Letter: Anonymous Mailing Defames a good man

The Eagle-Tribune Mon Mar 31, 2014, 12:14 AM EDT

To the editor:
To the anonymous person who has sent a second and very disgusting letter to the seniors of Atkinson: You have stolen the contact information given to the Police Department in conjunction with senior services. This was not meant for use in your crusade against former Police Chief Consentino. Take our names off your mailing list.
We have known Mr. Cosentino for over 45 years and find him to be of the highest character. He is one of the kindest, most caring persons we have ever know and very professional at all times.
Get a life! Spend your time and postage money helping the poor or the homeless. We would tell you face to face, but you don’t have the courage to give a return address.
Denise and John Murrey
Atkinson

NH may require meeting agendas to be set 72 hours before meeting

Bill would require agendas to be set 72 hours before meeting

By Alex Lippa alippa@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Tue Mar 25, 2014, 12:49 AM EDT

Lawmakers are considering a bill that could mean a major change to public meetings.
House Bill 1591 would require agendas for all public meetings be posted 72 hours prior to the meeting. Currently, they only have to be posted 24 hours prior to the meeting.
“It’s cumbersome,” Pelham Selectmen’s Chairman Ed Gleason said. “If something pops up that requires immediate attention, it’s just going to delay that process.”
The bill was recommended by the House Judiciary Committee last week, 9-8.
The only exception to the law would be under emergency situations. An emergency is defined by RSA 91-A:2 to be an “immediate undelayed action which is deemed to be imperative by the chairman.”
“It’s generally understood that emergencies are only when irreparable harm would happen if the board did not meet,” Plaistow Town Manager Sean Fitzgerald said.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Weyler, R-Kingston. But Weyler said he doesn’t support it as it is written currently.
“The whole meaning of it has changed,” he said.
The bill was originally written to establish a grievance commission on Right-to-Know issues. But support dried up for that idea and Rep. Rick Watrous, D-Concord, amended the bill to focus on the notice for public meetings.
“Some of the smaller towns post their meetings the day before and you have to be at Town Hall that day to know what they will be discussing,” Watrous said. “In today’s modern world, people need to know things ahead of time to schedule sitters and clear their schedules to be there.”
Cordell Johnston, government affairs counsel for the New Hampshire Municipal Association, said the bill would just create problems.
“We’re very concerned about that change,” Johnston said. “Basically any decision that comes up will have to be delayed three days.”
Johnston predicted that if the bill passed, more emergency meetings would be called.
“They would have to rely on it more, and there would be a lot of fights about what constitutes an emergency,” he said. “Is a personnel decision, which is not a life or death situation, really an emergency? There would be a lot of arguments.”
Another issue is that Sundays would not be counted in the 72 hours.
“That makes it essentially 96 hours,” Johnston said.
Fitzgerald said he believed there would be unintended consequences if the bill passed.
“It hurts the government’s ability to be effective and timely,” he said. “The existing law helps us meet the speed of business.”
Fitzgerald said Plaistow typically posts agendas for its selectmen meetings every Friday. The meetings are held on Monday.
“In the information age, there is plenty of opportunity for the public to see exactly what we will be discussing,” he said.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Marjorie Smith, D-Durham, said the bill was scheduled to be discussed in the full House today.

Atkinson Selectman results will stand

Consentino to be sworn in tomorrow

By Alex Lippa alippa@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Thu Mar 13, 2014, 12:12 AM EDT

ATKINSON — Selectmen’s Chairman William Friel said he would not be seeking a recount after losing to former police Chief Philip Consentino Tuesday night.
Consentino defeated Friel, 801-786, in the contest for a one-year term on the Atkinson Board of Selectmen.
“In my opinion, the negative image that would be created by a recount is not in the best interest of the town,” Friel said yesterday. “I respectfully stand behind the results of the election and will fully support Mr. Consentino as our new selectman.”
Consentino could not be reached for comment.
The election results continued to be the talk of the town yesterday as residents discussed Consentino’s victory.
“I think there’s an element of forgiveness in a lot of people,” resident Kay Galloway said. “I think they took into account that he has great respect for the service he’s done for town and they want to give him a second chance.”
Consentino was terminated in February 2013 as police chief by selectmen following an independent investigation. Town Administrator Bill Innes has not commented on why Consentino was dismissed.
Consentino faced questions about his dismissal throughout the campaign, but has said that all allegations against him are “lies.”
Resident Patricia Goodridge said she voted against Consentino.
“I feel really sad for Atkinson with the election of Phil Consentino,” she said. “There is so much information out there that he has been damaging to so many people in town. I just can’t believe that there would be that many people in denial.”
Goodridge said she hoped that increasing the number of selectmen from three to five in 2015 would improve things.
:(Consentino’s) only serving for one year and hopefully a bigger board will balance things out,” she said.
Consentino was with the police department for 45 years. He also headed the Elderly Affairs Department for about 20 years. He has helped seniors throughout the years by providing transportation to medical appointments and with other services.
He also previously served for nine years as selectman, although not consecutively.
Yesterday, Innes said he was getting ready for Consentino to join the board.
“He’s been a selectmen before, he knows the job,” he said. “He’s been elected and he will be seated.”
Consentino and fellow new selectman Harold Morse will be sworn in at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Their first meeting will be Monday night.
Resident Catherine Persson, 83, said she is looking forward to Consentino joining the board.
“I think it’s great,” she said. “He has done so much for the town of Atkinson. It’s unbelievable. There are very few towns that have people that would go out of their way for the people of town. He’s always there if you need help.”
While Consentino does have support from the older population, he has seen his share of controversy in town.
In 2011, the town paid Municipal Resources Inc. to do an independent audit of the police department. That 20-page report included about two dozen recommendations, ranging from updating policies and equipment to hiring more officers.
Earlier this year, police Chief Al Brackett recommended moving the elderly affairs department from the police department to the community center. At candidates’ night last week, Consentino was against that idea.

Seniors, you put the Sexual harasser-in-Chief back into Office

Seniors, I do not necessarily blame you. Your loyalties are admirable, if guided by his lies, and your ignorance of his past.

You know him as the nice man who  gives you rides. You do not  acknowledge that this was his JOB. that the townspeople funded this program that Carol Grant created for you.

Most of  you have never been pressured for votes and support in the cars like some have.

 Most of you have not been refused rides because you criticized him as many have.

Most of you have not been pressured to leave your estates to the "donation account" as some have.

Most of you are unaware that he has been ordered by the NHPELRB to "cease and desist" from "bullying, harassing, and intimidating" his employees.

Most of you are unaware he had to be Ordered by the Court to obey the law, then was found in Contempt of Court for willfully violating it. You probably believed him when he LIED about that order.

Most of you are unaware of his beginning his tenure as Chief by misappropriating funds, resulting in 6 years of legal wranglings with a selectman.

Most of you are unaware of his serial sexual harassment of female employees, even when they work with his WIFE.

Most of you are unaware of him pounding the table  in a meeting he was forbidden by Court Order for being in, and ORDERING his  officers to evict an elderly woman and her wheelchair bound son oout into the winter night without even allowing her to pause to put his coat on, for asking him questions.

Most of you are unaware of his following myself, my wife, and my son through town, or the incessant walk around vehicle inspections, or the frivolous tickets, NEVER given in hand, by Phil but served at my home by a uniformed officer weeks AFTER the alleged incident.

Most of you are unaware of the vandalism to my car and home resulting form his endless diatribes at selectmens meetings.

And Most of you are unaware that one year ago, he was fired pursuant to an 8 page sexual harassment complaint filed with the NH Human Rights Commission by a female employee, detailing almost FIVE YEARS of  continuous abuse, of gestures, comments, offers, innuendo, touching, and groping himself while staring at her, telling her "this  will  only take a minute"

Most of you are unaware that this was investigated by an outside agency, and he was fired IMMEDIATELY upon the selectmen reading their findings. You propbably believed him when he said he "retired", or that he "never got the chance to tell his side of the story" HE LIED, and you believed it.

You see, I can not  believe that the 801 people who voted for him knew any of this, because I can not  believe that you would put a sexual preadtor in an office where h is the boss over the very women he harassed.

Good  Luck Atkinsonians, because whatever happens you VOTED FOR  IT.

Sincerely,

Mark Acciard

Phil's outrageous past dogs his campaign

ARTICLE SUBMISSION by Mark Acciard

As we all know a year ago Phil Consentino was FIRED from his position as police chief, and elderly affairs director. And he was fired for  cause. What most Atkinsonians do not know is what that cause was. He was fired pursuant to  a sexual harassment complaint from a female employee. It was investigated by a third party firm, and immediately upon the selectmen reading their findings they decided to fire Phil.

Her 8 page complaint detailed almost 5 years of repeated sexual harassment from Phil. YEARS, of innuendo, suggestive comments, suggestive gestures, touching her, smelling her hair, groping himself in front of her, staring at her while touching himself, were all painstakingly detailed in her complaint.

I would ask what kind of pig would treat a woman this way, particularly a woman who works next to his wife, but we now know the answer to that question.

In his typical dishonest fashion, Phil has claimed for a year now that he never got to tell his side. Initially he said he would fight his firing, for the first time he did nothing. At candidates night he got the opportunity to tell his side, he declined, opting instead to threaten and swear at those asking the questions. Once a bully always a bully.

In case you are wondering about the veracity of the females complaint, it was thoroughly investigated, he was fired, chose not  to  fight it, and to avoid prosecution Phil, the Town, and the victim settled out of court. She was paid $50,000, her lawyer another $50,000, and was sworn to non disclosure.

Now, Phil could have stayed retired and over time people would have forgotten, much like Bill Clinton, and he would have enjoyed the well wishes of  the town, but his ego would not allow that, he chose to throw his hat into the ring for selectman once again. So, Phil you have no one to blame for the questions and information becoming public but yourself.

Over the years of Phils tenure a police chief he has been the direct cause of no less than 9 legal actions. resulting in millions of  dollars in settlements and legal expense. He began his tenure as police chief by misappropriating funds according to the suit filed by former selectman Wayne Peak., this suit and Phil's counter suit for defamation tran for nearly SIX YEARS! Resultinng in, reportedly one of the largest civil settlements in state history, the case is sealed. He progressed onto to numerous labor actions, even being ordered by the NHPELRB to "cease and desist" from "bullying, harassing, and intimidating his officers" HE claimed once again he never got to tell his side of the story.

Over the years Phil has bullied and intimidated everyone who criticized his actions no matter whether they were inappropriate, or illegal.

Atkinson YOU CAN DO BETTER!!!! DO NOT elect Phil to be the boss over the woman he already harassed. It  is nothing but a recipe for future lawsuits.

Thank you

Mark R. Acciard

PS: Phil if you read this and get upset, or want to sue someone over it, you know where to find me. Have a nice day.

Political flyer found at Atkinson mailboxes

REASONS WHY PHIL CONSENTINO HAS DECIDED TO RUN FOR SELECTMAN

February 28, 2014

There are several reasons why I
have decided to run for the elected
position of selectman, let me just list a
few.

The way the BoS are making
decisions pertaining to the operation
of town government needs to be
addressed.

The purchase of gas and diesel
for all town vehicles was addressed in
a one nights discussion on were the
town will purchase its fu~l. The Board of Selectmen opened the discussion to buy the fuel from the state at the DOT garage in Kingston, N.H •••

The department heads were
never told about this move or even told
how much we would save, even after
numerous requests by the budget
committee. All the Town Administrator
would say is that we would most likely
save some money by making this
change. Why was such a fast decision
made on this issue with out Selectman
Baldwin being present? Now after
hearing' from some of the department
heads it looks like they are going to
scrap that idea.

The decision to try to by-pass
the voters on the police chiefs move
from part-time to full-time with out
going before the voters and just
include the needed funds in the
operating budget is a very sneaky way
of doing business.

""

""

I have been elected to the
Board of Selectman three different
times for a total of nine (9) years.
When the residents are notified that
the Board of Selectmen's meetings will
start at 7:30, than that is when the
meeting should start.

During that 9 year period I only
missed one Selectman's meeting. I am
right here in town avallable 24/7.

I will fight as hard as I can to
keep the Elderly Affairs program up
and running and stop the constant
push to destroy the program that I
worked so hard to put in place. Our town has received numerous citations and complements on our program.

All major issues and votes
taken by the Board of Selectman
should be discussed and voted on at a
regularly posted Board of Selectman's
meeting, and not over a cup of coffee,
or on a Saturday morning which we all
know is illegal.

Over the years I have received great
support from the residents and I hope
that support will continue through this
important election

Thank you

Phil Consentino
140 Main St
362-5627


Candidate for the one (1) seat on the
Board of Selectmen