From the Eagle Tribune;
Atkinson's Web site is down until $19 bill paid Town's Web site is down until bill is paid
By Eric Parry
eparry@eagletribune.com
ATKINSON — Residents looking for Planning Board meetings, town office hours or dog license fees won't find that information on the town's Web site.
The town allowed its domain name, town-atkinsonnh.com, to expire. The generic Web page in its place said the registration expired April 5, and is pending renewal or deletion.
As of yesterday, no one appeared to know when the Web site would be available again, Selectman Bill Bennett said.
"Someone forgot to pay the domain registration bill," Bennett said.
Selectman Fred Childs said the bill was only $19, but nobody at Town Hall could find the bill yesterday.
Selectmen sign checks to pay bills from different departments on a weekly basis, but, at this point, they don't even know to whom that particular bill would have been addressed.
"Nobody could find a bill anywhere," Childs said yesterday afternoon.
The town offices are working with a bare-bones staff this week. The town has been without a town administrator since late January, when former administrator Steven Angelo abruptly left town, the third in a year to do so.
Selectmen interviewed at least one candidate for the administrator job last week and have previously said they would like to hire someone as soon as possible.
A temporary employee had been working in the selectmen's office since January, but her last day was Friday. Administrative assistant Barbara Snicer is on vacation this week.
Selectmen are dealing with other Web site-related issues from Town Meeting. Last month, voters approved a warrant article directing the town to put tax card information on the Web site. But no money was attached to the warrant article and posting the information is going to carry some expense.
Bennett said selectmen would like to follow through with voters' wishes, but at this point have no timetable when that information will become available.SClBDeputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan said without any money attached to the warrant article, it was most likely advisory at this point. Selectmen have "pretty broad discretion" as to how they want to move ahead, he said.
In the long term, Bennett said he would like to see the town's Web site improved to have more information available and updated more frequently.
Next year, Bennett said he plans to set aside money for that job, but needs to research how much it would cost this summer.
Atkinson Town Hall
The Norman Rockwellian picture of Atkinson
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17 comments:
And THESE are the people who we trust are organized enough to run the town?
Someone should write a RTK letter to find out what else they haven't paid.
They want to pay $75,000 for a town administer when they can't pay a $19 fee for the town website or put up the information mandated by the votes? This is not an oversight.
A town clerk is all that we, the voters need. A town administer has always acted as an employee of the selectmen, at our expense, while acting against the very citizens who pay their salary.
The $19 error was just an error? Then why is it not corrected TODAY! That's right, TODAY! Like IMMEDIATELY!
The citizens have had ENOUGH of these incompetent and rude selectman's lackeys. Get a town clerk, save money, and watch them stay for years. A TA will say awhile, take the money and run, because they will soon figure out what is coming.
A background check for a person applying for town administer needs to be posted here for all to see. The last one had a big issue at last job.
The way I read it, someone in the Selectmen's Office lost the bill, and that's why it wasn't paid.
I take exception to the person who insists that all we need is a Town Clerk. The position is full time; it does not provide time to cater to the needs of the Selectmen's Office (those needs are humungous.)
incompetence at it,s best did i spell it right
I'm sure they didn't find a bill because there was no bill. Web hosting companies and domain registration services don't send bills. They take a credit card number and an email address, then they send emails to somebody when it is getting close to renewal.
Typically somebody puts the charge on their personal credit card then seeks reimbursement from the town. At least that is how it has been done at times in Danville. With all the churn you have had in selectmen and town administrators, it wouldn't be surprising if the renewal email went to somebody no longer associated with your town government.
One of the local community-oriented web sites went dark for a while this summer because the owner went off camping and was completely offline when the final expiration notice was sent.
Thank you for posting that Curt. Anyone with any knowledge of how these work had already figured that out. Unfortunately some residents prefer to sit back and lob grenades saying how narcissistic the selectmen are and how incompetent town officials are. But yet, we had one person run for selectman after Artus dropped out and then a late write in entry by Valerie. Put up or shut up people. If you think you can run the town better, get your name on the ballot. Give the voters some choices. The fact of the matter is you probably can't run the town any better and aren't willing to devote the hours of time needed for what is essentially a volunteer position. So keep yourselves amused with your petty conspiracy theories and pretend like you're actually making a difference by posting your snarky comments. I wouldn't want to see anyone get put out by having to actually do some real work towards the betterment of the town.
They sent the town an email months ago telling them it was expiring and no one knew what to do with it or who to give the email to.
Hey 6:42;
We pay someone to post content on the town website. The fact that it has no information is because the town officials wont send it in to be posted. Nothing else! If they wanted to send it in, it would be posted, but they dont.
But all you want to do is make excuses. The minutes are done, and approved, but they wont simply attach them to an email and send them in.
Why do you think this is acceptable?
BTW, we now have a technology committee to look at these issues, but there is one dept. head that wont let them evaluate his systems, needs, or talk to the tech person on his staff.... and who is this?.... You guessed it PHIL CONSENTINO, POLICE CHIEF!
To April 14, 2009 11:43 PM
You are misinformed.
We do not pay anything to have info posted on the town website, it's done by a volunteer. If they send it in, he posts it. Meeting minutes do not have to be posted on the website.
I also remember seeing the meeting notice for the Technology group to tour the Police Station.
RE: April 14, 2009 6:42 PM
Here, Here. This is essentially what I've said in some other posts. All that many posters on this blog know is how to complain and bitch, even when they have no clue what the facts are. Look at April 14, 2009 11:43 PM. He got a copy of the town report. How much effort would have it taken to determine the web site is run by a volunteer.
In fact, many of the towns important functions are done by volunteers. And the BOS, for what they get paid the grief they have to endure, it is more hazzard pay than a salary. And, $3K a year is not a salary.
Bitch, moan, complain, but where are these people when there are open positions on many of the town boards and committees? Home in front of the TV eating Cheetos.
People are screaming for change. Tell you what buddy. For change to occur, everyone has to get involved. Flapping your lips is not considered helping.
Can anybody tell me why the Atkinson police log is not posted in the paper? I see that other towns post theirs and I know Atkinson used to be posted but hasn't been for many years. Can the selectman require the police department to do so, and if so, will they please.
Thank you.
you are missing the point nobody is complaining about the guy who runs the webstie, we are complaining that our elected officials dont put them information on it! They have the place to do it, it takes no effort, they have been doing it for years, but NOw it is too tough to do.
Bullshit!
BTW, the first budget committee to put minutes on the town website was the one Acciard chaired. the new guy Blackadar, doesnt seem interested.
What do you expect? Blackadar as Budget Chairman stated he had no right to question the Police Budget in depth! The budget committee should be questioning every budget in depth. If he can't do it.............if he is to scared of Phil..........he shouldn't be on the committee. We need a budget committee chairman.........WITH BALLS..........that will .........GET HIS FACTS STRAIGHT...........and hold Phil accountable. Until that happens, the Mafia will continue to run this town.
Phil Consentino and anyone associated with him, needs to be behind bars.
JUST MY OPINION.
What a bunch of ditzes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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