Winchester Informer

Pay attention to your town officials

2012-02-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

Printed in the Letters To The Editor section of the Keene Sentinel, take heed we have the same problems here in Winchester too.

Thank you for reporting on the Marlborough right-to-know lawsuit.

The right to know is an important issue in the governance of our state because it is the law that gives the citizen access to the government at all levels of the state.
It tells towns, school boards, planning and zoning boards, state Senate, the House, the governor; every public official how to conduct public business.
And it provides ways for the public to hold accountable those public officials who fail the law.
We lost our argument on a few issues: One we lost was our request to invalidate all decisions made by the board in regards to their dealings with MRI (Municipal Resources Inc). “The court was reluctant to infer from any perceived inaccuracy intent to conceal or distort.”
In other words, we did not offer sufficient proof that set of minutes from April 4, 2011, were deliberately inaccurate.
The Marlborough Board of Selectmen was enjoined to not violate RSA 91, Right to Know, any further.
Enjoin means a judicial remedy issued in order to prohibit a party from doing or continuing to do a certain activity. This was a big win for us and anything but a slap on the wrist.
Enjoining the Marlborough Board of Selectmen put teeth to the judge’s ruling on violations. It gives us, the plaintiffs, a remedy if they disobey the court order.
The board was found in violation of right to know in the Lindenfeld meeting, 3 out of meeting electronic communications, held three improper electronic meetings, once for improper electronic meeting to edit minutes, ignoring two requests for public records, failed to give notice for public meetings three times and failed to treat two of the three MRI meetings in Harrisville as town meetings.
The latter is a big win because the board has maintained the Harrisville MRI meetings were not public meetings per se, but informational meetings and they did not have to keep minutes. In regards to the electronic communications, we could have given the Superior Court dozens of examples of electronic violations of right to know.
Our board has been violating right to know by electronic communications for a long time. We are not sure how long, but we do know all of 2011 they were in violation of editing minutes, weekly, using email.
Judge Mangones has spoken and they can no longer use email to edit minutes; they must edit the minutes at their weekly meeting on Monday nights.
I feel this board is very arrogant and has believed for a long time they are above the law.
For example, at one meeting John Northcott asked Mr. Cameron to write him a letter telling him who had been hurt by the board breaking the law; to name him one person harmed by the board.
Mr. Cameron replied that if Mr. Northcott had to ask such a question, he did not understand the seriousness of the situation.
This unedited exchange can be seen on Youtube at www.youtube.com/ watch?v>dW8bLst513k.
I want to be able to respect and appreciate public officials who give a lot of their time to care for and better their communities, including Marlborough. I feel sad this situation is so out of hand that public servants need to be brought in line with the law by the very citizens they serve.
I urge your readers not to do as we did and ignore what is going on in town.
Attend meetings, even if it is just a few times a year. Attend your annual town meetings every year.
Yes, they are long and they are important because it is when policy changes are made among other important town tasks. Ask to have the minutes from the selectmen and all town boards or committees emailed to you.
This is an easy way to spend 10 minutes a week to learn what is going on. Know that you may see any town record, except personnel files, so if you want to know something, put in a written request and get it.
You may have access to invoices, minutes, studies, emails, letters to or from the boards, permits, etc.

LORET SIMONDS

Marlborough

How State Aid was Determined For Schools

2012-02-16T12:24:00.001-05:00

Here's some facts and information that every citizen and taxpayer in Winchester, whether you have children or not, should have so you'll understand how part of our School Budget gets determined. The information is up to date and comes directly from the State of N.H. Dept. of Education. Direct your questions to Mr. Dassau or our BOS... The figures show we get more aid than they claim.

click on the page to enlarge the print

Department of Education - an official New Hampshire Government website

Data Collection & Reports >

FY 2012 How State Aid Was Determined

NH Department of Education

Division of Program Support

Bureau of Data Management

November 15, 2010

Estimated FY12 Adequate Education Aid

In the 2008 legislative session, SB539 modified Adequate Education Aid and created the Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid program. These changes took effect beginning with aid for the 09-10 (FY10) school year. RSA 198:38 through 198:41 and RSA 198:46 specify how aid will be calculated and distributed.

Cost of an Opportunity for an Adequate Education

Students:

The Cost of an Adequate Education has been calculated using FY09 (08-09 school year) data for students in grades kindergarten through grade 12 who were legal residents of New Hampshire and:

Attended a school operated by their resident district

Were tuitioned by the resident district to a district operated school in NH or another state, or

Were tuitioned by the resident district to a non-public school, such as a special education program.

Charter school students are not included.

Home schooled students, even those taking a few courses at a public school, are not included.

Preschool students are not included.

Average daily membership (ADM) has been used to count the students. A student who is enrolled in school for the entire year has an ADM of 1.00. Students who transfer between schools are counted as a fractional ADM at each school. Half-day kindergarten students are counted as 0.50 and full-day kindergarten students are counted as 1.00.

Adequacy Cost:

Cost is computed per ADM. The base per pupil cost is $3,540, but certain school and individual factors increase that cost.

The percentage of students eligible for free/reduced priced school lunch (F/R) is the only school factor. This allocation, specified as differentiated aid, is allocated only when the F/R rate is 12% or more. The F/R rate is calculated using students in grades 1-12 identified as eligible in October. All students in kindergarten through grade 12, not just those eligible for F/R, are allocated differentiated aid based on the following differentiated rates:

F/R rate of 12.00% to 23.99%, $885

F/R rate of 24.00% to 35.99%, $1,770

F/R rate of 36.00% to 47.99%, $2,655

F/R rate of 48.00% or more, $3,540

Cost of Adequacy student factors and rates are:

$1,904 for a special education student

$693 for an English Language Learner receiving English Language instruction

$442 for a kindergarten through grade 12 student eligible for free/reduced priced school lunch attending a school where the F/R was less 12%

Cost of Adequacy by Municipality:

The Department of Education calculates the Cost of Adequacy for students in each district-operated public school in NH and for students that attend other schools, such as privately operated special education programs or public schools in bordering states. The Department then sorts those students and their cost allocations by municipality of residence.

Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid:

Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid, which is separate from Adequacy, is allocated to municipalities with the lowest capacity to raise property tax revenue as long as the municipality’s Median Family Income (from the most recent US Bureau of the Census) is less than the state average.

Each municipality’s equalized valuation per pupil is computed by dividing the FY09 local tax base (4/1/08 equalized valuation including the utility properties) by the FY09 Average Daily Membership of resident students (ADM-R). The ADM-R used for Fiscal Capacity Disparity includes grades kindergarten -12 but counts only the first ½ day of full-day kindergarten students. It also includes charter school students. Provided the municipality’s median family is below the state average, aid for the 29 municipalities with the lowest equalized valuation per pupil is $2,000 per student, and aid for the 30 next lowest municipalities is $1,250 per student.

Statewide Education Property Tax Assessment:

Each December, the Department of Revenue Administration notifies each municipality of the amount it must raise through the Statewide Education Property Tax (SWEPT) for the following school year. The Department does this by first determining the rate needed to raise approximately $363 million statewide. When applied to 4/1/09 equalized valuations without utilities, the rate is $2.325 per thousand. Each municipality must raise its proportional share of the total. This process is described in RSA 76:3 and RSA 76:8.

Municipalities send the revenue raised by the Statewide Education Property Tax directly to school districts. Within cooperative districts the amount raised is credited to the individual towns. If the Statewide Education Property Tax to be raised by a municipality for FY12 exceeds the amount needed to fund the FY12 school budget after all other revenues have been applied, then the municipality must return the excess to the State. The amount of excess is determined by the Department of Revenue Administration when tax rates are set in the fall, and the excess must be returned to the State by March 15th.

Determination of Adequate Education Grants:

Each municipality’s grant is determined by adding the Cost of Adequacy and Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid, then subtracting the Statewide Property Tax assessment.

The grant payment schedule is 20% by September 1, 20% by November 1, 30% by January 1, and 30% by April 1.

State Aid:

State Aid is the sum of the Adequate Education Grant payment and the Statewide Education Property Tax revenue received from the municipality.

FY13 Adequate Education Grant:

For FY13 the Cost of Adequacy and Fiscal Capacity Disparity Aid will not change. Since the Statewide Property Tax assessment will be slightly different, grants will be slightly different.

New Hampshire Department of Education

101 Pleasant Street | Concord, NH | 03301-3494

Telephone: (603) 271-3494 | TDD Access: Relay NH 711

NH.gov | privacy policy | accessibility policy

Board of Selectmen Regular Minutes 1-25-12

2012-02-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

Making sure they are not personally held responsible for the damages caused to all of us by their actions, no matter how irresponsible they all are.

TITLE III

TOWNS, CITIES, VILLAGE DISTRICTS, AND UNINCORPORATED PLACES

CHAPTER 31
POWERS AND DUTIES OF TOWNS

Liability for Damages Limited, Indemnification, Insurance

Section 31:105

31:105 Indemnification for Damages. – A city, town, county, village district or precinct, school district, chartered public school, school administrative unit, or any other municipal corporation or political subdivision may by a vote of the governing body indemnify and save harmless for loss or damage occurring after said vote any person employed by it and any member or officer of its governing board, administrative staff or agencies including but not limited to selectmen, school board members, chartered public school trustees, city councilors and aldermen, town and city managers, regional planning commissioners, town and city health officers, overseers of public welfare, and superintendents of schools from personal financial loss and expense including reasonable legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of any claim, demand, suit, or judgment by reason of negligence or other act resulting in accidental injury to a person or accidental damage to or destruction of property if the indemnified person at the time of the accident resulting in the injury, damage, or destruction was acting in the scope of employment or office. Source. 1973, 595:1. 1991, 72:2. 1995, 260:2, eff. July 1, 1995. 2008, 354:1, eff. Sept. 5, 2008. 2010, 214:2, eff. Jan. 1, 2011.

CHAPTER 31
POWERS AND DUTIES OF TOWNS

Liability for Damages Limited, Indemnification, Insurance

Section 31:104

31:104 Liability of Municipal Executives. – Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, no member of the governing board of any municipal corporation or political subdivision, no member of any other board, commission, or bureau of any municipal corporation or political subdivision created or existing pursuant to a statute or charter, and no chief executive officer of such municipal corporation or political subdivision, including but not limited to city councilors and aldermen, selectmen, county convention members, members of boards of adjustment, members of planning boards, school board members, mayors, city managers, town managers, county commissioners, regional planning commissioners, town and city health officers, overseers of public welfare, and school superintendents shall be held liable for civil damages for any vote, resolution, or decision made by said person acting in his or her official capacity in good faith and within the scope of his or her authority.
Source. 1973, 595:1. 1991, 72:1, eff. July 12, 1991. 2008, 96:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009. 2010, 214:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011.

Reliance on property taxes increases

2012-02-14T19:43:00.000-05:00

Dwindling state aid ups the pressure on towns

CONCORD — The economic recession and dwindling state aid are causing New Hampshire taxpayers to fund a larger portion of their municipal and school budgets through local property taxes, according to a study released this week.

Officials said the drop in financial support from Concord has forced them to make difficult decisions about spending at the local level.
“Everybody’s in the same boat,” said Charlotte Schweiss, chairwomen of the Hudson Budget Committee. The town has used general fund savings to offset the state cuts. “We’re not getting what we’re owed as far as state-mandated programs.”
The Financing New Hampshire Cities and Towns report, released Monday by the N.H. Center for Public Policy Studies, found that in 2010, local property taxes made up on average 60 percent of city, town and school spending.
By comparison, in 2001, property taxes collected at the city and town level accounted for 56 percent of spending. Around New Hampshire, decreasing state aid has left budget planners struggling to contain costs.
“It’s becoming problematic. … Towns are doing everything they can to cut back expenditures,” said Dennis Delay, an economist with the public policy center that helped author the study.
The study also found that while local property taxes are being relied on more for municipal spending, some towns are relying on it far more than others. While Milford funded 55 percent of its 2010 budget through property taxes, Hollis property taxes made up 82 percent of the town’s budget spending.
Early in the 2000s, it wasn’t state cuts that led to the greater dependency on property taxes. Rather, high property values left cities, towns and school districts flush with money to fund additional programs and services, Delay said.
“There were some pretty significant increases in spending which, frankly, were pretty easy to fund as long as property values were rising,” he said Monday.
Recently, the economic recession has slowed revenues coming in from the state government, leaving municipal and school officials to make up the difference themselves.

In 2010, state officials eliminated the $25 million shared revenue program, which divided money among New Hampshire cities and towns. In 2011, funding was cut to the state retirement program, first down from 30 percent to 25 percent, and then eliminated.

This left local budget planners to replace hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. While these actions fell outside the timeline of the public policy center’s study, it could be an indicator that the reliance on local property taxes may become even more lopsided.

Some local cities and towns have managed to survive in the face of the increased costs. In Nashua, local property taxes made up 64 percent of the budget spending in 2010 — down from 69 percent in 2001, according to the study. Other towns, like Hudson, have used other revenue sources, such as increased motor-vehicle registrations, to offset some of the losses to state aid, officials said.
“I don’t think state funding has been the biggest factor (influencing our spending),” said Shawn Jasper, chairman of the Hudson Board of Selectmen, who is also deputy majority leader in the state House of Representatives.
Still, other towns have been forced to look to layoffs and service cuts to offset the losses and maintain a stable tax rate.

In the Litchfield School District, for instance, administrators eliminated more than 20 positions last year, according to business administrator Steve Martin. In Merrimack, officials have cut more than 20 school positions, as well as two firefighters, among other spots, to maintain a stable tax rate.

“It’s affected the schools, the fire department, the police department, everywhere,” said Paul Micali, the town’s finance director. “It’s been really hard.”

Except in Winchester where it's spend, spend, spend and there's never a cut in any service or personnel. In fact the school and town continue to add more employees and add more spending warrants every year.

Moving forward, some economists are hopeful that, as the recession comes to an end, state officials will restore portions of the state funding.
“I really believe the worst is probably over for the state,” said Delay, of the public policy center.
Others are less optimistic, fearing that state officials won’t restore prior funding levels, leaving city, town and school officials to fend for themselves.
“My personal feeling, quite frankly, is you’re going to continue to see both the state and the federal government try to cut funding as much as possible,” said Martin, of the Litchfield School District. “They both just have too much money that they need to spend and not enough revenue to offset it.”

For the Children of Winchester; Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

2012-02-14T07:29:00.000-05:00

I am a member of this organization and invite the school children of Winchester to participate

The 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up February 17-20, and you’re invited to join one of the largest, most enjoyable citizen-science projects on the planet. This year should be especially interesting because of the warmer temperatures and lack of snowfall in so many parts of North America. And how far south will the Snowy Owls roam? We're in the middle of a massive irruption that's dazzling bird watchers across the lower 48 states!

To participate, just count birds anywhere you wish for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the GBBC. Then, report the highest number of each species seen together at one time on the GBBC website: www.birdcount.org. Everything you need to know is on the website along with an instructional video and downloadable instructions.

You can upload a photo for consideration in the GBBC photo contest. Explore data on the website using maps and charts that show what everyone is reporting. Anyone who participates also has a chance to win great prizes! Tweet about the birds you’re seeing and include the #gbbc tag to have your message show up in the Twitter widget on the GBBC home page. Become a fan on the GBBC Facebook page. The GBBC is hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society along with Canadian partner, Bird Studies Canada. Join us for the Great Backyard Bird Count and help set a new checklist record!

Thank you for your contributions to science and the birds!

Jason Martin, Project Leader
Robyn Bailey, NestWatch Assistant

Heating expense burden addressed

2012-02-12T10:09:00.000-05:00

Aid pursued for those in need

By Sherry Hughes Sentinel Staff

PETERBOROUGH — A grassroots organization aimed at empowering people with disabilities, their families and communities met to discuss ways to address federal cutbacks to state funding of fuel assistance programs.
The members of ABLE-NH (Advocates Building Lasting Equality) hope to garner support and provide solutions to those struggling to pay for heating costs.

About 15 people attended the meeting of ABLE-NH’s Jaffrey-Rindge chapter, including three state representatives — Rep. Franklin W. Sterling, R-Jaffrey; Rep. Susan Emerson, R-Rindge; and Rep. John B. Hunt, R-Rindge — a representative from Sen. Kelly Ayotte’s office, and a representative from Southwestern Community Services in Keene.
This year’s federal funding for fuel assistance in the state was cut almost in half, from $34 million last year to $14.7 million for this winter.
One program ABLE-NH is championing is “give a gallon,” much like Public Service of New Hampshire’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor program. Give a gallon would allow fuel customers to donate a dollar amount or a certain number of gallons of heating oil to the needy via their monthly statement.
Pat Martin, a member of ABLE-NH, said she’s received word from officials with the state Oil Heat Council that they would be willing to assist in the administration of the program. The idea is in its infancy, but the group hopes to see it come to fruition later this year.
Beth Daniels, energy service director for Southwestern Community Services, said the need for assistance is dire. The people who come into her office are “two-parent households who are underemployed, elderly folks on a fixed income, single parent families and the disabled population,” she said.
The assistance given averages $700 per family per year; the average cost for heating a home for the winter in New Hampshire is $3,200.
> For information about ABLE-NH, go to www.ablenh.org.

Winchester divided over spending

2012-02-10T12:22:00.000-05:00

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — Voters at Thursday’s deliberative session appeared to take sides — for school spending on the left, for lower taxes on the right.
Whenever someone said something in support of the school, the left side of the Winchester School gymnasium seemed to clap a little louder. Whenever someone said something in line with budget cuts and keeping the tax rate down, the right clapped louder.

When the vote to cut the budget was announced, it was the right that was cheering.
Voters at the Winchester School District deliberative session voted 102-71 to cut the district’s budget to $10,835,479. That’s down from the school board’s recommendation of $11,510,850, which is up 3.4 percent from the current year.
The default budget is $11,554,845.
The budget was one of two articles amended at Thursday’s session, ending months of back and forth between the town’s budget committee and the school board.
It’s usually the budget committee’s recommendation that goes before voters, but the school board charged that committee did not follow proper procedure this year, invalidating its budget recommendation of $9,197,777.
The district’s attorney, Matthew H. Upton of Portsmouth, said the state’s Department of Revenue Administration agreed the school board’s budget should appear on the warrant since the budget committee never discussed revenue or the warrant articles at a public hearing.
Brian D. Moser, budget committee chairman, disagreed and asked to see that decision in writing.
“The budget committee did its job,” he said.
Richard Horton, a member of the budget committee who is running for school board, made the motion to cut the budget. He said the school board in years past has over-budgeted for certain accounts, including tuition to Keene High School and for utilities at the school.
Paring those down, along with cutting administrators’ time and salaries, would bring the tax rate down, Horton said.
The school board’s budget would “tax us right out of our home,” said Marcia H. Young, who said she is disabled and recently widowed.
“We have to think of the people in this town who are trying to survive,” she added.
Last year the school portion of the tax rate rose $3.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
The district ran a deficit last year of nearly $327,000 after it overspent on areas including teacher salaries, health benefits, tuition to Keene and special education transportation, according to the district.
But others at Thursday’s session said it was irresponsible to not leave a cushion in the budget in case more students move into the district.
“Kids come and go constantly and unfortunately they arrive more then they leave,” said school board member Kevan Whippie.
As for pay cuts for administrators, these have not been investigated and should not be done in “a random, emotional way,” said resident Christopher J. Thompson.
But William McGrath, who is also running for school board, said when he was on the committee that looked at withdrawing from N.H. School Administrative Unit 38 and forming a new unit for the district, that committee expected lower salaries. He suggested some positions were given to people and not advertised at lower rates.
Christine E. Wallace garnered applause from the right when she compared the district’s spending to private companies that are being forced to scale back.
“We’re all hurting. We have to have responsible discussions and we have to cut the budget,” she said.
“In this economy, increases don’t make sense.”
But, as one woman reminded the crowd, voters approve a total budget number and it is up to the school board to spend where it likes. Administration may not be cut in the end, she said.
The only other article amended at the session was a petition article asking the district to form a committee to study withdrawing students from Keene High School and reopening Thayer High School, which closed in 2005. The article also asks for $5,000 to hire an economist to look at the cost.
That figure was cut to $1 in a 41-21 vote. (After the budget vote there was small exodus.) Selectmen Chairman Sherman Tedford made that motion, saying $5,000 was too much to spend this year.
But discussion was not limited to the amendments.
The warrant also asks voters to do away with the budget committee’s role in the school district budget.
School board Chairwoman Colleen M. Duquette said this year showed the budget committee does not have the school in mind, at one point setting the budget at $8 million, which school officials said was impossibly low.
“They want to dismantle our school,” she said.
Others spoke in support of the budget committee, saying it’s meant to provide a check on the school board and its spending.
Another petition article would give the budget committee the power to set the default budget.
Voting will takes place March 13 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Winchester Town Hall.

Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com.

Budget rift steals spotlight

2012-02-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

Winchester voters to join debate

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — After months of back and forth between the school board and the budget committee, voters will get to weigh in at Thursday’s deliberative session.

Saying the school portion of the tax rate is unacceptably high, the budget committee set its proposed school budget for 2012-13 at $9,197,777.
But that’s too low to keep the school open, according to school officials. The school board recommends a budget of $11,510,850, up 3.8 percent from the current year’s $11,089,128.
While it’s the budget committee’s recommendation that usually goes before voters, the school board said last week its proposal will be up for discussion Thursday.
The deliberative session is where voters can make amendments to articles, including the budget, before March’s election.
Last month, Superintendent Kenneth R. Dassau sent a letter to Brian D. Moser, budget committee chairman, stating the school board would go to court to stop the $9.2 million budget from going through.
In a letter to Dassau last week, the district’s attorney, Matthew H. Upton of Portsmouth, wrote the budget committee never held a public hearing on its budget, making its recommendation invalid to pass along to voters.
The cuts it proposed would also raise class sizes above state regulations and would not allow the district to meet special education requirements, since the committee also cut special education teaching aides, Upton wrote.
Moser said last week he disagrees with the board’s reasoning and expects to present voters with the $9.2 million recommendation at the deliberative session.
The budget is just one article on the school district warrant.
The school board is asking voters to do away with the budget committee’s role in formulating the school district’s budget. (A similar article on the town’s warrant would do the same with regards to the town budget.)
But another article, submitted by petition, would expand the budget committee’s role, giving it the power to set the default budget that goes into effect if voters reject the budget plan in March.
There is also a one-year contract with the Winchester Support Staff Association that would cost an additional $17,500 next year.
The only other petition article asks if the district should create a committee to look at withdrawing students from Keene High School, and appropriate $5,000 “to hire an economist to study the financial impact” of reopening Thayer High School.
That school closed in 2005, and the district now pays tuition for its students to attend Keene High.
At a public hearing on the article last week, school board Chairwoman Colleen M. Duquette said Winchester would not be able to offer the programs, sports and clubs that Keene does, a sentiment echoed by a handful of speakers.
Others said tuition will only continue to increase and it would be better to bring the students home.

The deliberative session for the Winchester School District is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at Winchester School.
Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com.

Selectmen-budget panel battle going to Winchester voters

2012-02-05T09:44:00.000-05:00

By Melanie Plenda Contributing Writer |

WINCHESTER — So dissatisfied with the way the budget committee operates, selectman want voters to get rid of the committee altogether so the town can “start over,” officials said Saturday during the town’s deliberative session.
Selectmen and nearly 100 voters made significant changes to the 38-article town warrant during the more than five hour meeting. The most contentious debates seemed to stem from a rift between the budget committee and selectmen. So great is the rift, selectmen inserted a petition article that if passed will get rid of the budget committee altogether. Selectmen Vice Chairman Roberta Fraser said selectmen want to have more oversight over the budget committee.

Warrant article 22 asks voters to rescind the provisions of the Municipal Budget Act of 1935. If it passes, the budget committee goes away. In that event, said Selectman Theresa Sepe, the plan is for selectmen to appoint people they choose to sit on a fiscal advisory committee.
Kenneth Gardner, the selectmen’s representative on the budget committee said he was, “embarrassed to be a member” of the budget committee and that it was, “the worst year I’ve ever seen.”
As an example of how broken the process was, voter Kevin Whippee went on to point out that budget committee members would refer to people’s names — instead of positions or programs — when proposing cuts to the budget. He said this showed that these budgetary decisions were personal and not made based on what was best for the town. Whippee said it’s the “vindictive nature” of the committee, the members not letting people speak and having others removed, that makes it “the poster child” for rescinding the act.
Budget committee member Richard Horton acknowledged the process could have been better, but he seemed confident things could get better despite a few bad actors this year.
“This definitely was not our most productive year,” he said. “We did waste some time. But in years past, the committee has done an excellent job. I think we can get back to that.”
Voter Miriam Jonson echoed that sentiment when she said a temporary clash of personalities is no reason to get rid of the committee.
“There has to be a better way to start over again,” she said. “There has to be a better or different way other than to just start eliminating committees or boards. We need to find a way to work together for the best interests of this town.”
She was greeted with a big round of applause after she went on to say that it’s important the town’s monetary decisions aren’t left in the hands of just one board or group. Instead, there need to be checks and balances, she said.
Former selectman and member of the budget committee Harvey Sieran said instead of voting away the committee, people should vote out the members they believe are causing problems.
Gardner pointed out that the terms are generally for three years, which means people have a long time to wait before voting someone out.
“A lot of harm can be done in three years,” he said.
If the measure fails, another article is still on the warrant that would restructure the budget committee so there would be seven members at large in addition to a selectman and school board representative.
Also considered Saturday was whether to include two special articles on the ballot that would separate the $238,372 water budget and $299,430 sewer budget. This, too, stemmed from the chasm between the budget committee and selectmen. The budget committee proposed significant cuts to the two departments’ funding in its operating budget proposal, according to town officials.
The two departments are funded entirely by user fees, explained Fraser. She said the two departments used to be in the operating budget when they were running deficits. They are finally operating in the black and should not be rolled into the operating budget, she said.
The budget committee wanted it in the budget. Horton questioned selectman on what would happen if voters rejected the two articles. Selectmen said there is no back up plan since according to state officials, no municipality has ever voted down funding its water and sewer departments.
“Do we want to be the first in the state to be that foolish?” Gardner said.
Other changes to the warrant include:
Raising this year’s proposed operating budget to $3,071,587 from the budget committee’s $2,946,475 proposed budget;
Putting $1 in the non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund for Fire Mutual Aid instead of $35,000. The $35,000 was already included in the operating budget;
Asking for $20,000 — the town’s share of the road grant construction project;
Raising $28,000 for Evergreen Cemetery (instead of $18,000);
Asking for $1 to purchase a single-family home on 3.3 acres on Hawkins Road, instead of $130,000.
In addition, articles 25 through 27 were amended so that regardless of the issue raised in the article, if passed, current policy remains in place.

Pitch is made to reopen Thayer

2012-02-03T14:17:00.000-05:00

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff SentinelSource.com

WINCHESTER — The town’s high school students would not have the same opportunities if Winchester withdraws its students from Keene High School and reopens Thayer High School, according to a handful of speakers at a public hearing Thursday.
On the school warrant this year is an article submitted by petition asking voters to create a committee to study withdrawing from Keene and $5,000 to study the cost of reopening Thayer, which closed in 2005.
The town pays tuition to send its high schoolers to Keene, at a rate of $11,793 per student for about 100 regular education students and $22,847 per student for about 60 special education students.
School board Chairwoman Colleen M. Duquette, who was on the committee that studied closing Thayer and sending kids to Keene, said similar articles have come up in previous years and were voted down.
“The town isn’t capable of offering what Keene does,” said Andrew Wallace, a Keene graduate from Winchester, in terms of elective classes, sports and after-school clubs.
Joan Franklin, a teacher at Winchester School, said Thayer closed because the community wasn’t willing to maintain the building, which is how the school lost its accreditation.
“They did not support the school just like how now the budget is being cut,” she said, referring to the $2.3 million in cuts the town’s budget committee has proposed for the school district.
“This is how we got to Keene, because the community didn’t support the school... I’m confused. I’m really confused by this.”
Another woman suggested the school board survey Winchester parents and students at Keene High School on whether they would like to leave.
The idea did have some support at public hearing.
“We can’t say to Keene you’re charging too much until we find out how much it would cost to bring them here,” said Richard Horton, a member of the budget committee. Tuition to Keene will continue to increase, he said, adding there may be more than just a financial benefit to bringing Winchester students back.
“There’s a social problem. ... There are kids that feel misplaced. They lose their identity; they’re not part of the community that they grew up in all the way to 8th grade,” he said.
Kevan Whippie, a school board member, said his student at Keene High School has missed out on classes and suggested Winchester students get lost in the 1,600-student school.
“It’s a big student factory and we’re cash input.”
Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com.

Winchester budget committee, school board set for a standoff

2012-02-03T14:09:00.000-05:00

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — There are two budget figures $2.3 million apart, but which one voters will see at Thursday’s deliberative session remains unclear, setting up a showdown between the school board and the town’s budget committee.
Saying the school portion of the tax rate is unacceptably high, the budget committee set its proposed school budget for 2012-13 at $9,197,777.

But that’s too low, according to the school board, which had recommended a budget of $11,510,850.
The current year’s budget is $11,089,128.
It’s the budget committee’s recommendation that usually goes before voters, but last week, Superintendent Kenneth R. Dassau sent a letter to Brian D. Moser, budget committee chairman, stating the school board would head to court to stop the $9.2 million budget from going through.
He said it “prohibits the school district from fulfilling its legal obligation in the education of our students.”

The board never voted to authorize the letter, but Dassau said he got the “green light” from school board Chairwoman Colleen M. Duquette.

“It was the advice of the board’s attorney that you cannot wait,” Dassau said at Thursday’s school board meeting.

The board voted unanimously Thursday to support Dassau’s letter, but also said any legal action would be unnecessary since it will be the school board’s $11.5 million budget that goes to voters at the deliberative session, not the budget committee’s.

At the deliberative session, voters can make amendments to articles, including the budget, before residents go to the polls in March.
In a letter to Dassau, presented to the board Thursday, the school district’s attorney, Matthew H. Upton of Portsmouth, said the budget committee never held a public hearing on its budget (the budget was set after the public hearing on Jan. 3).
“Instead it appears that the Budget Committee members simply announced their list of recommended appropriations at a work session with no input from the public,” he wrote.
Upton also writes that the staff cuts proposed by that committee (14 of Winchester School’s 23 teaching positions) would raise class sizes to about 50 students (20 over the state regulation) and would not allow the district to meet special education requirements, since the committee also cut special education teaching aides.

Moser said he disagrees with the board’s reasoning and he expects to present voters with the $9.2 million recommendation at the deliberative session.

“We turned that budget in within the time frame and there’s absolutely no reason for them to turn that down,” he said this morning.

Moser said he plans to call the office of the Secretary of State, which enforces election laws, on Monday.
At Thursday’s meeting, Dassau left open the possibility of taking the matter to court, depending on what happens next week.
“We’re not taking action pending whatever happens at the deliberative session … Hopefully we won’t have to cross that bridge.”

The deliberative session for the Winchester School District is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. at Winchester School.

Attention ALL Winchester Residents !

2012-02-01T15:53:00.001-05:00

A letter was sent out today with all WINchester students to give to their parents from Principal Jim Lewis -

Attention Families!

As I mentioned in last week's newletter, you may have heard about the concern regarding the amount for the school's 2012-2013 operating budget. There have been many conversations and many suggestions offered. The budget committee has voted on a budget of $9,197,777.27. However, the school board feels $11,510,850 is necessary to address the needs of our town's specific student population. A couple citizens have asked to use the school to talk about the ramifications of both amounts. This informational session will be held tonight Wednesday, February 1st at 6:30 pm in the Ford Building, located right behind the school. You are strongly encouraged to attend.

.. and while you're there let them know you're not happy with the latest test results

As you can see folks, the School Board will stop at nothing, including using your children to get what they want. Why didn't they make this information available to every taxpayer in town? Once again, they are pitting tax users ( parents ) against the tax payers (all of the citizens of Winchester) in a quest to undue all of the hard work of our Budget Committee . We'd strongly suggest that people opposed to their higher budget attend and give them all an earful.

WINCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 5, 2012

2012-01-30T19:53:00.001-05:00

WINCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

Board Members Present: J. Gile, T.Croteau, K. Whippie, C. Duquette, W. Hildreth
Administration Present: K. Dassau, P. Bigelow, C. Paulin, J. Lewis
The meeting was called to order by Chair, C. Duquette at 6:30 pm.

MINUTES:
W. Hildreth MOVED to approve the public minutes of the December 15, 2011 Board meeting; SECONDED by: K. Whippie adding on Page 2, second to the last paragraph, the words “was handled with” decorum…W. Hildreth advised she had asked about Kindergarten and Readiness classes; wants to split it up to make sure it works. She feels should move Readiness along to make it successful; VOTED: 5-0, MOTION PASSED.

After discussion, K. Whippie MOVED to amend the RSA in the 12/15/11 non-public minutes to RSA91-A:3 II(a) only; SECONDED by: T. Croteau, VOTED: 5-0, MOTION PASSED.

W. Hildreth MOVED to approve the non-public minutes of the December 15, 2011 Board meeting as amended; SECONDED by: K. Whippie, after discussion, VOTED: 5-0,
MOTION PASSED.

Warrant Articles:
The Board reviewed the Warrant Articles drafted by K. Dassau.
C. Duquette brought to the Board the possibility of eliminating the Budget Committee in the budget setting process for the school.
K. Dassau discussed the Budget Committee’s proposal of setting the budget at $8,000,000 with a 10% rule which will not allow more than an $800,000 increase and restricts the public from any further increase.

After discussion, C. Duquette MOVED to see if the Winchester School District will vote to rescind the adoption of RSA32:14 which will result in the elimination of the Budget Committee’s role in future School District business; SECONDED by: W. Hildreth, VOTED: 3-2, (T. Croteau, J. Gile – no), MOTION PASSED.
K. Dassau will send the proposed warrant to Matt Upton. When done, they will finalize it and the Board will vote on the warrant articles at the next meeting.
K. Dassau brought the RSA 32:16 that says the Budget Committee has 20 days to give the budget to the School Board or the School Board budget goes forward on its own.
Default Budget:
C. Paulin distributed budget forms for Board signatures.
K. Dassau advised the Default Budget is on line.
Final Reading of Policies BB, BEAB, DGD, GCO, GDS, IC, JEC:
W. Hildreth, MOVED to approve Policies BB, BEAB, DGD, GCO, GDS, IC, JEC; SECONDED by: J. Gile, after discussion, amended policy BEAB changing the word communications to communicate on page 6; VOTED: 5-0, MOTION PASSED.
FINANCIAL REPORT:

T. Croteau asked about last year’s deficit; who do we still owe?
K. Dassau explained there has been no one who has not been paid; they are using money from this year. It keeps rolling forward.
T. Croteau asked where do we stand as of today?
C. Paulin advised the numbers are accurate but in Oil, Keene tuition and Special Ed, don’t know what we might use. Also, there is transportation.
C. Paulin thinks all will balance out pretty well.
T. Croteau – Are the percentage of accounts where we should be?
C. Paulin – Yes, still some unknowns. Advised will be looking at each account so we will know, with some precision, where we will end up.
The Board asked questions on the budget, i.e., salaries and benefits.
K. Whippie feels a 51% encumbrance against the whole budget is pretty good.
W. Hildreth asked if there was a way to build a monthly chart showing students moving in and out, etc. so the Board can show it at the final stages of the budget.
Manifest:

W. Hildreth MOVED to approve the manifest in the amount of $2,087,474.33; SECONDED by: C. Duquette, VOTED: 5-0, MOTION PASSED.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT:
The Board received J. Lewis’ report in their packets.
*NECAP scores will be coming out this month.
*Head Lice checks were postponed. Applewood will be doing them on the 11th.
*Received a check for almost $1,000 from box tops.
*Saturday detention. J. Lewis advised they did an analysis of high school kids; not a lot of kids
going. The highest number was five, the lowest was one. He feels it is something to consider.
The Board advised Saturday detention has been cancelled for next year.
After discussion, K. Whippie MOVED to eliminate Saturday detention and freeze spending in that line item of the budget effective 2/1/12; SECONDED by: W. Hildreth, VOTED: 5-0, MOTION PASSED.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT:
The Board received K. Dassau’s report in their packets.
*The Board and Budget Committee received a pie chart showing the different percentages of
budget increases.. K. Dassau will be working on the budget summary.
*Letter to Congressmen Bass is on the website.
*Superintendent Evaluation – K. Dassau will look for the form that both he and the Board can complete. He will do a self-evaluation and then a committee will be formed of two School Board members, one person from Administration and one teacher, by March 1st. The Board will evaluate it as a Superintendent/Director of Special Education dual position then they will meet in non-public to discuss. T. Croteau and J.Gile, the Board reps. will give forms to the other School Board members for their input.
J. Miller advised they will be putting on Kids First! Winchester Summit on January 28th; looking at transition pieces for Kindergarten-Readiness, Middle School to High school and High School to Life Skills; including panel discussions and work groups. There will be a flyer coming out and registration. It will be held from 8:30 to 12:00 with breakfast and lunch. They are planning for 30-100 people. J. Miller hopes the Board will participate. Information will be included in the next Board packet, on-line, in the school newsletter, newspapers, etc.
T. Croteau asked about the pie graph; is the number for Food Service accurate or is it low?
C. Paulin explained they will be looking at changes in meals and possibly holiday meals.

C. Duquette asked C. Paulin to give the low-down on the kitchen; what is being spent, etc.
T. Croteau thinks pizza every Friday is too much.
J. Lewis advised they are working on an alternative.

BOARD COMMITTEE/REP REPORTS:
T. Croteau hopes to attend the Delegate Assembly meeting next Saturday. He asked the Board what he will need to do.
C. Duquette advised he would represent the Winchester School Board and vote on their behalf.
K. Dassau knows attorneys with the NHSBA. Need to know that something on the IDEA will be done.

Community Relations:
There will be an open house at the Ashuelot Library from 6:00-8:00 pm.
CITIZENS’ COMMENTS:
None.
K. Dassau advised no RSA is required to discuss negotiations.

Negotiations:
C. Duquette and W. Hildreth presented the Support Staff Agreement. The Board approved the contract expenses up to $17,500.

K. Whippie MOVED to adjourn the meeting at 9:11 pm; SECONDED by: W. Hildreth,
VOTED: 5-0, MOTION PASSED.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Higgins
School Board Secretary

Budget battle resumes

2012-01-30T18:40:00.000-05:00

By Christina Braccio Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — Claiming the town’s budget committee isn’t fulfilling its duty, Winchester’s school board is taking an unusual step, saying it will submit a proposed budget for the coming school year.

Usually the budget committee is responsible for presenting a budget proposal to voters, but the school board says the committee’s $9.1 million budget cuts too severely and won’t meet the state legal requirement to adequately educate the town’s students. Board members also say the budget committee didn’t meet the deadline — today — for completing its budget review.
In its place, the school board proposes an $11.5 million budget. The current-year budget is $11,089,128.
“The budget committee never discussed the warrant articles, and they needed to have another public hearing to do so — but the deadline to submit a budget for the deliberative session is Jan. 30,” board Chairwoman Colleen Duquette said. “The chairman did schedule a meeting for Tuesday at 7 p.m. to revisit the school budget, but we believe it’s too late.”
However, Brian D. Moser, budget committee chairman, said the committee’s budget will be the one discussed at the Feb. 9 deliberative session.
“There may be some questions regarding the warrant articles, and they may not get a recommendation from the budget committee on those, but we still plan to post our budget,” Moser said. “The only way ours won’t go to the deliberative session is if the school board posts their budget first.”
Superintendent Kenneth R. Dassau said he and the board consulted with their attorney and are acting under state law, which says the school board should submit its budget if the budget committee fails to complete its review.
“They failed to follow the proper budget preparation procedures, so the school board’s budget will be the only one posted, and we will be deliberating on that budget,” Dassau said.
Last week, Dassau sent a letter to Brian Moser, stating the board plans to file suit against the committee for proposing a budget the board believes will provide an inadequate education to Winchester students.
“The committee wanted to make huge cuts to special education, which is illegal,” Dassau said.
The committee also proposed eliminating the business office, 14 teacher positions and seven special education teachers, Duquette said.
“The tax rate is very high, and I feel for residents — we’re taxpayers, too,” Duquette said. “The budget committee is under pressure to cut as much as possible, but in my opinion, I don’t think that they’re being realistic. This would just result in lawsuits and legal expenses that are not necessary.”
As of Sunday evening, Moser said he still has not received the letter, but he believes the budget committee is doing what is best for the town.
“I feel that the budget committee did their homework and came up with a reasonable proposal, but the school does not,” Moser said. “If a lawsuit is what they feel they have to do, then they’re going to do it.”
The school board plans to meet Thursday evening to officially decide whether to pursue legal action against the budget committee, according to Dassau.

Christina Braccio can be reached at 352-1234 extension 1436, or cbraccio@keenesentinel.com

Budget Committee Work Session Minutes 01/24/2012

2012-01-30T11:19:00.000-05:00

Town of Winchester, NH

Budget Committee

January 24, 2012

Work Session

Members Present: Bob Davis, Jack Marsh, Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Ted Ryll, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Elisha Jackson, Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Rick Horton, Kathy Hebert, Kevan Whippie (School Board Rep.), Rikki Bolewski (Secretary)

Work Session called to order at 7:04pm

Brian explains the rules of the Work Session.

Rick makes a motion to approve the minutes from the January 17^th Work Session, Harvey seconds

Motion carries 10-0 with 1 abstention

- Rick makes a motion to change the School Budget to $10,500,000, Elisha seconds.

-Brian explains that there cannot be a discussion about the School Budget as it isn’t on the posted agenda

-Jack questions whether it would be possible to discuss old or new business after the conclusion of the Town business

- Brian explains that the agenda specifically says no other business.

- Jack makes a motion to schedule a meeting on Thursday, Rick seconds

- Not everyone is available to meet Thursday.

- Jack questions when is the last day that a meeting can be scheduled, Brian’s understanding is that the information has to be given to the Town Clerk no later than the last day of the month but he’s not sure whether that means by the end of the day on the 31^st or the beginning.

- Jack withdraws his motion and changes it to having a meeting on Tuesday, January 31^st, Rick seconds.

- There is question as to whether that is going to be in time to get the information to the Town Clerk

- Brian will check into that and get back to the board as to when the Board will be able to meet again to go over the School Budget and Warrant Articles

Town Budget

Ken makes a motion to approve $3,189,994, (this number is taking out the Water and Sewer Budgets that have been put into Warrant Articles), Kathy seconds

- Discussion regarding the budget

- Jack questions what the grand total of the budget would be with the Warrant Articles included – it would be $3,750,562

- Continued discussion regarding the Town budget and proposed cuts.

Motion fails 3-8

Rick makes a motion to approve $3,068,475, which takes sum of the original approved budgets, minus the Water and Sewer lines, anything the Board of Selectmen reduced, and putting the Regional Prosecutor back in, Ken seconds

- Discussion regarding the Regional Prosecutor and whether or not the program has saved the town money.

- Rick would entertain a Friendly Amendment to cut the Regional Prosecutor as well.

- Brian makes a Friendly Amendment to reduce it another $42,000 by cutting out the Regional Prosecutor, Harvey seconds.

o Rick accepts, Ken does not

Motion fails 5-6

Brian makes a motion to approve $2,946,475, which includes a $42,000 reduction of the Regional Prosecutor and $80,000 in Highway for tarring as they are already using $120,000 in Block Grant money for tarring and he thinks they don’t need more than that, Bob seconds.

- Bob makes a Friendly Amendment to reduce another $40,000 to make it $2,906,475. There is discussion as to what kinds of cuts this entails

- Kathy questions Ken how the cost of the Regional Prosecutor would relate to paying an officer overtime to spend the day prosecuting. Ken feels that this program does save the town money because they don’t have to pay an officer to spend the whole day in court

o Continued discussion regarding Regional Prosecutor

- Continued discussion as to what Bob is looking to cut as there is confusion as to what kinds of cuts he is looking to make

o Bob’s amendment includes reductions of $27,520 in Land Use, $12,378 for the Animal Control Officer, zero out Public Works Coordinator of $1, and reduce Family Services Health Agency by $101, for a total of another $40,000

- Discussion regarding proposed cuts. Rick questions cutting the $80,000 for tarring, Brian responds that they have the $120 from the Block Grant that Dale had said he was going to use for tarring. It is discussed that the Block Grant could also be used for other things, such as salt and sand, and, ultimately, it’s up to the Selectmen on how that money is used, so even if the Highway Department states that they want to use the money on tarring, there may be other things that the Selectmen think that money could be better spent on, and therefore, if the $80,000 is removed, there would be no money for tarring.

Motion passes 6-4 with 1 abstention

Kathy thinks that the cuts made are irresponsible and that the Budget Committee in doing that has been irresponsible

It is stated that the amendment that Bob made was never voted on and needs to be in order to be approved

- The amendment is called to a vote and carries 6-5

The motion of $2,906,475 is called to a vote and carries 6-4 with 1 abstention

With the Town Clerk in the building, clarification of when the last day for a meeting could be, there is still some question on that.

Rick makes a motion to approve $2,986,475 for the town budget, which goes back to Brian’s original motion minus $40,000 from the Highway Department for tarring instead of the $80,000 and puts back in the $40,000 from Bob’s amendment, Kevan seconds.

- Rick goes over the cuts that this includes

- Jack proposes an amendment to have it also include Bob’s $40,000 cuts to make it $2,946,475, Brian seconds

o Motion on the amendment carries 10-1

Motion of a budget of $2,946,475 carries 9-2

Jack makes a motion for the Budget Committee to meet after the Deliberative Session and before voting to revote to recommend or not recommend any money Warrant Articles that may be changed at Deliberative Session as this was recommended that the Board does this by the LGC, Rick seconds

Discussion regarding this and when the Board would actually meet to do this.

Motion carries 11-0 and the Board will meet the Saturday, February 4^th, after Deliberative Session

Bob makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds

Motion carries 11-0

Meeting adjourned at 8:05pm

N.H. gets a D- on teacher quality policies

2012-01-27T07:45:00.000-05:00

By HOLLY RAMER / Associated Press

Posted: 01/25/2012 03:00:00 AM EST

Wednesday January 25, 2012 CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire has made almost no progress in enacting policies that promote teacher quality in the last two years and continues to score poorly in a national report being released Wednesday.
The National Council on Teacher Quality is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that focuses on teacher policies at the federal, state and local level. Its report, called the State Policy Teacher Yearbook, grades states on their policies to ensure the quality of teachers entering the classroom, to retain the best and to get rid of the worst.
Many states saw a dramatic improvement in their grades this year compared to 2009, when the highest grade given was a C and Florida was the only state to receive it. New Hampshire’s overall grade of D-minus was unchanged, however. It received grades of D or D-minus in four categories -- the same grades it got in 2009 -- and in one category, improved from an F to a D.
In that area -- identifying effective teachers -- New Hampshire met the council’s goal of having a system capable of collecting evidence of teacher effectiveness. But unlike other states, it has no policy for including student achievement as a measure of teacher effectiveness and instead gives local school boards the power to set teach evaluation procedures.
In response to that and other criticisms, the state responded that it has a task force working on many of the recommendations cited by the report.
That task force is creating a framework for teacher evaluations that will include multiple measures of student achievement, the state said. New Hampshire ranked 26th compared to other states and met just three of the council’s 36 goals -- one related to its system to collect teacher and student data, one related to training for high school science teachers and one related alternate methods by which people can become teachers.
According to the report, some of the state’s other strengths include being on the right track in ensuring that elementary school teachers are prepared to begin teaching, giving school districts full authority for setting teachers’ salaries and prohibiting districts from enacting "last hired, first fired" layoff policies.
But the state was criticized on multiple fronts, such as not providing mentoring to all new teachers, significantly underfunding the pension system and failing to assure that teachers who receive poor evaluations will be eligible for firing if they fail to improve.

Mark Your Calenders, Support Your Neighbors !

2012-01-26T16:25:00.002-05:00

Winchester has a fight on it's hands and you're all part of it. What you do or don't do will affect you and your neighbors for the next 12 months or more. Your rights to have a say in how much taxes you will pay in the coming years and what services you may or may not get is your decision to make come next month.

The School Board has put a tremendous burden on many of us, especially our elderly and fixed income citizens and has acted unfairly in their attempt to bully our Budget Committee members with the threat of a lawsuit to get what they want. Don't be fooled by this smoke and mirrors show, it isn't about our children, it's all about this new SAU and it's administration running amok.

If it's that not bad enough, our Board of Dimwits has added to the burden by submitting another dozen or so unnecessary spending warrants to take more money out of our pockets and put more homeowners in jeopardy of losing their homes and being out on the streets.

Enough is enough, it's time to rise up and rid ourselves of this plague of irresponsibility and indifference to the wants and needs of the citizens of Winchester and send these people a loud and clear message that we are not going to stand idly by and get steamrolled without a fight!

Join us and make your feelings known and help put an end to this madness.

Deliberative Sessions

For the Town will be

February 4th, 2012 at 9:00 A.M.

in the Town Hall,

For the School will be

February 9, 2012 at 7:00 P.M.

in the Winchester School Gym

Winchester school board to sue panel

2012-01-26T14:34:00.000-05:00

By Christina Braccio Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — After a turbulent start to budget season, Winchester’s school board and budget committee may land in court.
The board plans to sue the committee, saying the panel cut the budget to an inoperable amount, according to a letter from Superintendent Kenneth R. Dassau to committee Chairman Brian D. Moser.

However, the budget committee believes cutting the budget, and therefore cutting taxes, is what’s best for Winchester residents, Moser said.
The committee adopted a budget of $9,197,777 for the 2012-13 year — which is 20 percent lower than the school board’s recommended budget of $11,510,850.
Dassau said the loss of $2.3 million from the budget plan would leave the district unable to function. The committee proposed eliminating the district’s business office and business software, which would cause serious payroll and financial troubles, Dassau said. It also wants to cut 14 teaching positions at Winchester School.
The committee also proposed cutting nearly $1 million in funding for special education programs required by law, Dassau said.
“I spoke with our attorney, and cutting that is illegal,” he said. “They don’t have the authority to do that. They are violating state and federal laws, and opening up the district to lawsuits from parents with children who need those services.”
The budget plan now heads to voters, where during next month’s deliberative session, they can discuss and amend the committee’s budget proposal. According to law, residents can add only up to 10 percent to a budget committee’s recommendation. Even if that happened, the budget would still be 10 percent lower than the board’s recommendation, which would leave the district scrambling to provide services to students, Dassau said.
He said the board decided to file suit in the hopes that the budget will be increased to its recommendation.
Dassau said the school board has placed a warrant article on the March ballot to eliminate the budget committee. “This has to stop,” he said.
However, Moser said the budget committee is doing the best it can for Winchester residents.
“Cuts in the school will be hard on the kids, but if parents can’t pay their taxes, that will be just as hard on the kids,” Moser said.
The budget committee researched the district’s finances and consulted outside authorities, partly because of a lack of trust in the school board and mostly so the committee could make an informed recommendation, Moser said.
Moser said earlier this month that the budget committee was frustrated by a lack of information from the school board, and that because of this missing information did not set a budget figure in time for the public hearing.
As of this morning, Moser had yet to see Dassau’s letter stating the board will file suit.
“What they do, I have no control over,” he said. “But they are not happy. That much is clear.”

Superintendent Dassau Threatens Budget Committee

2012-01-25T19:54:00.001-05:00

Superintendent Ken Dassau has sent a letter to the Budget Committee condemning their cuts to the School Budget and threatening legal action. He's upset that the Budget Committee has diligently done it's job of working for the taxpayers that elected them to office, cutting 2.3 million dollars from the School's bloated top heavy budget. It is evident by their report that working with an expert in the field, they went line item by line item and cut where they felt would least likely hurt the education of our students. Reading over Superintendent Dassau's response to the committee's hard work, we find that he isn't being very truthful in his statements and encourage people to look at the numbers and decide for themselves . While doing so remember the report on education in the Keene Sentinel that reported our middle school teachers are a non-performing asset. Test scores at Keene indicate that they are not adequately doing their jobs in grades 6-8.
Mr. Dassau also brings up the matter of the 10% rule and accuses the Budget Committee of deliberately using the rule to cut the School budget by 20%, he's wrong, they did no such thing.

We should be asking him just how much "extra" the School Board has been adding to their budget each year, 10%, 20% more? Why they don't return ALL of the surplus budget money to the town every year ? Why they overspent their budget last year, using the excuse, "it was unforeseeable", c'mon the Business manager should have known the cash position and encumbered the money! These are after all intelligent people ... or are they?

In our opinion, it’s all smoke and mirrors.

We question whether they will they do it again this year? State law says it is illegal to put this overage in the budget to make up for the shortfall; exactly what they are trying to do.

Below is the Budget Committee's proposal:

and the Admin's response letter:

Should the Planning Board get sued ( again ) if it approves Pasquarelli's Club.

2012-01-24T10:47:00.001-05:00

Once again the Planning Board has put itself in a position to return to court for violations, not only of it's own regulations and rules of procedure ( by the way, they have removed these from their by-laws though they are required by law to have them ); but State Statutes also. It is quite evident that several members of this board, including the chairman and land use assistant, haven't a clue as to what is and isn't allowed under the law and how to proceed in issues like this. The simple fact the majority have voted to accept Mr. Pasquarelli's application as complete is unlawful and once again shows just how dysfunctional this board has become under the direction of Margaret Sharra.
The following information was provided to the board at the last hearing and was ignored and the hearings will continue on this matter despite the facts. Even his attorney Silas Little didn't raise any objections to the following, knowing full well that this application for a private club is a farce, but he is after all getting paid to be there by someone.

Read the minutes drafted by Margaret Sharra, then read over these highlights of the State Statutes.

TITLE XIII
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
CHAPTER 175
DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 175:1

    175:1 Definitions. – In this title:

XXI. "Club-social'' means a group of individuals, incorporated under the laws of this state and may be affiliated with any national fraternal organization approved by the commission, either of which shall have been in existence for at least one year before the club's application for license. The premises occupied by the club, whether owned or leased shall not have been operated for pecuniary gain for that one-year period. The club shall be for the use of members and their guests and the property and fixtures of the club shall belong to the members. The members shall have the right to vote in club affairs and run for office.

XXIII. "Cocktail lounge'' means a room operated for the purpose of serving liquor and beverages without the benefit of food. A cocktail lounge shall be equipped with a bar area for the display of stock and the preparation and refrigeration of product.

XLVII. "Live entertainment'' means at least one person employed with or without compensation to entertain guests or patrons on the premises of a licensed establishment and shall include, but not be limited to, musicians, disc jockeys, theater companies and other related performers. Mechanical music, automated recordings of any type, videos or films by themselves shall not be considered live entertainment. Audience participants shall not be considered live entertainment.

LIV-a. "Private club'' means an organization incorporated under the laws of this state, whose members are equal shareholders, whose assets belong to the members equally, and whose members have an equal vote in club affairs and a right to run for club offices. The licensed area of a private club shall be operated solely for the use of members and their accompanied guests, and shall be open for inspection by investigators of the commission and local law enforcement officials whenever operating.

178:22 On-Premises Cocktail Lounge Licenses. –

(2) 3A. (A) "Private group'' means an assembly of persons gathered for a designated social or business occasion, present by invitation or reservation and shall in no way be construed to mean the general public.

    (h) Veterans' Clubs, Private Clubs, and Social Clubs.

          (1) The commission may issue cocktail lounge licenses to private clubs. Each licensee shall make a sworn report to the commission for each month on or before the fifteenth of the following month, in such form as the commission may require, showing the income from liquor and beverages sold and the expenses properly chargeable to the business for the month.

(4) Clubs may allow private groups to bring in or sell their own liquor and beverages in approved rental facilities provided there is a complete separation between the club area and the rental area.

(7) No licensee corporation shall permit a person, either elected or appointed, to hold multiple corporate offices or permit an officer to hold the position of director.

(9) All clubs shall annually provide written documentation to the commission which shall include:
(B) Minutes of all membership meetings, meetings held by officers and directors, and any special meetings;
(C) Copies of all contracts entered into between the licensee corporation and any director, officer, or manager of the licensee corporation, as well as any provider of services to the club.

(10) For the purposes of subparagraph (h):
             (A) "Minutes'' means detailed written memoranda of a transaction, proceedings, or club operations.
(11) No director, officer, or employee of a licensee corporation shall engage in any undertaking that shall place the personal interests of a person ahead of the interests of the membership of the club.

The commission may issue a cocktail lounge license to any nonprofit performing arts facility which seats more than 50 persons. The commission shall determine by rule whether a facility is a nonprofit performing arts facility.

TITLE XXXI
TRADE AND COMMERCE
CHAPTER 354-A
STATE COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 354-A:2
    354-A:2 Definitions. – In this chapter:

VI. "Employee'' does not include any individual employed by a parent, spouse or child, or any individual in the domestic service of any person.
VII. "Employer'' does not include any employer with fewer than 6 persons in its employ, an exclusively social club if such club, is not organized for private profit, as evidenced by declarations filed with the Internal Revenue Service or for those not recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, those organizations recognized by the New Hampshire secretary of state.
XIV. "Public accommodation'' shall not include any institution or club which is in its nature distinctly private.

Some of the Petition warrant Articles submitted for the ballot

2012-01-22T10:40:00.001-05:00

Petition Warrant Articles for 2012 Ballot:

Petition Warrant Article __: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $2,000.00 (two thousand dollars) to support the operation of the Boat Ramp at ForestLake.

· Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-1

Is this a joke? What's to support that requires $2000 a year? A very small dirt parking lot and a gravel ramp to a channel off the pond that's used by 1/2 dozen fisherman.

Petition Warrant Article __: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 (five thousand dollars) to be given to the Winchester Historical Society for the purpose of operating and maintaining the Sheridan House so that this museum may continue to preserve the history of Winchester for the benefit of the public.

· Not recommended by the Board of Selectmen 3-2

What's wrong with this bunch that they vote against preserving history but don't care about spending thousands on things this town can do without?

Petition Warrant Article __: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) for the purpose of subsidizing youth recreation in the Town of Winchester to be paid to the E.L.M. Memorial Community Center on a contractual basis.

· Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 3-1, 1 abstention

Why are we taxpayers asked to continue shelling out funds for the ELMM Center that has it's own trust fund set up to cover all expenses? Just where does all of this money go? Is it to cover the salaries of board members and staff and not for programs for the kids as we are led to believe year after year?

Petition Warrant Article __: Shall we adopt the provisions of RSA 40:14-b to delegate the determination of the default budget to the municipal budget committee which has been adopted under RSA 32:14?

· Requires a 3/5 majority vote

· Not recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-1

Of course they don't want this, it would stop them from continuing to add to the budget at their whim and fancy whenever they don't like what the budget committee recommends.·

Petition Warrant Article __: Shall the Town adopt, in accordance with RSA 31:39-a, a Town of Winchester Conflict of Interest Ordinance as follows?

TOWN OF WINCHESTER CONFLICT OF INTEREST ORDINANCE

Town employees and Town officials must avoid conflicts of interest. Town employees and Town officials shall not participate in deciding any matter in which they, or their spouses or any immediate family member, have a private interest, financial or otherwise, which may directly or indirectly affect or influence the impartiality of the performance of their duties, and are required to publicly disclose conflicts of interest of which they know or should know.
In addition to statutory incompatibility of offices as defined in RSA 669:7 and 669:8the following combinations of employment and/or appointed and/or elected positions may not be held by a single person at the same time:

a. Any employment position in excess of 24 hours per week and any elected or appointed office.

b. Selectman and chairman of the Planning Board.

c. Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and Chairman of the Solid Waste District Advisory Committee.

d. Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and Chairman of any other Board or Commission.

Failure to abide by the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute grounds for removal from office upon petition by any person to the Cheshire County Superior Court.

As required by RSA 31:39-a this ordinance exempts affected officers and employees who are in office or employed at the time the ordinance is adopted for a period not to exceed one year from the date of adoption.

· Not recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0

This would prevent them from constantly filling these boards and committees with their cronies to control the outcomes of meetings. Take away their power to appoint the same people over and over again and we may finally get fair, legal common sense decisions and rulings that will keep the town out of court and stop the destruction of our town.

Petition Warrant Article __: In accordance with RSA 231:62 “are you in favor of electing a Highway Superintendent for a three year term”. Any person running for this office must pass a back ground investigation and shall be paid 40 hours straight and 5 hours of over time each week.

· Not recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0

· Now ask yourself why the BOS would be against hiring a qualified person to do this job for a term limit of just 3 years and why they wouldn't require background checks for town employees in charge of thousands of dollars of budget monies?

Petition Warrant Article __: Shall use of the town ambulance(s), ambulance supplies and on-duty ambulance personnel be limited to emergency response and/or transport from Winchester to a medical or other healthcare facility, except in cases of mutual aid service.

· Not recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0

Petition Warrant Article __: To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $130,000 (one hundred thirty thousand dollars) for the purpose of acquiring Map 5 Lot 103-1, 99 Hawkins Rd., single family home on 3.3 acres. The Town of Winchester’s water storage is in a critical state. The current water storage tank was built in 1947. The priority is high for the Town of Winchester to erect a new water storage tank. The Winchester Conservation Commission has purchased 28 acres – Map 5 Lot 103, with elevation appropriate to erect a water storage tank on Meetinghouse Hill abutting the subject property – Map 5 Lot 103-1. By acquiring the Map 5 Lot 103-1 property, the Town of Winchester will facilitate their access to a new water storage tank on the Conservation Commission’s land on Meetinghouse Hill. Additionally, acquiring this property would allow the town to discontinue Hawkins Rd. as a town road, relieving the town of the burden of plowing and maintenance. Hawkins Rd. is a steep and windy road accessing just one house.

· Not recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0

Budget Committee Public Hearing Minutes 1-12-12

2012-01-21T20:24:00.000-05:00

click your mouse on the pages to enlarge the print

Budget Committee Meeting Minutes January 3, 2012

2012-01-21T19:57:00.001-05:00

click your mouse on the page you wish to read to enlarge the print

Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes January 11, 2012

2012-01-20T17:58:00.000-05:00

click your mouse on the page you wish to read to enlarge the print

More spending as usual and wasn't it Select Board member, Gus Ruth who started the "rumor" about the closing of the Transfer Station, handing out fliers stating just that fact? What short memories some of our elected officials have when it concerns one of their own.

PRIVATE CLUB EYED

2012-01-15T16:44:00.001-05:00

By Sarah Trefethen Sentinel Staff
WINCHESTER — The owner of a Route 10 convenience store wants to take his business in a different direction.

John E. Pasquarelli wants to shut down P-Square’s Country Store and open a private club in its place. The Winchester planning board is considering his application for a change of use of his property.

If the application is approved, the new business will be called P-Square’s Private Music Club, Pasquarelli said in an interview.

“A lot of people in my family have played music all their lives. We like to play music and have a few beers, and that’s what we’ll be doing at the club,” he said.

By making it private, Pasquarelli said he hopes to control who can come into the club, where he plans to sell beer and wine.

“We don’t want to disturb the public, but we don’t want the public disturbing us either. I don’t like the idea of any Joe Schmoe off the street walking into my building,” he said.

But Pasquarelli’s proposal has already disturbed some.

A public hearing on his application ran for an hour and a half at the Dec. 19 planning board meeting before it was continued, according to draft minutes.

The hearing will resume Monday.

“The biggest, most significant concern was having a public bar in Winchester, which a lot of people don’t think Winchester needs,” said Brian Moser, a planning board member who was present for the hearing.

Pasquarelli has not officially incorporated his club with the state. Uncertainty about what the club would be like might contribute to public concern, according to Moser.

“If somebody came in and said ‘we want to turn this into an Eagle’s Club or an Elks Club,’ we would at least have some idea,” he said.

But Pasquarelli says it won’t be all that different from something that already happens.

A group of about 25 musicians have been meeting at the store for a number of years, he said.

“One of my criteria is going to be, to be part of our group, or club of musicians, you have to play music,” he said.

Closing the convenience store, which Pasquarelli said has lost money for as long as he has owned it, would be a way to downsize the business in the hope of making it sustainable.

But some are worried that Pasquarelli has more in mind for the club than music and beer.

At the Dec. 19 meeting, planning board member Kim Gordon said the club is being marketed as a “gentleman’s club” and moved to have the application reconsidered under the town ordinance that governs adult book stores, according to the meeting minutes. The motioned failed.

Moser confirmed that rumors of plans by Pasquarelli to provide adult entertainment have circulated for about a year, but adult entertainment is not allowed in Winchester.

“I can’t speak for everyone on the board. For myself, if he plays by the rules he’ll get it,” Moser said.

Pasquarelli dismissed the rumors, pointing out that he is an army veteran and lives on the premises with his wife and 14-year-old daughter.

The planning board will meet Monday at 7 p.m. in Winchester Town Hall.

Sarah Trefethen can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1439, or strefethen@keenesentinel.com

AG probes voter fraud in NH ...

2012-01-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

... after activists get ballots as dead people because they weren't ID'ed

By MARK HAYWARD
New Hampshire Union Leader

Published Jan 12, 2012 at 3:00 am (Updated Jan 11, 2012)

MANCHESTER - The New Hampshire Attorney General has launched a comprehensive review of state voting procedures, after people obtained ballots of dead voters during the presidential primary on Tuesday.

No fraudulent votes were actually cast. But in nine instances, clerks readily handed over ballots after a would-be voter implied he was the city resident, recently deceased, still listed on the voter checklist, according to a video posted on the Internet.

After receiving the ballot, the person departed without voting.

The video was produced and posted by Project Veritas, a national organization that has snared ACORN, National Public Radio and others in clandestine video recordings.

Associate Attorney General Richard Head said his office became aware of the effort on Election Day and immediately began an investigation.

“That investigation is ongoing,” he said. “Based on the information received on Election Day and the information on the video, we are undertaking a comprehensive review of voting procedures with the Secretary of State.”

U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire John Kacavas said he had not heard of the video as of Wednesday.“If it's true, it's troubling to me,” Kacavas said. “I'm certainly going to look into it.”

State law makes it a crime to use a false name to obtain a ballot. State law also prohibits the audio-recording of a person without consent.

It appeared that most, if not all, of the video was filmed at polling places in Nashua and Manchester.

► Click here to view the video.

Secretary of State William Gardner, as well as city clerks in Manchester and Nashua, quickly said Wednesday that they support the idea of voter identification, but not the voter photo ID bill that Gov. John Lynch vetoed last year.

Officials in Nashua and Manchester said the filmmaker should be arrested.

“They should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. When I was in the Senate, I always heard, ‘This never happens.' This is proof this happens,” said Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas.

“People who pull stunts like this should be prosecuted,” Nashua City Clerk Paul Bergeron said.

Project Veritas released the video the day after New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary.

“With the eight-vote margin in the 2012 Iowa Caucus, it is clear that voter fraud can influence the outcome of an election and it is important to note that Project Veritas' team had the ability to cast more than a dozen votes in this latest investigation,” James O'Keefe said in a fundraising email.

Actually, the would-be voter gets his hands on ballots only nine times in the 10-minute, seven-second Project Veritas video.

In one, the clerk directly asks the person if he is the man listed on the checklist.

At that point, the person said he was just checking to see if the checklist designates the voter as deceased.

In another, the dead person is not on the checklist, and the clerk encourages the person to register to vote.

Another time, the would-be voter left after poll workers started asking question about the name he gave, Manchester City Clerk Matt Normand said.

“It just so happens the ward moderator recognized the name as not being that person,” Normand said.

The moderator, Gloria Pilotte, asked to speak to the undercover voter to see if there was some mistake.

He left before they had a chance to speak.

“He never got a ballot,” Normand said.

That instance is not on the video, which can be found at www.theprojectveritas.com.

Project Veritas asked the New Hampshire Union Leader to email questions about the video, but did not respond.

It's not impossible for a dead man to vote in the Granite State.

Secretary of State Gardner said a fraudulent voter could check newspaper obituaries for recently dead people, and then go to a city or town to see if the name is on voting lists.

The bogus voter could then go to a polling place and likely get a ballot, he said.

Gardner said he's open to changes in state voting procedures, but not the legislation that Lynch vetoed.

Its provisional voting procedure would have been difficult to administer, Gardner said.

“I'm OK with photo ID, but I would like a way to do it without sending people home from the voting place without having cast a ballot,” Gardner said.

Republican House Speaker William O'Brien said Democrats have consistently maintained that no voter fraud takes place in New Hampshire. Now it's been shown that flaws exist in the system.

“I'm afraid — I hope it doesn't come down to this — it challenges our first-in-the-nation primary position,” O'Brien said.

He said Republicans are open to compromise as long as the New Hampshire voting pool is not diluted by non-resident or fictitious voters.

New Hampshire Union Leader reporters John DiStaso and Beth Lamontagne Hall contributed to this article.

Seems officials are more concerned with these people exposing how easily this can happen than preventing it from continuing .. Does make one wonder now doesn't it?

Private Club or Strip Bar ?

2012-01-10T12:52:00.000-05:00

Word has it that store owner John Pasquarelli has approached the Winchester Planning Board with an application to open a "private club" to be located at 234 Keene Road, the site of his current convenience store. Mr. Pasquarelli has stated before the board that he plans to sell alcohol and seat up to 40-50 "closet musicians" and provide entertainment. He has also openly stated that he plans on having "live" adult entertainment in the form of "strippers", perform at the club. We question not only the wisdom of allowing something like this in Winchester; but the legality of the operation as a whole.

Police Chief, Gary Phillips wrote a letter to the Planning Board citing 19 instances where police have been called out to the store to break up private parties on the premises. This is in clear violation of a court ordered "PERMANENT STIPULATION", document #09-E-0134, signed by John & his wife, his attorney and attorney Jeremy Hockensmith for the Town; which states " The respondents shall not establish a " private club ", association or similar mechanism to be located at 234 Keene Road, Winchester, NH without first obtaining all necessary approvals from the town of Winchester. This document was also signed by Town of Winchester representative, Gus Ruth, Chairman of the Board of Selectman on February 1st, 2010 and remains in effect today.

The Board of Selectmen have given no permission for Mr. Pasquarelli to proceed with this endeavor;

Page Two of the Board of Selectman’s minutes from November 16^th.

6^th Order of Business:

John Pasquarelli came to reiterate that the Board of Selectman have no jurisdiction over private clubs.

First off, this type of "adult entertainment" is not allowed in Winchester; yet despite the facts, certain members of the Planning Board have looked the other way and have approved his incomplete application. In fact both Margaret Sharra and Chairman Dean Beaman don't feel this falls under the regulations of "adult entertainment" and have scheduled a public hearing for January 16th @ 7:00pm at the Town hall.

We question why the Planning Board even accepted his application when it is clear by the court order that a majority of the Selectmen would have to sign off on this first and that this type of establishment is not allowed under current regulations. Is there something else ( as usual ) going on behind the scenes ?

WINchester School Budget proposal .. where the money goes

2012-01-04T18:26:00.003-05:00

We had a request to post the documents turned in by the School for their 2011-2012 budget. It will show you salary and benefit costs, how bloated the administration and paras are and that 5 janitors cost us $166,000 and 35 hours is considered full time among other eye opening information. Our school system is so bloated with excessive costs and spending that it would be very easy for the Budget Committee to trim millions from their proposed budget and ease the burden on taxpayers.

The question is: WILL THEY, or will they cave and make a mockery of the process altogether?

There are 17 pages of figures to this proposal so instead of uploading them here and taking up valuable server space, we have uploaded them to a "free" on-line file service for easy downloading for all to look over.

Simply cut & paste the urls below into your browser's navigation window to get your copy of the proposed school budget and then be sure to email your thoughts to the members of the board as they make their decision on what the final figures will be.

http://www.fileserve.com/file/SYPHy3Z/Winchester School District Budget.pdf

http://www.fileserve.com/file/QbQ8sYW/Winchester School District Budget pages 6-10.pdf

http://www.fileserve.com/file/eeKqfus/Winchester School District Budget pages 11-17.pdf

Anyone having an issue with downloading the files can email us at winchesterinformer@gmail.com with a request and we'll send them to you.

Budget Committee Members

otis50@myfairpoint.net .. Brian Moser
timbuctu@live.com .. Bob Davis
kwhip10wsb@hughes.net .. Kevin Whippie .. School Board Rep.
rhorton73@yahoo.com .. Rick Horton
khebert@cheshire-med.com .. Kathleen Hebert
tedryll@gmail.com .. Ted Ryll
Elisha.Jackson@tdbanknorth.com
rbolewski@comcast.net .. Rikki Bolewski
jtegmarsh@yahoo.com .. Jack Marsh
randrgramp@yahoo.com .. Hubert Crowell
snowman64@hughes.net .. Harvey Sieran

Winchester school budget plan still in limbo

2012-01-04T13:28:00.000-05:00

Public heard, but no action

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — There was a hearing on the budget, and plenty of comment on the budget, but still no budget proposal for the Winchester School District.
The town’s budget committee went ahead with its public hearing despite not having its proposed budget for the district ready to present. That’s because the school board was late in getting its recommendation to the committee, said Chairman Brian D. Moser.

Instead, the committee wanted to hear input from the public on the school board’s recommended $11.5 million budget, up 3.4 percent over the current year. School officials have said these increases are necessary, partly because costly items like tuition to Keene High School and teachers’ salaries are contractual.
More than 50 people came out Tuesday, the largest crowd for a budget hearing Moser said he has seen.
Though some were in support of the school, most who spoke at the hearing railed against what they called a cripplingly high tax rate.
“There’s something structurally wrong with the school system in this town …” resident Joseph Kozma said. “I either have to foreclose or move out.”
He suggested there are too many teachers at Winchester School for the 480 students there. (The district’s website lists 32 teachers and 43 paraprofessionals at the school.)
“There’s an army of people in the parking lot every day. Those are the people bleeding us out,” he said.
“They’re bankrupting us,” Malcolm J. Perkins said, citing what he called a costly administration.
Resident Robert J. Salg, who is retired and on a fixed income, said his taxes went up by $469 this year. “I cannot take another increase like that.”
Winchester had the fourth-highest tax rate and third-highest school tax in the state last year. The 2011 tax rate was up 15.8 percent from 2010’s, while the school portion went up 24.4 percent, mostly because of higher-than-anticipated special education costs.
Ted Ryll, a member of the budget committee, presented a petition with about 30 signatures calling on the committee to separate “absolute needs” from “mere desires” in the school board’s budget.
But the committee had few recommendations on where to trim.
Budget committee member Richard Horton suggested reducing the custodial staff and cutting the technology director from full-time to part-time. He also asked about dipping into a capital improvement fund for some larger maintenance projects planned for the next year.
And while he didn’t try to cut them, Horton did call the salaries of the superintendent, principal and assistant principal “hard to swallow.”
But committee member Robert E. Davis suggested more drastic cuts, targeting special education, administrative costs and teachers. He said after the hearing he thought the school board’s recommendation was unacceptable, a sentiment he heard from speakers that night.
“It has to stop,” he said.
The district’s superintendent, Kenneth R. Dassau, said afterward he would have liked the school board to have had a chance to explain its recommendation to help people understand the numbers.
“Someone’s always losing their job or house … What I really heard is that I think the board and the budget committee have to have a responsible meeting where they can agree on some changes,” he said.
“Where is that balance between a responsible budget and the community’s ability to carry that payment?”
The budget committee will have its proposed budget finished by the end of the month, Moser said. The school district’s deliberative session is scheduled for Feb. 9.
Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com.

Battle of the Boards

2012-01-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

Tonight there is a scheduled Budget Committee meeting at the Town Hall @ 7:00pm for public discussion of the proposed School Budget year 2011-2012.

Assistant Principal Pamela Bigelow has been sending out emails in an attempt to garner support and intimidate the Budget Committee members into giving the School Board everything it wants. Bigelow and Dassau are upset that the Committee has proposed a budget of 8 million for the school to operate on and have twisted facts and threatened a suit if the committee doesn't cave to their demands. Below are copies of emails sent out by the assistant principal this past week.

From: "Pamela Bigelow"

Dear all,
With Dr. Dassau's permission, I am forwarding his message below (and attached letter to the Budget Committee Chair) to inform you of what is happening with the school board's proposed budget for next year and the Winchester Budget Committee. We are encouraging all who are able to attend the public hearing this coming Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, at 7 PM at the Winchester Town Hall to voice your concerns and opinions. --Pam

Pam Bigelow, Assistant Principal
Winchester School
85 Parker Street
Winchester, NH 03470

From: Ken Dassau
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 11:27 AM
To: Pamela Bigelow; allstaff
Subject: RE: Budget Hearing on Tuesday

Happy Holidays.
Attached are the documents that will be added to the district's budget page on Tuesday.
The Winchester Budget Committee at its meeting on December 6th passed a motion to reduce the school budget to 8 million. That is a 30.5 % decrease from the school board's proposed budget which equals $3,510,850.
Such action was taken without deliberation or concern for the impact on the children of Winchester. A copy if their meeting minutes is attached.
Since that time they have met four times with school administrators to review the school board's proposed budget. To date they have not changed their position - nor have they decided on, or identified, any budget areas for reductions.
Their public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday January 3.
You will see in the attached documents that I have informed the board chair Mr. Moser - that I believe their action is in violation of their legal responsibilities and illegal in accordance with the "10% rule" as decided in the Baker v Hudson case.
I read and presented the attachments to the full committee at their meeting last night. They are public documents.

Tuesday will provide an interesting welcome to the New Year.
Best to you all.
Ken

Kenneth R. Dassau, Ed.D.
Superintendent

From: Pamela Bigelow
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 8:58 AM
To: allstaff
Subject: Budget Hearing on Tuesday

Dear Staff,

Attached is the fortnight for our return from vacation. Please note that the Winchester Budget Committee has scheduled a public hearing on next year’s school budget for this coming Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, at 7 PM at the Town Hall. All staff members are encouraged to attend, as this is our opportunity to hear what the Budget Committee is proposing and to have input. FYI, there has been one proposal to cut the school’s budget by over $3 million without any suggestions, to date, as to how we could effectively operate the school and educate Winchester’s children under those circumstances. For more information, check the Superintendent’s Page on the web site – http://www.wnhsd.org/departments.cfm?subpage=748068 – or contact any administrator with your questions.

I hope you all had a restful, happy vacation!

Pam

These are the tactics our School Board uses to insure they get what they want and to hell with the rest of us. They use your children as pawns in their game of intimidation and double-speak. Our Educational System is running amok with irresponsible people in charge and making demands upon society that are not only outlandish but hurtful as well. Intimidation and threats are shameful actions, especially by those we entrust to educate our children.

The Big Picture

2012-01-02T19:15:00.002-05:00

This article was published a few years back; but hits the nail right on the head in regards to the problems we all face today. We all agree that the education of all of New Hampshire's children is paramount to their future and to the future of New Hampshire; however the system is broken and has been for some time.

An enormous transfer of wealth has taken place in New Hampshire over the past 5 years, coming from the pockets of home owners into the coffers of the Education Establishment.

Five years ago the New Hampshire Education Monopoly spent in total $1.3 billion. In the year ending June 2003 they spent over $2.0 billion, an increase of 43% in 5 years. During the same time enrollment has gone up 5%.

Well enrollments have decreased significantly, wanna bet what they spend now?

This increase of public school spending comes largely from those who pay local real estate taxes. This unprecedented transfer of wealth has impoverished our senior citizens and has drained the earnings of all working families who are homeowners. If this spending spiral continues at the same rate for the next five years a large majority of New Hampshire citizens are going to have great difficulty paying their real estate taxes. We do have a school funding problem but that problem is dwarfed by the spending problem of our government schools.

It is the relentless spending increases that have created the funding problem.

Winchester's School Budget has increased from just over 9 million to a proposed 11.8 million in just 3 years !

What we have is a serious management problem and unless the management problem is addressed the funding problem will never go away. Could it be that some school superintendents are unqualified to run a multimillion dollar organization? In what other organization would the board of directors not dismiss the manager who runs up his cost of product as rapidly as many of our school superintendents have run up their spending per pupil over the past five years.

And now comes Superintendent Kenneth R. Dassau who has threatened the Budget Committee with a lawsuit if they don't bow to his demands ( we have a copy of the letter he wrote to Brian Moser, Chairman of the board.

When one asks how is it that the non public schools can do a better job for less than half the price? We get whining and excuses rather than solutions. The excuses won’t halt the rise in my real estate taxes. One would almost have to conclude that a clever superintendent has purposely cried wolf, or “we have a funding problem”, in order to divert the attention of his local school board and taxpayers from his management weaknesses and spending extravagances. Even if the exaggerated spending of our government schools had produced good academic results people could not afford the continued drain on their on their savings and earnings from ever higher real estate taxes.

As the season of town meetings and warrant articles approach, homeowners feeling the heavy burden of their real estate taxes must stand up and tell their school superintendents that unless this spending spiral is halted they will be replaced.

by State Representative David Scott of Durham; published March 14th, 2004

—
Why don't we just tuition grade 6-12 and all sped students to Keene and save ourselves millions ?

submitted by email

Town of Winchester, NH Budget Committee Meeting December 29, 2011

2012-01-02T19:07:00.001-05:00

Members Present: Bob Davis, Ted Ryll, Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Elisha Jackson, Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Kevan Whippie (School board Rep.), Jack Marsh, Rick Horton, Kathy Hebert, Rikki Bolewski (Secretary)

Others Present: Dr. Ken Dassau (Superintendent), Charlie Paulin (Business Manager), Jim Lewis (Principal)

Meeting called to order at 7pm

School:

-          Dr. Dassau starts the meeting by handing out information that has been requested at previous meetings including:

o   Certified Staff

o   NECAP Scores

o   Budget Manifest

o   Teacher Salaries

o   He also questions whether these were individual requests or through the Budget Committee as no motions were made or seconded in requesting the information

-          Dr. Dassau has talked with Attorney Upton regarding his response to the Emergency Request. According to Attorney Upton, in an “Ideal World”, an Emergency Expenditure would be requested but as often happens, the deficit may not be discovered until after a district audit. Dr. Dassau explains that this is the case that he has repeatedly informed the Committee, the deficit was not confirmed until after the audit. In accordance with a letter from the DRA, the School Board will post a warrant article informing the public of the deficit. To date it is hoped, barring any unforeseen substantive expenditures between now and June that the deficit will be address through the following School Board actions:

o   Depletion of the Special Education Capital Reserve, which is $200,000 – the Board held a meeting in the beginning of December and took action to expend that money

o   Have applied for, and have approved the application for $100,000 from Ed. Jobs – is in the works

o   Any unreserved fund balance through the budget restrictions – which should be about $100,000 imposed by the School Board

-          Brian explains that the question was not answered – question was were they required to under RSA 32:11 – Dr. Dassau explains that if they knew and there was a confirmed deficit, then yes, they should have then filed for an Emergency Appropriation, however, the statute says they would have to identify where the money was coming from, they overspent the budget, there was no money to take it from

o   Concern as to how nobody knew that they were overspending the budget by that much before the audit.

o   Discussion regarding answers to the question and how to get an answer that suits the Budget Committee’s question without incurring cost of Attorney Upton’s time. He will be at the Deliberative Session – they can ask him there.

o   Question as to when Board does get an answer that they are happy with, what are they going to do about/with it since it has already happened.

o   Dr. Dassau states that there are actually two questions

§ 1) Were they required to submit a request for an Emergency Expenditure? – Yes, if they had known

§ 2) How could you do that?

o   Continued discussion

-          Dr. Dassau wants to address Brian’s letter to the School Board on December 8th stating that the Budget Committee had requested documents months ago and has yet to receive any of the requested documents. He wrote a letter back to Brian, which he read, and handed copies of that, along with Brian’s letter of December 8th as well as a letter from September 2nd to the Budget Committee. In the letter, he states that on September 2nd (in the attached letter), that he responded to the entire request of information that Brian had requested with the exception of the 2010-2011 final expenditures as he was not able to provide that information until after the audit as some of the numbers are subject to change. It then goes on to discuss the Budget Committee’s vote to set the School budget at $8 million and how it compares to the current 2011-2012 budget, the 2012-2013 proposed budget, as well as the 2012-2013 default budget. He also discusses Rick’s question at the last meeting as to what they are going to do if the budget is the $8.8 million (with the 10% increase). He states that the School Board had provided its budget with supporting documentation to the Budget Committee, now it’s the responsibility of the Budget Committee to give its careful deliberation to all of the information and testimony provided and recommend to the public a budget and sufficient information to determine the annual amount necessary to run the school district. He states that the Budget Committee’s vote on December 6th and Rick’s question suggest that the Budget Committee has predetermined a budget that is arbitrary and capricious, does not give the public necessary budget detail and does not comply with their responsibilities in accordance with RSA 32:1. He states that the Budget Committee cannot use the 10% rule to reduce the budget to prevent the voters from having recourse. Doing so deprives the public of their legislative authority. He goes on to state that the Budget Committee’s public hearing is set for next Tuesday, January 3rd and that at that time the Budget Committee needs to propose a budget in accordance with its legal obligation, that is responsible to the public, and provides the quality of education our children deserve.

o   Discussion regarding documents received by Brian.

o   Discussion regarding Rick’s statement – was a hypothetical question of what’s going to happen? – Wasn’t that it’s been cut this much so that they can only raise it so much, but that’s the reality of it, that’s how the process works, he’s just wondering what are they going to do if that happens? - Dr. Dassau replies that that’s what boggles his mind that the board would make that recommendation without any discussion of the consequences of those actions. His short answer is that essentially the board is closing the school – Rick states that he never said that he agreed with the number, Dr. Dassau asks for a role call as to who abstained and who voted no. He is told that Rick abstained and Ken voted no. Discussion returns to the student that was not budgeted for…Rick states that every year they talk about budgeting for those things that could happen – for the School Board to state that when that student came in and they didn’t know that that student wasn’t budgeted for and that there would be a shortfall, he would think that they would know that right away. Some of that student was budgeted for; they over-spent in related services transportation to Keene High School – 8 Spec. Ed. Students to the High School who enrolled after the budget was set.

o   Continued discussion

-          Discussion regarding Summer School – is 4 days a week for 5 weeks (20 days), Access is 1 additional week – about 60 students (give or take) attend – can get an exact number. It is state mandated that they provide it, not mandated that students attend – up to the IEP for the Spec. Ed. Student as to whether or not they attend, also have Reg. Ed. Students that attend. Discussion as to if this is helping.

-          Ken points out that there are 7 Special Ed. Teachers and only 6 are budget for health benefits – should be $2,000 higher to budget for the teacher that is not getting health benefits, Mr. Paulin will fix.

-          Continued discussion regarding the budget

-          Discussion regarding how many hours is considered full-time – 35 hrs

-          Discussion regarding salary costs

-          Discussion regarding Saturday Academy – offered Feb. –April from 8-10am to enhance the education – can be used for catch up or enrichment for students – run like a study hall – students come prepared with specific things to work on.

-          Discussion regarding Saturday detention – has been zeroed out – there is a late bus from Keene and if they get a Saturday detention, they can get to Keene to attend.

-          Discussion regarding coaches salaries and officials

-          Continued discussion regarding the budget

-          Discussion regarding Teacher’s Union – who is covered and what happens when someone chooses not to be a member

-          Continued discussion regarding contracted services

-          Discussion regarding Psychological Services – half of this is funded by a grant, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Hearing Therapist

o   Discussion regarding who determines who is a teacher or non-teacher – Dr. Dassau will look into

o   Ken questions whether the School Board has actively tried to talk to Hinsdale to about sharing expenses? – Dr. Dassau talks about some of the shared expenses now (i.e. Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Business Manager) – is more cost effective in the long run

-          Discussion regarding the discrepancy in some of the numbers from last year’s budget (2011-2012) to this year’s budget (2012-2013)

-          Rick makes a motion to extend the meeting for ½ hour, Elisha seconds. Motion carries 10-1

-          Discussion regarding Secretary position and where her salary was located last year in the budget versus this year

-          Discussion regarding Custodial

o   Have let go of one custodian, now have 6 – 3 on days, 3 on nights – these – these are custodians who have been with the school for a long time – over 5 years some 12-17 years.

o   Question regarding summer help – have a gentleman who comes in over the summer to help with maintenance, building furniture, painting, etc – not custodial work

o   Discussion regarding what kinds of projects that the Capital Reserve Fund money for.

o   Looking to get some new cameras – will look into whether Capital Reserve Fund money can be used for the purchase of these.

o   Continued discussion regarding Custodial Expenses

o   Discussion regarding heating oil costs. This line has been historically over-budgeted – Mr. Paulin explains that he budgeted for the historical average of gallons burned.

o   Jack questions whether this new SAU and School Board would sit down with the town to go over the new secondary electrical plan the town has chosen to see if it is something the school would like to join them as this has saved the town money – Mr. Paulin is interested and will get in touch with the town.

o   Continued discussion regarding budget

-          Discussion regarding whether or not anyone is available on Saturday for a work session. Due to the holiday and people’s work schedules, not enough people are available

-          Harvey makes a motion to adjourn, Bob seconds. Motion carries 11-0

-          Meeting adjourned at 9:32pm

Next meeting to be held will be the Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 7pm

Town of Winchester, NH Budget Committee Meeting December 27, 2011

2012-01-02T19:03:00.002-05:00

Members Present: Bob Davis, Elisha Jackson, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Jack Marsh, Kevan Whippie (School Board Rep.), Kathy Hebert, Rick Horton, Rikki Bolewski (Secretary)

Others Present: Charlie Paulin (Business Manager), Jim Lewis (Principal), Dr. Ken Dassau (Superintendent), Chris Boyle (Tech. Director/Support)

Meeting called to order at 7pm

School:

-          Brian questions the cost of Pre-School – was told last meeting that it was about $100-$125/mo. He did some research and found that this was not comparable to others in the area – Dr. Dassau explains that he gave an estimate of the cost, he didn’t have the actual figures – he will look at the research that Brian did and bring it up to the School Board, who determines the cost.

-          Discussion regarding budget

-          NECAP Scores – discussion regarding how we are doing – do we compare our scores with other schools in NH – will look up the numbers as to which grades are scoring well and which aren’t for next meeting

-          Discussion regarding Music budget lines

-          Discussion regarding budgeted money for digital cameras – what they’re going to be used for, who will use them, etc. – suggestion to look into a camera company or Walmart to see about donating them – Principal Lewis will look into

-          Continued discussion regarding budget and Nature’s Classroom

-          Rick requests a copy of the manifest to date (the cover sheet) for Thursday’s meeting

-          Discussion regarding the shortfall from last year’s budget.

-          Continued discussion regarding the budget

-          Discussion on where cuts are going to come from – Rick comments that cuts always seem to fall on the Elementary School students and cutting the materials and things like that, where are the real cuts going to happen to cut in areas which don’t effect the kid’s education. Because of the numbers charged by Keene for the High School students, that affects the students in the Elementary School. He questions what they are going to do with an $8.8 million budget, because it can be raised by 10%, if the Budget Committee doesn’t make any changes, what are they going to do? Dr. Dassau answers that if the Budget Committee is unilaterally reducing the budget by 20%, knowing that the public can’t raise it more than 10%, then that is illegal. Brian explains that first of all, that was not what the question was and second of all, when the motion was made, there was never any discussion that it can be raised to $8.8 million. Rick also explains that when the motion was made, they didn’t even know what the budget was, they had not been given a budget. Brian states, again, that the Budget Committee never made reference, when the motion was made for the $8 million that that means the most they can get is $8.8 million. Rick questions again, what if…what will they do? Dr. Dassau replies that, if you look at the fixed costs and the contractual obligations, it’s going to come out of the Elementary School, as that’s the only place where you have any control. Rick mentions that there is also control out of the SAU and all of the administrative numbers, Dr. Dassau acknowledges this and states that it’s now up to the Budget Committee to make their decision and let the public decide.

-          Discussion regarding teachers sending lists home of supplies for parents to supply for students – has not been discussed, some teachers do send lists, some don’t

-          Continued discussion regarding budget and how the school is currently using the budget and what kinds of programs and changes they would like to implement with future budgets

-          Discussion regarding Tech. Director/Support lines

o   Spends some time working for Hinsdale as well – they pay a flat $20,000 to us for that work – they share the same software, work on that is for both schools.

o   Discussion regarding computer labs – 2 labs, 1 is a teaching lab, 1 is used by Middle School for the students (7th and 8th grades) to work on projects

o   Discussion on difference between Tech. Director vs. Tech. Support – Tech. Support - working on the equipment, including hardware, printer, and software issues, Tech. Director – implementing new ways for the school to meet the needs of the students and staff as well as imputing testing scores (i.e. MAP testing data), report cards and training staff on the new technology

o   It is found that the retirement for this position was calculated as a teaching position rather than a non-teaching position – Mr. Paulin will make the adjustment.

o   Rick makes a motion to extend the meeting for 15 minutes past 9:00, to finish with this section of the budget, Elisha seconds. Motion carries 10-0

o   Continued discussion regarding the computer systems, how they are working, needed repairs for the current computers, etc.

o   Jack questions whether Mr. Boyle would meet with the Town to see if combining the Town and School systems would save money – Mr. Boyle is willing to do this.

o   Elisha questions where all the computers are located – Mr. Boyle explains some areas, he will get a breakdown of where they are located.

-          Dr. Dassau goes over the un-funded or under-funded mandates such as Spec. Ed. And Catastrophic Aid that Jack asked about at the last meeting

Rick makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds. Motion carries 9-0

Meeting adjourned at 9:20pm

Unfinished business: Budget is late

2012-01-02T17:42:00.000-05:00

Posted: Monday, January 2, 2012 12:15 pm

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — Budgeting is never easy. But in Winchester this year, it’s off to an especially difficult start.

When the budget committee presents the proposed school district budget to the public Tuesday evening, it will be something of a first step. That’s because the budget committee doesn’t have its budget recommendation yet — it’s waiting to see what the public has to say about the school board’s recommended budget, according to budget committee Chairman Brian D. Moser.
It is up to the budget committee to set the budget residents vote on in March; voters, however, can cut or add (up to 10 percent) to the proposal if they think it’s too high or low.
The school board’s recommended budget is $11.5 million, about $376,000, or 3.4 percent, more than the current year’s budget. It includes a $267,500 increase for special education and a $140,000 increase in special education transportation.
The district ran a $326,800 deficit for the 2010-11 school year, in part due to higher-than-anticipated special education and transportation costs.
School officials say these increases are necessary. Things like tuition to Keene High School and teachers’ salaries are contractual, said Jim Lewis, Winchester School principal. (The district has Winchester School for students in kindergarten through 8th grade; older students attend Keene High School.)
Moser disagrees.
“No, I’m not happy with the budget. Me personally, I’m not happy with it at all,” he said.
The board’s recommendation also came to the budget committee too late — on Dec. 16 — for committee members to review it and have their own recommendation ready to go by Tuesday’s hearing, Moser said.
It was late in part because Winchester formed its own administrative unit and started a new accounting system this summer, said the district’s superintendent, Kenneth R. Dassau.
He agreed it would have been better to get the recommendation to the budget committee earlier, but that committee didn’t have to wait on the school board to get started on its own recommendation.
Kevan D. Whippie, who is on the school board and its representative on the budget committee, called the committee’s idea of having no budget recommendation to present “a farce.”
“The school board is not charged with spending the least you can on education,” he said. “The school board is supposed to provide an adequate education to the children of Winchester, and that costs money.”
While the budget committee hasn’t decided on exactly how much money, it has thrown out one number.
Early last month, frustrated with the school board’s slow response, the budget committee voted to set the budget at $8 million. Moser said that was a deliberately unrealistic target and set only to send the school board a message that it was taking too long.
“We know it’s not final. We know it’s going to go up,” he said.
But Dassau called the $8 million move “grossly irresponsible” and said if the budget is set that low, Winchester School would have to close.
“I think they need to be careful what statements they make as public officials.”
The budget committee has until the end of January to make its recommendation.

The Winchester School District budget hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com

Below are the email addresses of the school board members, let them know what you think about holding the town hostage to their demands.

caduquette@gmail.com

tcroteau3@myfairpoint.net

jgile@cswg.com

liberty4a11@comcast.net

kwhip10wsb@hughes.net

Marvin Carey Thayer High School Class of 1993

2012-01-02T16:17:00.000-05:00

Mr. Informer,

This e-mail is not about town politics but about someone who has done something good to change their life. I grew up in Winchester from the time I was born until I joined the US Navy in 1994. My family still lives in Winchester and I visit my many friends from time to time. Back in January of 2010 I quit smoking and joined a gym, less than 2 years later I have lost 150 lbs and I am currently training to run in my very first marathon. I will be running the 116th Boston Marathon on Monday April 16, 2012. I was accepted by a team to run with them, in exchange for a race day number and entry I agreed to raise $5,000.00 for The Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary.

I was featured in my Local news paper here in Fitcburg, Ma where I now live. Would you please help me by posting my story and the link for my Charity Fund Location? All donations are tax deductible and go towards funding research for Mass Eye and Ear.

Thank You for your consideration,
Marvin Carey
978-390-1635
140 St. Jude Blvd
Fitchburg, Ma 01420

http://m.sentinelandenterprise.com/Sentinel/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=ZBeGhDrU&full=true#display

http://www.crowdrise.com/TeamEyeAndEar/fundraiser/MarvinCarey

Board of Selectmen Work Session 12-20-11

2011-12-31T11:47:00.000-05:00

click on the images to enlarge for reading

More spending proposed

Cracks in the "Blue Wall" Another fine mess in Winchester.

2011-12-30T22:06:00.000-05:00

Sent in for publication on the blog ...

What was it that someone said about no press in your little town?

Where is your Police Chief? Could he be on administrative leave? Was he suspended until Jan 6th 2012?
What did he do to have the Winchester BOS, particularly Sherm Tedford and Ken Gardner, warrant a suspension? Why was this hushed up and not relayed to the public?

Did you all know Officer Parker filed a sexual harassment complaint against the Police Department and ex-Sergeant Nate Jette who "showed his junk" to Parker last summer while they were in the Sergeant's office, shortly before she went to the academy, ... Yes, he deliberately unzipped his pants pulled out his junk and adjusted it (if you know what I mean ) while she was sitting in a chair opposite of him at the station. This came straight from Officer Parker. The town of Winchester has been given legal notice and has to respond to the complaint.

Also folks, Officer Ziegler is on administrative leave and is not happy with Lieutenant Roberts who is messing with Ziegler's schedule. Could it be that Ziegler may be looking at transferring to the Keene PD or Swanzey PD as well ?

And Officer Cameron is on Swanzey's list to be hired and he also has a job offer from Hinsdale's PD. Hmmm.

Could it be that Roberts and officer Fisher have been funneling info to the BOS about Chief Phillips, going behind his back and undermining his command?

Go back a couple of years and do a chronology of the issues and you will find it all started when Chris Roberts was hired. You all have to look closely at Roberts.."where there is smoke...there is fire " and Roberts is holding the box of matches and a gallon of gasoline. Sounds like Hinsdale all over again.

Oh yeah, rumor has it that Kenny Smith isn't exactly a happy camper either. Wonder why?

Talk about a dysfunctional group .. who's watching the hen house ?

Group sues to block Winchester dollar store

2011-12-29T07:32:00.000-05:00

Looks like our little town is getting a lot of press lately

By MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent

Published Dec 26, 2011 at 3:00 am (Updated Dec 25, 2011)

WINCHESTER — Zoning board approval of a Dollar General store on Main Street is being contested by a group of residents in a lawsuit filed in Cheshire County Superior Court last week.

In October the zoning board approved the demolition of the 200-year-old Wheaton-Alexander Home at 71 Main St. to make way for the construction of the 9,100-square-foot store.

Approval of the Dollar General flew in the face of a decision made by the Historic Commission during the summer that denied the applicant permission to demolish the home that sits in the town historic district. The 1810 home was once a residence for prominent doctors in the community.

The project was proposed by the Zaremba Group, a Lakewood, Ohio, company for the Tennessee-based Dollar General chain of stores.

The project required a special exception to town zoning regulations which forbids a 5,000-square-foot or greater footprint of commercial buildings, petitioners say in the lawsuit.

In its special exception decision, zoning board members agreed with property owners, Margaret Sharra, current town land use clerk, and her two brothers, James S. Shannon and Michael P. Shannon, that rehabilitation of the old home was cost-prohibitive.

This reasoning undermines the work of historic building preservation, the petition says. “The Wheaton-Alexander House is part of a cluster of Federalist houses that were part of the original Winchester Village. It is also on the border of the historic district. Tearing it down permanently impairs the historic and cultural value of the entire historic district. … Given that many of the structures in the historic district are dilapidated, this decision creates a precedent that undermines the integrity of the entire district.”

In its approval the zoning board also referred design plans for the new store to the Historic Commission for approval.

“The Zoning Board of Adjustment has no legal authority to partially remand the decision to the Historic District Commission, and erred in remanding the matter back to the Historic Commission,” the petition says.

Petitioners also said the zoning board violated the right-to-know law by holding a secret site walk of the property the day before it met to deliberate on the matter.

The petition asks the court to vacate the special exception approval. The lawsuit was filed by four residents and Kulick’s Inc., a market located about 2,100 feet from the proposed project on Warwick Road.

The court requires the town to file a plea by March 8.

Zaremba has proposed other Dollar General stores in the area recently. The Marlborough zoning board unanimously denied a special exception to Zaremba Group on Dec. 7 that would have permitted a Dollar General store on Main Street/Route 101.

The project had included the demolition of a 150-year-old farmhouse. And Zaremba recently made preliminary inquiries about building a Dollar General in Swanzey, said Sara Carbonneau, Swanzey town planner.

NO EXCUSES

2011-12-28T14:51:00.001-05:00

As we all get ready to bring in the New Year this weekend.....

NO excuses, folks. Don't drink and drive - and don't ride with anybody who does.

Tipsy Tow offered by AAA: You don't have to be a AAA member, from 6pm-6am on New Year's Eve/Day they will take your drunk self and your car home for FREE.

Save this number... 1-800-222-4357. This is available nationwide!

Please pass this info on to help save lives.

Board of Selectman's Minutes 12-07-11

2011-12-21T08:15:00.001-05:00

to enlarge the pages for reading, click your mouse on the graphic

WINCHESTER: Group sues over store

2011-12-17T09:22:00.000-05:00

Sent to us by a concerned citizen ....

Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2011 8:00 am | Updated: 8:04 am, Sat Dec 17, 2011.

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff

WINCHESTER — A group of Winchester residents have filed a lawsuit against selectmen and the town’s zoning board over the decision to allow a discount store on Main Street.
The Zaremba Group of Cleveland won approval from the zoning board in October to demolish a 200-year-old home and build a Dollar General store in its place.

The board required the new building’s plans be approved by the town’s historic district commission, which earlier this year denied the company’s application.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, filed this week, are five residents and Kulicks, Inc., a market on nearby Warwick Road about 2,100 feet from the site of the proposed Dollar General.
The group previously asked the zoning board to reconsider its decision and was denied.
They are now suing to have the decision be deemed invalid and to have the case be sent back to the board for further review.
The home in question is at 71 Main St. within the town’s historic district. Known as the Wheaton-Alexander House, it was built in 1810 and was the residence for prominent doctors in the community.
In court document, the plaintiffs argue the plan is contrary to the stated purpose of the town’s historical district: “The destruction of a historical asset and its replacement with a box store will undermine the historical, cultural and architectural value of the Historic District.”
The lawsuit also states the zoning board held an unauthorized nonpublic meeting on the issue and it wrongly concluded the building could not be sold for a profit or rented as is.
“Based on the record, it is clear that there were several viable alternatives to demolition, and that the Zoning Board of Adjustment failed to inquire sufficiently to make a reasonable assessment of the alternatives to demolition on the record,” according to court documents.
The lawsuit also says the store is not a permitted use in the town’s Central Business District given its size — 9,100 square feet.
This is one of a handful of projects Zaremba has proposed for the area.
Its plan to build a Dollar General on Main Street in Marlborough was rejected by that town’s zoning board last week. It is also working to develop a Dollar General in Chester, Vt., and is under contract to buy 1.3 acres along Route 10 in Swanzey.
Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com

Unhealthy air pollution levels in NH

2011-12-15T10:52:00.002-05:00

Thursday, December 15, 2011 CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services is expecting a second day of unhealthy air pollution levels in parts of the state, especially in Keene.

The DES says much of the pollution expected Thursday comes from heating devices, especially wood-burning stoves and boilers. It gets trapped and concentrated near the ground. Communities in valleys or other low-lying areas are more strongly affected.

The department advises that children, older adults, and anyone with heart or lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis may want to limit their time outside.

The warning was first issued for Wednesday.

Dollar store developer plans land buy in Swanzey

2011-12-14T12:32:00.003-05:00

By Abbey Spegman, Sentinel Staff
SWANZEY — The company that has proposed building two Dollar General stores in the area this year is planning to buy a third piece of land on Route 10.
The Zaremba Group of Cleveland is under contract to buy 1.3 acres of vacant land from Stephen and Joan Pappas of Swanzey Center, Stephen Pappas said in an interview Tuesday.

The land is part of 7 acres the couple owns across Route 10 from Gallery at Knotty Pine Auction Service, owned by their son John Pappas. Stephen Pappas said the company approached the couple several months ago and has already surveyed the land.
The town’s zoning board has not received an application from Zaremba, according to Town Planner Sara Carbonneau.
Last week, the Marlborough zoning board unanimously denied a waiver for Zaremba to build a Dollar General in place of a 150-year-old Main Street home. The board ruled the project would be inconsistent with the “essential character” of the neighborhood.
In Winchester, however, plans are moving forward for the company to tear down a 200-year-old house in the town’s historic district to build a Dollar General.
The zoning board decided unanimously in October that the building can be demolished, overturning the historic district commission’s decision, which denied the project.
A group of property owners asked the zoning board to reconsider its decision last month, but that request was denied.
A representative from Zaremba did not return calls for comment.

Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com

One Reason Why Our Taxes Are So High

2011-12-10T14:10:00.002-05:00

All of the information below can be verified with a simple Right To Know request

To enlarge the print, lick your mouse on the page you wish to read

Of the $3,555,051 allocated for the Town budget for the year 2010 - 2011 almost half, $1,666,090 was spent on our town employees, who despite the economic situation continue to be rewarded with performance bonuses and cost of living raises. These totals will increase this year with more performance bonuses being handed out and an 11.8% increase in the costs for health insurance .
( Why didn't the Selectmen look elsewhere instead of voting to approved the extra costs? )

.. and I don't know about the rest of you but this really makes me wonder just how hard the Selectmen are working to keep costs down, or are they?

If you ask me, it's time we elected governing official that will act in the best interests of the town as a whole and not just the few employees they wish to keep happy to continue having their support.

Budget Committee Minutes 12-06-11

2011-12-08T13:07:00.002-05:00

Town of Winchester, NH
Budget Committee Meeting

December 6, 2011

Members Present: Jack Marsh, Ted Ryll, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Elisha Jackson, Bob Davis, Rick Horton, Kathy Hebert, Rikki Bolewski

Meeting called to order at 7pm

-Because nobody from the School Board is present to present their budget, Brian makes a motion to approve $8,000,000 today, then Brian will go to the School Budget Meeting immediately following the Budget Committee meeting to let them know this has happened and let them know if they want the board to consider anything above that, they need to get the board the documents and then they will consider it, Bob seconds
Kevan sent Brian an e-mail stating that the School Board was not ready tonight and will let the Budget Committee know when they are ready
-Motion carries 7-1 with 2 abstentions

-Harvey makes a motion to approve the minutes from the November 29th meeting with one correction – Elisha would like to add under Financial Administration that under the discussion about changing the auditors that Elisha mentioned that it is recommended that the auditors be changed every 3 years, Rikki will make the correction, Ted seconds
-Motion carries 9-1

-Brian will notify the board as soon as he gets an answer on when they want to talk to the board regarding the budget

-Jack requests a complete copy of all the budgets with all the changes and suggested cuts a week to 10 days before the Public Hearing, Ken will get that for anyone who would like it.

-Jack makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds
-Motion carries 10-0

-Meeting adjourns at 7:10pm

Budget Committee Minutes 12-01-11

2011-12-08T13:05:00.000-05:00

Town of Winchester, NH
Budget Committee Meeting

December 1, 2011

Members Present: Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Bob Davis, Ted Ryll, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Rick Horton, Elisha Jackson, Kathy Hebert, Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Rikki Bolewski

Others Present: Joan Morel

Highway:
-    Rick makes a motion to level fund at $506,470, Elisha seconds
-    Discussion regarding budget
-    Motion carries 5-4

Welfare:
    Administration:
        -Ken makes a motion to approve $9,000, Elisha seconds
        -Discussion regarding budget
        -Motion carries 9-0

    Direct Assistance:
        -Ken makes a motion to approve $113,365, Rick seconds
        -Discussion regarding budget and how money is spent
         -Legally, if someone comes in and qualifies, the town has to assist them
        -Differences in town comparisons may have to do with town’s interpretation of the law regarding welfare
        -Motion carries 5-4

Health Officer:
    -Ken makes a motion to approve $5,100 – level funding from last year, Rick seconds
    -Discussion regarding budget
    -Discussion regarding the Deputy Health Officer, who is currently John Gomarlo. Question regarding John Gomarlo being paid out of more than one department. Bob reads from previous minutes stating a discussion questioning whether John was paid out of more than one department where it was stated that John was only paid out of Landfill. Ken states that he was wrong. Leroy (Health Officer) explains that he was just been brought back in, he had resigned out of all positions and retired except for Landfill, John had been Leroy’s health officer in the past and the state required that he had a deputy, so he asked John to reapply. He went to the Selectmen’s meeting and they appointed him back on as a deputy health officer for him. This just happened in October. Bob reads minutes from the Selectmen’s meeting where this took place (October 4th) and the Budget Committee minutes where it was stated that John was only paid out of the Landfill budget was dated November 10th, therefore that was stated incorrectly.
    -Continued discussion regarding the budget
    -Motion carries 6-3
Emergency Management:
    -Ken makes a motion to approve $9,750, Kathy seconds
    -Discussion regarding budget
    -Rick makes a Friendly Amendment to approve $8,750, Ken and Kathy accept
    -Motion carries 7-2

-Harvey makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds
-Meeting adjourns at 7:50pm

Marlborough board shoots down dollar store

2011-12-08T08:22:00.002-05:00

MARLBOROUGH - The zoning board has denied a developer’s proposal to build a Dollar General store in place of a 150-year Main Street home.

At a public hearing Wednesday evening, residents blasted the plan and board members agreed that the store is inconsistent with the “essential character” of the neighborhood.

The Zaremba Group of Cleveland had proposed building a 9,100 square foot store near the intersection of Main and Canada streets at the entrance to downtown.

Representatives for the company had no comment after the decision.

Common sense prevails. Kinda makes you wonder what is really going on here with our ZBA and the real reason for it's decision in favor of this store in our Historic District.

part two;

Marlborough board says project doesn’t fit downtown

MARLBOROUGH — The zoning board has unanimously denied a waiver for the developer proposing to build a Dollar General store in place of a 150-year-old Main Street home.
At a public hearing Wednesday evening, residents blasted the plan and board members agreed that the store is inconsistent with the “essential character” of the neighborhood.
The Zaremba Group of Cleveland had proposed building a 9,100-square-foot store at 82 Main St. near the intersection of Main and Canada streets and the entrance to downtown.
Zaremba is the company behind a controversial plan in Winchester, also to build a Dollar General.
The Marlborough development would have included a parking lot, bringing the total project size to 31,680 square feet, according to the company’s application.
The zoning board requires a special exception for any project that exceeds 10,000 square feet total.
The store, with a barn-like facade, would be set back 100 feet from the road. Matt Casey of Zaremba said the company was willing to adjust the design if it reached the planning board. It would have deliveries during business hours only.
The proposed site is in a row with two- and three-story 19th-century homes.
“I can’t see that this has any harmony with that feeling,” said board member Jerry Germer.
Members of the zoning board and residents asked how the store would affect traffic on Main Street, which is also Route 101, and if a turning lane could be installed.
That would be up to the state Department of Transportation, said Silas Little 3rd of Peterborough, an attorney for Zaremba.
Little said the store would generate 160 trips per day from customers, which, compared to current traffic, is insignificant. He read from a transportation department survey from 2009 that said Route 101 in that area sees 12,000 vehicles per day.
Nicole Smalley lives across the road from the site. She has two small children and said she worried about getting out of her driveway with so much traffic turning into the store.
“I just don’t think it’s safe at all,” she said.
This area of Main Street has few sidewalks and no crosswalks, prompting some to question the safety of children walking home from school.
Residents also asked how the store would affect neighboring property values. Little said the area already has commercial buildings mixed in, but resident Jeffrey B. Miller argued the store would have a much larger footprint than any other business in town.
Deb Sylvain owns a pet grooming and care business up the road. “If you’re going to allow this, can my building turn into a McDonald’s?”
Added resident Mary Iselin, “Why would your company want to move into a community that doesn’t welcome it?”
The property owners, William and Theresa Thomas, did not speak, and no one who spoke at the hearing was in favor of the project.
In an interview last month, William Thomas said a company working with Zaremba approached him in the spring of 2010 about buying the property and has since done extensive surveying of the land.
Representatives for the company had no comment after the decision.
Meanwhile in Winchester, Zaremba has proposed tearing down a 200-year-old house in Winchester’s historic district to build a Dollar General.
The zoning board unanimously decided in October that the building can be demolished, but that plans for the new building must be approved by the town’s historic commission, which this summer denied Zaremba’s application.
It was later overturned by the zoning board.
A group of property owners asked the zoning board to reconsider its decision last month,but that request was denied.

Budget Committee Minutes 11-29-11

2011-12-06T17:49:00.001-05:00

Town of Winchester, NH
Budget Committee Meeting

November 29, 2011

Members Present: Jack Marsh, Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Ted Ryll, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Rick Horton, Elisha Jackson, Bob Davis, Kevan Whippie (School Board Rep.), Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Kathy Hebert, Rikki Bolewski (Secretary)

Others Present: Joan Morel
Discussion regarding the minutes from the November 22nd minutes.
·    Question regarding expending a zeroed out line items. Local Government explained to Brian that zeroed out line items cannot be expended. Ken states that the bottom line budget is considered to be the line item. Still questions surrounding this subject, Brian will look into more to get a definition about what is considered a line item.
·    Bob questions the wording used regarding the discussion about the Land Use Assistant. Rikki agrees to change the wording to state that He initiated the discussion and it turned heated rather than he initiated a heated discussion – Bob agrees to that change.
- Jack makes a motion to approve the minutes with the change in wording, Hubie seconds
Motion carries 9-0 with 3 abstentions

Legal:
- Joan goes over budget
- Discussion regarding proposed budget
- Brian makes a motion to approve $24,001, Harvey seconds
·    Brian proposes to reduce Selectmen line by $10,000 and Land Use line by $5,000
·    Brian explains that part of his decision making process has to do with the fact that the attorney never replied to a request that the Budget Committee asked him to send.
·    Continued discussion regarding budget and costs
·    Rick wants it known that he thinks it’s irresponsible to cut a budget because we feel that an individual isn’t doing their job
Motion carries 6-5

Personnel Administration:
- Rick makes a motion to approve $445,818, Kevan seconds
·    Discussion regarding retirement funds for State and Police Department employees – rate is set by the state.
Motion fails 5-6
- Bob makes a motion to approve $413,256, Brian seconds
·    Bob proposes reducing Health and Dental by 10% each
Elisha questions which budget they are working with, Bob has one dated 11/29/11 and Elisha has one dated 9/26/11. There was a new budget that was dated 11/29/11, with the new health rate, which was put in Brian’s box today. Brian asks if the board wants to look at the new budget. Rick wants it noted that he feels it is irresponsible that Brian didn’t give the new documents to the board members before discussing the budget.
·    Discussion about the budget
Motion carries 7-4

Financial Administration:
- Ken makes a motion to approve $118,564, Rick seconds
·    Elisha questions how often the town changes auditors – they don’t, they did in the past and it didn’t work; they have different actual auditors, but stay with the same company
·    Discussion regarding budget
·    Kevan makes a Friendly Amendment to reduce the motion to $118,064 – reducing bank fees by $500 – Ken and Rick accept
- Motion carries 9-1 with 1 abstention – Ted abstains, as he is the Assistant Treasurer

Insurance:
- There is a correction in the proposed budget – after the board approved it, there was notification from the local government center that these rates will not increase, so changing figure back to $60,998 – level funding from current year.
- Rick makes a motion to approve $60,998, Kevan seconds
- Motion carries 11-0

Conservation:
- Before budget discussion began, Gus Ruth asks that Bob recuse himself due to perceived bias towards himself as well as the Conservation Committee. In support of this position, Gus cited a number of statements Bob had made in the past including that Bob had stated that Gus was a hypocrite. For each statement that Bob was alleged to have made Gus offered information to refute the statement. Brian allowed Bob the floor to respond advising that the decision to recuse himself was Bob's decision alone. Bob stated that Gus's examples were accurate and he would not recuse himself as he feels the statements are true. Bob reiterated his statement that Gus was a Hypocrite. Kevan wanted it noted for the record that he felt this was slander and not the opinion of the board and that he has demonstrated why he should recuse himself due to the fact that he cannot divorce himself, personally from his emotions and the matter before the board. Bob reiterates that he will not recuse himself
- Bob makes a motion to approve $1,252, Brian seconds
·    Bob recommends zeroing out the Exotic Plants line, supplies to $1, Building Grounds and Maintenance to $1
·    Discussion regarding the budget
- Motion carries 6-4 with 1 abstention

- Jack makes a motion to discuss the Highway Block Grant, Harvey seconds
- Motion carries 9-0 with 2 abstentions
- Kevan makes a motion to approve $142,000, Kathy seconds
- Motion carries 9-0 with 2 abstentions

- Rick makes a motion that all budgets and information relating to budgets be distributed before the first motion is made and that no information be held from the board at the Chairman’s discression, Kevan seconds
- Motion carries 11-0

- Rick makes a motion that requires all e-mail communication that the Chairman does on behalf of the committee have all members cc’d and kept informed on all committee business and communication. Kevan inquires whether doing this might be construed as a meeting that was not duly posted and getting into a gray area. Brian states that he will bring in copies of any e-mail correspondence to the meetings in case anyone would like to see it.

-    Bob wants to make a point of order. He wants to read into the minutes a note that has been he heard that Gus Ruth passed out to the public regarding the Transfer Station Closing, which has Budget Committee names and numbers. He has received numerous threatening phone calls regarding it. The note reads as follows:

TRANSFER STATION CLOSING ???
The Winchester Budget Committee, meeting on November
10, voted to zero the pay line for the Winchester employee
who holds the license to run the transfer station. As a result,
   If the budget passes as presented by the budget
Committee. The transfer station will close on July 2012.
Members voting to zero the personal payroll for the transfer
   station were:

Bob Davis, ph# 239-7299
Hubert Crowell, ph# 239-6197
Ted Ryll, ph # 239-4745
Harvey Sieran, ph# 239-6240
Brian Moser, ph# 239-8952

- Gus states that he gave that note to one person at the transfer station, he didn’t stand down at the transfer station passing them out. He further states that if there’s something wrong with that note to tell him and he will apologize.

- Kevan makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds
- Motion carries 11-0

- Meeting adjourns at 8:42pm

Library officials make things better

2011-12-05T07:19:00.000-05:00

Last week a letter written by Mrs. Carol Vogeley was published in the Keene Sentinel in regards to the Thayer Library and her feelings towards certain staff members and recent events. Below is a reply to her letter from the Chairman of the Thayer Library Committee.

I am saddened that Carol Vogeley from a nearby town has had to resort to misquoting members of the Thayer Library. No one ever referred to the Ashuelot Christmas and holiday event as a “grab and go” except for Mrs. Vogeley herself. The meeting tapes can prove that. We were discussing bringing the event inside, into the meeting room at the library. It was also discussed that music did not happen at the one first event, even though a musician was there for the event, and that therefore it had potential to be even more of a community event, were the community engaged more.

We are all glad that this holiday event has been happening, and hope it becomes better and better.

Mrs. Vogeley, unfortunately also is misinformed about her details on expenditures of library finances regarding electricity. We hope that in the future she is able to attend those meetings in person before writing letters that are pebbled with hearsay and criticism, when we are all working together for the good of the community.

I would like to thank the active, current Thayer Public Library Trustees, and especially Harriet Charland, for obtaining a Children’s Literacy Foundation grant, and bringing in $2,000 worth of books into the community and into our village library, to benefit our children.

Working for the positive, even if that means changes that are uncomfortable, is a goal that we aspire to, and you cannot please everyone, especially when it involves major change and renewal which the Library needed.

JULIA FERRARI
Chairman
Thayer Public Library
P.O. Box 111

Doesn't This Have A Familar Ring To It ?

2011-12-01T15:01:00.002-05:00

A lawsuit says Marlborough's selectmen have violated right-to-know laws

MARLBOROUGH — Two residents have filed a lawsuit against the town’s board of selectmen, claiming town officials violated state right-to-know laws.
Robert Cameron and Loretta Simonds filed the suit in Cheshire County Superior Court on Nov. 23. In their brief, Cameron and Simonds allege that for months, selectmen have been holding nonpublic meetings without proper reasons and sealing the minutes, illegally altering minutes, and withholding public information.

“None of these six months of nonpublic meetings were legal,” Simonds said. “And the sealing of minutes that were nonpublic — that’s not legal. Our town government is trying to conduct business in secret.”
Cameron and Simonds, both longtime Marlborough residents, said they became concerned with the board’s actions last winter, when they felt that the board was using nonpublic meetings to harass Marlborough Police Chief Christopher J. Lyons.
State law says any meeting of selectmen must be announced at least two days before the meeting is held. Simonds claims that in Marlborough, this does not happen.
Simonds alleged that selectmen frequently discuss town business outside of meetings, communicating through emails and at unscheduled meetings.
“I saw them meeting at the cafe in town, and they were discussing town business,” Simonds said. “When I asked if the meeting had been posted, (Selectman) John Northcott replied, ‘Impromptu.’ ”
Simonds and Cameron are also claiming that the selectmen are abusing the ability to hold nonpublic meetings. They believe selectmen are frequently misinterpreting and over-citing the law to hold nonpublic sessions where they discuss business that should be discussed in public.
Simonds also said many of the minutes are inaccurate, when compared with her recordings of meetings, and in some instances, minutes have been altered without discussion at a meeting. Simonds said she started recording meetings over the summer when she began to suspect the board was violating the law.
“The minutes are supposed to be a summary, but no one can trust the accuracy of them anymore — and if we can’t trust that, then what else are they doing that we don’t even know about,” Simonds said.
Selectman John Northcott said the board is looking forward to straightening everything out.
“We feel that there are cases when it is not appropriate and when it is to have public meetings, and we believe we are following the spirit of the law,” he said. “We don’t believe that the case has much validity. We’re going to respond to those charges in court and we’re going to be correct.”

Winchester's Select Board has been sued before for just this type of violations and still they continue to violate the laws with their new policies and closed door sessions .. maybe Winchester residents should follow this suit closely and perhaps file their own.

Property Taxes Soar !!

2011-11-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

Just as we expected, the town's new property tax rate will put many behind the eight ball and others out in the streets. The bills are in the mail and there's nothing left to do but read 'em and weep.

Winchester's new rate is; .. $30.03

That's right folks an increase of over $4.00 from last year !

That puts us right up there with the city of Keene $30.82

We would like to thank the Selectmen and School Board and all of you fools who voted for all of the spending warrants last March, shame on you for putting such a heavy burden on your neighbors.

Budget Committee Minutes 11/22/11

2011-11-29T14:01:00.000-05:00

Budget Committee Meeting

November 22, 2011

Members Present: Jack Marsh, Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Bob Davis, Brian Moser (Chairman), Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Elisha Jackson, Kathy Hebert, Rick Horton, Rikki Bolewski (Secretary)

Others Present: Joan Morel, Roberta Fraser (Selectman)

Meeting called to order at 7:02pm

Bob makes a motion to accept the minutes of the April 19^th meeting, Jack seconds. Motion carries 7-0 with 1 abstention.

Jack makes a motion to accept the minutes of the November 15^th meeting, Hubie seconds. Motion carries 7-0 with 1 abstention.

Cemetery:

Ken makes a motion to approve $47,450, Rick seconds

Discussion regarding the Trust Fund money – where is it being spent and how does it affect the budget?

Motion fails 3-5

Rick makes a motion to level fund at $37,225, Bob seconds

Motion carries 5-2 with 1 abstention

Land Use:

Bob makes a motion to table Land Use since the department head isn’t present, Jack seconds

Motion fails 3-5

Rick makes a motion to approve $67,477, Kathy seconds

· Discussion regarding zeroed out lines and whether or not they can be expended after they have been zeroed out

· Discussion regarding breakdown of the budget

· Historic District was moved out of the Executive Budget into the Land Use budget.

· Bob initiates heated discussion regarding Land Use Assistant. Some debate as to whether discussion was related to the budget or related to the individual in the position rather than the position itself. Margaret Sharra (Land Use Assistant) wants it noted that she feels that Mr. Davis cannot be impartial and that there is a conflict of interest.

· Continued discussion regarding budget

Motion fails 3-5

Bob makes a motion to approve $39,957, Brian seconds

· Bob proposes to zero out the Land Use Assistant line

· Continued heated discussion regarding the Land Use Assistant position/person

Motion fails 1-7

Rick makes a motion to approve $67,000, Kathy seconds

· Rick proposes to reduce the Historic District by $477

Motion fails 4-4

Hubie makes a motion to approve $66,453, Kathy seconds

· Hubie proposes to make the Historic District line $1

Motion carries 7-1

Town Clerk:

Proposed budget is actually $146,986 – this lower than the original proposed budget due to the fact that the health insurance cost didn’t go up as much as expected so adjustments were made

Rick makes a motion to approve $146,986, Elisha seconds

· Discussion regarding budget

Motion carries 5-3

Rick questions whether or not the board is willing to open the floor to the public for anyone who would like to ask questions to the board regarding the budget. Brian agrees to open the floor

· Maureen Curtis questions zeroed out line items - What is the policy regarding this - Can zeroed out lines have money put back into them at the discression of the department heads or not? –

· Does Budget committee have the power to zero out a line?

· RSA 32:10 – It has to be voted on and approved by at the Town meeting - understanding is that if the Budget Committee’s proposed budget goes to the voters and they vote on it and there are zeroed out lines, money cannot be put into it

Health Agencies:

Rick makes a motion to approve $64,167, Ken seconds

Motion fails 4-4

Elisha makes a motion to level fund at $63,174, Rick seconds

· Discussion regarding budget

Motion carries 6-1

Bob makes a motion to have the pages numbered continuously for all budgets, for the town and the school, for future budgets, Elisha seconds.

Motion carries 6-2

Emergency Management:

Bob makes a motion to approve $7,750, Brian seconds

· Bob proposes to reduce the Director’s Salary by $500, reduce expences by $500 and phone by $1,000

· Discussion regarding Emergency Management policy and how it works

Motion fails 4-4

Hubie makes a motion to adjourn, Jack seconds

Motion carries 8-0

Meeting adjourns at 9:05pm

Store is not the right fit for our town

2011-11-27T10:20:00.000-05:00

Once again the actions of Margaret Sharra has a negative effect on others. One has to ask themselves would this Zeremba Group even be here in this area if it wasn't for Sharra's get rich quick scheme and her contacting them in the first place? Too bad our ZBA didn't have the common sense to uphold the HDC's decision and do what was right. Now it seems they have opened a very wide door which will affect surrounding communities with their biased decision and stupidity costing others to fight this group from turning quaint downtown Marlborough into another strip mall community.

Marlborough dollar store or educational farm?

Talk about the mistake of paving paradise to put up a parking lot!
As many town of Marlborough residents now know, the Zaremba group has proposed to raze the farmhouse and barn on the William Thomas property on Main Street, and put in a dollar store, complete with commodious parking lot. A petition is being circulated, asking the Marlborough zoning and planning boards to reject this proposal.
Many residents feel that a dollar store would be a mistake. Besides the obvious facts that a dollar store is unnecessary (such a large, modern, commercial building would be out of character with Marlborough’s charm and less than compatible with the small businesses our town master plan encourages), there are many better uses for this beautiful property. The land, with a charming house, barn, and ample open, flat, flood-plain land, is adjacent to the Marlborough School playing fields. With the addition of a bridge to safely cross the river, the property could become a wonderful Cornucopia-type school farm, where students and town residents could produce vegetables, eggs and perhaps keep small livestock. Community interface with students would be encouraged, and our children would learn about producing food and caring for the earth.
Would this not be a better use than another dollar store? Keene already has one. Even cluster housing would be a higher use. Once the flat floodplain is paved, it will be difficult or impossible to restore.
It seems that this could be a golden opportunity for Marlborough School and residents. Let’s seize this opportunity. Please sign one of the petitions, available in many Marlborough locations, and plan to attend the public meeting on Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., at the Marlborough Community House.
We gave our children a beautiful school. Now let’s show them that we really care.

GEORGE ISELIN

Marlborough

*note to the the following

2011-11-26T21:53:00.001-05:00

'smokin joe' , Winchester Ed, John P, Sue and the rest of you who continue to act in a really juvenile and childish manner by attempting to post the most asinine comments on this blog, stop wasting your time and ours., it isn't going to happen. Provide facts with your wild statements, stop with the personal attacks and stay on subject and we may consider allowing you to post again. You all have been warned several times and you have ignored those warnings constantly, so until you can all act like responsible adults, your posting privileges on this blog have been revoked.

What does a quick trip to the town’s finance office reveal?

2011-11-26T10:21:00.001-05:00

The following letter was sent into the Informer by someone who had attended the Budget Committee meeting this week and felt people should know what really went on that night. They asked us to publish this letter anonymously for fear of retribution;

When asked for the town attorney’s invoices for the past year for the land use department, the conclusion and findings are the misuse of town funds by the land use assistant. You will find that there is already a charge of over $5,000 in legal advice for the property at 71 Main and an another $5,000 was spent on legal advice on the removal of Kim Gordon from the planning board’s vote of no confidence. ( Sharra instigated this on her own and convinced her two amigos; Beaman and Blodgett to sign on. Blodgett has since resigned as a result of being duped )

Bob Davis asked the board to eliminate the assistant land use position and boldly attempted to get these invoices into the budget committee minutes Tuesday night as evidence of abuse of her position of contacting and seeking legal advice on personal matters. Something we are all faced with paying for. Unfortunately, he was fiercely fought by Selectmen Ken Gardner who strenuously and constantly objecting to everything Mr. Davis had to say. What was Mr. Gardner afraid of? Was it disclosing this information to public record and hiding it from the tax payers?

Knowing Mr. Davis had this information in hand Selectman Gardner was prepared to not let Mr. Davis ask any questions directly to the land use assistant. All questions were intercepted and answered by Mr. Gardner who made it apparent that he was sheltering his queen bee by being the land use assistant’s advocate and spokesperson. Mr. Gardner, along with a room full of Ms. Sharra friends and supporters tried to discredit Mr. Davis in his attempt to discuss the incriminating invoices. This hearing turned into a farce, it was clear what their agenda was right from the start .. protect Margaret Sharra!

With Gardner's continued loud out bursts and Sharra's foolish supporters laughing loudly in the front row, along with Irene Ruth, who was busy scribbling notes and jumping up and down recording everything Mr. Davis was saying in an attempt to intimidate him. But despite all of these distractions, Mr. Davis was undeterred in his attempts to place the facts on the public record. At one point, Mr. Davis suggested calling the police to have Mr. Gardner removed, to which he replied that he would leave first. Chairman Brian Moser attempted to get Mr. Gardner to calm down and to allow Mr. Davis the floor, but with all of the outbursts and intimidation from other board members, the truth was squashed. Mr. Davis agrees some of his prepared statement were a prelude to setting-up the facts to ask the tough questions but he was never allowed the opportunity to speak uninterrupted.

The land use assistant denied that she had asked the board of selectman for a full-time position and refused to answer why she thinks the job should be full time with benefits (see BOS minutes from Sept 13,2011). Margaret admits that she has a dual role capacity, but this is a direct conflict-of-interest and in violation of policy that was passed by the voters in 2010. Not only has she been the chair person of the planning board for many years, an employee of the town of Winchester, and paid to take minutes for three boards, we say it is unfair to the tax payers and these cost are unjustified. The town being charged for her personal legal fees, her interactions with the BOS who defend her every action and other questionable conduct is a detriment to the town and that her immediate removal from office would be our only recourse.

After the meeting Mr. Davis said, “I knew the facts were a can of worms and controversial, but I also know that it was the finance office that tipped off the BOS as to what I had requested and they where waiting for me!” This is deplorable conduct by all involved in making last night's Budget meeting a joke. "To me this is not a laughing matter and I'll bet the folks I represent aren't laughing either

Historic home’s saga not done yet

2011-11-26T09:18:00.000-05:00

Does anyone find it starnge that this group would allow an appeal from an outside entity; but not even bother to hear from from concerned citizens in their own town? Talk about bias and indifference. So here we go again with the "take us to court " attitude displayed too many times by the people we trust to follow regulations and ensure fair and just hearings.

Historic home’s saga not done yet

WINCHESTER — It’s a no-go for a redo.
The town’s Zoning Board of Adjustment met Nov. 17 and decided against reconsidering its decision regarding the house at 71 Main St.
The panel voted not to have a rehearing on its decision to overturn a controversial ruling by the historic district commission, according to Selectman Gustave Ruth.
Members of the zoning board could not be reached for comment.
The 200-year-old house is unoccupied and lies in Winchester’s historic district.
The owners would like to sell it to a developer that would demolish it and build a Dollar General store, but special permission is required to demolish a building in a historic district.
The historic district commission denied that permission in July, only to have its decision overturned last month when the developer, Zaremba Group of Cleveland, appealed to the zoning board.
On Oct. 31, attorney Kelly Dowd of Keene submitted a motion for the board to rehear that appeal on behalf of a group of five property owners, citing a number of alleged procedural errors.
Now that the zoning board has denied the motion the applicants could take their petition to Cheshire County Superior Court.
If there is no appeal, Zaremba still has work to do before the building can be torn down.
When the zoning board gave permission for the building to be demolished it was on the condition that the historic district commission first approve the design of the new building that would take its place.

In Winchester, a fine-line budget

2011-11-25T18:09:00.003-05:00

WINCHESTER — The town’s budget committee is feeling frugal, and deep spending-cut proposals are raising eyebrows.

“We have some people on the budget committee who are very, very concerned with people in town being able to afford things,” said Brian Moser, committee chairman.
“With the economy the way it is and the number of poor people in Winchester, we really have to ask: ‘can we afford to do this?’ ”
But Selectman Gustave A. Ruth Jr. is worried the committee is proposing cuts with little regard for the government functions the budget supports.
The budget committee has been reviewing town departments’ 2012 spending proposals since September.
“Every time someone’s budget comes up they just cut it. It’s automatic without listening to what they need the money for,” Ruth said.
The committee recently voted to eliminate a part-time town employee at the transfer station, arguing the station is already staffed by employees of Monadnock Disposal Services, Moser said. The selectmen responded by saying the station would have to be closed without a town employee assigned to its operation, he said.
Ruth believes the committee will propose a budget down as much as 20 percent from last year. Voters will be able to increase the proposal at the town’s deliberative session by no more than 10 percent — making a proposal of a 10 percent reduction inevitable.
Moser said the committee’s proposal is unlikely to be a 20 percent reduction, but he does expect it will be lower than the selectmen have requested.
A budget reduction will mean that “some services will be cut, and I don’t know if the people want that,” Ruth said.
The budget committee proposes a total budget number that is submitted to voters for approval, but it is the selectman who decide how the approved money is ultimately spent.
If the budget is reduced, the first cuts will most likely be to snow removal and road maintenance, Ruth said.
The $3.5 million 2011 budget that voters approved in March represented a 1.9 percent increase over the 2010 number.
The budget committee is required to hold a public hearing where voters can express their opinions before the committee makes its final proposal.
The 2012 hearing is tentatively scheduled for the second week of January, Moser said.

Budget Committee Meeting November 1, 2011

2011-11-25T18:05:00.003-05:00

November 1, 2011

Members Present: Kathy Hebert, Jack Marsh, Elisha Jackson, Rick Horton, Brian Moser (Chairman), Harvey Serian, Ted Ryll, Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Bob Davis, Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep), Kevan Whippie (School Board Rep), Rikki Bolewski (Secretary)

Others Present: Joan Morel, Dale Gray

Meeting called to order at 7:00pm

Hubie makes a motion to accept the minutes as presented from September 22, 2011, Bob seconds. Motion carries 10-0.

There will be no meeting on Thursday, November 3, due to a Zoning Meeting that night.

Discussion regarding the RSA sent from Bart Mayer regarding encumbering funds on a future year. Brian states that it doesn’t answer the question raised.

Hubie makes a motion for Brian to send an e-mail to Bart Mayer regarding the legality of encumbering funds on a future year, Ted seconds. Motion carries 9-0 with 1 abstention.

Discussion regarding the training from the town on November 7^th and who will be going; they need to now ahead of time – Elisha and Brian will be there. Any others will sign up with Joan

Highway: Dale Gray

Brian inquires as to why there is no breakdown for the Block Grant; what will it be used for? Dale and Ken explain that it will not be used until the summer and that they have not made that decision yet. They usually wait until after the winter and then see what needs to be done.

Discussion as to what some of the projects that the grant was used for this past year.

Kevan makes a motion to approve $535,062, Ken seconds.

Jack questions the contracted services and what it was used for and how it was broken down.

· Dale explains that that is generally used for Lenny Lawrence who covers additional plowing in the winter.

· Brian questions whether it is and should be sent out for bid. Dale explains that it isn’t because it fluctuates and sometimes isn’t used at all and that since he is also a part time town employee, it covers him to be able to drive the town trucks as well.

· Continued discussion about what is included in the cost - time and trucks, as well as how it’s use

Rick questions why repairs have been consistently over budget for the past few years. Dale explains that the equipment is old and so requires more repairs.

Discussion regarding the cost of tar – Used the Block Grant first and then took from the budget. Jack questions whether the cost might go down with the new local plant. Dale states that it won’t because their prices are about the same as the company they have been using in the past.

Bob wants to know if we can get by without doing tarring for a year or two to cut down on the budget. Dale thinks we are actually starting to get caught up on the paving and it would cause the town to have to play “catch-up” again if we let the roads go without paving.

Continued discussion about possible ways to lower the budget.

Ken and Bob get into a heated discussion regarding Ken’s reaction to Bob’s questions and remarks and whether Bob is bringing his personal agenda to the budget committee meeting.

Brian questions why the town just paved an 800ft road that accesses only one house. Dale explains that they had to pave it in order to get a smooth surface in order to plow it because it was so bad. It is a town road and there is a residence there and people are living in it, so the town does have to maintain it.

Continued discussion regarding the budget.

Discussion regarding the Capital Improvement Plan Project – can’t do anything without a plan from the departments – Planning Board hasn’t gotten anything from any departments – Dale explains that he has worked on a plan but, somehow, the Planning Board has never seen it.

After continued discussion regarding the budget, the motion for $535,062 was called for a vote. Motion fails 5-6

Bob makes a motion for $455,062, Brian seconds.

Bob suggest cutting the $80,000 tarring line and only use the Block Grant for tarring projects

After some discussion, the motion is called to a vote. Motion fails 2-9

Jack makes a motion to table this discussion until the board gets the breakdown for maintenance records and line item monies returned, Kevan seconds.

Brian makes a friendly amendment to also have the requested information to include the breakdown of what the Block Grant money was used for. Jack and Kevan accept the amendment.

Motion fails 3-8

Harvey makes a motion for $483,762

Harvey suggests dropping welding to $500, drop diesel fuel to $30,000, drop salt to $60,000, and drop tarring to $40,000, Brian seconds.

After some discussion, the motion is called to a vote.

Motion fails 4-7

Rick makes a motion for $513,062 dropping the repair line by $22,000, Elisha seconds

Motion fails 2-8

Brian makes a motion to table this discussion until we get the information requested, Bob seconds.

Motion carries 11-0

Rick makes a motion to adjourn, Kathy seconds

Motion carries 11-0

Meeting adjourns at 8:58pm

Respectfully Submitted,

Rikki Bolewski

Next meeting to be held Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 7pm

Winchester Informer

Pay attention to your town officials

How State Aid was Determined For Schools

Board of Selectmen Regular Minutes 1-25-12

TOWNS, CITIES, VILLAGE DISTRICTS, AND UNINCORPORATED PLACES

CHAPTER 31POWERS AND DUTIES OF TOWNS

Liability for Damages Limited, Indemnification, Insurance

Section 31:105

CHAPTER 31POWERS AND DUTIES OF TOWNS

Liability for Damages Limited, Indemnification, Insurance

Section 31:104

Reliance on property taxes increases

For the Children of Winchester; Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

Heating expense burden addressed

Winchester divided over spending

Budget rift steals spotlight

Selectmen-budget panel battle going to Winchester voters

Pitch is made to reopen Thayer

Winchester budget committee, school board set for a standoff

Attention ALL Winchester Residents !

WINCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 5, 2012

Budget battle resumes

Budget Committee Work Session Minutes 01/24/2012

N.H. gets a D- on teacher quality policies

Mark Your Calenders, Support Your Neighbors !

Winchester school board to sue panel

Superintendent Dassau Threatens Budget Committee

Should the Planning Board get sued ( again ) if it approves Pasquarelli's Club.

Some of the Petition warrant Articles submitted for the ballot

Budget Committee Public Hearing Minutes 1-12-12

Budget Committee Meeting Minutes January 3, 2012

Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes January 11, 2012

PRIVATE CLUB EYED

AG probes voter fraud in NH ...

Private Club or Strip Bar ?

WINchester School Budget proposal .. where the money goes

Winchester school budget plan still in limbo

Battle of the Boards

The Big Picture

Town of Winchester, NH Budget Committee Meeting December 29, 2011

Town of Winchester, NH Budget Committee Meeting December 27, 2011

Unfinished business: Budget is late

Marvin Carey Thayer High School Class of 1993

Board of Selectmen Work Session 12-20-11

Cracks in the "Blue Wall" Another fine mess in Winchester.

Group sues to block Winchester dollar store

Looks like our little town is getting a lot of press lately

NO EXCUSES

As we all get ready to bring in the New Year this weekend.....

NO excuses, folks. Don't drink and drive - and don't ride with anybody who does.

Tipsy Tow offered by AAA: You don't have to be a AAA member, from 6pm-6am on New Year's Eve/Day they will take your drunk self and your car home for FREE.

Save this number... 1-800-222-4357. This is available nationwide!

Please pass this info on to help save lives.

Board of Selectman's Minutes 12-07-11

WINCHESTER: Group sues over store

Unhealthy air pollution levels in NH

Dollar store developer plans land buy in Swanzey

One Reason Why Our Taxes Are So High

Budget Committee Minutes 12-06-11

Budget Committee Minutes 12-01-11

Marlborough board shoots down dollar store

Budget Committee Minutes 11-29-11

Library officials make things better

Doesn't This Have A Familar Ring To It ?

A lawsuit says Marlborough's selectmen have violated right-to-know laws

Property Taxes Soar !!

Budget Committee Minutes 11/22/11

Store is not the right fit for our town

*note to the the following

What does a quick trip to the town’s finance office reveal?

Historic home’s saga not done yet

In Winchester, a fine-line budget

Budget Committee Meeting November 1, 2011

CHAPTER 31
POWERS AND DUTIES OF TOWNS

CHAPTER 31
POWERS AND DUTIES OF TOWNS