It's not the money. It's their words, and whether they mean anything.
Regular reader here at GilfordGrok may or may not know that I also write a weekly opinion column, "Exercising the First", for the Laconia Daily Sun, which is not available online. The following is this week's column, which is a more refined version of a posting from earlier this week. While the beginning starts off much the same as that previous post, it contains new information that came to light in the interim. The points raised are the issues I brought to the table during last night's Budget Committee Meeting. It is my belief that every Gilford citizen and taxpayer should know what our elected "leaders" are doing to us on our behalf...
Exercising the First by Doug Lambert
When their lips are movingQ: How do you know a Gilford [politician] [bureaucrat] [special-interest water carrier] is being untruthful? A: When they tell us that their [insert scheme du-jour here] “won't EVER cost the taxpayers a dime.”
That's right- when you hear those words, hang on to your wallets because they're licking their chops in anticipation of the day when the truth-- the fact that the taxpayers WILL pay-- is revealed.
Consider the football program. The minutes of the October 6, 2003 Gilford School Board (GSB) meeting report on a presentation by the Gilford Friends of Football (FOF) to the board, asking their sanction of football as an official sport, thus qualifying them to participate in interscholastic league play. Without belaboring the benefits of the sport as noted, the minutes contain the following statements, which I reprint in montage format: “…the endorsement [by the school board] requires no financial commitment on the part of the board… replied that there is no cost to the district; FOF would fund the program completely… He reiterated that the cost to the district is zero.” Got that? No cost. Zip. Zero. Nada..
At the next meeting of the school board on October 20th, 2003, the official minutes report the question of football was again taken up. During a presentation on behalf of FOF by now current school board member Kurt Webber, he stated “Endorsement would permit the team to play other teams under NHIAA, and would be at no cost to the district.” Hmmm. What do you suppose he meant by that? Now that he’s on the school board, and changed his tune, can we surmise he didn’t mean what he said?.
“I'll make the commitment that so long as I'm alive we'll fund this outside.” announced one prominent supporter of the FOF as they were told by skeptics that they didn't believe it would remain cost-free to the taxpayers of Gilford. As a string of supporters promised that the cost to taxpayers would be zero in answer to critics who predicted future costs shifted onto the backs of the town's property owners, the school board promised the only way that it would change would be by a vote of the people via warrant article..Again, from the official minutes: “Kevin Hayes moved that the board endorse the football program as a club sport, under the following conditions: There shall be one contact person only with the Gilford Athletic Director; All costs incurred shall be paid by Gilford FOF; The board shall be presented with Gilford FOF’s five-year plan (both game and financial plan) in writing; and The program, when it becomes a money article, shall be discussed at the school district meeting as a petition article.” The motion passed unanimously after some discussion. Three present school board members were part of this action: Margo Weeks, Paul Blandford, and Sue Allen. A fourth, as noted above, gave the presentation at the meeting. That was then.
This is now. Last Friday’s Daily Sun reported that at Thursday’s Municipal Budget Committee meeting, during discussion regarding the football program’s inclusion in the school’s budget“...Tomlinson, the chairman of the School Board, stressed that the funding for football amounted to 0.08 percent of the high school budget. He said that the board considered drafting a warrant article, but reached a ‘consensus decision’ that because the sum was relatively small and offset by other revenues, a warrant article could be confusing to voters.”The Citizen reported pretty much the same—“Tomlinson said the reason the School Board chose to include the program in its budget is because members felt a warrant article might be confusing for taxpayers who already must vote on a number of warrant articles, explaining that they might inadvertently vote against the measure.”You see, Mr. and Mrs. Gilford Taxpayer, you’re just too stupid to be able to handle voting on such weighty matters…
And now they’ve piled on even more, claiming that their move to take over the program from its existing arrangement is for safety, as reported yesterday here in the Daily Sun. And besides, even though past promises were made, our highly- remunerated $uperintendent helpfully reminds us that the actions and decisions of one elected body have no bearing on subsequent bodies. “You can’t tie the hands of a future board.” While I agree that the board can LEGALLY do what they’re doing, I question whether they are right MORALLY..
After all, if they can so cavalierly discard their promises and words in this matter, can they not do so in others? What does this sorry episode in local “representative” government say about any promise that is ever uttered by these people? How can we put any faith whatsoever in anything they say?.
Unfortunately, when you add this debacle to the long list of prior “untruths” foisted upon the hapless taxpayers of Gilford—the Meadows “gift”, the new SAU without a superintendent, the secret signing of the $uperintendent’s 5-year mega-contract, and a business park with a promised “profit”, one can discern a distinct pattern: “leaders” will say anything it takes at any given moment to get what they want. Whenever they reveal their true intent, they will simply say whatever it takes to deal with any fallout..
Next up: a “free” library for the town of Gilford. At no cost to the taxpayers. Really..
“Don't worry Charlie Brown, I PROMISE I won't pull the football away this time. I'll hold it for you. Go ahead... kick it! TRUST ME!”.Doug Lambert’s column appears Thursdays. He has an opinion on almost everything. For more, visit online at www.granitegrok.com and www.gilfordgrok.com. Hear him on the radio Saturdays from 2 to 4 on 1490AM, WEMJ.
