To the Editor:

I was watching a recent Board of Selectmen meeting and saw DPW director Carl Quiram giving the BOS 2 different scenarios for drastic budget cuts for next year's budget. Selectmen Gross made a statement that he and others want to know what services are important to us, the residents. He encourages us all to contact the selectmen and other
boards members to voice our concerns. I think there is one solution that can work, if looked at seriously, and can save all the town employee jobs.

We should take the Road Plan with the postponed work from 2010 and all new proposed work for 2011 and put a hold on that for at least 1 year. Then start over with with crack sealing and patching any road and sidewalk that can be saved for a few years. Only do in-house work to keep all DPW employees employed. Do not put anything out to bid. If DPW can
do this and save up to one million dollars in 2011 then the town may be able to save all town employees jobs in all departments. The other departments can also put on hold anything they were planning but can wait a year. Then we can look at where we are as a town in one year.

The CIP Committee already eliminated the sidewalk repair budget of $65,000 in their budget. Now DPW wants to eliminate it all together from the general fund. This will have far reaching negative impact on the existing businesses in town. Sidewalks are one popular reason people move to Goffstown, from children to seniors. The ability to be able to walk to
and from many events and services in and around town and neighborhoods. Most importantly for children going to and from school this will create a very dangerous safety issue. Carl also said something about cutting back snow plowing sidewalks. (some was inaudible).

Without a sidewalk repair budget they will start taking out sidewalks as they did on Shirley Park Rd back in 2004 (Goffstown News article April 1, 2004 titled Crumbling sidewalks low priority for town) ( for a PDF copy email me @ wperreault@comcast.net or call me at home 497-8900 after 12 noon).

I welcome others to take my idea and improve on it. Brainstorm with friends, neighbors and town officials.

We are all in this together and if together we all help each other, we as a town can all get through these trying times.

Contact info can be found at www.goffstown.com
www.goffstown.com/board-ofselectmen.html 
www.goffstown.com/departments.html 
www.goffstown.com/committees.html 

or you can call Town Hall at 497-8990 for contact assistance


Wayne Perreault
Goffstown