Jerry Springer in Gilford?
Another Gilford resident expresses his displeasure with those attacking the work of this year's Budget Committee...
To the Editor, GilfordGrok.I feel sorry for the Gilford Budget Committee. I can’t believe the criticism and intimidation they must endure just for trying to get the out of control spending in line. Less than five members from the public attend most meetings. The rest are town employees or people who have special interest. I know they don’t like that term, so how about self serving or self righteous. Whatever you call it they are there to assure their pay raises, or pet projects, are not questioned. Can’t these employees, or their spouses, see that the letters they are sending to the papers are"self serving?" In years past things weren’t questioned much. Finally we have some Budget Comm. members brave enough to point out gross differences in the pay raises of town employees and the "Real World." Their efforts are met with fierce arguments and intimidation..
This was evident at many meeting on the fire truck issue. Chief Hayes, in short, telling the members of the Budget Comm. they were unable to comprehend firefighting techniques and apparatus. As with committee, Hayes jumped down the throat of a citizen who was just asking for clarification on something. If that’s not intimidating enough, this was the scene at a more recent fire truck meeting. A member of the public was addressing the committee only to have Hayes jump up several times yelling that his "opinion" was wrong. After Mr. McDevitt asked the chairman if he could continue a young firefighter in the crowd blurted out, as quoted in the papers, "continue to mislead us." They both should have been removed from the meeting. Mr. Hoffman has been removed for far less offensive behavior. As Mr. McDevitt was leaving the deputy chief made the snide comment "nice try." Is this how we want our town employees conducting themselves at public hearings?One would have to wonder if they were at a town meeting, or the "Jerry Springer" show.
A few firefighters in attendance were apparently on the payroll at the time. They had on town radios and left when a call for an ambulance came in. Hopefully it wasn’t your family member in need of medical assistance. The extra minutes to leave the meeting in the town hall could have meant life or death. Do we have so many on duty that there was no work to be done in the station? I recall Hayes commenting that painting had to be subcontracted out because his men didn’t have the time..
Many times members of the School Board are present and asked for their input. Once called on they apparently feel they have the right to jump in at any time. This is not how a committee is supposed to operate, as Mr Phillips tried to inform them. Mr. Blanford, on the Budget and School board contended, "their on the School Board, not just from the public." Excuse me! If not asked upon they have NO more right than the public to jump into the discussion. Would Blanford, or any other School Board member, allow the Budget Comm. the privilege of interjecting at their meetings without the acknowledgment of the chairman? I think NOT..
The last meeting was flooded with football parents, but also para educators. Many had ties to both. That explains why no one mentioned an obvious solution. With a VERY minimal reimbursement of the para educators health benefits cost, it would offset almost double the "actual cost" of football. Nor did anyone realize that the Budget Committees’ reasoning didn’t appear to be the money for football, but the way the guidelines were changed.I know, the School Board and Mr. DeMinico are in a "different time and place." The rest of us are still here in Gilford.
No, I’m not questioning the integrity of anyone. Although I don’t buy into the idea that because of ones service to his country, that they are above deceit. The trials for murder, rape, and other crimes against service men and women prove this. They are still part of society and all of society will unfortunately have untrustworthy people..
It was mentioned that if you don’t like what the School Board is doing vote them out. The same is true for the Budget Comm.. Instead, previous and current town employees don’t want to wait for that. They want to abolish the Budget Comm.. This would be a COSTLY mistake!.
Then we had a women who is a para educator explain that she only makes $18K, plus $6-18K for benefits. This is for a job mothers used to volunteer for because of the school hours. She moved to Gilford four years ago after researching area towns. It must have been that Gilford pays the most for the, former volunteer, position she was looking for! After all of her complaining about not wanting to pay $5.00 a week for her health benefits she had the nerve to tell everyone, "if you don’t like the higher taxes, MOVE!" Are you kidding me? How dare she? She has lived here a whole four years, and being paid very well by the town. She obviously could care less about the people that have lived here most of their lives that are on a fixed income. Some can’t afford medicine, taxes, etc...
This is the arrogant attitude that is present throughout too many of our ungrateful town employees. I apologize to those of you who realize how good you really have it. This women reminds me of so many new residents (5-10 years) claiming they moved to Gilford for the "small town" quality. Then once their here they "NEED and EXPECT" big city services. Then to tell us "if you don’t like it move." This arrogance has ruined our town! Many wonder why the children " now a days" have no respect. Look at their roll models. Again, I apologize to those parents out there that I know are raising their kids by setting a good example.
.Jim CookmanGilford
Comments
Thanks for keeping us informed. Good job!
Posted by: Judith Cookman | January 31, 2007 06:18 PM