We've received word from a very reliable source, that at the December 21st Planning Board meeting, a number of proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinances were discussed by the members and that there was much disagreement when Sharra presented her "new and revised" proposed Table Of Permitted Uses to the board. Sharra was attempting to condense 5 pages of permitted usage, most written up by an attorney; hired by the town many years ago and that has been in effect since January 14, 1971 and the rest voted in by the people for the people, down to a 1 page confusing and cockamamie listing in which she removed more than two dozen permitted uses, changed and renamed many uses and attempted to eliminate several of the District designations, like FLP and W ( floodplain and wetlands ).
For those of you who don't have a clue as to what we are talking about, we'll try to make it less confusing for you.
Under our Zoning Ordinances, the Town is currently broken up into 9 different and separate Districts, Central Business, Residential, Rural Residential, Agricultural, Commercial, Highway Commercial, Floodplain, Wetlands and Forest Lake Overlay.
Each District has it's own set rules and regulations, based on structure, height, area, setbacks, lot size and lot width, etc., listing permitted or non-permitted usages and basically what you can and can not do in these designated districts.
Sharra's proposed "new" Table of Usages eliminates over two dozen already permitted uses and several protected and designated districts and combines others under one category which will definitely lead to confusion and more possible lawsuits to sort it all out.
For example..
Under the Residential District designation;
Sharra has eliminated a couple of the designations
Eliminated manufactured homes on individual lots ( unless you're a contractor, as they would be permitted in existing parks or new PRD's; which are Planned Rural Developments aka Van Dyke )
Eliminated Conversions of dwelling structures
Eliminated the Motel or Tourist Cabins usage
Under Institutional Uses, Sharra has;
Eliminated - Public or private day nursery school or kindergarten
Eliminated - Convalescent Home, Nursing Home and assisted living
Under Recreational Uses, Sharra has;
Eliminated - Public Park or playground, including accessory shelter and private grounds for games or sport.
She reworded the other categories and removed Commercial racetracks.
Under Public Service/Utilities, Sharra has;
Reworded and new uses changed for Rural Residential, Residential and the Forest Lake Overlay Districts
Eliminated - Radio, Television, Satellite Dishes and other telecommunication designations
Eliminated - Public Works facility, Fire Emergency and Police Station
Eliminated - Municipal parking
Under Retail Business/ Consumer Services, Sharra has;
Reworded designations and many are no longer distinguished
Eliminated - Theater, Hall or Other Place of Amusement or Assembly
Eliminated - Barber, Beauty Shop, Laundry and Dry Cleaning facility, Shoe Repair, Self-service laundry, Photographer's Studio and/or other similar establishments
Eliminated - Undertaking or Funeral Parlor
Eliminated - Printing Shop, Photo-Engraving Shop or similar
Eliminated - Boarding Kennels
Eliminated - Grocery Store
Under Office Uses, Sharra has;
Eliminated - Bank Office Building, Post Office or other similar establishments
Eliminated - Medical, Dental and other Health Care Facilities
Eliminated - Government Office Building
Under Open Air and Drive In Uses, Sharra has;
Eliminated Drive-In Theater, Stadium or Outdoor Place of Assembly
Under Wholesale Business/ Storage, Transportation, Sharra has;
Removed or reworded a number of uses
Eliminated - Wholesale Business and Storage in a roofed structure but not including wholesale storage of flammable liquids, gas, or explosives
Eliminated - Open lot storage of coal, coke, sand or other solid fuel or similar
Under Vehicular Service and Storage, Sharra has;
Eliminated - Gasoline Service Station
Reworded and removed other designations
Under Industrial Uses, Sharra has;
Broken this category into two designations; light industry and large industry and removed the "NP" ( not permitted designation ) from the Central Business Distric
Sawmills - now allowing uses in Commercial District and Highway Commercial District categories by "special exemption" instead of the NP ( NOT-Permitted ) designation they were listed under before
Under Other Principal Uses, Sharra has;
Eliminated Accessory Uses
Eliminated - Main Uses of Land, not involving structures
a. Eliminated - Forestry, growth & harvesting of timber
b. Reworded to simply read "earth excavation"
This is just a partial list of the changes and designations Sharra is attempting to put into our Zoning Ordinances. This woman is dangerous and is most certainly NOT working for or in the Town's best interest and is out of control and needs to be voted out of office before she turns our town into a lawless frontier for every contractor who wants to build here.
Ken Berthaiume, (sp) the Select Board's representative, after listening to these proposals and reading them over, made a motion to DENY these changes, which was quickly seconded by board member Jack Marsh; however, Sharra flew into a rage and scolded them for making the motion because as she stated; " I have not called for a motion, so I will not accept your motion ". She then proceed to badger the board for nearly an hour, defending her proposed changes, despite their opposition. For those of you reading Sharra's minutes, you'll notice all of this was omitted and that the minutes only reflect that this discussion and changes will be continued next year.
It is obvious Sharra has another agenda at work here and will stop at nothing to get her way. Arguing with other board members, ignoring a motion on the floor and attempting to force the board to accept her changes is a sure sign this woman needs to be replaced and voted out. We can not continue to allow this kind of behavior on a public board, especially one as important as the Planning Board, nor can we allow members of the public to be treated with disrespect and indifference as she has done so many times in the past. Is it any wonder why so many lawsuits have been filed against the Planning Board since she has been in charge?
Throw in the fact, that because of her actions in the Van Dyke matter, she alone is responsible for costing taxpayers thousands of dollars in legal fees, which will increase next year unless the board, without her direction or influence follows it's own rules and regulations and starts doing things in the proper manner.
The time has come to get rid of the problems that plague our town, voting Margaret Sharra out of office is a good start.
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15 comments:
As I see it three things come to mind-the first is that she is either a spoiled brat or bully take your pick. Second the planning board should insist that the correct meeting minutes are approved not Maggie's version. Third, we have the opportunity to vote her out of office. How many more days until the election?
Thanks for the information informer. We all need to go verify this.
All this by a woman that is so smart that see has headed two failed business that i know of.She has to go, Winchester can't afford her.
Can we say shameless liar, control freak and disgusting public servant. She has the worst attitude when it comes to others. Anyone who votes for her this March is just like her and not the kind of people we want or need in our town.
Why the Selectmen allow her to get away with her blatant conduct is a question for the ages. She must have something good on each and every one of them. They all need to be voted out.
Keep up the good work. Information is worth it's weight in gold to the taxpayers. The best way to simplify the zoning ordinance is to get rid of Sharra asap. Let's hope that she has a six passenger vehicle when she goes down the road, so that the seclectmen can ride along with her
The AG's office is still looking into the matter of what happened with Gary Phillips and Chris Roberts and the police association and all the wrongdoings that went on with them.
To Date Gary Phillips (the chief) and Chris Roberts (the Lt) HAVE NOT been absolved of any wrongdoing in the matter of presenting fraudulent paperwork to TD Banknorth so that they could close out a bank account in someone else’s name.
By presenting the bank with this fraudulent paperwork, containing erroneous information, they (Gary Phillips and Chris Roberts) purposely misled the bank into believing that they had the legal authority to request that the bank close out an account BUT, according to what I have seen posted here on this blog, they didn’t have the legal authority to do so.
Bank fraud comes to mind, among other things and that is a very serious thing to think your Chief of Police, for any town, might be involved in.
The selectmen are ALL well aware of this and have done nothing to reign in either one of these 2 town employees nor have they even attempted to address the problem, since Dan Reppucci brought this to the attention of the AG’s office before he was fired from the Town of Winchester.
Instead of trying to find out if there was any wrongdoing, they solved the problem by firing Mr. Reppucci and they continue to let the Chief run the show even though it is becoming more and more apparent that he has no clue as to what goes on in his PD.
Doesn’t sound like the right way to get to the root of a problem that you are interested in seriously trying to solve does it?
Even things like tires on emergency vehicles have been neglected by this Chief, but more serious concerns are with his officers, the perception they have of themselves, the perception that those who deal with them have of them and the perception that their counterparts in other towns have and how they view them.
For those not aware, when Chief Sheats was the Chief of Police for Winchester, Gary Phillips, then a Corporal for the Town of Winchester, complained to the BOS that among other things, the Chief was NOT taking care of the vehicles and that the tires on the emergency vehicles were bald, including cord showing through. Interestingly the tires on Chief Phillips unmarked personal use police car were in the same condition a few months ago.
The BOS of selectmen solved the problem back then, by firing Chief Sheats and making the Corporal the new Chief of Police. NOT the Lieutenant, NOT the Sergeant, but the Corporal. Fast forward some 5 years later. Interesting, isn’t it?
Margaret Sharra and her escapades are just more examples of a BOS who have no interest in running the town in a manner that is in the best interest of it’s inhabitants and taxpayers.
It does appear that this BOS does have some sort of skeletons in it’s closets that it doesn’t want the rest of the world to find out about. Why else would they continue with the blinders?
The selectmen have all made aware of these different issues, they have been told and they have been informed and they choose not to do anything.
The AG’s office has been contacted and asked to look into matters of this town.
Maybe more information will land in the laps of the BOS by way of outside law enforcement agencies and that will enlighten all of us as to what is really going on.
In the meantime, we need to remember to not lose sight of ALL the information we have learned, as all this information is part of the big picture, even if it's not clear yet, it will be as it’s becoming more clearer every day.
The Town of Winchester has a serious political corruption problems. You all need to contact the FBI ASAP instead of just talking and complaining about what the does. You all may want to contact the Govenor also. This is a serious problem that is going to get worse...alot worse. Has anyone looked into Margaret's background? Didn't she come from Connecticut? Maybe someone can start there. By the way she acts she must have a few enemies who are willing to talk.
We should start a blog on the known violations that we know of in regards to the police department. Let everyone share their stories - positive or negative.
Such as how several of the Winchester Police have a bad reputation in the Keene Courts for their behavior on women issues (due to personal prejudices). Or at the hospital, in how they handle drunk patients, etc...
I don't understand why the selectmen don't act and at least remove her as head of the board. Are they so blind or perhaps they are in collusion with
her and also have different agenda than protecting the town. This is very confusing why they would let things to continue when it is so obvious to everyone else.
The woman thinks she is self important and acts like the towns biggest snob when you see her on the street. And how is it she can say no to KB's motion and then ok to PBs? Who does she think she is? When a motion has been made and seconded, she has no right, nor lawful avenue to reject it. All she can do as chair is call for a vote. Shows just how she wants her own way and is willing to go to any lengths to get it. Time we send her home and elect people who will act responsibly and lawfully and follow the law and the town's own regulations.
Rumor on the street is her boy got popped for prescription drugs and it was all hushed up. Now he's snitching on all his friends and others at school and around town in an effort to make amends. Anyone else's son and he'd be in jail. One more perk for the town employees, ask Leroy about his kid.
Another rumor, underage party with all he goody's last spring for graduation.
Looks like the poor overworked lady is working today[fri.]. I thought we went to 4 days to save lights and heat in the town hall, its a farce.
How many taxpayers in Winchester ever get a 3 day work week? When you think about the holidays, our employees get a ton, its got to be the best jobs in the state.
Mrs Sharra is a bully who thinks she runs the town. She makes changes to our regulations to help herself and her friends every year and when faced with opposition she becomes a tyrant, a dictator who will stop at nothing to get her way, even lieing to the other members of the board and disallowing testimony from those who oppose her ways. She has manipulated many zba and planning board meetings and is attempting to make our laws so lax as to be useless. Perhaps it's because of her plans to build some condos down behind the vfw in wetlands that she is pushing these changes. And isn't is a big coincidence that the new sidewalks and pedestrian bridge she is pushing for will benefit her as a selling point when her condos get built. All the whilst we taxpayers foot the bills, $63,000 to enhance her property, what do we get besides the shaft?
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