GilfordGrok

He has a couple of points that he tries to make "negative, accusatory, inflammatory tone being set by a few of its most vocal members".

“They start with the assumption that the town employees and school board members are, at best, trying to artificially inflate budgets so that they can spend our tax money with abandon, and at worst, are downright dishonest.”

Um, try reviewing the percentage rise in the budgets over the last few years....and then tell me that I don't have a number to stand on.... 

"decrying the evil intentions of Gilford's educational / industrial complex"..."There is no educational / industrial complex here...there is instead Paul, and Derek, and Sue."

Ah yes, camouflage.  There is that bumper sticker that says words to the effect "What a day it will be when the Air Force has to have a bake sale to fund a bomber". 

Remember, the US spends about $450 Billion a year on the military.....and spends over $500 Billion a year on education.  If the lesser number gives rise to the "military / industrial complex", so can more. 

Nice try in an attempt to personalize things. Please consider, however, that at a $22 million budget, education in Gilford is one of the largest businesses in town. And yes, it is a business – a Board, employees, strategies, marketing, capital goods, real estate, paying taxes (primarily income taxes) and with services as products. There are white collared professionals, blue collared professionals, and unions involved in the production of those services. The only difference between it and any other business is that its primary revenues are obtained via taxation which seldom decrease.

"This mean-spirited approach to carrying out the public's work"

You know, I really wish that the conference room had already installed the CCTV cameras and that they had been operational this past BudComm season.  It seems that the people who are tossing out the words "mean-spirited", "divisive", and the like are from the side that are used to getting what they want  Now that there are those that are questioning the status quo that has been the norm for so long, we are automatically pasted as "meanies".

 

Imagine that - people who are willing to stand up against the status quo and are willing to not only ask hard question but are willing to continue the discussion!  People who will not "get along to go along".

It has been often said that people from Gilford don't air their dirty laundry in public - and I have heard that not only from Gilford folks but from a number of people from around the area.  Face it, these folks think we Gilfordites are snobs, that we are the "best", and that we think our poop don't stink.

Sorry folks, but we all put our pants on the same way (either one or two legs at the same way).  No one is any better than another.  And just like anywhere else, if one does not address problems openly and emphatically, they will only fester.

But once again, I digress.

 

Frankly, from my view, it is those that are complaining are those that seldom came to any meeting (Mr. Dormody excepted – he came to most of the meetings).  

You can stop the use of the word "divisive" you know - just agree to agree with me!

 

"By the way, I also personally believe that the members of any publicly elected committee should refrain from using the public forum as a means of promoting their own personal ventures, including blogs, newpaper columns, and radio shows.  Cut it out guys.  Grow up, carry out the duties we've entrusted to you, and find a way to keep your level of discourse in the range of reasonable adults.

I have heard more vitriol and vindictiveness from those that disagree with me than I have certainly used (including another person that sat on the BudComm that used the words gutless and asshat).  And I probably would be right in assuming that other conservatives on the board are held in similar esteem. For all of the talk I hear from more liberal types, they can certainly been mean spirited to the max (wander over to the Democratic Underground site and take a real look at what mean spiritedness can be).

Well now, after trading emails, a couple of phone calls, and a sit down meeting at Dunkin Donuts, you still think I am not reasonable? 

First, tell me where I have NOT carried out those official duties?  Nice to throw out the accusation - now back it up!  Other than missing a meeting because of a business trip (and that was cleared with the Chair beforehand), I think you would be on thin ice on this one.

As far as personal ventures is concerned?  You admonish us to "grow up" - my response is "look around".  The face and practice of politics at all levels has already changed radically in the last four years and those that do not adapt and adopt will find themselves  in the same situation of those that made oil lamps thinking that whale oil would be powering them.  Look around - all the major politicos and their campaigns use the Internet - websites, YouTube, podcasting, blogs, and other communications venues.  IMHO, folks that decry the use of these outlets are behind the times.