| Town Official Election Results For Selectman - Three Year Term - Vote For Two Kenneth S. Gardner ... 326 votes Sherman Tedford ... 321 votes Bob Davis ... 278 votes Brian Moser ... 230 votes Ted Whippie .. 216 votes John Pasquarelli ... 154 votes Public Library Trustee - Three Year Term - Vote For Three Marcia Racine ... 500 votes Erin Robb ... 545 votes Stephanie ( Brodie ) Tommila ... 599 votes Thayer Library Trustee - Three Year Term - Vote For One Harriet Charland ... 613 votes Karen Gandy .. 66 votes Planning Board - Three Year Term - Vote For Two Princess Blodget ... 494 votes Clifford Struthers ... 544 Kim Gordon ... 101 votes Budget Committee - Three Year Term - Vote For Three Trevor Croteau .. 518 Margaret Curtis ... 351 votes Elisha Jackson ... 473 votes Edmund "Ted" Ryll ... 481 votes Trustee Of The Trust Fund - Three Year Term - Vote For One Harvey Sieran ... 218 votes Musterfield Cemetery Committee - Three Year Term - Vote For One Henry A. L. Parkhurst ... 702 votes Winchester School Board- Two Year Term - Vote For Two Colleen Duquette ... 320 votes Jennifer ( Gomarlo ) Gile ... 483 Kristine Carle ... 148 votes Denis Murphy ... 267 votes ARTICLE 2. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of up to Three Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,400,000.00) for the purpose of preparing plans and specifications, and for the reconstruction of the Winchester Wastewater Treatment Plant, that will qualify the Town for federal and state funds, such sum to be raised by serial bonds and notes, under and in compliance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (NHRSA 33:1 et seq as amended) and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to issue and negotiate such bonds or notes, to determine the interest rate thereon, and to take such actions as may be necessary to effect the issuance, negotiation, sale and delivery of such bonds or notes as shall be in the best interest of the Town of Winchester; and further to authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply for, accept, and expend grants, donations, and gifts, and to participate in the State Revolving Fund, established pursuant to RSA 486:14. To be enacted, this article requires a 3/5 vote. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 9-2 YES 575 NO 229 ARTICLE 3. Shall the Town of Winchester raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $3,555,071.00? Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $3,564,362.00, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town of Winchester or by law or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 10-1 YES 650 NO 151 ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $40,000.00 for the Town’s share of State road grant reconstruction costs for bridges and place it in the non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund established at the March 2006 Town Meeting under Article 19 for that purpose? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0 YES 629 NO 177 ARTICLE 5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $28,677.00 to be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund established under Article 16 at the 2006 Town Meeting for the purpose of performing the assessing update or revaluation of the real estate in the Town of Winchester scheduled for 2009-2010? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0 YES 485 NO 334 ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate $24,800.00 as the fourth of five lease-to-purchase payments for the 2007 International dump truck, plow, and sander package? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0 YES 549 NO 248 ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will vote to establish a Capital Reserve Account under the provisions of RSA 35:1 III for the purpose of future upgrades and/or purchase of the town’s computers and networking system, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in this fund with the Board of Selectmen being the agent of said fund? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 9-1, 1 abstention YES 427 NO 371 ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000.00 for promoting commercial and industrial development in the Town, and name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend said funds? This is to be a non-lapsing account up to five years after the end of the fiscal year. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0 YES 441 NO 359 ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in the Police Cruiser Capital Reserve Fund established in 2006 at the Town Meeting under Article 14? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 10-1 YES 385 NO 422 ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $18,340.00 to payoff frozen sick time for Town employees as previously agreed? This employment policy of the Town has since been discontinued. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 10-1 YES 448 NO 365 ARTICLE 11. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 to hire a professional firm to prepare an impact fee schedule, which will allow impact fees to be collected from developers? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0 YES 478 NO 321 ARTICLE 12. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000.00 to support the annual Pickle Festival? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0 YES 492 NO 320 ARTICLE 13. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate an amount not to exceed $18,000.00 to be deposited in the Evergreen Expendable General Care Trust Fund established by an affirmative vote by the 1998 Town Meeting as Article 11; the source of these funds to be withdrawn from the surplus generated by the perpetual care funds already established for the care and maintenance of lots within the Evergreen cemetery, and not from taxation. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 11-0 YES 627 NO 174 ARTICLE 14. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000.00 for the purpose of subsidizing youth recreation in the Town to be paid to the E.L.M. Memorial Community Center on a contractual basis? Inserted by petition Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 4-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 9-2 YES 528 NO 294 ARTICLE 15. Are you in favor of raising and appropriating the sum of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for the support of The Winchester Learning Center, provided that the Winchester Learning Center raises an equal or greater amount from other sources? Inserted by petition Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 3-0, 2 abstentions Recommended by the Budget Committee 6-5 YES 306 NO 443 ARTICLE 16. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate up to $10,000.00 to reimburse the Conant Public Library Investment Account at Ocean Bank for the purchase a new boiler for the Conant Public Library? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 Recommended by the Budget Committee 9-2 YES 542 NO 290 ARTICLE 17. Shall the Town vote to discontinue the Class 6 portion of Fullam Pond Road? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 YES 562 NO 249 ARTICLE 18. Shall the Town vote to adopt the provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a, I(a) to authorize the conservation commission to expend funds to purchase interests in land outside the boundaries of our municipality, subject to the approval of the local governing body? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 YES 307 NO 486 ARTICLE 19. To see if the Town will adopt the provisions of RSA 466:30-a which make it unlawful for any dog to run at large, except when accompanied by the owner or custodian, and when used for hunting, herding, supervised competition and exhibition or training for such? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 YES 633 NO 193 ARTICLE 20. To see if the Town will vote to discontinue the Reassessment Capital Reserve Fund established by Warrant Article #21 at the May 1987 Town Meeting? These funds were expended in full June 1996. This is a clean-up Warrant Article per the Department of Revenue. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen 5-0 YES 622 NO 154 ARTICLE 21. “Shall we adopt the provisions of RSA 72:37b, for an optional tax credit of $0.00 on residential property for the expanded local property tax relief for all residents who have been declared to be disabled under the U.S. Federal Social Security Act?” Inserted by petition YES 365 NO 366 ARTICLE 22. Pursuant to RSA 41:8-d, “Are you in favor of decreasing the board of selectmen to 3 members?” Inserted by petition YES 345 NO 461 ARTICLE 23. To see if the Town will vote to continue to operate under an appointed road agent? Inserted by petition YES 472 NO 303 ARTICLE 24. Shall the Town, in accordance with RSA 79-A:25, deposit in the conservation fund, 75 percent of the revenues per year, collected in Land Use Change taxes, and deposit the balance of all such revenues in the general fund for the purpose of reducing taxation? Inserted by petition YES 528 NO 246 ARTICLE 25. To see if the Town of Winchester will accept the road known as Ashten Rue in the subdivision known as Woodward Heights Subdivision, as a town road. Inserted by petition YES 419 NO 368 ARTICLE 26. We the town’s people of Winchester, New Hampshire choose to commend Gene Park, animal control officer, for his many years of dedicated service. Inserted by petition YES 581 NO 204 ARTICLE 27. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #1 as proposed by the Planning Board? To amend Article III, Q to read: Uncommon multiple uses of a property will require a special exception. YES 451 NO 291 ARTICLE 28. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #2 as proposed by the Planning Board? To amend Article III, T: Replace paragraph on signage with a new sign ordinance. YES 386 NO 327 ARTICLE 29. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #3 as proposed by the Planning Board? To amend Article III, J: Duplexes and multifamily housing, decrease minimum lot size requirements and density would be calculated by number of bedrooms and not units. YES 325 NO 414 ARTICLE 30. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #4 as proposed by the Planning Board? To amend Article III, K: Delete conversion and accessory apartments terms and consolidate the minimum housing requirements. (Homes are either single family, duplex or multifamily). YES 437 NO 285 ARTICLE 31. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #5 as proposed by the Planning Board? To amend Article XXII(Table of usage): Updates to A4, A5a, A5b, H1 & F5. YES 312 NO 324 ARTICLE 32. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #6 as proposed by the Planning Board? To amend Article XXI (Definitions): Delete A, accessory apartments & H, Conversion. YES 311 NO 328 ARTICLE 33. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #7 as proposed by the Planning Board? Adopt the Small Wind Energy Ordinance. YES 520 NO 210 ARTICLE 34. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #8 as proposed by the Planning Board? To amend Article III, U: Delete existing paragraph and replace with a new Steep Slopes Ordinance? YES 344 NO 336 ARTICLE 35. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #9 as submitted by the Board of Selectmen. To amend Article XXII,(Table of Usage) J3: Change J3 and add J4 & J5; To allow composting facilities by special exception in the agricultural & commercial districts, subject to multiple conditions and still prohibit facilities designed to incinerate or dispose of solid waste, unless owned by the town and continue to allow storage of waste generated on site pending removal, recycling or collected by volunteers. Recommended by the Planning Board YES 300 NO 524 ARTICLE 36. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #10 as submitted by petition? To amend by removing all the Planned Residential Development Ordinances? Not recommended by the Planning Board YES 131 NO 604 ARTICLE 37. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #11 as submitted by petition? To request the Planning & Zoning Board to uphold & enforce the Steep Slopes Ordinance? YES 374 NO 323 ARTICLE 38. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #12 as submitted by petition? To amend by removing all the Back Lot Ordinances. Not recommended by the Planning Board YES 169 NO 556 ARTICLE 39. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #13 as submitted by petition? To amend by prohibiting the installation of any new underground or fuel storage tanks in the downtown business district zone. Not recommended by the Planning Board YES 215 NO 556 ARTICLE 40. Are you in favor of the adoption of amendment #14 as submitted by petition? To amend with new language, item #3 under J, Industrial uses, to allow by special exception facilities designed to process, recycle, treat and transport solid waste, refuse and putrescible materials as defined by RSA’s only in the agricultural or highway commercial districts with restrictions. Not recommended by the Planning Board YES 135 NO 679 |  | |
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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Final Vote on Warrant Articles and Budget
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44 comments:
We are in trouble...
We sure are!
Thanks for going to all the trouble to post all the info.
What does this town have against the Winchester Learning Center?
Reply to Kevin,
Perhaps, that we are already paying too much for the care and education of our children and just can't afford any more. I too thank the INFORMER for posting the tally of our votes. Great job.
I agree. I would like to know where every taxpayer dollar goes towards the school system in this town as well. But.......
as far as I know the Winchester Learning Center is not a part of the school system. Just a non profit trying to help kids before they get to the Winchester School.
$10,000 to reemburse a trust for a furnace? Just what is a Trust for then? $50,000 for ELMM? But no for the WLC?
We are in trouble...
I guess I should look for another town to live in... sell my house - get outta town ... can't afford all these luxuries... too bad only a 1/4 of the voters showed up... maybe it's true, "no one cares".
Who won the seats?
Sorry, I had posted the results of the officers on the main site earlier this morning .. here you go.
... and you're all welcome for thanking us, we'll keep at for all of you.
If the detail police work is so good for the town why are we getting the bulk of the work. If its such a good deal let them buy there cars out of that money. I can't believe the voters finely said they have had enough of being hosed. They didn't get it with the rest of the depts.
I am very disappointed in many of the results, especially the school's. As you may already know, the school's budget is much larger than that of the town. In order to limit school spending we needed to vote change in. It appears that many voters wanted a change by voting for Jenn but how did Colleen win again?
Lets bring Nancy Pelosi to town, she would fit right in. GOOD NEWS The budget com. looks good, if they can survive,Chris,Kevin,and Henry at deliberative.
I was linked to this while reading the Monitor and reading about Hillsborough. I couldn't stop laughing, sorry I know to you that live there this is no laughing matter. I have to admit I am a Town employee in another Town but this reeks of a Town that I just left where the inmates ran the asylum and were friends with the Board members and all they had to do was cry and whine to them that I didn't like them, I made them account for their time and the list went on to the point that the employees threw me and my family under the bus every time that they could. I can say that I am much happier now working for a professional Town where the employees are thankful to have a job. Yes they get raises but they are held accountable. My parents raised me to give an honest days work and when you get you check feel that you earned it because no one owes you anything. You are paying alot of money actually more than I make for two people in Accounting for a Town of 4500 people. I used to work a while ago for a small Town and did payroll, AP, balanced the books to a clean audit, and handled the Administrative duties.I did make over 60k but you get what yo pay for! Someday I will retire and become my own little Municipal Resources and be glad to clean up Towns like this!
Your hired!
Sorry but we can't piss off the accounting dept, they plan all the party's at the country club.
Speaking of Hillsborough, good luck with our ex town manager. Keep a eye on your reserves, you may end up with none just like us.
Its unbelievable when a stranger understands what happening and our voters don't.Take a another look at what this person had to say, hit the nail right on the head.
Wow I never thought anyone would read what I had to say but it was nice for the job offer but I am quite happy where I am. Though I know nothing of Winchester, I believe I drove through it one day and from what I have read seems like a small Town that is dependent on property taxes to survive. My comments come from being involved in municipal government for over 20 years. I have had many opportunities to meet some great people who truly work hard and some that feel the sense of entitlement once they become a Municipal employee. I could never sleep at night ripping off my employer. My dad said give 110% no matter if its work, sports or school. I have to admit always didn't do it in school though. It seems like you have a long road ahead of you. I do not know Mr. Stetsor either. People need to understand though that one who works in municipal government has a tendency to offend someone at sometime and we all carry baggage of some sort, yes even me but nothing illegal or immoral. If the residents feel they are being cheated perhaps you bring in someone to look at the functions and what the jobs entail. I am sure that you will find waste. Every Town that I have gone in there has been waste but it doesn't last long and that's when the employees do what they can to take you out at the knees. Good luck to all and I will check back to see what comments are made. Oh by the way I never meant to piss off the Accounting Office, just my opinion. FYI bi-weekly payroll for 60 employees used to take me 3 Hours to do, and Accounts Payable for 75 bills with multiple accounts 4 hours. I took a Town with a Surplus of $87k to $1.4 Million when I accepted a job at another Town. Not bragging you just need to know that we are all not bad, you just have to look for the right person.
Reply to Anonymous:
what you are saying is so very helpful to the ears with many of us that really want to see change in our town/community. But what we need is to grasp it and make it work. Would you be willing to provide us with some guidance (steps) to get started. As you may have notice we elected some of the same ole spenders with bad habits running our town for another whole year. I feel we need to use a different approach to make a change to educate our voters and to work together to build a better community instead of a cut throat name bashing high property tax community. We have so many people who are willing to reach out go above and beyond to make a difference, but we operate reading a book that has some of its pages glued together.
This was a headline below the fold in the Manchester Union Leader. "Most NH voters keep tight hold on purse strings. At Town meetings with few exceptions, residents were in a frugal mood. At town meetings voters this year turned a skeptical eye toward anything that looks like unnecessary spending".... They were not talking about “our town” Why is Winchester always the exception?
We are not a uneducated group of people. Misleading facts from the town hall. Was it the fact the selectmen have not been honest with the tax payers all while playing a game of secrecy about how badly the town finances are? How many voters of the many money warrants and blotted budget knew last fall the selectmen were talking about which street lights they could turn off to make the pay roll? We are heading for an economic meltdown with layoffs, tight credit and falling home values and only will get worse. If the selectmen were more honest with the voters, the voters would have thought twice before increasing there property taxes upon themselves.
We will be working hard this year to bring the facts as we know them to the tax payers of Winchester. I will be paying Sharon Haley at the finance office many visits and the tax collector office about the increase in tax leans on homeowner’s property.
"To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality" Anita Boddick
Frugal and accountability are two unknown words in this town, our elected officials don't represent the people in town, they only care about themselves and their small group of supporters. Look at the people that they keep appointing to boards and committees time and time again, same people, same results, lots of spending with nothing to show for it. Our school budget is way out of control and still our children are failing and can't pass a simple adequacy test. We had a chance to change things this week and start going in a different direction; but there are just too many people who don't care and are willing to be ruled, yes ruled by a very narrow minded, self serving group of people that somehow, year after year spin their propaganda and get away with it. Until all of Winchester's voters go to the polls, there will be no change, there will be no future for our town or our children, there will be just more of the same; wasteful spending, failing grades and town going broke trying to project an image that doesn't exist.
These people who have come forward and provided us with insight and are putting themselves in the line of fire for attempting to make a better life for all of us should be praised for their efforts to inform us and unite us in a common goal to improve our town. We need to support this group, get involved and take it upon ourselves to make a difference and get our town back on track. It is going to take all of us to change things and to make Winchester a better place to live for everyone.
I think that what we need at this point is a new post on here, just for good ideas on what we residents can do. Leave it for only ideas besides going to meetings. We deffenitly need to have a lot more residents showing up to BOS meetings on Wednesdays along with Planning Board, School board and Budget Committy meetings. Maybe a little bit more negativity on the bad decisions of our Selectmen, will help make them think a little bit harder. Rite now we are going down but we can not go down quietly. The only way to raise ourselves back up is to make some noise. I hope I am not alone in thinking this but we need some ideas of what we can do. It never hurts to try!!!
I am not much for a community organizer, but I would love to organize a grass roots committee to be organize before the next election. There are grants out there for these type of community groups for the betterment of communities. The taking back of "our town" from the few who thing they have an entitlement to our tax dollars. We will start an idea blog soon. Thanks Mechanic and others you have given us hope.
Well here goes. Some will say what the hell is this persons problem they don't even live here, others will say thanks. To me it really doesn't matter. Here are some tips and ideas. First if you are having an annual Audit from an independent firm, read the Management Letter Comments. If they just say that you do not comply with GASB #34, don't worry most Towns your size don't either. If you do not have an annual Audit, get one. This may put peoples mind at ease. In any small Town, there are the outsiders and the Townies. Pick your battles and explain that you want answers. Agree to disagree, but be firm and ask questions no matter how many times you have to ask. If the employees are related to the Board, good luck because the inmates will run the asylum. Everyone should be accountable for their time and remember no salary employee can accrue comp time as it would violate their exempt status. Ask the Town Manager if he gets monthly reports from his Department Heads and their employees as to what they did for the month. Even ask them to keep it weekly if need be. From this you will see what is being done and the hours necessary to complete the job. Reward employees for coming up with tax savings ideas. Remember tax payer groups are perceived most times as the enemy. I have found that if you speak to them and be honest, they may not like what you say but they will respect you, well they should. Treat people as you wish to be treated. Explain it as many times as you need to. I turned a taxpayers group that thought my position was useless into a group that came to me instead of the Town Manager for answers. If your Board of Selectmen are 3, try adding 5 seats that usually gives more diversity. There are consulting firms out there that will come in and review your operations. Some however will tell you that you need more employees to comply with proper accounting controls. In this day and age though that's not a reality. If you are getting your Health Insurance from LGC or Primex, shop it. If theres an agent in Town ask them if they would consult. If not try and combine with other surrounding Towns and get in the pool for over 100 employees. Most times your rates are lower. I have hired a consultant and one year my increases in Health premiums weny up .02 and then decreased 2.8% for no change in coverage. Try to buy things in bulk and lock in. Don't be too hard on the person that locked in the fuel, they would have been a hero if it kept going to the $7 that some were predicting. If you can get your fuel from the State pumps. Well that's all for now I'll check back for other questions and comments. One last item before I sign off. If you think your wages are high, log into the LGC website in Concord. On there you can download their salary survey and compare to other comparable Towns. Remember though, the studies are usually a year behind.
Well of to bed I have my Town Meeting tomorrow
Bob you certainly deserve a Thank You for all your efforts and continued efforts to make a difference in our community. I really like the suggestion that Mechanic had but I would like to broaden it and suggest we form a Communtiy Coalition!
I would like to quote the president "it's time to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off" and get going. We know what we need to do let's develop a plan and beat them at their own game. Just remember to put a smile in your voice and people will listen.
Be thankful that you got rid of Stetser. I was linked to this blog from comments on an article about Hillsboro in the Concord Monitor. Our town meeting looked like it was going to be a disaster, but fortunately the people took charge and we slashed the budget. Stetser is clueless; its obvious he can't do the job. Sounds like he really did a number on Winchester with the credit cards. People in Hillsboro are getting a clue though. Good luck, I hope things work out in your town.
Congratulations on this web site, looks like its has fans state wide.
Reading in the paper it said 865 voters turned out Tuesday; but how come when you add up all of the votes, not once does it come out to show 865 votes were cast? For example the selectmen, add up all the votes cast and divide by two and it comes out 762.5 voters voted for one candidate or another. You mean to tell me that over 100 people didn't vote for any selectman at all? look at the school board vote, it's even weirder. Something just doesn't add up here. Can someone from this web site or Bob Davis check this out? Have we been duped by the town gain?
Even if you were to prove that there are discrepancies, I think the time to challenge or ask for a recount/hand count ( if it wasn't already done on election night ) has passed. While it is possible that in more than one case someone did not cast their vote and skipped over warrants they possibly did not understand, to not vote for at least one candidate at all is pretty strange; but then again having over 2000 registered voters in town not care enough about their town or neighbors to show up at the polls and cast a vote, shows you just how strange some people think and act here in Winchester.
That's exactly the reason we can't change anything in this town. Can't get enough people together to make any changes, they just don't care enough about anything but themselves and their own little world. Yet they'll bitch loud and long when something which they could have taken part in affects them. Maybe when they realize they're gonna lose their homes next year with our taxes going up again and the town reevaluation coming they;ll all wish they had turned out on election day and voted. Hind sight is always 20-20.
On Election Day the total votes per candidate did not add up with the number of votes cast, plus the election totals showed 199 blank votes on the ballot, (ovals that were never filled in), that's just for the elected offices. Bob Gray told me if the instructions on the ballot, stated vote for two and a person only votes for one, the other vote is counted as a blank vote. Which totaled 199 blanks. So what the Bob Gray's and the town's position is 199 votes didn't get counted.
Advise that was given to me was, if the election was less than 10 vote difference I should challenge the election, now I am having second thought about my decision. (It is too late to challenge it). now.
A little strange that 199 people, out of 866 that voted, took the time to show up at the polls and yet had no opinion on voting for more than one candidate for Selectman and by the looks of it did the same in the other categories as well. We can understand people being unsure when it came to some warrant articles, the wording was a bit confusing on some; but not choosing more than one candidate when they had the opportunity to do so is odd. I guess we'll never know whether these circle were left completely blank or just partially filled in and not counted as valid. One thing for sure, that's a big percentage of the voters who cast ballots.
I think Bob Gray is wrong on this one.Voting for one gives that Pearson the edge and has been used for years. It will be interesting to see how this plays out,if we can get the answer.Who would you call?
Voting questions go to the Secretary of State Bill Gardner
I think the numbers could work out to be a variety of different compulations. For example 100 voters didn't vote for a selectman position or possibly 200 voters only voted for one (to make their vote a stronger vote.) The later is a much more reasonable reality.
The important thing here is to not suggest there is a conspiracy (you can't change the past anyway.) but make sure your ideas that would create positve change are heard.
Good Morning everyone..
Myself, I am still just as upset that the turnout wasn't there. Everyone I talked with was excited to vote this year .. Wanting change was the number one agenda on everyones mind.. then to have it turn out the way it did is just awful. The question we need to be asking is "How can we get more people to the polls?" Do some need rides? Do some need Apsentee ballots? Do some simply don't have the time.. maybe they need a sitter or a reminder? Car pooling? Some just work the weird hours and some are sleeping the weird hours... too many reasons to compile a list.. however, we could have sign up sheet somewhere.. maybe if someone needs a (free) ride? Or a (Free) sitter?
Also, I was thinking - and talked it over with others.. and I will talk it over with Ken Bartheuime (excuse the spelling), I would like to change something in how the town workers have their lunch. Right now, they get 1/2 hour lunch. It's not paid, so therefore we have no say as to where they have it. If we offer them a 1/2 hour paid lunch - they would have to bring the lunch with them on the job, have it whenever they wanted (when the job allows it) and the trucks would not be used to go back and forth. We would save money on gas (for the trucks) and we would supposedly get more work out of the workers because they wouldn't need to spend time running back and forth (which turns an 1/2 hour lunch into an hour in some cases - depending where you are working that day). Anyway - they guys could work 7-3 instead of 3:30 - and we would pay for their lunch.
What does everyone else think?
Well... that's it for now... I really would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard in keeping us all informed... I for one greatly appreciate everything you have all done and said. Also, that lady from the other town, how thoughtful of you to send us your ideas... please come to our town and meet with some of us.. maybe we can talk you into staying and running for a seat? hahaha... I have a house you can buy!
Sonja
Sonja I'm not a lady I'm a man with over 20 years Municipal experience.
Its amazing how many people form out of town are checking out this web site, keep up the good work.
I have been following it to see that my point is right that in most municipalities you have those that work and those that feel they have entitlement. My idea is that all employees should be given 1 year contracts and if they perform they stay, if they don't they go. It wouldn't be political if you give attainable goals and objectives that people are graded on. I say start running Towns like a business. This coming from someone who does work for a municipality and whose pay increases were tied to performance!
oops, sorry for the "Lady" presumption! I still have a house I can sell you .. and I will still meet with you for coffee ... hell, I hear the town garage has a fresh pot brewing all the time!
Sonja
Thanks for the invite Sonja and you can keep your house. Your Town reminds me alot of another NH Town struggling with high taxes, no commercial tax base and many affordable homes. Stay involved and let them know in your Town that you are going to ask questions. The people in Town Government are probably dying to find out why I have so much knowledge on this or who I am. All I will say is this, what I know about Winchester is little but from peoples explanations, your Town office seems very Top heavy with personnel for a community your size. I now know you have 5 Selectmen so my comment there doesn't seem to be working. Maybe if you do not have one, organize a taxpayers group, these usually work in communities like yours. It also appears that the school tax is very high and I'm sure the Budget Committee is overwhelmed with the information that they receive at budget time and feel helpless so they cut the area that they know, the Town.
The statement in the previous comment about the overwhelming information disclosed at school budget time is right on. Their budget is put together by highly paid professional proxy to the school board, and is very difficult for the lay people to desipher. They quote lofty and iron clad legal jargon that leaves the average person in financial bewilderment. The budget committee needs to tackle it by bottom line, and skip the nickle and dime approach, which doesn't work. Give the professionals a budget figure and tell them to make it work. That is their job,instead of feathering the next nesting season. The people need to use the power that has been bestowed on them and then userped by the education aristocracy.
One small problem anonymous on 4/6 you are a Senate Bill 2 Town and if you are also Senate Bill 2 for the School, you need to come up with a default budget that allows mandated costs to be added for Special Education and contracts like Teachers pay and benefits. Take those items out and if your Town is like most theres not much left over.
I think we need a warrant article for next year to buy a rolling magnet for our recycle center. My only problem out there is nails and screws in the drive path.
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