GilfordGrok

ATTENTION GILFORD RESIDENTS - There will be a

on Wednesday, August 13, 2008,

Town Hall in Conference Rooms A & B,
47 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, NH.

7:00 p.m., at the Town Hall,


Gilford Board of Selectmen

Posted by Skip at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Skip at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Starting Saturday morning at 9 am!

As usual, this week's broadcast version of GraniteGrok and AnkleBitingPundits brings an array of items and guests for your consideration-- ALL STARTING AT 9AM! As always, thanks to the technical wizardry and analytical skills of Skip, if you are beyond the broadcast area of Newstalk 1490 WEMJ, simply click here for instructions on how to connect and listen on the Internet via livestream. (Podcasts here)

• The Republicans are once again painted in a bad light due to the removal of a Democratic operative from a meeting. Democrat chair Ray Buckley, never one to miss a chance, uses the opportunity to take yet another swipe at NHGOP chair Fergus Cullen. This time, it involves our local county Republicans, and a GraniteGrok video we made over a year ago. Is there a better way to handle this stuff? Can the local Republicans do anything right? What about at the National level?

• Michigan Congressman Thadeus McCotter is the Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee (HRPC). In his third appearance here on MTNP, he'll fill us in on what has been going on in Washington with the war funding bill. Normally, I don't like to see representatives vote "present" (Obama's other middle name...), but in the case of Thursday's vote, I can see the value. We'll also talk government spending, and find out why he voted in favor of the farm bill that has everybody in a tizzy...

• So I'm reading Michell Malkin, and whose name do I see? Yep-- our very own Pat Hynes! Seems Michelle's in a snit over the fact that she wasn't invited to the (almost) weekly blogger conference calls with his client, John McCain.

There are many questions I know you’d like asked, but I’ve never been able to ask them because I haven’t been one of the privileged few conservative bloggers allowed into the McCain sanctum to ask those questions for you.

Wow! We're "privileged" to have been allowed into the "inner sanctum! We'll talk about the concept of blogger calls and what was discussed Thursday. Michelle says Pat emailed her and said she would be invited to the next ones. What are the logistics of a president committed to continuing the concept? Seems you can't invite everybody.

• McCain's 2013

• Is Hillary toast? Glad? Sad?

• Among other things, CNHT's Jane Aitken is a computer consultant, retired educator, and conservative activist who lives in New Hampshire. For concerned parents and other interested persons, Jane is fast becoming the "go-to" gal for the lovely-sounding International Baccalaureate Program. Jane has learned even more that folks need to be aware of when considering "IB" for their local schools since the last time she checked in with the MTNP gang. Joining us in the studio is Anne Marie, a Bedford parent who has done what every parent should do when the specter of IB is raised for their child: her homework. She's an "expert" at "fuzzy math." We'll learn what that is, and how it sets the stage for "the agenda."  Recall  a few weeks back we discussed a story from the St. Helena Star: 

  On Friday students gathered at Carpy Field with their umbrellas before marching through downtown and arriving back at Carpy Field, where they had a hamburger lunch. On the way students flashed peace signs and some could be heard chanting, “No more war.”

  Don't worry, though, because it's all thanks to St. Helena's

  adoption of the International Baccalaureate program, which teaches students how to be a part of a global community.

Ugh! You'll cringe when you learn how deeply into local schools UNESCO and the UN have driven. Is this what parents want from their children's schools? If they only knew! More recommended reading here. Community theme pdf here (note freedom fighter reference). Here in Gilford, when promoting the program, the Superintendent mentions, according to meeting minutes that large portions of its education philosophy follow Dewy very closely. Find out about Dewey here. Yikes!

If you are a parent with a child in school-- government or PRIVATE, you need to be on the watch for IB. You need to understand what it really means, and what it seeks to do to your child. Please plan on calling during the discussion at 603-527-1490 with any questions or comments.

Think we'll get it all in? Tune in and find out! It all starts at 9AM EST Saturday. Tune in if you're in Central NH at NewsTalk 1490AM WEMJ or live on the 'Net here... The best radio (in our humble opinions) anywhere...

Posted by Doug at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week the Select Board held a public hearing on the sale of the Potter Hill property. The Birch Knolls group has requested special conditions in an effort to purchase the land and build "affordable Senior Housing". The special condition would include a payment in place of taxes which would NOT include anything for our children's education. During the meeting last week the Select Board heard from a room full of supporters for the Birch Knoll group. Unless the Select Board hears some input from the public that oppose the special conditions then they will most likely approve them.

There will be another meeting on May 14, 2008 to hear from the public before they make their decision. I strongly recommend that anyone that is oppossed to the creation of another community that will be exempt from school taxes for all of time, should attend this meeting and voice their concern!

Posted by Terry S. at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Skip at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Board of Selectmen Meeting

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
7 p.m.

The time has changed - notice that it is no longer at 3pm!  This meeting is not just for those that can get away during the regular working day hours.

Will it stay that way?  It all depends on you, the townfolk of Gilford.  Show up, it may stay that.  Don't, and it may revert back to the afternoon time.

If you want to let the Selectmen know your feelings about how the town is run, now's the time to show up. 

(cross posted over GraniteGrok and GilfordGOP) 

Posted by Skip at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, as you might have seen, the spambots have found us again.  Every once in a while, we have to turn off the comment capability until they go away.   What I'll be doing in the near future is  to put in a CAPTCHA for entering comments.  In our case, it will just be a quick word that you will see when putting in a comment to one of your posts that you will have to type in.  Since the spambots cannot "see" or enter that in, it will hopefully cut down on the kinds of "adult only" spamming that has been happening lately.

I'll be making some other internal adjustments as well, so if things look a bit goofier than normal, I apologize in advance!

-Skip 

Posted by Skip at 07:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the elections/people now come and gone, I've updated the left side of the site:

Town Administration        Evans Juris has been replaced by Debra Shackett.  As far
                                    as I know, I've also left her as the head of the Finance
                                    Dept. as I have not heard differently.

Selectmen                      Alice Boucher has been replaced by Kevin Hayes.

Local Commentary:         NH Commentary has been removed along with
                                    Laconia's Purse.

                                    We do want to welcome Chan's new blog to the
                                    blogroll - One Voice In Gilford.  Although it was created
                                    for his run for Selectman, we believe it will be a local
                                    companion site to his national blog,
                                    Weekend Pundit (which remains on our blogroll), so
                                    we are looking forward to seeing what he has to say!

See anything else that needs a bit more tidiness?  Let us know! 

Posted by Skip at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are the numbers from today's vote. Once again, Gilford sets the pace when it comes to citizen involvement and making SB2 a wonderful thing for everybody...

RESULTS ARE IN...

TOWN BALLOT:

TOTAL VOTES CAST: 1726

<---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

SCHOOL BALLOT:

School Board:

        Blandford  1375

S.D. Moderator:

        Cameron  1408

S.D. Clerk:

        Varricchio  1367 

S.D. Treasurer:

        Simoneau  1430

Articles:

TOTAL VOTES CAST: 1724

Posted by Doug at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Since the Chief went through a special effort to bring this message forward, I just HAVE to share it with all of you:

Chief Markland message - click here

And we are honored and privileged to bring it to you! 

Posted by Skip at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Doug at 08:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

NOTICE:

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This is your chance to join a movement that will change Washington. Your chance to make yourself heard.

You, your family, and your neighbors are invited.
After all, it's their future, too...

Join us for free refreshments, spirited discussion,

and a few surprises.

Reservations requested but not required

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SPECIAL NEWS RELEASE  

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“No one desires peace as much as those who have had to engage in war. As we honor those who serve our nation in the armed forces, and mourn the passing of those who have died in its service, we also pray for the coming of the day when armed conflicts will give way to a world in which we are all able to live together in peace.” --by Anita Wagner, National 3rd Vice President of Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.

Posted by Doug at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
GILFORD, N.H.
MONDAY, MAY 28, 2007

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• January 16th 6:30PM GHS auditorium: Public Hearing, town budget; Public Hearing, Saltmarsh Pond easement

• January 18th 6:30PM Town Hall: Final Budcom recommendations on town and school budgets

• February 6th 7:00PM GHS auditorium: Town Deliberative Session

• February 8th 7:00PM GHS auditorium: School District Deliberative Session

• March 13th 8:00AM- 7:00PM GMS gym: Voting- elected officers, final budgets and other warrant articles, zoning amendments, etc.

Posted by Doug at 08:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Skip at 08:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Since the Town of Gilford just redid their site, some of the links to the left are not working correctly.  I will try to get to these in a couple of days and fix them all.

I would ask for your indulgence on this - please be patient - I thought other things were just a little more important in the short term - instead of fixing the links to theTown, it was time to chide them a bit (click here).

-Skip 

Posted by Skip at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Doug at 08:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, we're late.....this past Saturday was the inagural broadcast of "Meet The New Press" - a new radio show that had its debut on WEMJ AM1490 from 2-4pm. In retrospect, we got so carried away with being ready for the show that we forgot to let you folks know about it! 

Er, misteak(!) noted and will be corrected!

Three of us are behind this new show - Doug, myself, and Pat Hynes of AnkeBiting Pundits.com.  The intent of the show is to combine the best of what is going on in the blogosphere, and what makes it work.  In two hours, we are going to have topics of interest that come from blogs like from all over: politics, current events, guest hosts and inteviews and anything that callers want to talk about (and we do thank Alan, John, and the others for calling in!)

I'd love to say that the first show was a 10 - let's say that we have some room for improvement given some of the technical problems.  We do appreciate your patience as the engineers of WEMJ continue to rebuild the studio for us, and we do thank them (A LOT!) for incorporating a lot of the suggestions that we have had over the last couple of weeks.  Per normal, there are still gremlins in the system (patience to our guests for bearing with us as we tried to estastablish phone contact with them.  However, we did notice, and appreciate, the staff of WEMJ for calling in more and more senior level engineers on their time off to come in and keep us on the air!

ALSO!

Podcasting will be coming to all three blogs (AnkleBitingPundits, GraniteGrok, and GilfordGrok) - we are digitally capturing the broadcast and will be chopping up the show into more manageable chunks over the next few weeks - I'll put up an announcement as we get closer.

During the week, we'll put up the topics for next Saturday - so take this as a request and let us know what YOU want to hear! 

After the jump are a couple of pictures - again, more will be forthcoming over the next few weeks!

And for those that caught the show, we thank you.  For those that we forgot to tell - we apologize!  And for those that want to participate - leave comments here, send us email now or during the show, or call during the show: 603-527-1490! 

-Skip

Continue reading "Meet The New Press" »

Posted by Skip at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On Saturday, September 16, 2006 at 1:00 pm,  many individuals from surrounding communities will be hosting the "All Gave Some - Some Gave All" Troop Rally to be held at the American Legion on North Main Street, Laconia, NH.

Come and join us while we stand and salute those brave men and women who have gave some and those who have gave all. Click HERE to read the article from the Citizen newspaper.

 

Posted by Doug at 08:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

**Scroll Below This Post For Updates**

I will be putting up a number of Posts over the next few days.  Each will be showing how Gilford ranks with respect to other towns in NH of the same size: 5,000 to 9,999 permanent residents.  While there is some discussion that this is not correct due to the population increases during the summer and Motorcycle Week, I decided to go with the year round numbers. 

There are two main reasons why:

1. Gilford's population is approximately 7,400 people.  This is right in the middle of the population grouping used.
2. Going up to the next population grouping 10,000 - 14,999 would also have a negative action on taxpayers, as all of the positions shown would end up in a more expensive grouping (larger towns and cities pay more for the same positions).

The numbers shown are taken from the NH Municipal Association. I have also shown the data two ways:

1. Towns by alphabetical order
2. Towns listed high to low based on the maximum salary possible for each position

The only exception to this are the Land / Water areas values which have been taken from the State of NH. 

The latter is done purely for data purposes - many towns do not have minimum salary ranges for a given position - they always have maximum.  Later on, as data is received for the actual salary for a given position, the High to Low will be updated to reflect that data point. 

In addition, I will be contacting other Budget Committes in other towns in order to get the actual cost numbers so the postings will become more accurate over time.

If someone is out there that wishes to assist in this project to better inform the taxpayers of Gilford what their government is costing them, please contact Doug or myself!

-Skip 

Posted by Skip at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The next few posts will show (and is setup for discussion) of land areas, populations, and population density ranges of the equivalent towns that Gilford is being ranked against.  This information is presented as:

• It will help to provide a context on the previous Posts on Salary Ranges in comparing Gilford to the other towns.
• The next few posts will deal with the Fire and Police Depts in which the service areas and population densities play a large role.

Posted by Skip at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)