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Have a comment to make?  Want your opposing view heard?  The GRA welcomes your opinions! 

The Goffstown Residents Association welcomes letters from readers and will print as many of them as space permits.  Unsigned letters cannot be used, but names of the writers will be withheld on request.

To have your letter considered for publication, send an email to letters@GoffstownResidentsAssociation.com.  Please type "Letter To The GRA" in the subject field, and include your name, hometown and daytime phone number (we won't publish your phone number).   

The GRA reserves the right to edit for legal considerations, and to select letters for publication at our discretion.

ARCHIVED LETTERS TO THE GRA

To the Editor of the Goffstown News: 

I don’t have "mixed emotions" over the Aug. 10 Goffstown News editorial titled "Relief and anger over Laura Mackenzie." My opinion is that the writer is ignorant, rude and needs to take a course in understanding and wisdom. 

Thought you, no doubt, are older than Laura, you lack the rational faculties, the intelligence, that a person in your position should have. 

In a world where so many grownups lack prudent judgment, how dare you criticize Laura for leaving home? 

There are many 18-year-olds in 2006 who are frustrated because of our chaotic world. Tell me that you made no mistakes when you were 18 and I won’t believe you. 

Laura’s past shows her intelligence, and with time she will show wisdom, for she has understanding and loving parents who welcomed her home without a word of arrogance as you wrote. 

Welcome home, Laura. This experience will make you wise and understanding when you have children of your own. 

Remember one thing: Everyone you know and those you don’t know have made mistakes. Stand tall, you’ll have a great life. 

God bless you and your family.

Lucille Lagasse
Goffstown

Your article begins with a statement, which reads:  "incumbent Richard Georgantas received a paltry 28.5% of the vote".  This statement is very deceiving.  Dick lost the election by 148 votes.  I don’t think you can interpret the results to say it was a major defeat.  Sure, anyone can make percentages look a certain way, but certainly a reasonable person would not interpret this appointment to mean that the voter’s will was ignored. 

If Bill Wynne had resigned earlier in the year, thus allowing three spots open on the Planning Board, there is a very good possibility that Dick would have been reelected.  As I pointed out at the Planning Board meeting of March 14, historically, the board has appointed the candidate with the next highest votes to serve on the board when there is an opening; whether it is for an alternate or regular position.  A few years ago, Collis Adams lost the election by 127 votes, and was appointed back on the board immediately following the election.  I’d like to know how this differs with what we did this year. 

We have two new alternates serving on the board.  They have both been with us for a very short time.  Tim was appointed in September 2005, and Bill was appointed in December 2005.  Alan Yeaton has only been on the board since December 2005.  Dick has over ten years of experience.  To turn away an experienced board member, who only lost the election by 148 votes, would not have been the wise thing to do in my opinion and would have been directly contrary to past practice of this board.   

I also believe you are reading too much into how Dick campaigned.  To infer that Dick didn’t bother to campaign because he knew Bill’s position was going to become available is ridiculous.  He certainly had no idea that Bill Wynne was going to resign when he did.  The fact is that Dick was the next person on the ballot, and the only other person who actually signed up to run for the Planning Board. 

I guess the statement that the "Good Old Boys network in Goffstown remains intact" was the one that bothered me the most.  Anyone who knows me certainly knows that I have never been part of the "Good Old Boys" nor will I ever be.   

As far as our attendance at the Economic Development Meeting, we had arranged to meet with the EDC prior to the election.  Dick was prepared to speak with them and I was going to attend as the Vice-Chair of the Planning Board.  After the election, I asked him not to change his plans because what had transpired with the EDC had occurred during Dick’s tenure.  Alan Yeaton was actually there as an EDC member and not a Planning Board member, as he has been appointed as the Planning Board rep to the EDC on March 14.  If I have something to say, you can be assured that I will say it.  I have never been afraid to speak my mind in the past, and that has not changed. 

So to sum things up, I am asking that you please get your facts clear before printing anything further concerning the Planning Board.  As you are well aware, there are two sides to every story.  I am hopeful that if you have a concern in the future, you will contact me.  I can be reached at 668-7086 or jduffy@hooksett.org. 

We do have two alternate positions available on the Planning Board if anyone is interested. 

Thank you. 

Jo Ann Duffy, Chair
Goffstown Planning Board

ALSO SEE:

  Related editorial:  Duffy Missed The Point
  Related article:  Will of the Voters Ignored Again

The apparent reason for this verbal spanking was that Nick refused to vote for Griffin for chairman of the BOS for a list of good reasons! Nick carefully and smoothly chose to be diplomatic in explaining his reasoning but do you think Griffin could accept that? No, she chose to spew her verbal venom just like she did to the audience attending the deliberative session, only this time I think Griffin has been waiting for the right moment to attack the credible newcomer and the honorable method he has chosen to conduct business!

Griffin apparently did not like the idea that the outcome of the vote was not unanimous.

Well, Barbara, the people of Goffstown have come to understand that the way the past BOS did business was very suspect! Our democracy relies on a system of checks and balances, which has been absent with the past BOS.

To think that you expected a unanimous vote on your nomination communicates to the voters that the unpopular form of governing that caused the voters to mistrust the past BOS is expected to continue under your reign. 

Most voters will never forget the unanimous illegal vote to change the chain of command of the Goffstown Fire Department.

They made it clear at the March elections that they did not approve or trust the style of governing that the past BOS practiced. Unfortunately, three of the five BOS members on that board still occupy their seats, but in time that will change!

Congratulations Nick, the people sent a mandate to the BOS, you heard them and your “no” vote proves you are not working for the “Good Old Boy Network” or the BOS chairman, but for the voters that elected you!

Bruce Lemire
Goffstown

This letter is to the residents of Goffstown.

My name is Diane Desmarais, and I consider myself an average resident of Goffstown. My family has lived in Goffstown for 10 years. I have two children who have attended the Goffstown school system. I volunteer at the schools where I can. I attend town fundraiser when I can. I vote and pay taxes. I have attended planning board meetings when topics concern me, and like most other people, my time is precious.

I urge residents of Goffstown to take a good look at the town government we have in place. It really doesn’t take as much of your time as you think. We have members on our town government who have been there a long time, and have personal interest of who, what, where, and why changes occur.

We are all aware of the recent ousting of our fire chief as a prime example. If this hot topic does anything for the residents, it’s to let us know that this is a time for change in Goffstown. It’s a time to change the people who are deciding our future.

Nick Campasano is a resident who took it upon himself to attend some meetings just as I did, to hear of topics that affected our neighborhood and was appalled at the strings pulled and laws blatantly ignored to waive variances and ordinances to pass special interest projects.

I commend Nick for caring enough to take it further, investigate and educate himself with countless hours put forth to understanding town procedures and politics.

Nick is truly a man of integrity and honesty. He cares about Goffstown. He lives here, has a family here, and pays taxes here just like you and I.

Residents of Goffstown need to look at our town and know that we need to grow, to move forward, and make smart educated decisions for our future.

People like Nick Campasano can be trusted to help sort through issues and make the best choices for the residents of Goffstown.

March 14 is a very important day in Goffstown and residents need to get out and vote for a trustworthy town government.

Diane Desmarais
Goffstown 

If Ms. Winrow and others who attended, or watched on television, the school deliberative session on Feb. 6, you will know that I asked the school board specifically whether the $306,510 appropriation in Article 2 was needed to cover construction delays due to litigation associated with the Tirrill Hill site or the Glen Lake site. In response, both Ellen Vermokowitz and Scott Gross answered that the additional construction delay costs referenced in this appropriation were due to litigation for the Glen Lake site and not the Tirrill Hill site. By simple examination of the records, we know this to be absolutely untrue.

This is not an issue of blame, as Ms. Winrow claims, but rather an issue of trust. When we enter the voting booth on March 14, we will be reading, and voting on, an article that contains false information in order to gain this appropriation. Information that the school board knows to be false. I will not support such an article and I don’t care about the source of the funding.

But the issue runs much deeper than that for me. If the school board is willing to tell a little white lie about Article 2 then how can I put any trust in the budget numbers found in Article 3? There are those who will say I should because the budget committee recommends the article. I have trust in the good work that the budget committee does; however, they are working with numbers and explanations supplied to them by the school board. My trust in those numbers and explanations has been shaken considerably by Article 2.

The school board is asking for $33.1 million in this year’s budget, a 10.3 percent increase over last year. That equates to a $1.47 increase in our tax rate. Last year’s tax rate increase due to the school budget was $1.52, about the same. If you think the increase in your last year’s tax bill hurt, get ready because it is coming again this year!

I do, however, support Article 4. This article would allow the budget committee to set the default budget. The school board has set their own default budget at $32.4 million, an increase over last year’s operating budget of $2.3 million, or 7.7 percent!

This default budget is only about $800,000 less than their requested budget, or only a 2.4 percent reduction! $2.3 million is an awful lot for health care coverage and fuel cost increases as the school board claims. Or are we being told the whole story? I don’t know for sure but I do know that I have lost a lot of trust. Article 4 would allow an independent party to more closely examine the default budget numbers and explanations, thus restoring some of that trust.

Of course the School Board does not support Article 4, who wouldn’t want to dictate their own default budget increases without budget committee oversight.

John Caprio puts it very nicely when he says that what we have here is the proverbial fox guarding the budgetary hen house. Time to change that unacceptable situation.

Collis Adams
Goffstown

Come on, Collis. Let it go. Kindergarten in Goffstown has been delayed by others before your belated campaign. It was delayed by the defeat of the Jason Drive site. It was delayed by the Tibbetts Hill site litigation (you see, there was some!). And, it might have been delayed by the court action of your group, except that the work was continued while you tried to delay it.

And, as time went by, construction costs went up. That is happening all the time, and sometimes causes losses. I am sure that, having made a contract, John Neville had to swallow the higher cost of fuel for his trucks and other equipment. He deserves our gratitude for a job well done, in spite of reduced profits.

As far as exercising your rights, you and your cohorts had plenty of opportunity to suggest other school sites, well before the Glen Lake site was decided on. Why didn’t you exercise your rights earlier, even four or five years earlier? You and your group knew we were looking for school sites, but you uttered not a word until the site chosen was next door to your own property. How can you claim that was not a factor? Honestly.

As to responsibility, honesty and integrity being taught in school, they are, but some people seem to learn these qualities, and live them up to a certain age.

Then, what the heck, there is so little of these in the world, why bother? But you can still seem to have them if you demand it of others.

You lost, and sour grapes will get you nowhere. You look much better if you accept the loss gratefully. And you’ll feel better if you get into something productive and forget this battle.

Charles W. Carr
Goffstown

I fully support the Goffstown Fire Department in their efforts to provide fire and EMT services 24 hours a day, seven days per week. And I support the proposed article number 30 that will be on the ballot March 14.

Comments made against this proposal don’t justify voting against it. “We don’t know the whole plan,” has been said. “Let the selectmen and the fire chief each swallow their pride, then work out a plan,” was said. “Can we afford it?” has been asked. We don’t like that our taxes continue to rise.

The selectmen were charged with the responsibility of developing a plan for the 24/7. They failed to do so. The fire department created a plan and explained it at the deliberative session. Who better than those who do the job regularly to know the number of firefighters needed to get the job done? To know the shift schedules that will work. Barbara Griffin admitted the BOS and fire department aren’t far from each other in the number crunch.

It has been said the number of fire calls has decreased so we don’t need a 24/7 fire department.

It takes only one fire to create the need. Do you remember the January fire on Addison Road? It was three alarms and a total loss. It happened at 3 a.m. when the fire department wasn’t staffed. But for the grace of God, that could have been any one of us – our homes, our business. Let’s not remedy the situation AFTER someone dies.

The question isn’t if we can afford it. The question is, “Can we afford not to?” The small rise in taxes attributed to this plan is less than the deductible most of us would pay if our home or business burned down.

Not to be dramatic, but that is – if we were still alive to pay it. There are many needs and issues important to the town. But safety - for the town, our homes, our businesses, and our lives – should be a top priority. Vote yes on Article 30!

Gail Labrecque
Goffstown 

Unveiled at the Goffstown deliberative session (part 2) on Thursday, Feb. 9, was an understandable and acceptable plan to staff the fire department.

A Goffstown firefighter, Maurice Mailhot, very carefully explained the work that Goffstown Fire Department (GFD) members, had done to estimate the cost of hiring 18 new firefighters for 24/7 station coverage in Goffstown.

More impressive was Mailhot’s explanation of line item costs moved or deleted to create a lower bottom line to the taxpayers.

In fact, estimated 2007 costs started at $879,691.68, but savings were realized by not having to hire personnel for weekend station coverage with a 24/7 crew in place. The wage package for new firefighters and 24/7 station coverage for 2007 would be reduced from $879,691.68 to $269,184.07. Mailhot was harassed by a belligerent Selectman Robert Wheeler trying to pick apart the GFD plan, but level-headed Mailhot prevailed in part due to the integrity of a well-thought-out 24/7 GFD plan. Wheeler finally retreated to his seat to pout while the audience was heard quietly giving their approval to the GFD plan versus the board of selectmen’s (BOS) scandalous Public Safety Department concept!

We all need to remember that fire departments are proactive not reactive, similar to our military. They both need the manpower and training prior to responding to a crisis! Ask the GFD about recent calls, response times, and manpower to get the true story. Don’t believe what the BOS tells you!

I am only a fire buff, but I have experience arriving at the scene of a house totally involved with fire including all of the many trees that lined both sides of the house front to back. As I stood there looking at this “hell” waiting for the FD, it was amazing how two or three minutes helped magnify the already volatile condition. A quick response to a fire or medical call can save property and lives and only happens if firefighters are on duty 24/7.

Our BOS have micromanaged the GFD to death, are trying to dismantle it, lied to the taxpayers, and displayed total disrespect to the people that we trust with our safety and lives.

GFD firefighters are EMTs and serve as public servants for one reason, to help people in need! Send a message to the GFD that we support and trust the real heroes in our society by voting for the 24/7 plan.

Bruce Lemire
Editor, Amoskeag Reserve Engine Company (NH Chapter of SPAAMFAA)
Goffstown

In January 2005, I conducted an eight-hour training seminar on Class A Instant Fire Behavior; Flashover-Backdraft – two of the most dangerous aspects of interior firefighting – to members of the Goffstown Fire Department and members of the Bedford and Hudson fire departments.

The caliber of personnel attending the seminar impressed me very much. I found them to be intelligent, competent and open-minded, with a thirst for knowledge to enable them to do their work in a more safe and efficient manner.

The leadership of Goffstown Fire Chief Frank Carpentino is to be complimented. The super initiative and progressive thinking of Chief Carpentino to schedule the seminar is highly commendable. The detail and hard work of Capt. Steve Tower was outstanding. Excellent facilities for presentation of the seminar were provided.

I would like to thank everyone I met for the hospitality, friendship and kindness shown me. It was a pleasure to work with everyone involved.

Joseph M. Wescott
Deputy Fire Chief (retired)
Fire Suppression and Training, Concord Fire Dept. 

"An Uninformed Public Enables a Corrupt Government". Do you know what has been going on at the Goffstown Town Hall? Do you attend or watch Board of Selectman (BOS) meetings on the Goffstown Cable Channel regularly? Probably not, especially if your children are of the age that all of your free time is spent taxiing them to their practices, games, dance, or music lessons.

Well, the Goffstown BOS operates with the intention that not many residents are paying close attention to them. The closed-door politics that have been taking place in Goffstown are an example of what happens in Washington when there is no safety net called "checks and balances!" The Goffstown Public Safety Department (PSD) scandal is one example of closed-door politics that the BOS wastes its time on and, luckily, this illegal fiasco finally hit a nerve in a great number of residents. Let’s be honest, that is not the only piece of BOS business that should make your blood boil.

As we go into the March vote, I for one would like anyone that reads this (letter) to ask questions and lots of them! Such as:

•  How and why did Gossett McRae become a selectman without winning a popular vote? How and why did he become the chairman of the BOS?

•  Why has the BOS snubbed their noses to the voting public by failing to follow through with the wishes of the majority vote (more than once)?

Do you believe a Goffstown selectman should take advantage of you by slashing department budgets to protect his own interests while sacrificing the safety of our children and ourselves by dismantling the Goffstown Fire and Police Departments, all while living outside of Goffstown? In my opinion, this person is public enemy No. 1 - and don’t forget, the remaining members of the BOS have supported this twisted person!

If you are upset with the way the BOS has conducted its business and you would like to know more about the present BOS, then I suggest you contact Nick Campasano. This honorable resident, who had enough guts to sit before the BOS and tell them that their PSD plan was illegal, has done his homework and will run for the position of selectman in the upcoming election! Let’s support Nick and send the current BOS packing!

Bruce Lemire
Goffstown

Re: Mr. Upton’s letter to the editor of the Goffstown News on Jan. 19 addition praising our selectmen for "being innovative" - to quote him, - Don’t bust down the selectmen’s door with a battering ram, just turn the knob, the door is open. Come in and listen to what they have to say.

So far, despite repeated questioning, our selectmen have said nothing about the costs, time frame or much of anything else, other than that they wanted to, and temporarily did, eliminate Chief Carpentino’s job. If they have given any definitive information, it certainly has not been at their weekly meetings nor to the press. All discussions, at least since November, have been behind closed doors in "nonpublic" discussions. In fact, at one meeting, in response to direct questions by a member of our budget committee, Chairman McRae said something to the effect that perhaps his questions might be answered later. They were not.

Re: the editorial in the same issue, do not bet that selectmen McRae, Wheeler and their three silent partners are going to let the citizens decide on the police/fire merger. In the same article announcing the reinstatement of Chief Carpentino, Selectman McRae said that the selectmen will ask the town’s attorney to file for a reconsideration with the court because “we’re concerned the judge didn’t understand the circumstances.  What part of the law do you think Judge Mangones' did not understand?

In the interim, we, the taxpayers, are going to be paying the legal fees on behalf of our selectmen, fees to date and until they give up on appeals or on requesting reconsiderations.

It is my understanding that our selectmen failed to include the fire chief’s salary in the budget.

If I am correct, are they that certain that the judge didn’t understand the law?

As always, I invite a response from our selectmen via a letter to the editor.

Robert L. Dunn
Goffstown 

The ambulance service for the town of Goffstown in my opinion has taken a step back to where we were in early '90s. The town had two ambulances in the '90s, and still has two at this time.

Since September 2005, a change has taken place where we only man one ambulance from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. with two men.

The village ambulance had an accident, and it was replaced with a new one for the cost of $130,000. This ambulance sits in the village station from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and is not manned. In the past years, the ambulances were manned with on call basic EMTs, EMTIs and a few paramedics.

Now, since September 2005, we have closed down one ambulance for a 12-hour period each day and manned one ambulance with two attendants to respond from the pinardville station. This creates delays in responses to the village and other areas of our town. It also appears that when this manned ambulance is in a response, that we are vulnerable to long delays in the other 37 square miles that our services cover.

When GEMSA was providing ambulance services to Goffstown, they raised the money to provide two ambulances and the necessary supplies and personal for the town. Their goal was to provide two ambulances so as to cut down on long responses to medical emergencies.

I feel that we need to provide coverage for the ambulance in the village station. It does not make sense to spend $130,000 for an ambulance and not use it for 12 hours each day.

This service is being billed out and payment is being received for its use at no expense to the taxpayer. These charges have already provided an ambulance and coverage. There is also money in the special account and if there is not enough money to cover the service then we have to charge more money, or make other arrangements.

Quick response to heart attack, strokes, cardiac arrest, auto accidents, etc., are of the utmost importance in providing EMS to the citizens of Goffstown.

Ret. Fire Chief Richard E. Fletcher
Goffstown

It was with much interest that I read last week's letter to the editor of the Goffstown News from our board of selectmen.

I was particularly struck by the part that read, "at the 2004 Town Meeting, voters approved an article requesting the Selectmen to develop a plan for 24/7 fire and EMS service. Our position, then and now, is that the Town already provides those services..."

Nice try. The warrant article actually directed the selectmen to provide a plan for "24-hour Fire and EMS staffing." It is insulting to voters' intelligence to attempt to argue that the town already meets the intent of that article.

Their letter continues on with, "The Board is unaware of any public complaints regarding the current delivery of services."

Unaware? One thousand five hundred and six residents and taxpayers went to the polls last year and directed the board to come up with a plan for real 24-hour coverage. They didn't complain about the fire department, nor did they express dissatisfaction with the quality of services. They voted to ask for a plan to provide a trained firefighter in a fire station 24 hours a day to rapidly respond to a call for help. The board has failed to meet that mandate.

My parents used to remind me that if you told a lie, it required a hundred more to cover it up. As we pass this advice on to our children, we need only point to the current board of selectmen as an example. This controversy, brought on simply to settle a personal vendetta, has resulted in backtracking, half-truths and word parsing by our public officials. They should be ashamed.

My tolerance for this political double talk and shenanigans has been reached. While it would be much easier to sit at home, in the comfort of my armchair, and pen weekly letters to the editors, I feel that it is time to take a more direct approach. After much thought and deliberation, I have decided to run for selectman.

This is a decision that I take quite seriously. As residents and taxpayers, we deserve to have political leaders who are responsive to us. If elected, I pledge to restore integrity to the Goffstown Board of Selectmen. I invite you to visit my Web site (www.nickforselectman.com) and learn more about me. I ask for your support at the polls on March 14.

Nick Campasano
Goffstown 

The judge hearing the case against Goffstown Fire Chief Frank Carpentino and the Goffstown Board of Selectmen (BOS), deserves credit for ruling that the BOS acted inappropriately when they bypassed the voters to make severe changes to the Goffstown Fire Department (GFD) command structure.

The judge obviously recognized the arrogance and misuse of political power by BOS members. Although Chief Carpentino was reinstated, this battle is not over! The original problem still exists. The revenge scheme against Chief Carpentino by certain BOS members has not ended!

If you saw the news story on WMUR-TV about Chief Carpentino's reinstatement, you certainly noticed the continued arrogance of Gossett McRae and Robert Wheeler! They were still acting like the dictators who created the Public Safety Department (PSD) scam! “Taxpayers will save money” was Wheeler's message.

If you look at “the big picture,” perform some research, ask the professionals and rely on your common sense, the conclusion is that the PSD will add a significant increase to your tax bill. Wheeler is once again working with smoke and mirrors in order to trick the uninformed or confused voters in town!

The BOS cannot be trusted!

They did not listen to the voters last March and instead of accepting the taxpayers' desires of supporting the GFD and the plan to make it a first-class fire and rescue service, they voted to dismantle it and make it a victim of tax cuts. The GFD is too important a department to allow this to happen!

Join me in voting against the PSD and the re-election of any current members of the BOS.

Let's support Charles Carr's petitioned article which requests that in order to be elected to the BOS, you must physically live in Goffstown. We have seen the problem that was created by the BOS appointing Gossett McRae to fill a vacancy on the BOS and then voting him chairman.

Perhaps another article could address this flaw!

Maybe the BOS should be more aggressive in developing a larger commercial and light industrial tax base for Goffstown instead of constantly cutting services to lower our taxes!

Bruce Lemire
Goffstown 

In a recent posting of the new Public Safety Press Release page, on the town's Web site, Sue Desruisseaux quoted The Goffstown News editorial of Nov. 17, stating, "The Goffstown News editor sensibly concludes that Selectmen need to reveal more details of this plan."

I wonder if the town administrator will be rushing to her computer to post that same editorial board's comments of Jan. 5. Here are a few of them:

"While the people of Goffstown directed the selectmen to improve the fire department at last year's Town Meeting, no mention was ever made about merging the two departments."

"This merger is happening too fast, with no proof and no public input."

I'm sure one comment you will never see on the town's Web page is that same editorial staff's closing comment of "What on earth are the selectmen thinking?"

Mrs. Desruisseaux stated in her press release "research shows that the key to a successful consolidation of Police, Fire and EMS services in a Public Safety Department rests in the process a community uses to develop their unique model."

What is missing in her comment is the fact that a community must first carefully study to determine if consolidation will even work in their particular situation.

The "Consolidation Report to the Board," posted on the town Web site, lists a recommendation that within two to six months the town look at the cost of an "Allocation and Distribution of Personnel" study to determine the feasibility of integration.

Responsible town leaders would have performed feasibility studies before embarking down the road of consolidation and not six months after implementation.

When Gossett McRae left the Board of Fire Wardens in 1992, he wrote, in his letter of resignation, that the town should consider police and fire consolidation.

Now that he is in a position of power, he is going to shoehorn the town into that configuration regardless of whether or not it fits.

He claims that he has been talking about a combination department for years. Really. To whom did he speak? When the town was seeking a new fire chief, following Chief Nault's departure, why didn't Mr. McRae come forward with his great notion? Isn't it curious that he didn't pursue his idea of consolidation during the time he was in a position of authority as a deputy fire chief?

Following the script of this charade is Selectmen Wheeler, who on Dec. 19 requested that the town administrator make a recommendation regarding the appropriate compensation of the public safety director. Interesting.

During the Nov. 5 nonpublic session of the board of selectmen meeting (copies of those minutes were obtained through a right-to-know-request), Mr. Wheeler described keeping in the budget $22,584 for the public safety director. That would be on top of the police chief's current salary. Apparently, Mr. Wheeler already set the "appropriate compensation" package in secret one month prior to his public request of the administrator.

Regardless of whether you are for or against the idea of public safety consolidation, don't lose sight of the real issue. This is the issue of process. As a resident and taxpayer of Goffstown, you should be appalled at the process the selectmen have used to perpetrate this change. It is time we hold our elected officials accountable for their actions and show our outrage by voting them out of office in March.

Nick Campasano
Goffstown

Who Is Fred Plett?

He was Bob Wheeler's first nomination to fill the vacant selectmen's position in 2004.

Is he part of the "good ole boy" network in Goffstown?

His statement was not accurate. There were no public hearings for Shirley Park Sidewalk.

March 15, 2004, selectmen minutes, Carl Quiram stated, "We have received numerous complaints about the sidewalk on Shirley Park Road." Carl would send out letters to residents informing them of what will be done. The board voted 5-0-0 to remove the sidewalk. Carl also stated " East and West Union Street sidewalks are in bad shape."

April 1, 2004: The Goffstown News reported "after years of neglect followed by several residents ' complaints the town has decided to do away with the sidewalk once and for all," Quiram stated "at the rate we are going (repairing other sidewalks) it would be years and years."

"It's not like it would be two years from now – who knows when? But it's off the horizon." Resident Stafford stated, "they have not done one darn thing." Resident Calvo stated, "Leave it there because it's better than not having one at all." "I don't know if the town is aware of how many people come down here and walk," "It's become quite a walking neighborhood and children riding their bikes," "It's disconcerting that the town can just go in to take a sidewalk up without replacing it."

She was concerned about the process by which the sidewalk was approved for removal. Other neighbors wanted it to stay.

Jan. 3, 2006, selectmen's meeting, Desruisseaux recently said there has to be a public hearing (to put East and West Union Street sidewalk on an exceptions list).

Are East and West Union street sidewalks next to be removed?

Spring Street sidewalk was put on an exceptions list without a public hearing as retaliation for filing a complaint.

My neighbors, from children to seniors, have to walk in the street most of the time.

Is Spring Street sidewalk scheduled to be removed? Where are the budgeted tax dollars for sidewalk maintenance going?

My pictures help prove DPW's violations of ADA Title ll, our agreement, and the town noise ordinance. Remember the Department of Justice/U.S. Attorney's Office investigated the town for violations of the American with Disabilities Act?

Fred does not have all the facts on my ADA issue, I would be willing to share them with him if he is willing to be open minded and has the authority to help me. Fred are you willing to help me?

Should a consulting firm be hired to study DPW and recommend ways to save tax dollars?

Large private companies do. Why not our large DPW department? A smaller more efficient DPW means a smaller tax bill.

Wayne Perreault
Goffstown 

The New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown could be the only winner in the ongoing fiasco between the Goffstown Board of Selectmen and the Goffstown Fire Department including its (former) fire chief, Frank Carpentino. The institute could benefit by having political science students research the colorful political issue playing out at the Goffstown Town Hall, right across town from its location on campus. I think they may find through their research that the democratic process of government in Goffstown has been replaced by the “good old boy” system of dirty politics!

On the surface, we have Chairman of the Goffstown Board of Selectmen Gossett McRae. This Goffstown resident (at least we believe he is a full-time physical resident, but I guess that needs to be proven by him) was in a bit of controversy when the McRaes brought a lawsuit against the town of Goffstown to stop the building of the Goffstown kindergarten.

The kindergarten was meticulously planned out and creatively presented to the voters by an energetic Goffstown Kindergarten Committee and received a majority vote by the voters of Goffstown.

Then in another controversial move, the Goffstown Board of Selectmen and veteran Selectman Robert Wheeler appoint Gossett McRae to the board of selectmen (to fill a vacancy) and also name him as chairman of the board, all without a legal vote from the voters that he is supposed to represent. In the months to follow, a microscopic eye was focused on Fire Chief Frank Carpentino and the Goffstown Fire Department. The purpose for this micromanagement was not to follow the voter 's wishes for a first-class fire department, which Carpentino was hired to create, but, upon further investigation, it appears that McRae has a personal score to settle with Carpentino.

In November of 2005, it is learned by the public that McRae and fellow Selectman and Goffstown resident Robert Wheeler (at least we believe he is a resident, but he also has to prove to the voters of Goffstown that he still is a full-time physical resident of Goffstown) have been hard at work creating a legal scheme to fire the Fire Chief Frank Carpentino. This scheme will allow McRae and Wheeler to remove Carpentino as the fire chief by creating a new department head called “Chief of Public Safety,” gifting this position to current Goffstown Police Chief Michael French and removing the position of fire chief from the Goffstown Fire Department! All under the headline “Fire Chief removed to save Goffstown taxpayers money!” A unanimous vote in favor of the plan was passed by the board of selectmen.

To the students of any political science class, there are undeniable mistakes in the way in which the Goffstown Board of Selectmen functions! The selectmen may say that everything they do is legal, but is it the appropriate and democratic method?

As an educator, I often find myself defending the democratic system of government to youngsters that believe that they cannot make a difference because of their belief that “most politicians are crooked.” I respond that very few are crooked, but they are the ones that make an impression on you.

In the case of the Goffstown Board of Selectmen, the Goffstown Town Administrator and the Goffstown Police Chief vs. the Goffstown Fire Department, I would have a difficult time defending to my students any of these people. They have enabled two Goffstown selectmen to promote their personal agendas at taxpayers' expense while they hide behind the veil that Goffstown taxpayers will benefit from their actions. They know, and some of the voters of Goffstown know, that their plan or lack of a plan was fabricated not to save money but to legally cover up the firing of Frank Carpentino!

I, for one, plan to demonstrate to my students that I have a duty to make sure that the people the voters elect follow the democratic form of governing.

With this said, I will do whatever I can to suggest the replacement of Susan Desruisseaux, town administrator, and Michael French, police chief, and practice my right in the voting booth to replace the following Goffstown selectmen:

Gossett W. McRae, Robert L. Wheeler, Philip A. D'Avanza, Bruce F. Hunter and Barbara J. Griffin.

If you believe in democracy and wish for better representation in the town of Goffstown, then I invite you to do the same.

Bruce Lemire
Goffstown 

(Read to members of the Goffstown Board of Selectmen, Dec. 12, 2005)

I am aware that Chief French has spoken to members of the fire department. Having said that, since none of the other selectmen have had anything to say publicly, I would like to direct my comments and questions concerning the proposed merger of the fire and police departments to Selectmen McRae and Wheeler.

It is my understanding that as of the selectmen's meeting of Dec. 5, that no selectman has requested any input from the fire department to assist in the possible merger. This input would appear to be absolutely necessary to me, on such a major change in the town's structure.

You have demonstrated (at least to me) once more, you really do not give a hoot about the safety and well-being of the citizens of Goffstown by providing the maximum protection available.

Perhaps this is part of your “plan.” You have succeeded in passing the buck on your asinine merger scheme to Chief French.

In my opinion, Chief French is more than qualified to, and does, direct the operations of an excellent police department, one of the best, if not the best, in the state. I question, however, if he is qualified to be merging these two departments without some basic input by the selectmen and information from the fire department.

These two departments represent the physical safety of our citizens and their property.

Again, where is your concern for us, the citizens, ignoring our safety just to satisfy your egos and to get rid of Chief Carpentino by way of the proposed merger. This would be laughable if it were not reality.

When and how do you propose to get the necessary information from the fire department? How can you justify your lack of interest? Perhaps this is part of your “buck passing” plan. If the merger goes astray, you two are safe, you can say it was Chief French's fault.

By the way, what is happening to the fire department's proposed budget? I requested, and have received, a copy of the slimmed down budget proposed by the selectmen. These figures are a matter of public record and I urge anyone watching to request a copy of them. You probably will not be surprised to note the difference is a loss, when the selectmen got through with it. The fire department's 2005 budget was $2,030,096.

The department requested an additional $95,325. Instead, with the citizens' safety in mind, you slashed the 2005 budget by $76,608. This is unbelievable, but I suppose you will let Chief French handle your can of budget worms.

Finally, I have heard rumors that Selectman Wheeler will not be running for another term. I have not heard about Selectman McRae's plans. I believe that neither would stand any more chance of being re-elected than the proverbial snowball surviving in hell.

With this in mind, and your apparent success in getting rid of Chief Carpentino, I am asking you to do the honorable thing as your last acts as selectmen.

First, rescind your asinine merger plans, and second, resign as soon as possible for the wellbeing and safety of the citizens of Goffstown.

Robert L. Dunn
Goffstown

We are writing because we have been very disturbed over the tone of several letters and editorials in the Goffstown News pointed at the GRA (Goffstown Residents Association) and in particular Mr. Kurt Lauer and Mr. Collis Adams.

We think many people have forgotten that in a free society such as ours, there are always checks and balances to insure that the right thing is done.

Our governments, (whether they be federal, state or local), our workplaces, our churches and other organizations usually offer its members/citizens a vehicle through which they can pursue their concerns. This pursuit should not be seen as being "against" something but as offering our citizens the chance to be heard about their objections on a certain subject.

We also thought the tone of your editorial after the court's ruling in favor of the town that told Mr. Lauer and Mr. Adams that if they didn't like it they could move somewhere else seemed more like something a gloating child would say rather than the "high road" a newspaper editorial should take regardless of where they stand on an issue.

Like Mr. Lauer, I was also on one of the many kindergarten committees this community has sponsored (1998-99) and am certainly in favor of public kindergarten.

We are not members of the GRA. but we certainly support their right to do what they have done. Those with minority opinions deserve to have their voice heard as well.

We must not forget that we are fortunate to live in a society where everyone's voice can be heard. We wouldn't have it any other way.

Gerald and Rosalind Spiller
Goffstown 

I have been speaking to residents and one believes that they are the combining the police and fire departments under the pretense of tax savings. Then possibly reverse what they are doing in a few months when Chief Carpentino has been ousted only to appoint Selectman McRae as fire chief. This sounds like a distinct possibility to me, how about you? McRae recently resigned from the fire department. And why is he the chairman of the board of selectmen while he has been a selectman less than a year?

To save tax dollars, take a good look at DPW, not the fire and police departments. I worked as an engineer doing efficiency studies, estimating and special problem solving to reduce waste and increase efficiency. I have seen the Goffstown Department of Public Works wasting tax dollars for years.

There is no consistency with the plows. Seems like they are just let loose. One year they plowed Spring St. eight times for a 6-inch snowfall. Again wasted tax dollars. There should be better management by the DPW director. This also goes for the trash and recycling. More inefficiency and wasted tax dollars.

The trash/recycling drivers stop on Temple Court, get out of the truck to move the barrels to the other side of the street, then put them back. Efficient? It's not safe walking in front of a running unmanned trash truck.

It's also close to Maple Avenue School. How many others get special favors from DPW that cost you tax dollars?

In the Nov. 5 selectmen budget deliberation meeting (available on DVD at the library) see the last 20 minutes. Carl (Quiram) talked about how he wants to start building bridges. Doing so will save the State DOT more money than us? Carl, why are you wasting our tax dollars?

Carl has bought much bigger trucks the past few years.

Most now have $6,000 highway wings. I saw Carl ask for one in a selectman's meeting.

Why wasn't it bought when the truck was ordered? Why wasn't it in his budget? Why does Carl needs bigger trucks? Carl wants to do more of the town work with DPW, not put it out to bid.

In that same meeting Selectman Griffin stated that DPW is "a department that comes in here every year saying it's overburdened, has yet to expend the entire road budget that's been allocated it every year on an annual basis." Yet they now want to add building bridges to their list. Is Carl building bridges or a resume? She also talks about a shell game in regard to the moving of the money that's been allocated this year to Henry Bridge.

We were told that doing our own recycling was going to save on our taxes. The first recycling truck was white and had a small body on it. I now see a bigger new blue recycling truck. We recycle at about 27 percent. Are we even close to the savings we we told we would realize when we voted? Is recycling costing us more in taxes?

I realize from past experience that exercising my right to free speech and asking that my civil rights be respected in this town has its consequences.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office investigated the town (Sue Desruisseaux, Carl Quiram and the board of selectmen) for four months after I filed a discrimination claim the town refused to reach a resolution. The investigator told me "the town has spent considerable time and money providing documents that may or may not have existed before the complaint." Do you want your tax dollars to be used fighting against the rights of the disabled?

The DOJ told me "the town would plow the Spring Street sidewalk." The town refused to resolve the issues. The U.S. Attorney wrote "This office will not take further action regarding this matter "at this time," also "You are free to file a private suit in federal court." A Disability Rights Center attorney said the cost would be $100,000!

That would be the same for the town. They have wasted your tax dollars fighting and harassing me for three years. Are you OK with that?

I have a walking disability and Spring Street is my accessible way. I wrote to the editor of the Goffstown News stating we should not fear losing a sidewalk just because we ask for it to be patched. They removed Shirley Park Drive sidewalk the next day. Drive by Spring Street to see how poorly it is maintained. All the other streets and sidewalks in the area are cleared of excess snow by the town. Spring Street and its sidewalk are not. The residents try to keep it clear. But the snow builds up, street narrows and it makes it impossible for two vehicles to get by each other on the road. The sidewalk gets buried.

I call on all residents of Goffstown to be aware of DPW wasting your tax dollars. Make notes, tell your neighbors, take pictures. We can "VOTE OUT" Selectman Wheeler and Selectman McRae. We can vote down the highway funds article next year. We can vote in two new selectmen who will be fair, open and work for the residents of Goffstown and not treat them with disrespect. The new selectmen can support our police and fire departments as well as Chief Carpentino.

Wayne Perreault
Goffstown
This letter was edited by the Goffstown News for length.

On Dec. 5, I addressed the Goffstown Board of Selectmen and voiced my concern with its members' continued misuse of nonpublic sessions. The State of New Hampshire has regulations pertaining to our right to public access.

These regulations are contained within Chapter 91-A, Access to Public Records and Meeting. The preamble to this chapter beautifully sums up the reason we have right-to-know laws.

"Openness in the conduct of public business is essential to a democratic society."

The conduct and lack of openness exhibited by the board of selectmen is a prime example of why these laws exist.

In early November, I requested copies of the selectmen's non-public minutes pertaining to the discussion of public safety consolidation. My request was denied.

They stated that those discussions pertained to personnel issues and were, thus, exempt from the right-to-know laws.

But discussing general personnel issues is not a valid topic to discuss in non-public session.

The fact that they are attempting to shield those minutes under the right-to-know exemption proves their existence and illustrates their non-compliance with the statutes.

RSA 91-A: 3 gives public boards the authority to hold non-public sessions and begins the list of approved topics with the statement, "Only the following matters shall be considered or acted upon in non-public session."

It goes on to describe nine allowed topics of non-public discussion: the dismissal, promotion or compensation of any public employee; the hiring of a public employee; matters which, if discussed in public, would effect the reputation of an individual; consideration of acquisition, sale or lease of property; consideration of pending claims or litigation; adult parole hearings; correctional facility personnel or inmate security issues; Business Finance Authority applications; and matters relating to thwarting a deliberate terrorist-like event. There are no footnotes to the RSA that allow the Goffstown Board of Selectmen to discuss issues of their choosing in non-public session.

So I ask you, where is the openness of our board's conduct?

As I stated earlier, RSA 91-A:1 states, "Openness in the conduct of public business is essential to a democratic society."

It continues: "The purpose of this chapter is to ensure both the greatest possible public access to the actions, discussions and records of all public bodies, and their accountability to the people."

The problem with the Goffstown Board of Selectmen is that its members don't think they are accountable to anyone.

During the public comment, my request to have Selectman D'Avanza stop shuffling papers and, at least, pretend that he was listening was met with disdain from board members.

How dare a lowly taxpayer ask an almighty selectman to pay attention to what we have to say? They can't be bothered with our comments and they consider themselves above the laws and regulations.

Well, it's time to change that.

In March, we can take a step closer to more openness and accountability in our local government by voting them out of office.

Nick Campasano
Goffstown

Well I have to say that the Goffstown Board of Selectman – all five of them – should be ashamed of themselves and should turn in their positions of public duty and stop endangering the people of Goffstown by making the foolish decisions they make.

These five members have made a real mistake with your tax money and their decisionmaking powers. They hired a fire chief and won't even let him run his department.

Better yet, they have fired him (told him he wasn't needed anymore).

You, as selectmen, can't even do that right. (I can just imagine the amount of money Mr. Carpentino will walk away with after he sues the town.)

You think you would have a plan in place before letting the fire chief go. The Goffstown Fire Department is once again getting the short end of the stick in town politics.

I bet if we needed more cops we would have them, or if we needed a new road paving program we would get it.

Why not MORE FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTERS who save YOUR lives and property 24 hours a day? It appears a personal vendetta is the latest in the dismissal of Chief Carpentino.

Well, if the police chief was smart, he would refuse this made-up position of director of public safety. You can't do both.

It won't work.

May I remind the selectmen they hired Chief Carpentino over two years ago to take this town to the next level of fire service protection with 24/7 staffing?

Oh, I forgot to mention the town's 1997 master plan states by 2005 the town should look toward staffing the fire stations around the clock. Was this done? I think not.

Yeah, let's hire out-of-town EMTs and call it good. This is just not right. Did you know, as a resident, if a fire call comes in they can't go? They have to staff the ambulance. So if a fire comes in and they are the only ones in the station, they have to stay and watch the ambulance and leave the fire trucks in their places. I hope someone comes in after 6 p.m. when you need help. I can remember as an officer of this once fine department many times having to call mutual aid for a non-response.

I was a member of the Goffstown Fire Department for the past 14 years and have never remembered a time as bad as this one.

You selectmen should stop this personal fight to oust the chief and get real.

I remember talking on the phone with Mr. Wheeler, and he himself said he was intimidated by the fire chief's haircut. Come on, Mr. Wheeler. You have to be kidding me.

Mr. McRae, just let it go. You left the fire department for a reason. Let it go. The small podunk town you think we have is no more. We are bigger than some cities in New Hampshire. They have 24/7 fire departments.

Oh, by the way, I know there is a rumor afloat that two selectman have property in town, but do they reside here? Are they really residents or just landowning taxpayers? Well, if so, you should rethink your positions of authority.

I think they should publish a letter stating they all live in town – not just own property. I urge all the taxpayers of this town to call the State Attorney General's office and file a complaint requesting an investigation on this.

Don't call the town administrator 's office, the call probably won't get forwarded to the board. Seems there is an information-screening party once a week.

And for the rest of you selectmen, make proper decisions for your short time left in office. You will be ousted from office when your term expires.

I think we can start an ousting editorial every week until you give the fire department the respect it deserves.

Nice job on the 2006 budget cuts. What you cut from the fire department's budget, you can just give it to the schools.

Oh, I hope they can respond when an incident in town needs them.

Denis Pinard Jr. 
Pinardville

A dangerous form of government has surfaced here in the town of Goffstown, N.H. While our fine servicemen and women are sacrificing their lives abroad to bring democracy to foreign lands, Goffstown selectmen are practicing their own form of governing that resembles what we are fighting to abolish elsewhere.

By "firing" the current fire chief and setting up an Emergency Services Department, Selectman Gossett McRae explains, "We believe that over the longer term, this will provide the most efficient coverage to the Goffstown citizens for safety services." (Goffstown News 11/17/05)

Selectman Bob Wheeler further explains, "I think everyone should have a mixed reaction about the plan because nobody knows what it is yet" and "Anybody that's positive in one way or another is positively wrong, whether they favor it tremendously or oppose it tremendously, because it's not fully developed" (Goffstown News 11/23/05).

A report in the New Hampshire Union Leader (11/9/05) states – The board of selectmen this week voted unanimously to eliminate Fire Chief Frank Carpentino 's job and gave current police chief, Michael French, oversight of both departments in a newly created position of director of Safety Services.

Am I missing something here? The selectmen announce a unanimous vote by the board to terminate Fire Chief Carpentino 's position, they then create a new town department and place the current police chief as department head, all without a vote from the taxpayers of Goffstown! Is this democracy? By eliminating the fire chief position by Dec. 31, 2005, and implementing their "new town department" on Jan. 1, 2006, this board has denied the voters of Goffstown the right to make this most important decision to change town structure. I take issue with Bob Wheeler – if the plan is not fully developed, why then are the selectmen putting their plan into action at the end of December and then allowing the voters to vote on this issue in March 2006, months after Chief Carpentino has been fired and the Goffstown Fire Chief's position has been eliminated?

It is time for the taxpayers of Goffstown to register their disapproval of this "Good Old Boy" board of selectmen before their proposed changes take effect. Selectmen Wheeler and McRae have colored their new safety services plan to look like an efficient and cost-saving plan, but isn't it really centered on retribution to Chief Carpentino and his desire to answer the taxpayers' March 2005 vote for a modern 24-hour fire and emergency department?

Bob and Gossett, it is time for you to stop your political games, have more respect for the taxpayers of Goffstown and abandon your emergency services plan. The legal costs associated with the fire chief's firing will make the $1 million in taxpayers savings (according to your plan) look like pocket change and will burden taxpayers and their children for years to come!

Bruce Lemire
Goffstown

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!" – Sir Walter Scott The Union Leader, Nov. 9, 2005 – In an article titled, "Selectmen vote to eliminate fire chief's job," Selectman McRae said, "The exact details of a single agency plan (combined fire/police department) have not been worked out yet."

The Union Leader, Nov. 10, 2005 – Selectman Robert Wheeler said, "The selectmen made the decision Monday (Nov. 7) as part of an effort to cut $1 million from the proposed budget presented by the various town departments."

The Union Leader, Nov. 16, 2005 – In an article titled, "Goffstown police/fire unions fight merger plan," the approved minutes of the (selectmen's) Nov. 7 meeting were released yesterday and "make no mention of a vote to eliminate Carpentino 's position or appoint French as director of safety services."

Maybe changing the established operations of the fire and police departments was not important enough to be included in the minutes. Minor details to the selectmen, probably. Do you, the voters, agree?

The Goffstown News, Nov. 17, 2005 – The paper's editorial said in part, "Goffstown selectmen want to consolidate the police and fire departments. Such a move is meant to save money in the long run, but they admit it may increase taxes in the short run ..."

If the selectmen had any information to verify their plan would work, wouldn't they say the plan would save money in the long run? Do they have tangible information on the money issue? It would seem reasonable to have facts, figures and examples of their proposal to support this drastic change.

Since the fire and police departments will fight the merger, will the selectmen vote (quietly, with no writing in the minutes) to eliminate their positions along with Chief Carpentino's?

I believe the local papers would be willing to publish the selectmen's response to these questions.

Robert Dunn
Goffstown

I read the news his week and found that your injunction was unsuccessful, not very good news at all. Do you have plans to appeal the the decision?

I hope you do not let your coalition of voters and residents fall apart, as there are still major problems with the town government and school board. Not just the kindergarten. Even if you do not appeal, the selectmen have lost touch with the reality of the town. The school board believes that they are the final authority on all things educational. I was heartened to see that so many people believe that as well in the editorial page last week and this week. The town is ripe for change, and the means to change it is in the group you formed.

The only way to effect change and bring things back to common sense is to continue fighting the powers that be. Rail at every hair-brained idea that comes from the selectmen's office. The way that BOS uses the closed door session is outrageous, and, if i have read the state law properly, using it illegally (I believe, most of the time, they think up new ways to spend our money in those sessions). There are some whoppers in the pipe as i write, that will lead to tax increases and endanger the safety of this town. They refuse to allow public interaction on the police/ fire merger, believing that the people don't know what is best and they know better. An entirely condescending attitude that should spark outrage by all people. The real power belongs to the people of this town not politicians sitting in office. And that power needs to be put squarely back into the hands of the people.

If things continue as they are going there is going to be a mass exodus of the hard working people from this town.
Although this battle has been lost, there is still a war to wage.
Sincerely,

Mark Loveless
Goffstown

Regarding the editorial in last week's Goffstown News, the people Goffstown residents should be outraged and disgusted with are the editors of this paper and the selectmen of Goffstown.

I find it completely irresponsible and reprehensible of the editors of this paper to misrepresent the facts surrounding the kindergarten building site.

The editors even encourage the maniacal kindergarten supporters to call and harass Mr. Adams and Mr. Lauer at home to express their anger. You berate these two concerned gentlemen by calling them NIMBYs. In reality, the four editors signing their names to the editorial are ASSINIMBY's. (Alright, Super Since It's Not In My Backyard).

Obviously the editors are too shallow and selfish to understand the importance of the concerns of Mr. Adams group. You are so focused on ramming this kindergarten through you willingly and recklessly overlook the flawed proceedings of the selectmen. It wouldn't surprise me if you four editors are proponents of the eminent domain ruling by the Supreme Court recently.

As editors, you should be proactive in ensuring the politicians in this town are on the level. Doesn't it concern you that the kindergarten land was even too wet to have the groundbreaking ceremony held in its proper location? Does it seem suspicious that the selectmen didn't offer the land next to the transfer station as an option for the kindergarten? Could that have anything to do with maybe developing the site into an industrial complex in the future?

Talk about saving money on site preparation. Does it seem strange to you that recently the selectmen have proposed abolishing Fire Chief Carpentino's job and incorporate his position with the police chief? It might if you knew that Selectman Gosset McRae, who was once a deputy fire chief, was bypassed for the fire chief's job in favor of Frank Carpentino. Our selectmen are out of control and they need to have their actions questioned and challenged by the public.

Yes, Mr. Adams and Lauer are filing a lawsuit on a technicality. That's exactly why the technicality is there. Open your eyes and see who the real culprits are here. Try reporting and in a fair and unbiased manner.

Let me guess, you editors must have some children of your own ready to enter kindergarten in a couple of years? Why can't you believe these two gentlemen do support the kindergarten but they think the legal process should have been followed and the voters of Goffstown should not have something shoved down their throats by self-interested selectmen and the kindergarten Gestapo.

If Goffstown loses its federal funding for the kindergarten because of this delay, make sure you put blame where it's due.

It will be selectmen who are responsible for the loss, not the private citizens. They are letting their own private agendas influence their actions, and the wrongdoing here is that all the available sites to the kindergarten were not offered to the Kindergarten Planning Committee by the selectmen.

John Hartnett
Goffstown 

I spoke before the Goffstown Board of Selectmen on Nov. 14, regarding its sudden announcement to create a combined department of public safety services in Goffstown and to correct many of the false statements put forth by board members.

This letter is to again clarify the misinformation being put forth by members of the board and their attempt to blindfold the residents and mask the true issue that is before us.

Talk of overzealous unions and employee dissatisfaction has already been whispered into the ears of concerned residents.

Don't be fooled.

As I said, these are smokescreens and nothing more than an attempt to prevent us from focusing on the true issue. And that is the questionable tactics taken by this board to govern against the will of the people.

The current controversy surrounding our public safety responders, the traffic light on Wallace Road and the process of granting easements on our public land are but several examples of what has become a pattern by this board of ignoring the taxpayers of Goffstown.

The board of selectmen is out of control.

Volunteerism to one's community is an admirable service and, unfortunately, an increasingly difficult one to obtain.

Still, there are cities and towns that have been blessed with public servants who have given large periods of their life in service to their community. To these people, we should all extend a heartfelt "thank you."

However, there is, regrettably, a dark side to incumbency.

It is the side where empowerment creeps insidiously into the incumbent's mind, after years in office – a power that seduces them into believing that the rules and regulations of the land do not apply to them, that they themselves are the only ones who know what is right, and that the voter is not smart enough to make a correct decision.

Slowly, these individuals begin to create their own oligarchy, where a democracy once stood. It is unfortunate that this board of selectmen is exhibiting all of the signs of that affliction.

A fast and simple cure would be for the board members to resign their office, go home and reestablish their connection with reality. However, we all know that will never happen.

So that leaves the solution to us, the taxpayers of this town.

We must go to the weekly selectmen meetings and voice our outrage. Write letters to the editors of our local papers and demand the selectmen resign.

And, finally, when the March Town Meeting comes, we need to send the board a message that will require no interpretation, a message that says, "Enough is enough. You have been here too long, and we demand a change."

Perhaps by voting them out of office, board members will finally understand what we have been trying to tell them.

Nick Campasano
Goffstown 

There is another problem with the proposed kindergarten site that is not getting much mention.

Town plans were for a kindergarten to be built on a site, and later an elementary school would be built on that same site.

At a planning board meeting, Superintendent Lockwood stated that none of the permits requested or site-work so far done on the Elm Street property include this elementary school at all. In other words, the current argument is over a site that does not meet our town's long-term plan.

After having suffered the cost of site-work and permits, architects, engineers and legal counsel to build on an inappropriate site (the building's impact on the wetland and the wetland's impact on the building in future structural problems are of significant concern), the town will unnecessarily be burdened with additional costs and division when an elementary school site is sought.

The need for this elementary school has already been established. Its location has not. If the kindergarten is built in the proposed spot, taxpayers will have to find another site for the elementary school, then pay for another parking lot, another sewage system, access roads etc. Another traffic pattern will be impacted. Yet another neighborhood will be disrupted.

As a taxpayer, I am outraged that our town leaders would pursue a course that is so obviously not in the best interests of Goffstown's citizens.

I was one of those who voted for the kindergarten. That was when I believed that a suitable site had been chosen by responsible leadership. I no longer believe that to be true, and am outraged accordingly.

Catherine Gorman
Goffstown 

To the Editor of the Goffstown News:  You have got to be kidding me!

The recent editorial by the staff calling for the public to be outraged over the kindergarten. Or should I say an attack piece in order to advance their own agenda?

First, I am all for a kindergarten. If the town and the school board would use a little common sense. Why does kindergarten have to be in its own separate building, thereby creating a drain on the town's resources?

The cost to build and maintain this "school" is downright expensive; construction, maintenance, staffing, administration, utilities, snow removal, the list goes on. Was this considered when advancing the plan? We have four, count them four, perfectly good schools to which we can build an addition and cut all of the costs to implement. Does this not sound like a rational alternative? Or build both an elementary and kindergarten in the same building, to relieve the strain on the elementary schools.

"No one cares" if the deed is improperly written? I care for starters.

That paragraph is the epitome of bias, if I have ever read one.

It is a big deal, the original article would never have been approved if the people voting for it thought it was going to be used for something else besides recreation and conservation. It is a big deal, if you are willing to advance your agenda with no concern for what was the will of the people before the deviation from the land's stated purpose.

It is a big deal, if HUD come calling for the grant money back with interest.

That kind of attitude belittles the concerned people of this town, and really states your contempt for other people's opinions that differ from your own. Even though the transfer was highly supported, the warrant article was ambiguously written.

It took me quite a while to root out the facts surrounding the property, and vote to continue conservation. If it was hard for me to find all of the facts, not propaganda, then it can be said that the article was not accurate enough for the voters to make an informed decision. The people voting for the article really did not know the property's true history. I believe had the voters been properly informed it would not have received the support it did.

For two years now, this town has been hemming and hawing over building the new schoolhouse with no concern for the costs and burden to this town.

The first location selected was not in the least bit suited for this kind of operation. Now we have this new location, which was acquired under completely different pretenses and still not suited for the proposed use.

The town did not do the people right by donating this land to the school board, especially after stating during the original acquisition process,and warrant article, that it was not going to be developed in the way it is now. Our elected officials did not keep the people's trust by transferring this property to the school district, and they certainly did not keep the people's trust by allowing it to be put on the ballot. These people should be run out of office on a rail, the trust is broken.

It is certainly not a frivolous lawsuit when the people of this town hold the selectmen and school board to a promise made to the people. I consider it money well spent when the trust of the people is at stake. What other recourse is there? I fully support this court petition, and would have filed it myself had I thought of it.

As far as it "being just a handful of disgruntled neighbors," you could not be more wrong. I personally know quite few people that consider this "school" location to be a bad idea with no forethought or concern for the burden placed upon the taxpayer of this town.

We have these "kindergarten at all costs" people running around screaming bloody murder, that the folks who filed this petition to court and the people that support them really don't want a kindergarten. When the facts show otherwise. Calling the GRA and concerned citizens obstructionists, hindering progress, NIMBYs is really quite incendiary and does little to advance your cause.

People should not allow the facts to be clouded by emotions, and feelings to overtake intellect.

When this happens respect for other people's rights fade to the distance, oppression and chaos take hold.

We want some common sense used in this venture and all others.

Mark A. Loveless
Goffstown 

I am about to pay my taxes, and once again all I have to show regarding the kindergarten project is a picture of a group holding shovels and wearing hard hats taken on an area of land that is not the actual site because the land was so wet.

This area of property has nothing to do with the original site of the future kindergarten.

Can someone explain to me that if this is the scenario (and please don't tell me that these same people are the ones who will be surveying the construction of same), why are we wasting allotted money for this useless chunk of land as is?

Who is going to pay to have this property drained and made suitable and useful for the purpose intended? We all know that the buck certainly does not stop here. To quote Forest Gump, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Are we to believe that this property will serve the community the way it is supposed to?

Or is this yet another sham and blindfold that is supposed to prevent us from knowing the truth? What is the truth?

Elaine St. Pierre
Goffstown

September 26, 2005

Early this year we became aware that the Tibbetts Hill location proposed for a new kindergarten was most likely not going to become a reality. Since that time, citizens concerned with the process of selecting a site for the new kindergarten have been trying to work cooperatively with town and school officials to identify the best location for the kindergarten and the not-too-distant need for an elementary school. The Goffstown Residents Association (GRA) has played an active role in those efforts by arguing that there is a much more appropriate town owned property than the "Glen Lake" property that deserves detailed investigation to assure a new school facility that best meets the present and long term needs of our students while at the same time limiting the increased tax burden that will come with the new school.  

We now have heard glaring, negative feedback from the Conservation Commission, Planning Board and the NH Department of Environmental Services supporting the GRA concern as to the suitability of the "Glen Lake" property. A lack of reasonable buildable area, difficulties with traffic circulation, inadequate water pressure, lack of required stormwater detention and treatment, earth excavations that will bring groundwater to the surface, the presence of shallow ledge in the western portion of the property, site costs in excess of $600,000 due in large part to unsuitable soils that must be removed from the site and replaced with gravel, the looming debate as to whether or not the site can accommodate an elementary school, the lack of any meaningful recreation areas on the site plan, and the loss of one of the most widely used passive recreation areas in Goffstown are all issues that were brought forth by the GRA many, many months ago and still loom today. Detailed investigations have shown that the reality of the situation at the Glen Lake property runs contrary to statements by our school representatives prior to town vote in March when voters were told that the property had "limited wetlands, good soils, gently sloping terrain, the ability to connect to municipal sewer when the elementary school is built" and that there are no other options for constructing the school on town owned land. 

I find it most disturbing to meet people throughout town who share the concern that had they known the full scope of the issues prior to voting in March they would not have supported the article for the transfer of the Glen Lake property. For this I lay the blame squarely with the Board of Selectmen (BOS). I understand the BOS reluctance to make the land transfer decision on their own and their good intentions to allow the people to make the decision at the polls. However, sending voters to the polls with incomplete or erroneous information is a dangerous proposition that can have disastrous consequences. Had the BOS followed the procedures set forth in RSA 41-14a, as was suggested prior to the town vote, the voters would have gone to the polls with a clear understanding of the issues as well as an opportunity to be heard at public hearing. That did not happen and as a result the process was turned on its head and we are now faced with no clear remedy to this dilemma.  

After more than nine months many people are still left asking themselves: "Is there, in fact, a better option?" This is certainly a reasonable question that deserves an open, honest and educated answer. State funding for kindergarten has been extended until June 30, 2006. There is still ample time to demand that answer from your elected officials and to assure that the impact to taxpayers is minimized. You can educate yourself further on many of these important issues by visiting the GRA website.

Collis Adams
Goffstown, NH

At last Thursday’s planning board meeting, the school district presented its site plan for our new kindergarten. The wetlands impact, and the lack of future expandability was so apparent, that the planning board put off recommending the site and suggested to superintendent Daryll Lockwood that the school district needed to go back to the drawing board. A special meeting to reconsider the site is now set for September 15th.

Mr. Lockwood expressed concern over this delay, claiming construction was slated to begin at the end of September. September??? The district has yet to be granted a single permit or waiver, and is not likely to receive them prior to October. 

Why the big rush, Mr. Lockwood? The deadline for receiving $2M+ in state aid was extended to June 30, 2006. This now affords the school district ample time to properly research all potential locations, and properly discharge their responsibilities to the taxpayers, voters and children of Goffstown by putting forth their best, good faith efforts in selecting and securing the absolute best location to build our kindergarten – and a future elementary school, which we need even more.

State regulations require that the school district provide “data relative to land values and the availability of other property” in order to obtain the waivers they are seeking. Will the district finally consider the DPW site as has been so often requested by the Goffstown Residents Association? What will happen to our kindergarten should we NOT receive the numerous waivers and permits required for the Glen Lake site? Is there a contingency plan? Does the school district have an alternate location ready for this possibility? I asked that question Thursday night. Mr. Lockwood remained silent.

I urge the school district, and all Goffstown taxpayers, to thoroughly scour this site and check the facts for themselves.

Now that Goffstown is no longer faced with a tight deadline for state aid, let’s see what the school district does with the extra time. 

Guy Caron
Goffstown, NH

On Thursday, August 11th the Goffstown School District (GSD) will present a development plan to the Planning Board for construction of a kindergarten on a town owned parcel of land across from Glen Lake. Curiously, the plans that have been presented to date, including plans filed as part of the applications for state and federal permits, only include a kindergarten and not an elementary school. This piecemeal approach to addressing our school needs is not in the best interests of our residents and taxpayers, particularly when considering that the GSD has included a new elementary school in their Capital Improvements Program request. Where is that elementary school to go?

In spite of repeated efforts by representatives of the Goffstown Residents Association (GRA), the GSD has steadfastly refused to consider other town owned property which is much more suitable for development of this scale. When questioned as to why the GSD has not investigated school construction on other town owned property their response has been because the BOS has not given them permission. The truth of the matter is that the BOS has not denied the GSD the opportunity to investigate other property because, according to town administration, the GSD has never asked the BOS to be allowed to examine other property. 

The GSD is doing a huge disservice to our residents and taxpayers by not engaging in discussions with the BOS regarding other options to meet the needs of our school children and their families in a way that utilizes good community planning in the most fiscally sound manner. Goffstown has until June of 2006 to develop the best possible plan, there is no need to rush to some foregone conclusion.

I would encourage anyone who wants to become more fully educated about the issues to visit the GRA website at http://GoffResAssoc.home.comcast.net.  There you will find a wealth of information including public documents, as well as a feasibility study and conceptual plan for development of a full-scale school facility for kindergarten, elementary school and recreation fields on a portion of the DPW property off Elm Street. Please take the time to educate yourself and then ask questions of your elected town and school officials.

Collis Adams
Goffstown, NH

Dear Board Members:
Much has been made, over many years, about bringing public kindergarten to our community. I won’t go into the well-documented history other than to summarize that it has been long, arduous and often divisive for the people of Goffstown.

Most recently efforts have been focused on identifying town-owned land that is available and suitable for siting of the kindergarten and a possible future elementary school. I and many, many others believe this to be an appropriate approach and one that is worthy of careful consideration.

In a memo dated September 30, 2004, you responded to a request from the Goffstown School District asking to identify all town-owned parcels over 10 acres which might be suitable for the construction of a school. In that memo, you identified seven parcels and concluded, “It appears to us that these properties are not credible school locations, due either to their location, their inaccessibility or their current uses.”

It has since come to light that after closer examination you now consider the parcel at Map 5, Lot 14 to be a credible location.

For now, I will accept that determination. However, that change of mind has led me to take a closer examination of the other six parcels identified in your memo.

I agree that five of those other six parcels clearly are not credible school locations for the reasons that you stated. However, the same cannot be said about Map 5, Lot 24.

Lot 24 has essentially the same location characteristics as Lot 14, is completely accessible and is not currently being used for activities which could not be easily relocated to others areas on the lot.

So, this begs a question. Why has the board of selectmen not allowed the school district to examine lot 24 for the construction of a school the same as it has allowed them to examine Lot 14? In fact, you have been asked this very question on at least two occasions in public forums and each time you have remained silent and offered no explanation to citizens.

I believe that you owe the residents of Goffstown an explanation as to why you, our elected leaders, have remained silent on this issue. As you know, time is of the essence so I urge you to provide leadership by taking immediate action to enlighten the public.

In doing so it will assure the public that the plan which goes forward will be the least impacting, most cost effective and best suited for meeting the future needs of our school children.

Please let the people hear from you on this matter.

Collis G. Adams
Goffstown