Over the past few months, we've all heard the same old cry, time and time again about how our town is so broke and that we've all got to look at ways to stop the bleeding; yet it seems that our Board of Selectman are still wearing those rose colored glasses from times gone by. After talking about shutting down street lights to save money on this year's budget, the board unanimously decides to hire a new Executive Assistant, at an undisclosed rate of pay at a recent nonpublic session held Sept. 3rd and at the same meeting, gave several town employees not only a 3% raise, they also voted to give these same employees a bonus too.
Highway Dept. Sup. John Gomarlo, received a $958.00 bonus
Cemetery Dept.Sup. Norm Struthers, received an $810.00 bonus
Sewer Dept. assistant, Fran Domenick, received a $975.00 bonus
Water Dept. Sup. Gary Puffer, received a $1388.94 performance bonus.
Checking back on another nonpublic session, held on Aug. 27th, we found that they had done the same thing earlier, giving Margaret Sharra, Land Use Dept. a $1.00/hr raise and an undisclosed performance bonus, and then raising the salary of the Sewer Dept Sup.,Rick Meleski, after a 90 day review, to $42,900.00. How is this saving the town, us taxpayers, any money if they continuously hand it out as fast as it comes in?
Though I don't begrudge anyone being compensated for doing their jobs well, this is a slap in the face to all of those in town who are struggling to keep their heads above the ever rising tide rolling over them in food and energy costs and constant town tax increases. For a town that's so broke I wonder where they found the money to do this, surely turning off a few lights isn't going to offset the cost of these raises and bonuses and a new hiring. Anyone want to bet we'll see it reflected in the new budget? If you're happy with this, then go back to sticking your head in the sand; if not, then attend the next Board of Selectman's meeting and let them know. And if they refuse to listen, then send them a message in March, that the buck stops here!
Your comments, both pro and con are welcome ..
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23 comments:
Are you kidding us, raises AND a bonus, for what? After seeing all of the over spending by each department last year they all should have been made to take a wage deduction or maybe a change in employment. How the hell do these people think we can keep coming up with tax dollars every year to pay for all of this. All of this wasteful spending is getting way out of hand. I haven't had a raise in a couple of years because of the damn economy, why should these people be any different then the rest of us? it is definitely time for change in our town government.
This is all going to backfire, people are fedup. The country club atmosphere has to change. A lot of people are watching and if you think I'm kidding, just wait for March. Late to work and extended lunch breaks and leaving early; we see you and it's the talk of the town.
What's wrong with these people we have entrusted to serve us? Giving raises and bouses in times like this is just plain nuts. We should be freezing wages and looking at ways of trimming spending so we don't burden everyone with higher taxes. Since I moved to Winchester 6 years ago taxes have steadily risen each year to the point of madness. It's time those we have put into office realize it's time to put a halt to all of this runaway spending. They should be ashamed at their conduct and what they are doing to add to the hardships facing many town residents this year.
Richmond Road Resident, nothing will change if you do not join us in March 2009 and show up at the deliberation session. Deliberation session is the most important time. All the amendments wording submitted by petition can be change on this most important day. You can count on every special interest person and their friends will show up to change the wording and meaning of amendments on deliberation day. All the talk in the world will no do us any good unless we get more people at the deliberation session. Last year Susan Newell purpose to cut the town budget by 2 million dollars on a voice vote and we did not challenge the fact. We should have asked for a hand vote to see how many actually voted to cut the budget. We feel we had won and we wil win this year comming.
Mr. Davis, what is the deliberation session? Could you explain this to me (us), what happens at this session and you mentioned amendments to petitions, what is this? I for one wish to thank you for your efforts to educate the people of this town as to things that we need to keep abreast of and also want to thank those responsible for these website. Their dedication, hard work and effort and their time spent as well as yours are appreciated. Thank you all for taking the time to keep us informed.
I really have to laugh when you hear how the board talks about ways to save the town, actually us tax payers, some money by cutting back on street lighting and looking for cheaper vendors for fuel and in one case, uniforms. Then in the next breath, they give some employees, who's departments have rung up some of the highest over expenditures in the past year a raise and a performance bonus .. absolutely unbelievable! Plus they want to and already have, added the position of Executive Secretary at an undisclosed salary. How is this saving the town money? Why bother going to a four day work week, when you continue to spend money like it's water? Just because the money is in the budget doesn't mean you have to find ways to spend it all. Times are tough for everyone, except for those who work for the town of Winchester. My question to the board is why aren't you freezing wages and bonuses to reflect what is happening all around us, why are you continuing this trend of spend, spend, spend?
Thank you Anonymous for your question on a deliberative session, I hope I can explain it. It is not easy. For an individual to make changes to any existing ordinance, law, rule, or procedure; There are several steps. First, you have to write a petition for a warrant article for it to appear on the ballot and to be voted on election day. It must be written in a manner that follow all state RSA’s (the state laws) and state precisely what you would like to see for changes. You will need 25 signatures of registered town voters to sign your petition for a warrant article. We can help you write a good proper petition that will stand up at deliberative session.. Now that you have a written petition and 25 signatures you take the petition to the town clerk to be filed by Jan 2. There is no charge for this. Be sure to ask that you be notified if any of the signatures on your petition signatures is not a registered voter in time to collect more signatures if needed. In January the selectmen call a town meeting to review the petitions. At this pre-deliberative, public town meeting on a Saturday morning, the petitions must pass the first test before they can become a Warrant Article. With the town attorney present, corrections may be made in regards to the language of your petition.It is important to have your supporters there on this day. Hopefully now your signed petition becomes a Warrant Article. Then in February, the selectmen set a date for a deliberative session of all of the Warrant Articles, it will include also the warrant articles submitted by the selectmen, planning board, etc. for spending your tax money. This is very, very important to all of us, it's where your petition could be re-written by the people that show up. The ironic fact is, no one checks if all the people present are really registered voters. Your warrant article’s meaning could be completely changed on a voice vote. For example last year a petition for a warrant article was filed by a group to cut the tax dollars going to the conservation committee. The conservation committee people who knew there would be a cut will have all their interested partys and friends show up and together they'll re-write the warrant article to say, “we recommend to give the conservation commission a 70% raise. So now a re-written warrant article giving them a raise is on the official ballot for Election Day and those who submitted the original can not do a damn thing about it. That's is why it is so important that you have all of your supporters for your petition show up that day. At the deliberative session, most town employees and their family and friends show up and support their interests, costing us too many tax dollars. This is why it has been so hard to hold the spending line on taxes. They attempt to override any changes and with the help of their friends, some on the very committees we have elected to protect us and represent us in these meetings. These people have an invested interest to suck as many tax dollars out of us tax payers as possible. Once again it is so very important to bring as many of your friends and family to vote and support your warrant article and or help vote down, the out of control spending that they want. It is all about them and the current status quo. I Hope this helps, any question please feel free to ask. It is suppose to be a fair process; but as past sessions have shown it doesn't always work as it should.
In regards to the question about Warrant Articles and petitions, there is a link to the New Hampshire Local Government Center on the Winchester.com website in the lower right side column. Follow the link and type warrant articles in the search bar on the NHLGC home page for more detailed information. You can search for any topic having to do with local town government on this website.
Town clerk needs more money, thats crap. Tax collecter should be part time.Ms Shaara needs more time? Who keeps track of her time, and her smoke breaks. How about 1 part time in accounting office, they have plenty of time to socialize with dale gray or anyone who comes along. Part time is the way to go, ask WALMART.
I would think a town having so many money problems would look to their own house and start cutting back on overtime and employees in an effort to save tax payer dollars; but our town has acquired a taste for excess and ear-marking pet expenditures and putting the onus on the very folks who rely on their prudence and savvy to cut costs and overspending. I agree with the rest of you, it is past time to remove those who act so irresponsibly towards the rest of us.
Well said keene road, just look at what's been going on here for the past sevearl years. We have to admit, we've never gotten involved in anything having to do with the town before; but after reading everything posted on this blog, we are disgusted at how people are being treated in our town and at how some at town hall seem to have a holier than thou attitude towards the rest of us. While we also agree it is time for some real change in personel at town hall, we wonder if there are any qualified people interested in running for election this year. How do we find out who's running and for what jobs?
BONUS OR TIME CLOCK ? At 7:01 two cars in town hall parking lot, one arriving, where were the rest of the help? This is ridiculous, time to make a change? Lets go BOB.
At around 11:45 the water dept truck heads acrossed the elm st bridge and about 12:45 it comes back to main st,half hr lunch, i dont think so. And for an hr plus lunch he gets a bonus? Its a good job if people dont get wise to the wasted time,i think they will.
Doesn't seem that the honor system works in Winchester, nor does it seem anyone cares but those of us struggling to get by.
Did anyone notice how many employees left early Thursday for the long weekend, the parking lot sure was awful empty that afternoon. Guess they all had comp time coming.
For years the town employees have done their thing of coming to work late or going home early. Why should they change now? Club Med! The town employee have a blatant disrespect for the tax payers and show it with their bold, careless attitude towards us ALL. Look at Margaret Sharra for instance and how she treats tax payers just like crap, but will bend over backwards for outsiders and developers. Just some of the things reported to me, town employees go shopping on tax payers time, riding around with the grader or the dump truck, or how about Dale Gray going home several times a day to put wood on the fire or plow and sand his driveway. John Gomarlo filling up his personal vehicle with gas, John Stetser buying underwear, Rolaids or staying at the finest hotel in Portsmouth at $195.00 a night at the tax payer's expense and charge it on the town credit card and the selectmen do nothing about it then cover for them. Club Med! Then get a fat performance bonus check to boot paying out thousands of tax payer dollars. I think every time you see an employee screwing the tax payers follow them, then post what you see for all of us. I get calls on these town employees all the time and will be posting it myself. I'll post it and take my chances on believing the tax payers first.
No one should fear consequences or retaliation by anyone for simply posting the truth, it's those who attempt to deceive and lie about it who should be the ones to worry. I don't know about the rest of you; but if these people aren't going to be accountable to us taxpayers and put in a full day of work for the lucrative pay, raises and bonuses they get; a good many questionable at best, then they should be seeking employment somewhere else. If the dept. heads and/or the selectman won't put a stop to this behavior, then they too need to be replaced with people who will and can. Times require frugal, spending cautious, conduct from everyone working in a government position and above all honesty, and that includes the town employees of Winchester. All of them!
That's exactly how those people work, fear and retaliation for anyone who goes up against their little group of Lords and Queens, we're just peasants filling their coffers for their own pleasures, so they think. They have had their way far to long, it's time for the guillotine to fall.
Looks to me that we may have to fire everybody in the town hall except for the tax collector, town clerk, and lawyer. Everybody can go home cuz the bills have to be paid whether they like it or not and they are not getting any more money from us. They have dug up their own graves and their reputation will follow them. Their conduct is ruining the town's chances of getting grants from the state!
Actually, Silverhawk, they think that it's this website that is giving Winchester a bad name, not their conduct. Imagine, people speaking out against injustice and wanting change being blamed for a town's poor reputation, that is really sad.
Gee, it just gets better and better everyday. Now the acting Ambulance Captain, Ken Smith, approached the BOS the other night and he'd like to purchase a new 2009 ambulance from Autronic for $158,845.00. He then he presented the Board with a breakdown of the best price quotes he’s received from three ambulance groups. Deb Sepe's seat isn't even cold and already he's got his hands in our pockets. And just to keep pace the Police Chief wants a new cruiser, another $13,000.00, and it's going to put to the vote as a Warrant Article. This right after he requests and gets approval to raise the Animal Control Officer's ( Dog Officer )pay and expenses from $7,800.00/yr to a nice fat $13,256.00/yr, a raise of $5,456.00; must have an awful lot of unruly animals in our town.
The selectmen know the police chief is getting all he can out of this town, they cant seem to stop him. Parks is a good guy, he has never had it so good. By the way the chiefs girlfriend is parks daughter, this is winchester,a little crazy dont you think?
I think maybe johnp from the forum 11/6 works for the town, hope he or she still has a job when this is over. The word is out and people are ready to cut and cut big.
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