Atkinson Town Hall
The Norman Rockwellian picture of Atkinson
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Elderly Meeting a Milestone
Imagine, an OPEN, FRANK, PUBLIC conversation on Elderly Affairs.
It happened today.
The night began with our fired for cause former police chief surreptitiously flipping off Mr. Leon Artus, by stroking the side of his nose with his middle finger, But, then again he is no stranger to childish gestures.
Mr. Innis was professional, and a gentleman. He fielded questions from a contentious crowd that had obviously been spoon fed a truckload of falsehoods about the Elderly Affairs dept., The Donation account, and the selectmen, Gee We wonder who THAT could have been? Probably the same disgruntled former employee who has been doing the same for twenty years.
Here are the FACTS, for any Elderly that may read this;
Elderly Affairs is a TAXPAYER FUNDED Town dept. It has been for twenty years. It has NEVER been a charity funded by Phil. The taxpayers pay for the depts. budget. It is ALSO funded by the Donation account. Up until 2007 the TOWN OWNED the donation account. In 2007, the AG's office found that it had been operated illegally for years, and demanded it be turned over to the Trustees of the Trust Funds. As the Trustee at the time was Dale Childs and she took her responsibilities very seriously, Phil did not want this. Fortunately for him there was a second option that was right up his alley. He could form a private Non profit corporation, and make donations from it to the town. NO accountability. NO need to ask anyone for permission to spend the money. TOTAL DICTATORSHIP! Although many elderly in town think of the Atkinson Police Charitable fund as being the town donation account it, in fact in NOT AFFILIATED with the town. It is a private non profit corporation run by Phil Consentino to benefit those he wishes to bestow his largess upon. The PROBLEM is that he is SUPPOSED to make donations publicly to the town, and they SHOULD be accepted in an open selectmen's meeting, but this never happened, so we have no idea where that money went.
However, what Mr. Innis proposed last night is open transparent AND LEGAL! For the town to establish a new donation account, run by the Trustees of the Trust Funds, open and accountable to the State. It will be established SOLELY for the purpose of donating to the town's elderly. Mr. Artus jumped in at this point to help calm the crowd with more info.
At one point a number of elderly were demanding to know why Phil was fired. Mr. Innis gave the most generous, factual, but not detailed answer; The town received a complaint, hired an investigator, and when the findings came in fired Phil for Cause. At this point our former Bully with a Badge tried to bully Mr. Innis with his thinly veiled threat that he had better watch what he says because this is far from over. YES PHIL, YOU ARE FIRED, IT IS OVER! Thank God!
Remember one thing, Phil, if you fight your firing, EVERYTHING comes out in open Court. On second thought, This blog thinks you SHOULD fight your firing, it is only right.
To the town's elderly; The program will continue to operate. You will continue to get your rides, and services. And if you make your donations to the TOWN OWNED donation account instead of Phil's corporation, that money will ONLY be spent on elderly affairs, and STATE LAW GUARANTEES IT! And ANYONE who tells you differently is lying to you.
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27 comments:
I have no problem helping the elderly but lets face it some have plenty of money and are mooching off the tax payer.
Great point, I would love to find out the truth why Phil was fired. Bring it to court Chief, inquiring minds want to know!
We can only hope that the elderly come to understand that there is TWO parts to the Elderly Affairs program. One run by the town that budgeted $40,000 last year and over spent by $6000.00. The second is what Mr. Consentino spends out of his PRIVATE donation account that spent $30,000 last year.
While Mr. Consentino plays a role in the program, it's the Town that pays the biggest percentage to take care of our elderly.
The Town wants to expand the program by adding an additional car
(along with other suggestions from the elderly) to meet increasing needs. It would benefit the elderly to join with Mr. Innis to improve the Elderly Affairs program. It's a WIN WIN situation for both.
I thought Mr. Innes, as well as Mr. Artus, did an excellent job in reassuring many of the folks who had taken advantage of the program and were very concerned as to what the future would be for them. I'm sure that it was an eye opener to some - who evidently did think that the entire program came from donations and was not connected to the town to find, out that the tax payers carry most of the burden and have done so for years.
Adele,
How could anyone possibly be so unplugged as to think the entire program was paid for through the donation scam? How is this possible? Do they live in a vacuum? Are they recluses? I really don't know where they have had their heads and I won't speculate.
The elderly are unplugged because the selectmen never interact with them. This allowed Consentino to convince them he was the one that did everything for them. If they hear the lie long enough, it becomes the truth. Why else were they so insistant that Mr. Innes and selectmen keep their noses out of Mr.Consentino's Elderly Affairs business?
Shame on the selectmen for not interacting with the elderly and allow Consentino to take over that Town owned department so completely!
Could it be that some of the elderly are only interested in themselves and what they can get?
Doesn't matter where it comes from, or who pays for it as long as they are not inconvenienced?
I'm sure some of them fall into this category, not all. Some need the help and have never been able to get it. This is about them, not all the suckups who having have been getting Phil's private services for years (barf).
BTW, check out the tribune. Ms. Langley is going to blow a gasket.
Adele, Thank you for your informed comment, as always.
When I chaired the budget committee, I asked Phil How many people used the program and how many rides it provided? This was in 2002, and He told me we could not have that info.
After that meeting I received 16 phone calls from elderly(and I had an unlisted number, wonder how they got it) demanding to know why I was trying to cancel the elderly affairs program, and trying to cut the funding for it.
I asked where they had heard these lies. They ALL responded that they were not lies, and I was trying to kill the program, they were told.
I told them they were LIED to, and to watch the tape of the meeting. NO ONE had mentioned cutting $1.00 from the program, or ending anything. All we asked was how many customers, how many rides.
THIS is how informed they have been over the years, and how they received such false info.
Would like Elderly to be helped if help is needed, for those who fit in the poverty level incomes, and assets, but the other elderly bracket should pay for their rides or other services if they need them.
I agree. This program is not in place in other Towns. No other Police Chief is going around sending flowers and newsletters. We have been stuck paying for this service and have no real information on whether these people need this or not. Some people will take "free" no matter what, need it or not. We deserve to know how many, who and why this is in place.
Out of curiosity I spoke with a couple of my friends whom I knew had used the elderly transportation, and they said that their way of paying was to donate to the Charitable Fund. These same folks said "no" they had never required help from the Charitable Fund. In a perfect world, their future donations should go into the fund that Bill Innes is setting up that will offset the cost of transportation.
I am afraid this is going to be a hard sell!
Really? They pay back the taxpayers by funding the private slush fund of the former Chief who doesn't provide services for all? That is horrid though I expected to hear this because some elderly are stupid and this proves it.
BTW, you know what is going to be a harder sell? Funding EA any longer.
4:45 Please dont comment on the Elderly being stupid. They are not, they have been led by an unfaithful lying leader who filled their heads with nonsense...Once the facts are completely out with the Charitable Fund and the Taxpayer fund, they will make informed decisions, and will basically have to understand in this economy, they just may not get the same services next year's ballot, because yes 4:46 it will be hard to ask taxpayers to fund the EA. Who knows it may be a lowered amount once there is a grasp on the budget. I have full confidence that Mr Innes will listen to everyone, because he knows he is being watched closely on what the figures will be.
It cost the average tax payer $15 per year for EA. It cost the average tax payer 4K per year for our school system. Which one do you think we need to cut back upon? Yes, let's tell the elderly they need to fend for themselves so they'll drive when they really shouldn't and put everyone else at risk. I'll pay the $15 and gladly provide assistance for one of the two most vulnerable groups. They cost a heck of a lot less than the other. BTW, they're also tax payers.
To 9:46 - The evidence has been in their face for years and they criticize those who have stood up to the Chief. Now you want me to ignore the stupidity? No. If they cling to the lies then they are being stupid. How can so many be wrong and one person, always at the center of the problems, be always right?
As far at the $15.00 per taxpayers goes, you really mean resident. That is a week's food bill for a family who are getting nothing but a snow job for their $60.00.
None of the elderly have ever shown a need for these services EVER and your assumption that the over 60 shouldn't be driving is a hoot. Most of the elderly affairs drivers are elderly, especially the former Chief and his elderly still working still driving wife!!
No, I mean per property tax payer. Don't let the facts cloud your judgement. Consentino's involvement in the program already has. $15 PER YEAR. If a property owner can't afford that, they can't afford to own their home. As for my "assumption", how many times does it come up that elderly drivers need to be retested because they get into another accident. There skills deteriorate. Try being around some seniors once in a while and perhaps you'll see that they don't move, think, or see as well as they used to. On second thought, don't bother because your mind is made up. Hopefully these same services you deride will be there for you when you need them. Time catches us all.
I disagree. This is not about what we can afford or can't afford. Why should we have to pay this when there is no proof of need. Do I just give my money away because you say to? Hardly.
Okay, then let democracy rule. Get a citizens petition added to next years ballot that will eliminate EA. If it passes, you get your wish. If it doesn't, then grin and bear it.
The middle class is shrinking. Maybe not so quickly here, but soon the town won't be getting all the resources it had been getting for schools and EA. We need more accurate statistics from the EA manager. How much does the program cost and how often is it used? We don't even know what the average ride costs and how many rides are taken per week. Then we need to set up guidelines on means to make sure the "new poor" don't have the well-to-do riding around town on their backs, laughing all the way to the bank. There is a need for EA, we just don't know how big a real need there is.
Now I know you're going to scoff at my first statement. After all, Massachusetts just reported that its unemployment number has dropped to 6.5% and happy days are here again. I personally think numbers like these from liberal states are completely bogus.
So let's stop the scare tactics about abolishing EA. The program is needed, It's how the program is executed that's the problem.
Scare tactic? I wasn't the one who suggested EA shouldn't be funded anymore. Now a well run transparent program is something we can agree upon and from what Innes is saying, that's exactly what we will get.
We don't know what the needs are until we get the numbers. The need may be large for a few and not at all for the rest.
When in doubt, throw another car at it. So far Innes isn't any better than Consentino. And the scare tactics I was referring to is from March 24, 2013. 12:52 PM. How would you characterize the phrase "eliminate EA". Sounds like a pretty obvious hot button to me. Let's scare the old folks.
jmho Like to hear yours.
This program is not being run well, we don't know who needs it, we don't know what they need. I know we don't need another car if we don't know how many people are using it. What we do know is that we have to make an assessment and take it from there.
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