought thety repaired the roof 10 years ago? I thought they cleaned the ducts out last year.
What gives?
8:33 & 9:24 AM, Since when do the elected and appointed town ,so called, representatives of the towns voters out number the voting electors? If you both and others reading this would encourage your neighbors and friends in town to go to the polls then and only then there will be a change in the town. I also ask that the selectman meetings be attended so that you be able to speak out in opposition to any given issue. What they do not like is a better than average attendance at their meetings. When more people show up they get away with less "Dirty Deeds Done Cheap " as the song goes and says. As for the cronies in T.H. taking your rights away what I have asked of you can make them stop either by letting them go or by not electing them to the positions they have. Who is to say the state can't monitor the election process if it is being said here as fraudulent. All it takes is for a few or more persons to ask for it. Maybe the overseers of the towns elections can be asked to do their jobs by just reading the message here. The town knows or when a person dies and issues death certificates and burial permits and they should immediately cross off the dead persons name from the voters lists. Any computer can be made to automatically do that upon notification of death.
Read the two posts again. No one said the members of government outnumber the voters.
What was said was that many of the UNelected (appointed or hired) member of government are inept.
Going to the polls doesn't change this and WE do not have the authority to 'let them go' as you suggest. Only the Selectmen can get rid of the inept hired employees or appointees.
When you go to the polls you elect or throw out those who place the unelected in their positions. They can be removed by the new or present elected officials. When I wrote my first sentence it was a question you seem to have misread . It was written as as question that everyone knows is fact and a truth that these elected persons are less in number than the voters who put them in their positions. Yes!!!!!!there are many who are inept ,appointed or not, in positions in Atkinson town government. I'm happy to say I agree with you on that score.
I see you didn't respond to my comments on selectman meeting attendance and my suggestion of your election fraud claims. If you can find fault in my writings then be sure to address what is it you agree about as well. If I can do that then so can't you. Thank You and JMHO
Not many people watch it that I know of. Some don't care and some don't have cable.
friel a no show again
How sad, he's the best one IMHO. Handsome too.
Please tell us if your male or female in your comments of - Handsome too. This isn't a dating service.If that is your opinion then that maybe so . He was put in office on what he said he can or would do for Atkinson. The no shows have to have a reason. Maybe it is a health issue or maybe he is fed up and wants out.
Maybe he is a human with a day job that requires him to miss a couple meetings. Maybe a family obligation, we all have those.
If Friel is unwilling or unable to keep his committment to the voters, he should resign now. We can't afford to have two inept people voting on important issues.
Friel is starting to remind me of all the Baldwin no shows. Glad he didn't win the election. Can you just picture Childs running the town all by himself?
Someone could steal the whole town and Childs wouldn't even notice till someone tells him they found it relocated up around Littleton, NH. sigh
I heard Friel is a cat lover. I hope that isn't a conflict of interest with you know who.... Don't want to poke the bee's nest unless you want to get stung... Killer bee's are coming!!!
Buzz
Buuuzzz
Meow
"Great people talk about ideas. Average people talk about things. Small people talk about other people." Morons talk about nothing.
That is for sure!!!! There are many here in the town! Academy Ave . has most of them.
My money is on the Queen bee.
friel out of town trying to sell for his electric co op
what about the windows for the kimball house, wait we are waiting for friels guys to do it
what about the morons on granite ridge road?? They are worse then the ones on academy right?
Depends on a persons interpetation of moron. Some have more intellect than others -- but-- in either case they are morons. Would call the Valcat gang brilliant?
Of Valcat: I think they should have stopped the land rape when they were opposed by the legal owner. I also am dismayed that the Town did not put pressure on these people when they could have done so.
Our Town is not working to make this place any better, but do allow the corrupt and sleazy to do corrupt and sleazy things. They think it's not their problem but they enable the creeps.
Are curb cuts or driveway cuts regulated in Atkinson? If they are, then the State of NH or Town of Atkinson could have put an immediate stop to the Osborne's wet dream. Did they cut into a State or Town road? Where oh where was the Planning Board and Code Enforcement Officer? At Eggies? Then again, corruption is what corruption does in our town.
JustMyHumbleOpinion
when the cat is away the mice will play....having a good trip? those poor poor trees!!!
meow meow
You do seem to know a lot about some one being away and your the mouse playing. Did you poison the trees or not? You do have the answers to give don't you? Stop your crap and be a person that can show a little good over your constant bad. I forgot!!!!!!! How foolish of me!! You can't because it isn't your nature to be above kicking some one when they are down when you can stay anonymous.
It really makes one wonder why they would asy such a thing. Weird people here, and criminals.
It's because the twit can hide behind being anonymous . This twit hasn't got guts enough to be openly known to say these things about any one let alone the person they direct their insults and degrading writings upon. This is the same person that on a Sunday morning walks up the church stairs to appear so righteous and upstanding in the community.
Who is this writing this about me?? Who is. I demand to know right now. I'm telling you. Right now it better stop. Just because you now patrol in Plaistow I know what is going on .... You will never get this. You will never get this.
Meow
Thugs and bullies in this town willfully harm their good neighbors. I have been reading these insipid "cat comments" for some time directed against one of our upstanding citizens of the town. They are calculated to harrass and insult. They are not funny. My opinion is all bullies and thugs, who do not mind their own business and insist on injuring members of their community are a threat to the public and society of good men. Atkinson has a considerable quantity of such bullies and thugs operating due directly to the poor example set by our town leaders and town employees. The enculturation of thuggery "trickles down" from the town officials and town employees and their public acts to the small time town thugs and bullies who mistakenly assume they have "paid town protection" and that they will not be punished for injuring people, property, and violating the RSA laws of the State of New Hampshire. The arm of the law is long and extends far beyond the borders of this minuscule, insignificant little town.
To April 28, 3:47pm;
That surely sounds like a veiled threat.
My how ballsy some men get when they think they are anonymous. Too bad they have not the courage to voice these opinions in the open, where they would have to reap the consequences.
Remember, my friend, Long ago, Frank Polito came close to losing his job in relation to vile comments he supposedly made on the blog while thinking he was anonymous.
Cowardice didn't work out so well for him, and it probably will not for you.
Strap a set on and be a man for a change.
Im sorry im new here...who is frank polito and what did he do?
waaah waahhh waah
In February 2011, Rockholt admitted selling the fake driver's licenses. She pleaded guilty to five counts of bribery in official or political matters, one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of theft, and possession of a controlled drug with intent to sell.
She made a "capped plea" with prosecutors in exchange for her testimony against her codefendants. Her sentencing is set for mid-May and she could serve up to 12 years in prison.
Earlier this month, Adalberto Medina pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and two counts of bribery — part of a plea deal for his role in the license scam. He was the middle man in the scheme, charging people $2,000 to $3,000 for each fake license, and giving Rockholt $500 apiece for producing them. He also was linked to the inspection sticker scheme. His sentencing has not been scheduled.
Working with cash can lead to trouble
The temptation for some who work with money as part of their jobs can prove to be too great.
In 2009, the former Barnstead deputy town clerk was indicted on eight theft charges for misappropriating property tax payments ranging from $383 to $1,890.
Heidi Murphy pleaded guilty to four theft charges, three of them felonies, in June 2010. She was sentenced to 12 months in jail, with all but three months suspended. The investigation into her crimes was sparked by town officials' reports of their suspicions to the attorney general's office.
A former Farmington detective ruined his law enforcement career last year when he was convicted of stealing nearly $4,000 from the police department's evidence room.
Brendan June was sentenced to serve three months in jail, relinquish his police certification and make full restitution, which he did.
A former Rockingham County sheriff and one of his top deputies avoided criminal charges, but lost their jobs after an investigation by Delaney's office.
Former sheriff J. Daniel Linehan and Mark Peirce, a former major in the department, were forced to resign after it was discovered Linehan released records of an annulled arrest and conviction of a political opponent.
Delaney agreed not to pursue criminal charges if the two men resigned.
Lawmakers aren't immune from prosecution
A former state representative has been in jail for more than a year after a criminal career that spanned some 20 years.
James Ryan of Franklin was sentenced in February 2010, to serve four to 12 years for theft, forgery and bad checks. He also was ordered to make restitution of more than $17,000 to his victims. Ryan, who headed the state Committee to Elect House Democrats at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty to 13 charges.
But Ryan's life of crime covered three states and totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars in theft and bad checks, some of those crimes committed while serving as a public official.
The list of public employees, elected or otherwise, convicted over the past few years isn't huge, but it's significant. Those convicted included city councilors, town treasurers, police officers, lawmakers and others.
"Those who enter public service take on a public trust to perform their duties lawfully and in the public's best interest, Delaney said after one conviction. "This office will continue to prosecute anyone who violates that trust and engages in criminal activity."
Electioneering is a crime, where's Delany now? Electioneering interferes with our right to vote because it slants the vote toward an issue that might not get enough support otherwise.
Where are our elected officials? Todd, what are you doing to combat crime in Town now that we elected you?
There is an active and some say very negative blog that covers town politics called The Atkinson reporter. I am a avid reader of The Atkinson Reporter and while that blog can give you an insiders (some say slanted) perspective on the local behind the scenes activity, I say please don’t let it taint you. There is only 6 bloggers and one cat lover. They are all anonymous.
To answer is to say your wrong about that there are six bloggers and one cat cat lover on the site. Didn't you read the comment on this by 4/29@5:55am? Have you counted the amount of anon. and those who use there names on the site. Why be an A.H. who just tries to make trouble and further make the issues presented here less than what they are or even more than they are. With nuts like you blogging here its no wonder why the town is the laughing stock of the state.
To April 30, 11:69PM - And what are you? You are an admitted avid reader and obviously a negative blogger who attacks people, yet you try to taint others? Hypocrit.
Did they change the trash company? A few neighbors had their trash out today when it's not our normal pickup day and truck with a different name were driving around.
I'll bet our little avid reader believes everything he reads here, that's why he comes back.
To April 30, 2012 11:59 PM. Dear avid reader. Golly, you seem to lack reading skills. Did you count up the big number of concerned parents posting on the Atkinson Reporter? How about all the police officers in the abutting towns. They are reading every day and posting too. Sorry bud, but you got it ALL WRONG. What scares you is the free speach. Isn't that really the truth? And that terrifies tyrants like you. Just think how many visitors casually watch the videos of Frank Polito on this site. Just cIck on the image and presto you go to UTUBE. There he is. standing at the podium, his pants pulled up high , standing on a box, blustering and frothing at the mouth, screaming he is not a celebrity and he makes the rules. Then he resigns and pesters the public no more, uh, except as an "avid" reader of the Atkinsor Reporter Blog.
He pestered us plenty when we got the bill for defending his sorry bum.
Get your facts straight. It was taxpayer money. None of you business
Avid reader is so funny. He avidly reads posts he believes are from 6 people yet he's glued to it. He believes they're tained, keeps reading. He says it's all slanted, yup he keeps reading.
bos spending money on warrent articles that were voted down ag should investigate them
is that the same thing as buying an suv without a vote?
ATKINSON — A third member of the town's four-person ethics board has resigned since last week.
Joyce LaFrance is the latest member to step down. In an e-mail to a reporter, LaFrance cited repeated harassment as the reason she resigned but declined yesterday to specify who was responsible.
"I don't want to deal with it," LaFrance said.
I guess you got bum information with that post.
What are you going to do next? Invent some more cats stories for us Phil?
Get a life.
Victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the Chief badmouthing her. IMO.
He'll never quit but when will the two sleeping selectmen wake up and see what he does to people and fire him. Is it a prerequisite for selectman to be oblivious and dumb?
There are NO RESIGNATIONS from the Atkinson Conflict of Interest Committee. It stands strong with four committed members.
conflict of interest has 4 members who need to be committed
bend over here comes the bos express
not to mention poison wells
Could we please put the water contamination article up? Or has this website capitulated to the bullshit that is constantly posted here and become completely irrelevant?
The procedure is to put up the article yourself. Just post it ...
Yawn
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
May 5, 2012
Attorney general: Atkinson man committed suicide
By Cara Hogan
chogan@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Sat May 05, 2012, 02:15 AM EDT
ATKINSON — The man found burned to death in the woods in March has been identified as Kevin Foley, 52, a town resident.
Foley's body was found close to his home at 7 Wellington Circle, according to Jeffery Strelzin, Senior Assistant Attorney General.
"Mr. Foley's cause of death was found to be inhalation of smoke, superheated gases and flame," Strelzin said. "The manner of death is suicide."
His body was discovered on March 19 by a woman walking through the woods near a pond in the Settlers Ridge neighborhood. The New Hampshire State Police Major Crimes Unit spent two days in the woods investigating the crime.
Police quickly linked the unidentified white man to a missing person report. But Foley's identity was only released yesterday, more than a month after the body was found.
Atkinson police Chief Philip Consentino said the identification was slowed waiting for results of a DNA test.
"They had to get a DNA sample from one of his relatives in Boston, then send it up to the lab," he said yesterday. "Once they did that, they were able to put it all together and it was who they thought it was. Until DNA comes back, they can't prove a thing."
Foley's family has been notified of his death, Strelzin said.
Atkinson residents have been calling the police department on a regular basis since the body was found, asking about the case, Consentino said.
"We thought maybe there was a possibility of this being a homicide because of some rumors we heard, but it's an isolated incident of a person who committed suicide," he said. "Now that that's come out, it should put everyone's mind at ease."
The case is now closed, Consentino said.
I would like to offer my condolences to Mr. Foley's family. Not only did they have to suffer his death but also the discussion. RIP.
ATKINSON — A third member of the town's four-person ethics board has resigned since last week.
Joyce LaFrance is the latest member to step down. In an e-mail to a reporter, LaFrance cited repeated harassment as the reason she resigned but declined yesterday to specify who was responsible.
"I don't want to deal with it," LaFrance said.
wait until parents understand they moved here for quality of life and their kids have to go to kingston for a lap dance to avoid a citation
This must be the same clown who has been berating Ms. Lafrance for years. He obviously has a problem with the Conflict Committee -- maybe a person who has been in trouble with the committee before? We can only assume the obvious :)
I cannot not respond to this savage attack on mid class America.
Atkinson has become a bunch of unconscious idiots and at what point do you think it is OK to support anyone who is terrorizing your neighbors?
Chief Consentino has been terrorizing the good honest people of Atkinson with selectmen's help for years. In addition, he has been using his Elderly Affairs vote getting scheme with selectmen's help to keep THEM ALL IN OFFICE AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE.
If we can't get Elderly Affairs OUT OF THE POLICE DEPT., Perhaps it's time to cut the Elderly Affairs Dept. budget to zero.
Let Consentino support the Elderly Affairs dept. through his OWN 501=C fund.
My teeth have all fell out. My hair comes out in clumps. My town sits on their a**(! While the poisining in my well spreads out of control to the rest of the town...NICE JOB BOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you tic off a group of persons enough they will go to an extreme. The Conflict Of Interest people should know their laws well enough to see if they can do some thing about certain officials in conflict of interest. Every one knows the Conman should /would be the first to be looked into and it would be welcomed. It just takes the guts to stand up and do the job they were put in place to do. Maybe some resident will start the process in motion if the COI people can't do it as members of the committee or by its COI laws that may prevent them from doing what it takes to rid the town of its bad characters.
Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. They can only respond to a petition by a citizen. They cannot initiate actions.
So why don't you get off your butt and write one instead of waiting for eveyone else to do the work? You certainly know how to criticize others - what are doing to help?
This town can benefit from a thorough calling to account. The CIC is the only threat remaining to established violators. All righty then. Let the fireworks commence.
Actually, the CIC is powerless in that it does not dole out any punishment even if they determine there is a problem. It goes back to the Selectmen to enforce the ordinance.
Back to the BOS. They are really the only people who can fix problems with Town employees. I wish they would do more to eliminate the problem children. We deserve better.
When the Conflict of Interest Committee makes a ruling it stands as a judgement that cannot be ignored by the voters of the town of Atkinson, surrounding towns and the newspapers. Board of Selectmen failure to correct Conflicts if Interest exposes them to the wrath and condemnation of the public body.
1:07, Well said and true. What if the COI were to change their bylaws. If they were given the right to proceed with any conflict of interest violations with or with out the BOS approval. Then you'd see the officials shape up or out they go. The COI change of bylaws could go on the ballot via petition for the voters to decide even if the selectmen do not approve of the right of bylaw change[s]. If it were to win on the ballot the BOS would have to abide by the wishes of the voters. Your writing pertaining to the word-judgement- doesn't mean a thing unless it has a legal punishment to back it up. You wont find any true punishment ,if any, with the BOS unless there is a change in the bylaws of the COI committee. That isn't what is happening in town government and that is what and why they get away with their conflicts of interest. JMHO
Part of the problem is that the members of the CIC are vulnerable to the wrath of the accused.
As long as he can get away with the harassment of residents, it's unlikely the committee can do the job.
Changing the ordinance to have fixed punishments, take away the BOS involvement and you might not even need a committee.
COI states that any taxpayer has the right to take the complaint to court IF the Selectmen do not act or provide the right punishment.
May 8, 8:45am;
I can tell you from personal experience you pay a high price for doing that, EVEN IF YOU WIN, as I did.
I filed two COI complaints against the chief. ONE because he made a request of the selectmen to withdraw $2,500 from the donation account, as police chief, then as selectman voted to approve his own request. The second, because he paid himself an extraordinary payment of $1,300 "union benefit" without anyone knowledge till almost a year later, when he tried it a second time.
BOTH should have been no brainers, right?
The COI committee, found no violation. Dick Smith actually told me that "we only listen to legal opinions that confirm the way we are already leaning".
I appealed the first complaint to Rockingham Superior Court. I WON! Phil ignored the court order, and was found in contempt of court. He tried to appeal to the Supreme Court, they dismissed for lack of standing. The selectmen DID NOTHING, and VOTED to pay for all of his legal expenses, EVEN AFTER HE LOST.
I suffered his repeated diatribes on camera at selectmens meetings, being followed through town by him, having my wife and son followed through town by him, Being verbally threatened by him, Having my vehicles inspected by him, whenever we met in town anywhere, having my business investigated by him, and my customers and suppliers called and told I was "under investigation" by the APD, My home and car vandalized.
he is a bully with a badge, and is not shy about using that badge, to harrass his critics.
ALL OF THIS because I pointed out that he could not do what he did.
todd asleep at the wheel.
Take out the personalities and define the consequences of violating the ordinance. Non-compliance equates to a resignation. Many of the violations were black and white and did not need to be reviewed by a committee at all.
How could the CIC find no violation that time? My guess is they didn't want to deal with it.
Dick Smith resigned from the Conflict of Interest Committee.
In my opinion....the coalition of passive-aggressive enablers are gone....oh my, now the town IS in a tight spot!
For the first time in years, there is a functional Conflict of Interest Committee. This terrifies the entrenched who have milked the town's resources by taking undue advantage.
Todd Barbera, wake up
They have a hard time finding people to be on it because of the retaliation factor. You can't tell me that the bos doesn't know about all these problems. The entire state knows.
The problem with being on Conflict of Interest committee, is the ONE person you are likely to handle a complain about is Phil Consentino. And as Ms. LaFrance found out almost two years ago, when I had a complaint there, Phil investigates the members, and, as he did that night, He loudly proclaimed(holding up a sheaf of papers) "I have a 32 page dossier on Ms. LaFrance"
In actuality, I do not believe he did, as neither he nor the town were ever able to produce it, despite a number of RTK requests for it.
The POINT is, THIs is how the Bully operates. If you are not taking his side, or if he feels you are a problem, he attacks using the full weight of the authority of his office to silence you.
freil a no show again
It's illegal for him to track people for no good reason. He probably held up a stack of blank paper as he's been known to do. I heard he was blowing smoke that day too.
Friel is the only one showing up even when they're all there.
That's the point. He's bullying and blowing smoke and the bos is not doing anything about it.
Todd is awake. He's busy covering Consentino's butt. Blood is thicker than water you know.
People knew they are related when they put him into office. What other results would you expect of him?
Now we have Todd AND Snicer reporting back to Concentino. Nice work if you can get it.
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