As promised! It's Open Forum time. Whats on your mind Derry?
I'm also curious to get responses from outsiders of what you think about Derry ( after reading some of these posts on my blog)
If your new and not sure how to respond. Look below to the comments button below. Click on with your mouse and follow the simple directions.
Also, what do you want to see in new items on this blog?
The opinions expressed are of my own individualy and are not to be interpreted as official of any governing body. Comments from readers are also of their own opinions and will be edited only if the content is harmful or non constructive to any individual. It is important to share information and thoughts on political process so that we may discuss issues that effect us all.
29 comments:
I would like to see:
1. Councilor Fairbanks not get reelected.
2. More respect for the DEDC. They are helping Derry attract new business' to town, resulting in lower residential taxes.
3. Relocation of the Friendship Center. Its tough to get families back downtown when there are so many people loitering on the sidewalk.
4. Better cooperation between the Town's Boards. Perhaps Channel 50, myTV, could be persuaded to replay the meetings for those people without cable access. It could be in the middle of the night, giving people a chance to record it and not hurting MyTV ratings.
5. More patience, and a sense of humor for all the citizens (including myself), in dealing with our Town's challenges. Even if we disagree on subjects, remember that we are all in this together.
I'd like to see a poll which the outcome is not as predictable as the ones that have been done.
Maybe this one - What is most important:
A new rec center
A new senior center
Imporving traffic on Broadway
A new Fire Station (with a consolidation of others?)
etc, etc, etc.
I'd like to get a sense of what the peoples' priorities are -
i would like to see
1)more people like Councilor Fairbanks get elected
2)more businesses coming into our downtown
3)a plan for the downtown (like make it look nice check out Sabatinos awning)
4)more equitable open space thru out our beautiful town
5)before we start building anymore buildings lets see the needs of the town and consolidate all in one big complex. (rec and senior center.
6) more involvement from different peolple in the public not the same old ones over and over.
I would like to see a historic district to regulate and protect downtown and the surrounding villages. I would like to see East and West come together. I would like to see Ryan's hill used for these 'super stores'. I would like less drugstore chains. I would like to see taxes lowered. I would like to see everyone that has been working for the town for over 20 years replaced!
i would pay to see:
1) our ineffective state legislative delegation get something done...ANYTHING!! besides getting elected year, after year, after year.
2) continuation of the trend towards the removal of real estate brokers from our town council.
3) a sharp pencil and eraser requisitioned for our run away school district budget.
4) free sewer hook-up's for everyone!!
5) the dedc accomplish something, (to justify all the good money put after bad), besides slapping their own backs, for what? falling far behind surrounding community's in the area of business development?
6) a hiring freeze at the DFD until further notice.
7) chief klauber and all the rest, actually reconcile the books and show the residents of east derry where the savings are that he promised due to the consolidation.
8) beverly ferrante to join chris reisdorf in retirement.
there you have it.
anonymous 8:40,
I happened to focus on #2 on your list-removal of real estate brokers from town council and wanted to know is it specific in being a real estate agent you want out or working in the industry. Because you may not realize that Mr Coyle is also a developer ( real estate)who builds residential homes in Derry and Ms Fairbanks works for C21 Cooper & Associates a company that sells and developes homes for sale in Derry. So in summary there are 4 councilors whom make a living in the real estate business.
Chris Reisdorf was one of the best Councilors we have ever had. He has a sesne of humor to go along with compassion and understanding. He sometimes got sidetracked when speaking but his heart was always in the right place.
Re: Several ideas posted here by several annonymouses:
I totally agree about our State Legislature.
Like it or not, the DEDC is no longer the business of the taxpayers and currenty we have no Economic Development plan or strategy. Best case, it will take 2 to 3 years for a strategy to be
implemented and some time after that for it starts to make an impact.
I think Bev Ferrante has been a terrifc Councilor - very reasoned.
For the seven councilors to go on one of those team building survival weekends. Can you imagine that BC? In a tent, out in the woods with....
A combined Rec and Senior center is an interesting idea.
I’d like to hear some suggestions as to what we can do about the abysmal voter turnout we have for town elections here in Derry.
This last election, we had a major charter change on the ballot which would have changed the way the town operates, 3 seats (and potentially control) on the council, and 3 contested school board races. These races certainly aren’t small potatoes. Yet what did we have for a turnout? Around 18%? And that was the highest in several years.
You hear about a lot of people complaining that no one is listening to them, but with voter turnout averaging in the low teens, it would seem to me that there is less problem with the listening and more problems with how many people are talking.
I realize people are busy, but how can they complain about their taxes and other goings-on in town with a straight face when it’s clear the large majority of the town just isn’t paying attention. It’s like the old joke. What’s the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don’t know and I don’t care. Which is it, and what can be done to change it?
I’d like to hear some genuine ideas and not just rhetoric.
anonymous 1:03,
I agree that we should have better turn-outs when voting.I wouldn't reccommend it and actually think it is sad however I read where a community wanted to give lottery tickets to citizens who came and voted.
Electronic voting would be interesting if only you could avoid fraud. Like on-demand cable-pick up your remote and vote!
(probably a future slogan)
In regards to voter turnout, I tend to believe that people actually like this Town enough that they are (obviously) willing to pay higher taxes year after year. I also believe that people realize that taxes are always going to increase. People may feel that whether they vote or not, taxes will go up. They won't go down. The only option being to move to another community and maybe pay more or less taxes each year. And guess what... those taxes will go up every year too!
I personally know in my neighborhood, there are many families whom move here for the school system and plan to move, or have already moved, once their children graduate from Pinkerton making way for other families to use our school system.
As for me, I try to educate myself about the current issues and/or candidates and I show up to vote along with the other 18% of my peers.
d3, you posted "there are many families whom move here for the school system..." are you a product of area schools?
I am a product of Derry schools. I now choose reside in Derry and have for many years and I do not have any children.
I think the town should acquire, by eminent domain, existing parking lots in the downtown to increase parking availability. Or, the town should acquire land and build a two story parking garage. I am aware of the existing parking lot on Abbott Ct. However that lot seems to be poorly lit and not well maintained. Also it doesn’t give the impression of being secure.
Another option would be to widen the road and make room for diagonal parking instead of parallel parking. I personally often avoid shopping/parking downtown due to the length of my truck. It is too much of a hassle to parallel park, especially when the people in front of, and behind you, aren't in the center of their spaces.
Another thing the town should consider is if they actually bring in enough good businesses that people want to go to, there still aren't enough spots for everybody to park in!
Families move to town for Pinkerton, not the schools that are run by Derry. Someday Pinkerton will build those dorms that are already planned for and then what?!?
And then we can discuss building another high school ( public) called Derry High. We can also talk about our taxes going up another $10/1000.
Just joking around here.
We have another 18 yrs on our contract with Pinkerton. Most of us will be six feet under and not caring about taxes at that time.
I'll be eligible for S.S. by then.
Speaking of our State Reps...I heard the State is only giving us about 94% in education funding of what they indicated last year.
The problem now is that with the budget already passed by the voters, we'll be about $1,000,000 short.
Where is that money made up? Joe and Jane Taxpayer, of course.
And where are our Reps? Has anyone heard them speaking out on this or heard of them working behind the scenes. Maybe I missed it - in which case I apologize.
Can anyone imagine what the reaction would be if the Town Council or the School Board ignored/ran/hid/ from a $1,000,000 shortfall/discrepancy?
Enlightening Letter to the Editor on this week's Nutfield News, by Paul Dionne of the Conservation Committee. He relates why Councilor Fairbanks has a grudge against him: he refused to stop an over 55 development near her house. Since then she has had it our for him. I wonder if she bombards him with emails like she did to try and remove Dr. Moody from his VOLUNTARY position helping the Town until a full time manager could be brought in.
derry's state rep's are indeed a feckless lot...have been for a long time....sure, we see them driving around with "house plates" and hanging around street corners around election time waving furiously at passing mnotorist, but do they actually deliver? the "goods?" i don't see any....does anyone?....this is especially strange given that derry is the fourth largest community in the state....makes one wonder, is our delegation up to the job, in it for the wrong reasons or simply in it for too long and over stayed thier welcome?
lord knows the town council and the delegation don't work together to further much of anything.... but their own re-election of course.
Bush is the WORST President that we have ever had!
NO, I think Bubba was and Hillary would agree!!
I would like to get into a battle of wits with wh3, but I never argue with an unarmed man.
YOU CRACK ME UP NANCY.
Nancy?
Annonyous 10:16,
Be careful, WH3 may know where you live and his responses indicate a dilusional and manic pattern. For example, he so longs for the days of Ronald Reagan, he thinks you are Nancy. My bet is that you don't look anything like Nancy.
anonymous 10:16,
I think Wh3 is reffering to Nancy Pelosi.
Very good BC. She hates George W. You have just won first battle of wit and mr a has lost.
Yes, GW ISNT THE MOST STAND OUT GUY WEVE HAD RUNNING THE COUNTRY BUT MOST OF AMERICA PUT HIM THERE. He is doing the best he can under these circumstances.
REAL REPUBLICANS DONT CARE WHERE ANONYMOUSES LIVE .THEY ARE A MINORITY OF THE VOTES.
WRONG wh3, 'most of America' DID NOT put Bush in office. Gore received the simple majority of the votes. A socalled proud right winger like yourself should know how Bush stole the Presidency.
As a campaign worker for one of the presidential candidates I recently had occasion to visit your town. As part of my efforts to connect with the citizens in any community that attend a campaign function, I attempt to do some background research on the issues that are specific to that town. This is how this blog came to my attention.
Please consider and take my point to heart. It appears to me that some of you take time to carefully consider your posts content before submission. But there are others that clearly shoot from the hip or are simply blinded by bias on local as well as occasional national issues that appear.
As an outsider, I am offering a quick heads up to the "knee jerks." Despite the fact NH has admirably performed an important function in the primaries for decades, there are those that feel the complexity and diversity of the country may have diminished NH's ability to accurately reflect the nation as a whole. Obviously, this is just one small blog site that is primarily of interest to Derry area residents. But on occasion I suspect that outsiders, like me, are going to be in part influenced by sites such as this one. After reading many of the recent threads, I applaud those that maintain integrity in the logical presentation of facts. Keep up the good work!
To all the "knee-jerks", remember that what you put forth reflects on more than just your town. And for goodness sake, if you must try to obviously spin some local issue, take the time to spell check at the very least, even if you don't care much about your posts validity.
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