From the Eagle Tribune;
Atkinson board seeks legal advice on road issue
By Eric Parry
eparry@eagletribune.com
ATKINSON — Selectmen plan to meet with their attorney to discuss whether a Big Island Pond homeowner should be allowed to construct a driveway.
Maggie and Daniel Osborn asked the selectmen Monday night to withdraw the cease and desist order they received from the town earlier this month.
In recent weeks the Osborns' home on Valcat Lane has been at the center of controversy.
Selectmen sent the couple a cease and desist order on Oct. 9 because they violated an agreement with the town. They had said they wouldn't do any work without the town's permission.
But Maggie Osborn said previously that all work done at their house had been done with the town's permission. She could not be reached yesterday for comment.
Osborn said last week that her home has been vandalized and her family harassed by other residents.
Selectman Bill Bennett said the three-member board plans to meet with their attorney, Sumner Kalman, to discuss whether Valcat Lane is public or private, and whether to allow the Osborns to continue building their driveway.
"We have to decide what our options are," Bennett said.
Earlier this month, residents complained to the selectmen that the Osborns had destroyed Valcat Lane when constructing the driveway. Some residents have argued Valcat Lane is a public road, but the selectmen have yet to come to a decision.
The Valcat Lane home also is the site of several alleged shoreland protection violations.
Jim Martin, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Services, confirmed there were recent complaints against the Osborns, but they have not yet been investigated.
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52 comments:
What we all have to worry about, if history is any indication, is that the tone of the meeting will actually be...
"...Ok, how many excuses can we think of to NOT do anything here? Sumner, you're an expert in this, how many reasons for doing NOTHING can you come up with?"
Sorry to be so cynical, but at this point, it seems like our selectmen's greatest talent is sitting on their backsides and doing nothing (i.e. Rampaging Phil, Hampstead Water, Lewis Homes, the trucking business, etc.)...
Didn't the state give Hampstead Water the go ahead over town objections?
I can hardly wait to be enlightened by our inept town counsel that does nothing but help generate further litigation for Atkinson while lining his pockets.
I'm taking bets we end up in court. Anyone dare and bet against it?
Because more legal action means Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money! for our town counsel Sumner Kalman. So he'll give answers to selectmen questions but he'll never advise on steps to take to protect Atkinson or help limit the risk of going to court. Lets make everyone dig into their positions and fight out in a courtroom what could be handled by reasonable people given sound legal advice.
See you all in court!!
I'll be watching closely to see how he helps our town bungle another one.
Re: the town fighting Hampstead Water Company...
My impression was that the selectmen made some minor noise against the water withdrawal, but it may have been more driven by a recognition of the rage in town and political necessity rather than a drive by them to protect our water. (excepting Bill Bennett possibly).
Fact is, most of our town government believes in a "give business whatever they want" type of mentality, to the detriment of the rest of us.
Irregardless of your personal politics, this view of allowing businesses and those that benefit from them anything they want is ridiculous, and perhaps enough of us will wake up and fight against it someday.
Noise or a real stand, didn't the state override the town? If so, why is this even being called an issue? It's moot. As far as businesses getting the run of the town, there's hardly any in town. You must mean Lewis.
As a former selectman I can tell you that Sumner used to meet with new selectmen and the spiel was always the same. You selectmen make the policy and I(Sumner) will defend it.
Sumner will answer the specific question you ask, but he won't tell you if you are asking the right question or not.
We always regarded him as the selectmen's counsel.
And I am posting this anonymously for obvious reasons.
Speaking of water.....did anybody realize there are now hydrants along Main Street? That's a good thing, you know. There isn't a lot of water available for fire-fighting along the street, or any of the off streets.
Speaking of water; remember that with it's wells losing 1/3rd of their water, and 2 golf courses pumping out much of the rest, Hampstead Water/Lewis Construction seems to be hoping to drain OUR aquifers enough to kill your well and make all of us dependent on their monopoly for our own water.
That's bad thing you know. Our water won't last forever, especially with 33% being lost to waste...
anon 10:39 PM
Does anyone realize that the town pays a annual "fee" for each fire hydrant. Not a bad business in itself. From a business perspective, the more hydrants the better. Profit is profit
WTF? So they dug up main street to put in a water main? Why didn't they put in a natural gas main as well?
The possibility of a natural gas line in Atkinson is not widely known fact.
Most people don't realize a gas main goes right through town by the Community Center.
I ate beans. They gave me natural gas. I don't want ANYONE near my pipeline, however, so don't get any funny ideas!
The HAWC pipeline ended at Meditation where HAWC has several pumps. It is going no farther South. The discussion is meaningless.
Besides, gas is best suited for new housing. A majority of NH heats with oil or electric. I don't see many people taking of the expense of replacing a burner or the even more difficult task of replacing electric.
Then there is the matter of running it up the side streets. Not in this lifetime.
I'd pay to connect and get off oil and do my part to help protect the environment. There's more to it than just a conversion. I've seen where companies offer to convert you. Its in their long term best interest.
So even with our $65k/yr. Lt. gone for a year, the Police budget is going UP by $8,000?
I though we were going to CUT the budget by 5%?
So in 2008, the Pd did its job for $630,000.
In 2009, they spent $770,000 for the same job, and in 2010, we will spend $779,000 even though the Lt. will be gone?
How does THAT math work?
And we need 2 new cruisers because chief doesn't want anyone driving the Lts. car?
Phil Have you heard about the TIGHT ECONOMIC TIMES???? WTF!
And what is with the PD having "pleasure cars"? Get RID OF THEM!
Friel tried to nail down Phil on whether we have too many vehicle.
Phil did his "blah-blah" dance and left Friel bewildered, and guess what? Friel seemed to drop the issue and give up on it. Whatever happened to management?
Remember when phil used to blame every fiscal woe and / or question about his budget on the union? Can't do that this time around...contract got voted down...officers are working under the expired contract and their salaries are at 2008 levels and look to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
Bennet asked him for hard numbers for elderly transports, and he breezed right by that one too.
I it has to be secret it cant be good.
They need the extra money to pay the dispatcher to work on his private slush fund.
Has anyone noticed that the private slush fund uses the town po box?
Last year the EA budget was doubled and the PD budget stayed the same. The PD didn't have to pay the entire payroll, no longer was paying to subsidize EA but still the budget was the same.
This man has got to go.
I liked the part where he complained about people talking about seeing him in the clown car in haverhill or plaistow, or on the highway, he got sick of it so he started driving the mercury, the "undercover car"! ROFLMAO!
What that Durango that you convinced that little old lady down on Maple ave. to donate $9000 to the donation acct. so you could put all those eagles, and writing on, is TOO NOTICABLE???
Don't like people to know where you take OUR CAR?
Maybe he needs the money to clean the police station, it's filthy and smells like a kennel.
Why? We don't have any police dogs.
That was pretty much his response when somebady saw his dispatchers doing work for his non profit on police time... He put mirrored film on the dispatch window, so nobody will ever see that misuse of taxpayer money again, by God!
Ok so we have ONE officer patrolling each shift, WHY THE HELL DOES THE PD NEED 8 CARS? That dont include the Elderly depts. 3 cars!
OOH OOH MR. KOTTER, I KNOW, I KNOW WHY....
Chief's COMMAND VEHICLE- the Durango
Lts. PErsonal Car
Detective's personal car
SUV
Mercury which Phil is now using as his own car.
3 cruisers
plus for elderly 2 cruisers and the wheelchair van1
TOTAL 11!!!!!
And dont forget...
Phil said last night that the durango and the mercury are not suitable for police vehicles, THEY ARE PLEASURE VEHICLES!!
WHY DOES OUR POLICE DEPT. HAVE PLEASURE VEHICLES?
WHY DO WE HAVE TWO CARS FOR EVERY OFFICER ON PATROL?
WHY DOES EVERYONE HAVE HIS OWN PERSONAL CAR FOR CHRISTS SAKE?
And How many towns have a police chief arrogant enough to tell his bosses the selectmen that he has two pleasure vehicles?
Ah yes! All of you loonies got tired of bashing your newest "evil Atkinsonians" the Osborns, and went back to your favorite meanie...Phil. Even though the topic or discussion has noting to do with him. Pathetic.
Yawn...
Because we are talking about last nights meeting. There sint an article about it so we are talking about it here. If you have a problem with that dont read the comments.
If the Lt. is in California for the next year, then the $65,000 he would get paid should be saved, right? I mean he isnt a patrol officer so there really isnt a shift to cover. The chief will have to do the administrative stuff that the Lt. would normally do. With FICA Medi, and retirement that should save the town $70-75,000.
Why is his budget going UP? And gas prices are down from last year too!
Just drove by and saw digging on Valcat rd Two machines One digging straight down where Valcat used to be The other taking out what used to be Valcat rd going towards the lake!
The big machines are digging big time. Go see em. The noise is something else.
Hey 10:28, LEAVE if you don't like it, twit...
NEVER LEAVING TWIT !!!U GET OVER IT !!!!
Yawn...Yawn. Booooring!
This is unreal. I hope the judge finds the Osborn's guilty.And they go bankrupt. Due to restoration of Valcat and Mrs.Davis's property.
This is unreal. I hope the judge finds the Osborn's guilty.And they go bankrupt. Due to restoration of Valcat and Mrs.Davis's property.
A couple of big paving trucks were also spotted near the end of Chase Island near Valcat. Perhaps the Osborn's new driveway is getting paved? One would hope that this is not the case.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Now it's back to the Osborn's? I thought we switched back to the blogs staple when we started in on the Phil talk. Make up your mind people. Is it Phil or is it the Osborn's?
The article is about the Osborns my slow witted friend. The chief talk was dealing with his abyssmal performance monday night.
Why don't you complain when other articles comment stream change subject? Or do you have trouble following the chain of thought?
Actually, I'm concerned about the thoughts of a great many people here. And to think they might even have guns scares the bejesus out of me.
But then again. this is pretty much true anywhere you go anymore.
Protect your anonymity and freedom of speech. www.ninjacloak.com
What does owning guns have to do with anything.
boooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggggg
"What does owning guns have to do with anything."
A great many unstable people own guns. Guns have been shown to be a very effective means of hurting someone from a distance, even close up.
There are a great many unstable people in Atkinson, or at least on this blog. We've been told this blog represents Atkinson so I have to believe this statement is true.
An unstable person owning a gun is a very scary thing.
This blog has shown neighbor against neighbor. If one of those neighbors is unstable, and owns a gun, Atkinson has become a much scarier place.
I get along with my neighbors very well. I fear for those with unstable neighbors. And God knows, there are a great many of those.
The blog has taught me all these truths.
That is what guns have to do with this blog.
As for boring, go read the National Enquirer. More your speed.
Guns can't hurt anyone; it's the people behind the guns that can do damage.
You don't need guns to hurt people; all you have to be is a person by the name of Osborn. Maggie and Daniel steal, cheat, lie, and vandalize to get their way.
It's not guns that need to be illegal; it's the illegal practices of Maggie and Daniel Osborn that need to be controlled and kept away from the good people of Atkinson.
Nice try Maggie.
JMHO
The only unstable people in Atkinson are our police chief and the Osborns on 8 Valcat Lane. All three are problems.
That's my opinion
re- gas pipeline...there are communities in Vermont where the mandate is to switch from oil to natural gas at an estimated cost of $8k per household. FYI!
I thought this was the Atkinson Inquirer! As far as guns, don't worry, I only shoot dem dare stinkin libruls.
"re- gas pipeline...there are communities in Vermont where the mandate is to switch from oil to natural gas at an estimated cost of $8k per household. FYI!"
Fine. You call up National Grid or any of the other natural gas companies in the area and demand a pipeline to your home. Let us all know what they say.
I think there should be a poll on this subject. Who is with me?????
Anon, 10:34,
So the only unstable people are the Osborns and the Chief? As Larry David would say, "interesting!"
So Jack and Frank are now back in everyone's good graces? What a fickle bunch you tinfoil hat wearing loonies you all are!
LOL!!!
To Anon, 10:34
FYI
Jack and Frank are not back in good graces, because they are known liars. They can never earn the respect of good people again, especially Sapia. They are well on their way to being totally unstable, but the Osborns and the Chief have already achieved that goal.
jmho
To Anon, 10:34
FYI
Jack and Frank are not back in good graces, because they are known liars. They can never earn the respect of good people again, especially Sapia. They are well on their way to being totally unstable, but the Osborns and the Chief have already achieved that goal.
jmho
TAKE A RIDE TO VALCAT. DIGGING TO CLOSE TO THE SHORELINE AND TEARING DOWN MORE TREES. THIS UNREAL!!!!
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