Article Submission:
from the Eagle Tribune 8-21-2009
Letter: Thanks for supporting police charitable fund
To the editor:
I would like to personally thank all of the residents of Atkinson who were so kind as to make a donation to the Atkinson Police Charitable Fund. This year's donation drive was a great success.
We do not employ the services of an out-of-town company to raise funds for us, so each and every dollar donated to our fund stays right here in town.
We will now be able to continue to provide all of the services that the seniors in town have received in the past. We will have funds available to help with winter heating fuel, prescriptions and other utilities that they may need short-term assistance with. This fund also allows us to provide funds for programs at the Academy School and to also purchase special police related items or equipment for our department.
Our main goal is be able to help our seniors in any way we can. We provide many more services over and above transportation to the doctors or to spend an afternoon shopping at the mall. We have medical appliances such as wheelchairs, shower chairs and walkers available right at the police station.
We have scheduled our Senior Citizen Flu Shot Clinic for Thursday, Oct. 29 at the Community Center from 9 a.m. until about 2 p.m. Please call the police station at 603-362-4001 to schedule a ride.
Again, to the residents of Atkinson, thank you for your continued support through your donations to our fund and to the support you have shown us over the years.
Philip V. Consentino
President
Atkinson Police Charitable Trust Fund
Atkinson, N.H.
August 21, 2009 12:32 PM
Atkinson Town Hall
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15 comments:
The medical supplies were purchased by the old TOWN managed donation account, NOT by this private fund and he should NOT be making these misleading statements. What happened? Did someone give him everything from the old Town fund?
If the Senior Citizen Flu clinic is sponsored by the new private slush fund, WHY is he using the PD to take the calls?
Nothing has changed here folks. He is using the PD to work on his new charity. Misappropriation of public funds. No clear separation of departments, no distinction between public and private entities.
So please awe us with your proof of what fund is feeding what. Secondly who cares. i think using an existing resource to accomplish two tasks is efficient. Third I see no reason to separate anything.
Proof? Are you kidding? It's all been posted online...where have you been?
I think the medical equipment was donated to the town when the town had their donationn account.
the big problem is that this is Phil's own PRIVATE CHARITY, that he is using taxpayer funded police dispatcher to mail out thank you letters to donors, and other tasks, while they are being paid by the town to do police work.
If anybody else was doing that they would be fired for misusing funds.
Most of the medical equipment was donated by people, myself included, to the Elderly Affairs dept.
I have donated a new wide track wheelchair, a walker, wood crutches and aluminum forearm crutches, and a cane, and I did it to the Elderly Affairs dept. That equipment is stored in a trailer behind the PD to the best of my knowledge. It would be owned by the town, under the elderly affairs program, not the previous donation account or the current one.
I am truly shocked by the revelation that police employees are working on the police clock for a private non-profit company owned by the police chief. If this is true, the selectmen should be demanding a full accounting for the taxpayers who fund these positions.
This again shows the inherent problems with running these two depts. out of the same building, comingling the same staff.
When the Chief of Police needs to use Town owned equipment to entice people to donate to his private slush fund, there's a problem. If you don't get this without an expanation, maybe you need to address a deeper problem.
WAIT A MINUTE
He is using police officers, in the clock to do police work, to send out donation letters for his PRIVATE SLUSH FUND??? WTF?
It would be one thing if they were doing elderly affairs work, that would be bad enough, but why are the taxpayers footing the bill for a private charity?
And I looked up this private charity on the NH/gov website, and the address of this "private, not affiliated with the town of Atkinson in any way" charity is the POLICE DEPT!
How the HELL is this legal?
and why aren't the selectmen doing something?
"How the HELL is this legal?
and why aren't the selectmen doing something?"
The Selectmen are 'Owned" by the Phil. He must have something on all of them and everyone of the past ones too. It's been obvious as he** over the years. WAKE UP PEOPLE WE LIVE IN A VERY CORRUPT TOWN AND WE DO NOTHING ABOUT IT!
I am still waiting for my apology from Chief Consentino. I have sent him letters from the woman who addmitted to falsely accusing me of a crime 20 years ago. After 6 hours of investigating by officer Dale Childs and an arrest by the Chief, my name was ruined. The young lady has apologized. Where is the chiefs public apology? I have sent him the emails exchanged by the woman and myself on facebook. The chief owes it to me to clear my name. I have never asked for a dime. I only want an apology. I will past the emails again below.
Here are two emails that I have sent to Chief Consentino. As some of you remember, I was accused of a felony crime 20 years ago. I was arrested after a non existant investigation by Office Dale Childs and Chief Consentino. Through the wonders of modern technolgy, I located my accuser on facebook. We exchanged several emails back and forth, that are listed below. She fully admits that her accusations were 100% false. I have forgiven her. She and the Atkinson Police department ruined my name in Atkinson. I have reached out to the chief three times. I have forwarded him these email exchanges, still NO APOLOGY. How can this man not feel the slightest guilt in ruining me? He owes me a public apology! For the record, I have never asked for a dime from the town. I have not sued the town. I want this man to do the right thing and publically clear my name. Some may think.. he was just doing his job. Was he? In recent cases, it took many months to investigate cases like Scott Peterson and Kaylee Anthony. The police departments took months investigating and building a case against the accused. Here.. he arrested me about six hours after the false accusations were made. Please read my emails to the chief listed below. Please also read the email exchanges between myself and the accuser... Susan Leclair. How can Chief Consentino not want to do the right thing and clear me? I have had to move from my hometown and I dealt with years of dirty looks and whispers from people who labeled me as a criminal. Phil.. You owe me a public apology! You owe it to me to clear my name!
Phil,
Here is the first email in case you no longer have it.
Do you ever feel bad for what you did to me?
Between Susan Le Clair Phelps and You
Jon DiVito
January 23 at 8:16pm
Susan... I have long gotten over what you did to me years ago. You ruined my name. You claimed you didn't know who I was. You know that we had a relationship with each other before you made false accusations against me. I do not hate you. But.. my question is, do you ever feel the slightest bit of remorse for what you did to me. I will never write you again and I have forgiven you. But I can not understand how you can live with what you did to me. I can't believe you wouldn't at least want to apologize to me. Anyway.. like I mentioned, I will never bother you again. But I it baffles me that you could do something that like you did to me with feeling any remorse. God Bless you.. I hope you have found peace in your life. I have forgiven you for what you did to me. I hope you can forgive yourself.
Sincerely,
Jon
Susan Le Clair Phelps
January 29 at 1:50pm
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Jon,
I have repented to my heavenly Father and I repent to you. I am extremely remorseful over ruining your name. I am not the same person I once was. Thank you for blessing me with your gift of forgiveness. Only now I can begin to try to forgive myself. I wish my words could express how strong my remorse is. My past sins have caught up with me. I hope that my be of some small restitution to you. Thank you, thank you for being gracious to me beyond measure. I wish God's blessings over your life.
With sincere repentance,
Susan
August 17, 2009 11:29 AM
Dear Chief,
Here are additional conversations between Sue Leclair and myself on facebook. As you remember, you arrested my 20 years ago on these false charges. While I feel you should have investigated the case more closely. I put the majority of the blame on this young woman. she ruined my name in town. I was forced to move away. I still get dirty looks from people in town. I still get snide comments made about me. I got completely screwed in this case. I am not looking for a dime from you. I am not looking a dime from the town. I am in business and my wife a Doctor. We have plenty of money. I am looking for justice. I sent you the earlier emails when she confessed to making false accusations against me. I have still yet to recceive an apology from you. I feel that I deserve to have my name cleared officially by the Atkinson Police Department. I would like to see a public statement clearing my name. I would gladly speak out in support of you. I would truthfully like to see this woman pay for what she did to me. I have had time to think about what she did to me. It is very hard to fogive and forget. She should have to go through the same humilation that I did. I fault the APD for not investigating the case properly. If you had spent a week investigating, I would have never been arrested and my name in tact. I am a good person. I am religious. I am a big brother the big brother program. I have 4 children. I am a good father and husband. I overcame a difficult childhood to become a full scholarship football player and recently vice president of a national company. I am not perfect, but these allegations caused me to spin into deep depression in my 20's. It is not right that we now have written proof from the woman who admits falsely accused me rape lied... and nothing has been done to clear my name. I would hope that this bothers you. It certainly has made a huge impact on my life.
Sincerely,
Jon DiVito
PS You spent years helping my sick mother. I know that behind the tough exterior you are a good man. I deserve to be cleared.
Hello
Between Susan Le Clair Phelps and You
Jon DiVito
February 6 at 1:20pm
Susan.. I want to thank you for coming back to me with your apology. It really does help me put this past me. You look to have a beautiful family. I have one more request that I would like you to consider. Once again, I will not ask again. I do not want anything from you. I feel that your apology was honest and heart felt. I do appreciate it. When this happened, my parents were devastated. However, they stood behind me and backed me. They were not wealthy people. They spent $5,000 on a lawyer to defend me. If you want to do something to really make this right. My parents should be paid for the lawyers fees. My wife and I are financially set. I am in management with a company. My wife is a Doctor. I have no idea what your financial situation is. But I would appreciate it if you would at least think about this. It is the right thing to do. Again.. please understand that this is not a demand, just a request. It is a request to make this right. Anyway.. God Bless you. I am happy that you have found peace and happiness in your life. If you choose to send payment to my father (Mom passed away in 2007). His mailing address is...
Ralph DiVito
POB 151
Atkinson, NH 03811
The ball is in your court. I hope you choose to do the right thing. You did with your email to me. I really appreciate it.
Jon
Susan Le Clair Phelps
February 10 at 8:25am
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Jon,
I appreciate the kind manner you have chosen to communicate with me--again I am thankful for your forgiveness. I am about to share a few details with you that I wouldn't normally do, but actually contemplated before your request came. Since you did have the request, I feel you are entitled to know what I am about to say. I want to let you know that although you may think I am not telling the truth here--everything I am about to write is 100% honest and upright. My husband and I have lost everything (financially and in real estate) over the last almost 3 years. My husband is in the building industry and has been in and out of work for the better part of 3 years--mostly out of work. We moved to atlanta 3 years ago just before the crash of the market and not forseeing the economic disaster ahead. Our home in NH never sold and we are losing it to foreclosure as we speak. We are getting ready to leave our current home and are praying for work for woody so at least we can rent something suitable for our children. With that said, I would also like to tell you that I have not been able to work for many years due to a physical disability. I was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer15 years ago when I was at UNH and had major surgery which removed much of my foot. Over the years, I have developed degeneration in my foot (and back from the messed up gait) to the extent that I have 2 drs. reccommending complete amputation in order to improve my physical abilities. That is on hold now as we presently have no health insurance for ourselves or our daughters. All this may seem like too much information and I certainly don't want you to think that I expect you to feel bad for me---I just want you to understand that it is that drastic that I truly do not have the financial means to pay your father. I pray you can understand (believe)that. I am very glad to hear that the economy has not affected you in your jobs and that 20years later you can come to a place of healing. You may not think much of this statement but I believe with my whole heart that my cancer in 1993 stemmed from guilt and shame that I was carrying. I was a healthy and very active person and had such a rare form of cancer that my drs in boston could not even put a name on the tumor. They took pictures and actually wrote about my case in a text book they were working on for med students. I live in pain each day and again--not for you to feel bad about--just in terms of thinking about my paying for my sin...I do believe God allowed me to have this handicapp and all the pain as a reminder that you can't just get away with living a life that does not honor him. That is how I choose to live my life now. ALl I want to do with the rest of my days is honor him. I was afraid to contact you and when you wrote to me--I knew that it would be right to let you know how sorry I was.
Thank you again for forgiving me.
Susan
August 17, 2009 11:32 AM
Jon DiVito
February 10 at 9:07am
Susan... I am VERY sorry to hear of your troubles. It does not make me feel in the least little bit that you have gotten what you deserved. I am terribly sorry that you have gone through such a terrible time with your health and your finances. This has been a very scary time economically. I don't think many people saw the impending crash of the economy. I am sorry that your family has suffered. We are lucky in that my wife has a very stable job. She is a Doctor. My job has been spared so far, but my company has had lay offs and I have been close to losing my job. What type of bone cancer did you have? You mentioned it was rare. That is very, very sad! I can relate in a way to your children. My mother was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy when she was 35. I spent most of my childhood and adulthood watching her slowly give into the disease. She passed in 2007.
Despite what transpired between us, I really do forgive you. We were very young. I also believe firmly that God forgives us more than he punishes. I believe that our God is a loving God that forgives people unconditionally that ask for forgiveness. I am sure that you will be forgiven.
I also want to tell you that for several years after the allegations, I was hurt very badly. During my 20's I sunk into depression. I turned to drugs and alcohol to ease my pain. In my late 20's I went home one night and smoked pot. Shortly after my phone rang and it was my mother. She told me that the Doctor called her and told her my grandmother was about to die in the hospital. I had to go to the hospital while under the influence of drugs and watch my grandmother pass away. It was one of the worst moments in my life. I stopped smoking pot and drinking after that night.
During my 20's I had a very difficult time. (Hang in there.. story gets better).. I was very popular in HS, due to my playing sports.. football etc. When this happened and it made the papers, my name was ruined. There was nothing I could do to repair the damage. When I was out, people gave me dirty looks. People who I was friends with for years ignored and avoided me. My sister was in HS and she had to endure people calling me names. It was too big for me to fix. It is one of the main reasons, I moved from Atkinson.
August 17, 2009 11:35 AM
There was good that came from this. I have told people on more than one occasion that this happening to me.. was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Why?? Because it made it very clear to me who my real friends were. I understood quickly that there were many people that liked to be around me for what I was, not who I was. When the charges came out, my close friends and family never doubted me. The so called friends that really did not matter, may have went away. But they were never truly my friends. When I was young, I always worried what people thought of me. I was vain and insecure. I was obsessed with how other people viewed me. When this happened, I could not fix how people viewed me. So I learned to live by worrying about how I viewed myself. I learned to like myself and never worry about what people think of me. This has allowed me to become a very happy and well adjusted adult. I am a good parent. I never give into what "The Group" might be doing. I follow my heart and always do what i believe to do regardless of what the masses of people do. So.. in a strange sort of way.. what happened to me, made me a better person. Would I want to go through it again? no. But.. would I change what happened with the possibility I would be a different person today as a result.. no.
So.. to wrap it up.. I fully forgive you. I don't want you to carry around guilt any longer. Please spend your time focusing on your family. Please spend your future being a great mom and wife. I cannot appreciate enough the fact that you had the courage enough to write me in the way that you did. It finally allows me to be at peace with what happened. I am at peace with it. I sincerely hope you can be at peace with it as well. I will also pray for your health. I will pray that your financial situation improves. I will pray to God for your forgiveness. I have forgiven you and I am sure God will as well.
Best Wishes.. Jon
Susan Le Clair Phelps
February 12 at 11:08am
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I am having trouble replying to your message...I am trying to process all you told me about your life. I would like to respond properly but I am really upset right now. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I am going to take a few more days to try to snap out of my self hatred mode and then respond.
Susan
August 17, 2009 11:35 AM
February 13 at 7:02am
Don't hate yourself. I do not hate you. I really don't. I am very happy today. Be happy. I forgive you and God will as well.take care and be happy. Jon
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Susan Le Clair Phelps
February 13 at 1:54pm
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I realized after I wrote you last that you probably thought...well what did she expect happened to me? It's not that I was surprised at all by any of what you wrote--it was just heart wrenching to hear about your mother and the story of the night you said goodbye to your grandmother. I always imagined that your life was ruined and you probably had to move. I really have carried around a heavy burden of guilt for 20 years. You have helped me feel better today and I can't thank you enough for all your kindness. You really are an amazing person and I was just totally blown away by your response to me and saying that you would pray for me. I am humbled and blessed by your words. Although I can never make up what I did to you, I will take your advice and continue to try to be the best mom and wife I can be and treat others well. I appreciate so much you sharing your story with me...please know that although I am starting this process of forgiving myself- now that you and God have forgiven me--I will never forget that I was responsible for ruining more than a decade of your life. I will have that with me forever. My saving grace the past few weeks has been thinking about my 18 year old daughter who I had in 1990. I was a single mother with her for 8 years and now when I see her I realize what a great woman she is turning out to be. She has a good head on her shoulders and is a caring and kind human being. Sorry to give you too many details...I guess I just wanted you to know that I managed to do something good in my past. I can't tell you how thankful I am that you forgive me. I will always be wishing for you happiness and many blessings ahead.
Susan
Jon DiVito
February 13 at 7:07pm
Thank you for your last email.I am typing on my blackberry.. So I don't mean to be brief. We are on vacation in Florida. I am glad we have gotten in touch with each other. We can both put the past behind us. Let's keep in touch and move forward as friends. Jon
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August 17, 2009 11:36 AM
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