What happened today?
UPDATE:
I got a promotion! At least according to the The Citizen, I'm now the Chair of the Belknap Country Republicans! Actually, I'm not...just the Gilford Chair. The County Chair is filled, quite well, by Frank Tilton.
As I said at the end of this post, I'll be commenting more on this event in my next one....and will comment on some of what the Citizen reported as well.
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Growing up, we've almost all done it. As parents, we've probably almost all seen it in our kids. You know the look....caught red handed in the cookie jar when they know they shouldn't. And as they turn the corner out of the kitchen and run smack into you, the look on their faces are priceless. Yeah, we put on the stern face, just hoping that we don't break out into laughter before we send them on their way. And even let them keep the cookie sometimes!
But after a couple of times, it isn't isn't funny any more. And it has to be a habit that has to be broken, quick. Because then you graduate to times when you arrive just before "the crime" has happened and you see the same face, quickly followed by that "darn" face. Or, if they get away with it, it continues unless there are consequences applied to their decisions and actions.
And as parents, we know that there are consequences to our inactions (with respect to our offspring's behavior as well).
And it isn't cute in adults at all. Especially when they are caught in something that you know that they now realize that perhaps they shouldn't have been doing.
And especially those that are tasked to govern and the expectation is that they know the laws regulating how they are to behave. Or worse, they don't understand that there are rules that govern how they should govern, and then blatantly ignore them. Or decide that the laws that govern the rest of us can be bent or rationalized away for their purposes.
No, I'm not talking about our County Delegation. A judge has already decided that issue, at least the first iteration. And will again, very soon.
Normally, I cannot attend our Selectmen Board meetings....it is impossible when one works during the day. While it may be more convenient for Town employees, it effectively discriminates against the working class. But today, given a later start and knowing the agenda, I hopped it down to Town Hall to try to catch some of it (figuring that they put Doug and the Energy Committee proposal off before, maybe I could catch part of it).
Well, I walked in, sat down, and discovered that I had done so just in time to leave....but the meeting was not yet over.
Evans Juris (Town Administrator) announced that he had some news on "litigation" issues to cover and asked to go into non-public session. Connie read the RSA 91 notice (as required) then then it was time for the public to walk out. And then when Connie Grant came out and opened the door, we filed back in - including a whole lot of people that I did not recognize.
I saw a couple of folks on the "desk" starting to pick up their stuff when it was announced that no, they were not adjourning, that the Selectmen meeting was not over.
And then some folks had "that look" on their face (and one, a very small Mona Lisa type smile). Kinda perked me up a bit. What was up?
I get all of the agendas in Town emailed to me (nice feature of the Town web site!). Here's the agenda:
GILFORD BOARD OF SELECTMEN
JULY 25, 2007
3:00 P.M.
AGENDA
1.0 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2.0 REVIEW/APPROVAL OF MINUTES – of the Selectmen’s meetings of July 9, 11 and 16, 2007 (regular and non-public).
3.0 APPOINTMENTS
3.1 Doug Lambert – Gilford Energy Committee
3.2 Attorney Patrick Wood – Woodland Avenue Driveway Permit
6.0 PUBLIC INPUT
7.0 SIGNATURES
8.0 SELECTMEN’S ISSUES
9.0 ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
9.1 Lake Host Program Update
9.2 Town Policy Update
9.3 Non-Public Session 91-A:3 II (a)(c)(d)(e)
Imagine my surprise when it turned out that there was an additional item that was not on the agenda - a visit from an official Committee from Moultonboro that was tasked with gathering information about forming a budget committee to report back to their Selectmen about a recommendation (yes / no, appointed / elected, etc) about a new Budget Committee.
Alice Boucher made a quick introduction about this item and then asked if they had a "leader" that wished to ask questions and a Mr. Hopkins (missed his first name) took the podium as their Chair. He asked about make up of our board (10 elected plus three appointed), when they work (Aug to Jan, weekly plus), and the process (present the budget, split into sub committees, review each dept., review the sub committee meeting, present to the entire committe, then vote on the sub committee recomendations the following week).
I was startled when Evans said that the BudComm members Were renumerated for their time - he smiled as I said "Where have I been?". All in good fun.
I was surprised, however, that Debbie Shackett did most of the speaking for the board and the Administration. I kinda figured that the since they came all the way from Moultonboro, they would have wanted to hear more from the Selectmen. However, most of the conversation was held with Evans and Debbie, especially when the Moultonboro Chief of Police stood up in full uniform to the podium and addressed Evans as "Chief".
All together, I thought that the Selectmen and Administration presented a favorable impression of having a Budget Committee. Evans, when questioned about his choice of having an appointed or elected board, made it quite clear that his clear unequivocal choice would be for an elected board.
And then it was over - about 15 minutes (I think) of time - for all that traveling for the six folks that came from Moultonboro (4 in the Chief's Moultonboro's Police SUV and two in another car).
Then they announced that they were leaving to talk to the School Board. Why would they be talking to the Gilford School Board about the Budget Committee? Why not talk directly to the BudComm itself (and I was unaware of ANY meeting with the Gilford BudComm was scheduled to meet with Moultonboro contingent) at the same time?
Huh?
More in my next post.
