Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Is it time to return to 3 elected selectmen?

Posted by Budget Committee Member Bob Davis; Is it time to go back to a 3 selectmen board? After having a long discussion with one selectmen about the fact that they are forgetting who's money it is they are spending and that the selectmen have a responsibility to provide a prudent and reasonable fiscal accountability of the budgeting of our tax dollars, I came away shaking my head. It was like talking to a wall. They continue to add more pork to the dept. budgets with more wasteful spending. Why? Is it in case we vote for a default budget in March that these increases will make next years default budget much larger? The selectmen have approved budget increase in every dept. and passed them to the budget committee to approve. This budget committee refuses to be realistic and has only cut out some increases and has more or less approved the selectman's increases. As a member of the budget committee, I have voiced the tax payer concerns we have received here on the blog and on the numerous phone calls I have received, at our meetings, warning other board members that the tax payers have no stomach for more tax increases. However; my voice has fallen on deaf ears and I received foolish smirks and laughter from certain committee members, who seem to not care how the public feels. The voice of the people will be heard in March when we organizes a "get out the vote" at the next deliberative session. We will take back "our town"!
We can not be concerned about what services will be cut or what hours are to be cut at town hall as they threaten us if we do, let them figure it out.

The selectmen and the budget committee refuses to listen to the tax payers. As some of us see it Gus Ruth, Ted Whippie and Sherman Tedford in the way they have acted as a voting block to give the town employees wage increase way above the average for this area.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some of are employees and elected officials think that they are above scrutiny, thats not the case when we are paying 55 to 75 thousand[ with benifites ], thats a hell of a lot more that the average tax payer in winchester earns, and they have to get to work on time and produce daley. With Bob in the town hall every day and if he's as good as they say he is, three selectmen is enough. It may take time, but so far i can't see where he is getting any more hustle than Stetser did.

Mechanic said...

With no new buisness or industry in town I don't see why 3 couldn't do the job. The meetings seem to get shorter and shorter. Most of the 5 we have now don't seem to understand or even care about half of what is brought before them. Maybe if there are only 3 of them then they will have to accualy think before they speak. I say vote 3

Anonymous said...

We grew up in a town that had a population of over 67,000 people, before we moved to New Hampshire and it was run with just 3 Selectman and is the same way today. The Town Hall, continues to be open just 3 days a week from 9am - 3pm, Mon. Weds. and Fri. and from 4pm - 8pm on Tues and Thurs. nights. This gives everyone who works during the day time to go after work 2 nights a week to conduct business and allows the town to save money by being open just 3 normal business days a week. They also only have 5 full time town hall employees who work less than 40 hours a week! This shows what can be done if those who we elect have the town's best interest in mind and not their own.

Anonymous said...

New resident, you get it and more winchester residents are getting it every day. There is no way it can stay business as usual, and with the help of this web site and Bob Davis and a lot of you good people its going to change. Don't hesitate to call Bob Gray at town hall, he needs to hear from the people that pay the bills.

Mechanic said...

New residents make a very good point. A lot of other towns operate like this and have no problems at all. Just a wild guess but it almost seems like that could save us at least a third of what we are spending rite now. That sounds good to me.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone actually think these people are going to listen to anyone attempting to cut their cord to the piggy bank? Never going to happen unless it's written up as a warrant article petition, worded strongly enough that the town's council can't find fault or edit it and then get enough people at the deliberative meeting to vote on it and have it pass. That's why they continue to do what they have always done and aren't concerned enough to change their ways. There just isn't enough people interested in this town to do anything. Just look at voter turn out, it's pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Born and raised, No problem with your ststments, but we have never had this web site, Bob Davis, and a growing number of pissed off people asking questions and watching there every move. I could'nt work like that, I would ether shape up or ship out. Unless they have totally lost track of reality or have no conscience, in most jobs employees need a little reality jolt. Thats Bobs job, time is running out folks.

Anonymous said...

We all know it's none of our business, but what the hells with mass plates 0n the new [animal control officers] truck. If it's housed in nh,doesn't it need a nh plate? Mr Park is a good guy, but we can't seem to do anything above board, maybe I'm wrong. Well it's not like they tryed to hide it.

Anonymous said...

I talked to a police officer and he said Mr Parks vehicle is legal but it needs DOT numbers. If this is true I'm sure the chief knows this, but it is Winchester. The law only applies to certain people that aren't in the inner circle.