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Welcome to the NEW Atkinson Reporter! Under new management, with new resolve.

The purpose of this Blog is to pick up where the Atkinson Reporter has left off. "The King is dead, Long live the King!" This Blog is a forum for the discussion of predominantly Atkinson; Officials, People, Ideas, and Events. You may give opinion, fact, or evaluation, but ad hominem personal attacks will not be tolerated, or published. The conversation begun on the Atkinson Reporter MUST be continued!

This Blog will not fall to outside hacks from anyone, especially insecure public officials afraid of their constituents criticism.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Local government Officials abuse non public meeting laws.

ARTICLE SUBMISSION PLEASE

ARE LOCAL BOARDS OUT OF CONTROL? MORE REASON TO GET INVOLVED

You may have heard about the incident at a Gilford School Board meeting where a parent, William Baer, was arrested for speaking out about questionable material his daughter had been required to read. He was recently cleared of all charges.

http://www.wmur.com/news/man-says-free-speech-rights-violated-in-arrest-over-book/25834676

Or you might be following the antics at the Timberlane Regional School Board where they tried to censure board member Donna Green for exposing them as lacking transparency.

http://tritowntimes.net/2014/09/green-hires-legal-counsel-timberlane-school-dispute/

And recently, at a Windham School Board meeting, police were called when a taxpayer questioned the idea that no public input would be taken on a the acceptance of a no-bid contract with a ‘green’ company that was before the board, despite the fact that board member Ken Eyring had asked for discussion.

Windham School Board calls police on resident over ‘no bid’ contract

http://www.examiner.com/article/windham-school-board-calls-police-on-resident-over-no-bid-contract

Why didn’t the Windham School Board research Cenergistic?

http://www.examiner.com/article/why-didn-t-the-windham-school-board-research-cenergistic

And most recently, a Bedford taxpayer was told there would be no discussion on suggestions that they raise the bar for how many students must pass the “IB” program.

This has become the disturbing trend among school and town boards.

Some are limiting public input, others eliminating it altogether. Manchester’s school board recently explained that while it would hear the concerns of parents and taxpayers, ultimately their decisions would be based on the advice of ‘consultants’ and other ‘experts’ they’ve hired.
January 20, 2015 at 8:32 AM

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

ARTICLE SUBMISSION PLEASE

SAU has Police, Lawyer, on Speed Dial for Critics


When Leon Artus went to his mailbox today, he was surprised to find a card notifying him that a certified letter awaited him at the post office. It was our tax dollars at work! The firm of DrummondWoodsum, which represents our SAU, was instructing Mr. Artus to no longer communicate with Superintendent Metzler. Metzler Attorney Letter to Leon Artus

Here’s a timeline of recent events in Mr. Artus’ life:

Dec. 4, 2014 While quietly waiting in his car around 8:30 pm in the Vic Geary Drop in Center adjacent to the SAU building, Mr. Artus is approached by two Plaistow Police officers. He told them he was waiting for a school board member. As he handed them his identification, his concealed carry permit fell out which led to Mr. Artus to tell the police that he had a gun with him. The police also remarked that there was mouthwash in the car which Mr. Artus uses to freshen his breath after smoking. The police asked Mr. Artus to park his vehicle at a different angle so his headlights would not annoy households across the street, which he did.

Subsequent to this encounter, the police officers went into the SAU building still full of people from a just-adjourned school board meeting. The police shared their encounter about Mr. Artus with someone on the board or the SAU. Three days later the incident was being discussed on the Atkinson Reporter 2 blog with innuendos about Mr. Artus “drinking mouthwash”.

Dec 11, 2014 An armed Plaistow Police officer present for the Budget Committee meeting. An officer appeared at all subsequent meetings of the budget committee and school board – without a vote of either body.

Dec. 18: 2014 Timberlane School Board holds a non-public meeting on the grounds of reputation to discuss an incident in the parking lot of the Vic Geary Drop In Center.

Jan. 13, 2015 Mr. Artus submits a citizen petition warrant article to Atkinson Town Hall asking the voters to approve the first step in a process to begin withdrawing from the Timberlane School District.

Jan 15, 2015 Timberlane Public Hearing on the proposed 2015-2016 budget. Mr. Artus asked pointed questions of Superintendent Metzler and refused to call him “Dr.”

Jan. 20, 2015 The Plaistow Police interview Mr. Artus over the phone concerning two emails Mr. Artus sent to the superintendent in Dec. 2014. A few hours later, the investigating officer called Mr. Artus back to say they were dropping the investigation.

Jan. 22, 2015 At the School Board meeting that evening, Mr. Artus took great exception to the school board holding a non-public meeting which he believed concerned him without giving him the opportunity to be present.


Jan 24, 2015 Lawyer’s letter mailed to Mr. Artus.

Mr. Artus is the head of Atkinson Taxpayers for Fair Evaluations.

Readers might want to refresh their memory concerning Dr. Metzler’s police complaint about me “harassing” his assistant, Ms. Belcher. Green Threatened with Criminal Charges

The Timberlane School District uses the services of the Plaistow Police department for police details throughout the year for sports, cultural and other events at the schools. Now can be added protecting elected officials and staff from “harassment.”

Anonymous said...

It is time for a very needed change of SAU officials now in positions of control of our school district. My hope is that there will be more Artus and Greens coming forward to expose those that are self,family,and friends only that are now in power to send them a message to leave.

Anonymous said...

The oppression around here lately is very concerning.

Anonymous said...

Timberline needs some serious changes in their treatment of concerned citizens. The only way is to get rid of all the takers on it's payroll.

Anonymous said...

The PD is complicit in this.

Anonymous said...

Maybe it is time for a full outside investigation to see how complicit the police department is in the involvement with the SAU and its board members. A police department is supposed to act on lawful violations of law not the say so of those politically in power . These people in power can make complaints that have to be answered by police. they have to be valid complaints based on fact[s] not conjecture at the wims of the complaining SAU member[s]. ---- It is time for a renewal of the Sau membership that wants complete control of the districts school system. They do not want the taxpayers input on anything except for paying the bills .

Anonymous said...

ARTICLE SUBMISSION PLEASE

Due to a resignation on the Conflict of Interest Committee there is an opening on the committee. This opening will be for 1 year and will expire in March of 2016. The position will be filled by the Conflict of Interest Committee and not by the Selectmen.

Any person interested in the position can notify the Town Clerk or e-mail to coicom@Atkinson-nh.com.

There will be a meeting on Feb 2nd at 6:00 Pm in the Town Hall to interview all applicants

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget that the TRSD school board sealed the minutes of a nonpublic session for 99 years.

Note that Metzler's wife was awarded a contract and the budget committee's wife was contracted as a PR consultant.

Anonymous said...

Time to fix this thievery

Anonymous said...

Freda Muldoon quit the CIC last week and left it without a quorum and unable to hear the latest petition. How convenient. Deja vu.

Anonymous said...

Why if voted by the citizens to serve their interests would an official dare resign. There should be a penalty put on people who run for and join an ethics committee and then act to disable it from doing the job.
An apology from this puffed up blowhard is not enough. Are we citizens to stand for this supporing of corruption ??

Anonymous said...

What a bunch of nuts in here!

Anonymous said...

No! The "nuts" are running your town government and school district. They forget who pays them and there are laws about transparency which they all try and get around so they can have it their way. So very very wrong!

Anonymous said...

Who was the complaint about?

Anonymous said...

Ask at the rumor mills around town for that answer.

Anonymous said...

Leon,
I thought were all about "saving" us taxpayers money. So, you really think a study to withdraw from the Timberlane distict is a good idea and prudent use of our taxpayer money? Seriously???

Why not move to Sandown and withdraw with the Greens. That would be a prudent and responsible move for us Atkinson taxpayers.
JMHO

Anonymous said...

It's always attacking the messenger. Look at what the administration at the school is doing....Covering up their efforts to pad their own pockets as well as their spouses with our tax dollars.Hiding their pay scales by avoiding posting them. If the lavish pays they where getting were to be reined in all would be doing better and the kids will be getting the benefits as well as the taxpayer. I am sick of this "good old boys" crap.

Anonymous said...

"It's always attacking the messenger. Look at what the administration at the school is doing....Covering up their efforts to pad their own pockets as well as their spouses with our tax dollars"

........YOU have to be a paranoid insecure NUT to think like this, grow up and get a life, throwing wild accusations around WITHOUT any facts can be cause for slander and lawsuits!

Anonymous said...

The mental stability of some of the people I see and the way they act in these meetings as well as the people who promote them and the childish antics the convey is a shame, crying foul like a petulant child like Ms. Green did with Dr. Metzler "Don't smirk at me" comment was a true look at what type of person we are dealing with.

Anonymous said...

Cry foul! How about calling the police because somebody asked you questions about wasting taxpayers money. Lets not forget that the Plaistow Police lieutenant was once a SB member and was called to do this by Metzler... And the facts are in just look in your mailbox.......

Anonymous said...

It seems to me that the two towns would have to share the overwhelming expense of creating schools in each town or one of them to make education become a reality. The town of Plaistow would have to take the brunt of it all because of its being the place the schools are at. - The only way Plaistow to survive is to close the Pollard school moving them to the Middle school or the present High school building. I say this because of the decline in enrollments in the three towns. The Middle School could be made into school offices or sold off to some kind of light/technical industry or the towns many offices or the school committee could locate there to operate their functions. This is only a thought by me alone at the present time if the towns were to leave the present locations of education at all levels. If you readers in our district agree to leave then let it happen but then you have to be prepared to pay the cost in the all of the many ways and not just in money. ___ Wake up and get rid of the obstructions at the SAU school board by ridding them at your demand now or at the ballot box. JMHO is all!

Anonymous said...

Oh no. Another Atkinson Deliberative Session. The hard, cold, metal Chairs are more effective than finger nail pulling to keep people from staying if you don't bring a chair pad!. Then there are the good old moron town employees and others coming to greedily carve up the millions of taxpayer tax dollars and get them into their pockets. Thank you very much. --If citizen taxpayers were smart they would show up in droves with pillows to sit on and put a stop to this grotesque PIG FEED. If 200 regular folks came out they could end this travesty and lower their tax bill and clean up this town to boot. Put on notice the police officer selectmen acting like Vladimir Putins that its best to retire back to harassing women in private rather than the public at large. Then the good people of the town can teach the thug Town Moderator he has no right to censor what citizens say or present to protect their rights and the hard earned money in their wallets. The people need to rise up and send this wolf in sheeps clothing back to Germany circa 1938 to be with his people. So please come out and vote. Just raise your little voting cards and destroy this den of thieves. Come one. Come all. It's time to take your town back from the crazy greedy pigs and turn it back into a decent God fearing community. The question is: Do you care to protect yourself from their machinations? Or do you prefer to be ignorantly paying through the nose to mercillous sucking vampires. CHOOSE! And live with the consequences of your victory or your defeat.

Anonymous said...

Yes I am going and bringing my own chair a good book and a video camera.. Some of the stuff that has gone on here you couldn't make up! I do wonder if the moderator will play king again.

Anonymous said...

Boy reading some of these comments there are some VERY SICK people in our area.

Anonymous said...

Lots of concerned and involved people too.