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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!

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Thursday, January 21, 2016

Budget Committee screws the pooch

For those with a military background, You will understand the title. For the rest of you, it means a screw up. Tuesday evening the Budget committee had one of the shortest public hearings on record. in a short 90 minutes they managed to go through the budget and warrant articles. Oh how we long for the days of Jane Cole, Brian Boyle, and Mark Acciard as Budcom chairs, when the law was adhered to, procedure followed, every budget line was read aloud, and everything was open and transparent, but, of course that takes a little longer than 90 minutes.

However, I digress, it was at the end of this 90 minute public hearing that something extraordinary happened. The BudCom that wrote and prepared the budget could not agree to vote for it and pass it onto the legislative body for ratification. When it came time to vote for the budget the vote was split 3-3. A TIE!. This has never before happened. Since the Budcom could not agree to approve the budget they, on camera, motioned and approved a decision to recess and continue the meeting to last night at 7pm, in the hopes that they would be able to get ahold of Harold Morse to break the tie.

Now let the pooch screwing commence. ACTV had a notice posted yesterday announcing that 10 minutes after the cameras were turned off, Tuesday night, the Budcom met again, and voted NOT to continue the meeting until last night. According to informed sources this was done on the august legal advice of Barbara Snicer, whose immense legal talents are not to be questioned. She apparently advised the Budcom that they did not need to vote on the budget to pass it onto the Legislative body.

Unfortunately, Ms. Snicer(where did she obtain her law degree? Cracker Jacks?) is wrong. According to LAW, The Budcom must have a public hearing 25 days prior to Town Meeting. This public hearing was only 11 days prior, First mistake. At the public hearing, the Budcom may choose to continue, or hold a second public hearing to resolve matters, or when the meeting runs past midnight. IF, they declare the date and time of the subsequent meeting during the first public hearing, the requirement to post notice of the meeting for 7 days is waived. IF they DO NOT, decide this during public session at the first meeting, then the second meeting must have notice posted 7 days in advance of the second meeting.

So, here is how we now stand, Having failed to pass a budget the town LEGALLY has no budget for the legislative body to discuss or approve at Town meeting. The second meeting after the cameras were turned off on Tuesday night was likely illegal as it had not been posted, there was no legal reason for a non public, and the meeting had formally been continued to the following night. Ms. Snicer should refrain from giving any more colossally stupid legal advice. AND last but certainly not least in order for this to be rectified LEGALLY, another meeting would have to be posted. Public hearings require 7 day posting notification, meaning if posted today the meeting could not take place until the 28th, preventing the proper time for posting of the warrant prior to town meeting.

NOW, I should also point out that this is somewhat academic as the NH Dept. of Revenue Administration is utterly useless at enforcing their own laws, and likely would not prevent the town's budget from being presented over these violations of law. Remember in TODAY'S political climate the law ONLY matters when your opponents violate it. Those familiar with Atkinson's political elite, have observed this maxim first hand.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rumor has it that when Morse was unavailable to vote, Snicer also suggested to the budcom that they cast his vote for him. She repeated her suggestion claiming they all "knew" how he would vote.

If they all new how the members would vote, why wasn't this situation anticipated?

She should be brought up on charges for conspiracy to commit voter fraud and FIRED for cause.

..Just like her old pal.

Anonymous said...

Dumping on Barbara Snicer? Leonitis, the citizens of Atkinson loath you..

Anonymous said...

And what prompts that libelous remark about a private citizen? Snicer has no business suggesting that the budget committee commit voter fraud. If you don't u derstand why this is not OK or why it's also not OK to attack someone anonymously, you have a serious social disorder.

Btw, I am also not Leon.

Anonymous said...

You nit-wits need to get a life, you low-lifes who have nothing better to do but be critical of everything tells us how soul sick you really are get a life your crap dishing has been going on for years , you blockheads complain about everything.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Take a pill, hell, take two.

Do you not comprehend the issues coming out of this latest town malfunction? Maybe you should take deep breath and read the article again. Think things through.

Mark Acciard said...

/to the commentator at 9:15am; With as little respect as is due, Ms. Snicer should be ridiculed. As a former selectman and budget committeeperson she knows better. to repeatedly tell the committee that they can simply record a vote from Harold because they assume they know how he will vote is outrageous. For you to defend this reprehensible behavior is equally egregious.

As for her contention that the budget committee does not need to vote that, too, is despicable given her experience and knowledge.

Anonymous said...

Makes you wonder why some budget committee members are saying whoa man this budget is corrupt. We three won't vote for it. So in comes to the rescue a SELECTMAN to save the day. A real Superman of Integrity? More a dark knight protecting his business interests. I wonder what his negotiation with the other SELECTMEN comprises to vote FOR or AGAINST. Can you imagine the art of the deal in the background? Hmmm. He must be negotiating to bring the masturabator chair from the police station moved to its throne position in Atkinson Town Hall. Billy Bob to turn off his hearing aids. Grotesky to stop lying to the people of the town and support a legal line for the Conflict Of Interest Committe. Agh Hahahaha. Fat chance of that. Now most lobbyists protect their business empire and get whatever perks possible. Just like the lobbyists control Juan Bush. Take a shortcut become a Selectman. Don't you wonder what gets fracked from the Budget Committee and other Selectmen?

But who cares, maybe our female Select lawyer in Town Hall is spot on. Rules, laws, don't matter in this Royally corrupt joke of a town run from a masterabator chair. She says, just do what you want, Budget Committer. Just do whatever you want. There are no laws or rules in Atkinson. You can get away with anything here. The voters are snoozing. It's past their bedtime. Besides, Grotesky lies so good and often. Grotesky will protect you from truth, law, Justice, honor,,,whatever. Grotesky is Jesus, uhh, I mean a Genius.

Anonymous said...

Accaird
= no live in area
= Atkinson Blog making starting trouble
=Sandown/Green blog starting trouble
= sick person.

Anonymous said...

You're probably someone blogging at lunch from work, stupid enough to do so. More baloney with your baloney. Maybe you don't live in Atkinson either! Maybe YOU live in Sandown given your fixation for bullying Mrs.Green. That's it!

Anonymous said...

So Acciard speaks the truth. and you think he is the trouble maker.

Anonymous said...

Not at all. 2:09 speaks to the 12:41 poster. Who does the 3:29 poster speak to?