Saturday, September 6, 2008
Should we put a stop to "double dipping"
It is a known fact that there are quite a few town employees who hold several different salaried positions; while this might be said is a good idea in regards to having experienced people fill those positions, it also gives the appearance in some cases as impropriety, bias and/or nepotism. We feel with the infusion of "new blood" so to speak, perhaps even more qualified people would and should be given the chance to come forward and provide their input to the benefit of us all. The practice of filling positions without being elected by the citizens of Winchester should also be stopped, this too wreaks of favoritism and impropriety. We feel that each town position is important and therefore should be filled with the most qualified candidate and that candidate should be an elected one in all fairness. In these hard economic times, should we not be getting the most bang for our buck? The subject was also broached in another discussion here on the board that perhaps in another effort to save the town some money, several depts. could/should be combined; ie: sewer and water for example. What do you think? All this talk about change and the future of Winchester should perhaps start at our town hall.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
19 comments:
Wow you hit the nail right on the head. What this town needs is a good house cleaning. Don't get me wrong we have many excellent people working in town government; but there are some who feel they are the cats meow and they should go and we all know who they are. And I also agree that each position should be filled by general election and stop this crap of appointing their friends to fill these paying slots.
Well, so much for saving the town some money. Though you won't see it mentioned anywhere in the official Board of Selectman's meeting minutes posted on the town's website. They recently voted unanimously to give Margaret Sharra an additional $1.00/hr pay raise for her outstanding ( their words ) community work. What a crock; how much has she caused the town to lose in legal fees for her conduct as chairperson on the Planning Board in the past? How much is it going to cost the town in Feb. when the latest lawsuit is heard ... and lost?
Take a ride to keene and see your tax dollars at work No wonder we have to have so many police cruisers if its such a good deal why is it always winchester
I think we should always vote in town personel - as well as raises! After all - we are paying for it - therefore we should most certainly have a say in "IT".
Margaret Sharra! You have to be kidding me, instead of a raise she needs a pink slip!
That woman is a real piece of work and they think she deserves a raise? You got to be kidding. If anything she should be removed from her position from what I have been reading here.
My wife used to work for the town and was let go recently to "save the town some money", as her position was no longer neede. Yet, the give this woman a raise and according to their own minutes, Bob Gray gets a raise and now a new secretary for both Bob and the selectmaen; how's that saving the town money. They are so full of sh#t.
If your mother works in the town hall you can get a summer job? Thats the way it looks Time for a change.
We all know that letting my wife go had nothing to do with money. Mr puffer will have his day. I support bob gray, its a good start turning this town around.
In March the voters approved $25,000 for the Fire Department to purchase 5 Scot-packs to this day they have not been purchased. Why? So where is the taxpayers $25,000$$$$$$$$
That would be a very good question to ask either our new town administrator or the selectmen at the next town meeting. If the money was budgeted where did it go?
Exactly how many town employees hold multiple positions and how do we find out who they are and how much money they are being paid by the town. Is there a law against one person holding several paying positions working for the same business, in this case the Town of Winchster?
This just smacks of wrong doing. To hold several paying positions in town, preventing others from getting a job and to be given a raise, perhaps in more than one department each year is ludicrous and just plain wrong. No wonder our taxes are so high, our town is a gold mine for some while putting the rest of us in the poor house.
About the Scott-Packs mentioned above by poster Anonymous. At the budget meeting Thursday night, September 25th, thanks to you,the question was brought up. Budget Committee member, Jackie Beaman asked, Roberta Fraser, the Board of Selectman's representative, about chief Barry Kellom and the fire dept, being over budget by $4,121.27 for the fiscal year ending June 2008. This was for equip/supplies/and expenses. Your question about the Scott Packs, brought me to ask where the Scott Packs we budgeted in fiscal year 2008/2009 were. They were supposed to have been delivered with the new fire truck; but there was no record of this happening, Roberta Fraser didn’t know either and will find out by the next meeting. I was told by a good source the Scott Packs had been delivered; but the circumstances surrounding them was a bit bizaar. We will know the out come by the next budget meeting scheduled in October.
Please, if anyone has information they would like to share with me about anything in town business that affects our taxes, or question for me to ask the dept heads at the next budget meeting please forward them to our mailbox @ WinchesterInformer@gmail.com any and all information will be kept in strict confidentiality and the source will not be disclosed.
Perhaps a complete town audit performed by an outside source, such as the County Attorney's office would provide answers.
In winchester when you retire from the school it just means that the next year its a partime job. Talk about double dipping.
What anonymous is saying that those poor over worked, under paid teachers are just struggling to make ends meet. Upon retirement the teachers pension gives them 85% of there full pay for retirement money, money just doesn't go far enough these days. With over 105 employees that includes teachers, teacher aids, and janitors that are working for the Winchester school system. Wow! What a country club and a big drain on our tax dollars. Retire then come back and show up for part time work. That is why we spent over $10,000.00 to pave a new parking lot out back of the school. That is why our school budget surpassed $10,000,000. We can not have the school employees parking on the grass with there new cars can we..
I heard that not only did Bob Gray get appointed to be our new town administrator, that he also got a substantial raise, a bonus and a new full time secretary to boot. The excuse for these extreme measures was that the board of selectman want to keep the town competitive when it comes to hiring so that we don't lose any key personel to any surrounding towns. By their own explanation this just smacks of stupidity, to continuously overpay people under the guise of not wanting to lose experienced people is a ruse that has been going on for way to long. In a town of less than 4500 people, paying wages higher than the medium income for a family of four is just plain wrong and a very wasteful habit to continue. It's time we send a message of our own to those who continue to show that they are totally out of touch and continue to reward and slap each other on the back at our expense.
There should be a rule in the town's charter preventing related people from holding office in the same town. It just wreaks of favoritism and wrongness when one can influence the decision of the other or it'll start a family rift. The fact that several hold many positions ( Margaret Sharra for instance ) and use their will and influence is one of the reasons this town is in such bad shape all around.
Post a Comment