TRSD Results

from the Eagle-Tribune… 

• Operating Budget of $61.8 million was approved 2,759-1,008
• Teachers’ Contract was approved 2,096-1,775
• Adding $100,000 in the Capital Reserve Fund was approved 2,627-1,221
• Atkinson Kitchen Renovation approved 1,993-1,886
• Annual Report Acceptance approved 3,138-604

School Board
Nancy Steenson beat incumbent Arlene Champey in Danville
Plaistow incumbent Lisa Withee beat challenger Michael Addorisio
Sandown incumbent Lori Aubrey held onto her three-year seat 398 to 349

TRSD Budget Committee
Danville incumbent member Michele O’Neil won 425 to 175.
In Plaistow, Normand Bouchard and Michele Conte were elected
In Sandown, Heidi Chaput received the most write in votes for both seats
In Sandown, Ralph Millard received the second most write in votes for both seats 

Danville Results

Nobody talks about the attack on the World Trade Center.  It wasn’t even in the news this morning.  Here are a couple short memorials from 2001.  I like to watch them from time to time — usually about this time of year.  The first face in Can’t Cry Hard Enough is Janis Lasden.  She worked with me at General Electric.  I knew her well for twelve years and have missed her dearly for eight.

This view of DanvilleDelivery.com isn’t about the town, the schools, or our community. This is the place where I post links and information that I find interesting.  The Good will include quotes and stories that inspire me.  The Bad will include quotes and stories that make me feel bad.  The Ugly I reserve for quotes and stories that offend my sensibilities or darken my heart.

If you were not able to attend the TRSD Deliberative Session, I hope you watched the video.  If you have been following along, you know that accountability is a top priority here.  I believe accountability begins with a complete, persistent record of committees and boards.  I have been posting government meetings for people who do not have cable TV and campaigning for the capture and broadcast of TRSD Budget Committee meetings.  I’m pleased to announce that TRSD Budget Committee meetings will begin airing on TEN with our March 25th Organizational Meetings.  The meetings will not be live, but will be rebroadcast and posted on the internet.  This is a huge win for the rest of us.

In March, I will again propose that we form a subcommittee to review and revise the bylaws.  It’s simply not possible for the committee to do its job shackled by the current calendar and process.  I did cobble together a framework for that discussion, and you can review it here. 

Some members of the budget committee believe its role is to sell the budget to the community.  They have repeatedly asserted that…

the Budget Committee is an oversight committee and it would be impossible for the Committee to actually prepare the Budget or even to have the expertise to make the decisions the administration makes, prior to presenting the Budget to the Committee.

I disagree — and budget preparers throughout the district disagree too.  Some of these people are on the ballot.  While their experience and expertise will be a great benefit to the committee, I want the rest of the committee to be prepared to participate in the budget process.  The Local Government Center (LGC) offers an annual budget and finance workshop for muncipal budget preparers.  I will be lobbying to get all members to attend this workshop in the fall.  

It’s that time of year again.  Come March we are going to be asked to approve $2,529,451.00  operating budget.  This budget represents a 3.3% increase over last year’s approved budget.  The default budget is a 1% increase.  Personally, I would have expected the budget to be cut or at least frozen in these uncertain times.  People are losing their jobs, wages are being frozen, and everyone is curring back — except for the government.

After the swollen operating budget, the most troubling warrant is Article 2010-18.  The town is asking for $190,000 to purchast five acres on Main Street, but that is only the tip of the iceberg.  This land is currently taxable.  Purchasing the land will reduce the tax base and increase every other taxpayer’s share of the budget.  Worse, the land is being purchased for a new police station.  We don’t need a new police station and we cannot afford one.  I have been trying to renew my burn permit since the beginning of the year and BELIEVE ME there is no overcrowding problem at the safety complex.

How about we move the police department into town hall?  Move the town clerk and the tax collector into the first floor of the library and let the police and fire department use their offices.  Right away you could eliminate the extra librarian who is required to monitor activity on the first floor.  As a bonus, you could read magazines books or use the computers while waiting to get your business attended to.

I would encourage all to vote no on warrants to set aside money for this new police station as well as a new salt storage facility.  On both counts, the town should be looking at partnering with neighboring communities to achieve efficiencies.  If Plaistow, Atkinson, Sandown, and Danville can cooporate on schools, why can’t we collaborate on safety, roads, and tax administration?  And why can’t we share a public library or at least a Director of Public Libraries?

I’ll post all the warrants as soon as they are available.  I’m editing as much of the budget discussion as was aired.  Links will be posted with here.  Hold onto your wallets!

This view of DanvilleDelivery.com isn’t about the town, the schools, or our community. This is the place where I keep links and information that help me get the most our of each dollar I earn. Posts will be announcements or tutorials and links will to be to persistent bargains and bargain sites. If you know of a bargain site that I haven’t listed, send me a link via the contact page.

Nice to see Michelle come around on airing the budget meetings.  She opposed airing the meetings at the March 27, 2008 meeting, voted against airing the meetings on April 9, 2009, and voted against airing the meetings again on February 4, 2010 (minutes not yet published).  These votes are recorded in the minutes of the meetings.

Paul Shalek is running against Michelle — and for the rest of us.