Budget time started as I returned from my vacation ( 90's all week and sunny) returning to Boston weather at 38 degrees was a shock to old system.
I decided to get an update as to the council meeting I missed and the first budget meeting. I spoke to only a few people so far and they tell me it has been quite an interesting meeting. The N.N. reported that there were a few eyebrows raised when council choose board members this time around. You remember that I tried to re-shedule that meeting so that I as a sitting councilor would have a say, however the rest of the council choose to keep it that day without me being present.
In the days when I was first elected, it was protocol to give full membership to an alternate member who showed that they "paid their dues" and came to each meeting, participated, and went to educational classes to learn the process. Sadly, today we have a political way of picking regular members with no or little expertise and knowledge and this sets a very bad message to the very businesses that will come to town and get "cherry picked" when certain groups either like a business or not.
Very very dangerous for the town of Derry! Mark my words here and now. The taxpayers will pay dearly. I hope someone will prove me wrong, but time will tell. And what message does this send to the very people who sacrifice time and their own money learning these new laws to learn that they could be gone the next time around because councilors consider them "friendly" or "unfriendly"- sad but true!
Now budgets- My understanding right now is that KC wants $75,000 cut from the personnel line of the police budget. He says that next year they will have to lay-off anyways. If this is true and I'll have to verify, Then I want to make this statement. Cutting Police officers when we have not hired any new additional officers in 4 years and when the City of Manchester is hiring 25-30 police officers is wrong! These police officers in my book are far to important for our safety and well being and quite frankly, I would cut from other parts of a budget and my safety personnel are the very last people to get cut.
Remember, we must ask ourselves these questions. Is it a need or a want.
we have far to many "wants" in this town and not a lot of "needs" or must haves- policeman and women are definite needs, especially in the 4Th largest community in New Hampshire.
What are your thoughts
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22 comments:
After watching last night's first budget workshop KC and JF have already tried to set the theme. Cut, cut cut. Yes, we will have to cut corners, but as Mr. Stenhouse put it very well....cutting the bottom line and eliminating positions that way is not the proper way to do it. KC and JF hold a hacket and intend on using it! Was I mistaken or did I hear Kevin mention he would not be there next year? Now that's comforting....He stirs the pot, creates havuc and then walks away. Now that's a councilor who has the best interest of the Derry citizens... NOT!
ps Welcome back Brian...
With crime rates increasing in NH and in Derry, the last thing the Town should do is eliminate positions. In a perfect world, the Town should probably be hiring additional officers. While this isn't always possible, we sshould at least maintain what we already have.
I completely agree with you Brian... Police and Fire are the LAST place cuts should be made.
Obviously you don't have confidence in your fellow councilors to appoint board members. New faces and new ideas are good. We've seen these boards filled with individuals who have served for far too long. We've also seen recently the true dedication of some individuals, who instead of serving with people they feel should not have been appointed, they resign.
I do not believe the Council had any right in picking members for board posts. The Council was not prepared and picked people not by merit, but by political alingment.
Now a question for you Brian: How could a seasoned Councilor like yourself, schedule a vacation at this time of the year. You knew the budget and Board memberships were coming up. You are entitled to a vacation but the timing could not have been worse.
anon 8:36- Thanks for the welcome back. Anon 8:34, I agree with you.
Anon 8:55-You are right, sometimes its good to get new faces I simply believe that you start as an alternate and move up the chain, you learn and participate, you move up to reg member status. This makes more sense to me.
and anon 10:42, I didn't plan it that way believe me however I also made a motion to have a special meeting specifically designated as a night to interview candidates. It would of been much better I believe but hey I'm only 1 of seven and didn't get the votes. We move on!
Stenhouse did a good job the other night by counseling some of the counselors. I haven't been in agreement with him too often, but hats off to him for the other night. I also agree that the last place we need to cut from is Police/Fire. They're the ones who help you out when you really need it. I noticed that we've got a few new Police Officers that served on NYPD. Good, we need cops with city experience.
anon 10:42 You are right, we shouldn't follow the Charter and have the Councilors pick the board members. The rule of law just gets it the way. You know best, next time you just pick them and let us know your decision. (or of course you could take the time and effort and run for Council yourself.)
Anon 8:43, could you please document your statement concerning rising crime rates?
BC - Don't let them give you any crap about taking a vacation. Your district was never better represented.
Didn't the Derry News just show where 4 new police officers were hired? What's all the talk about cutting them if 4 were just hired?
Anon 8:43
Visit fbi.gov
They have many stats you can view
both city and state
the derrytxpyr2 seems to think he knows a lot more about peoples motivations than the people themselves. One person who resigned gave his reasons. Was it not good enough for you? The council screwed up this year's appointment as they did last year. But sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
to Derrytxpyr2, what do you know about dedication? these board members volunteer their time then get booted because they don't support the right people or causes? And are you questioning the motivation or commiitment of one board member who resigned for other stated reasons? sometimes a cigar is just a cigar why do you need to put another spin on it
BC,
Good thing you don't work directly for the town BC, and have ten weeks vacation.There would be 10 times they would be cranky about you taking time off.I guess some good comes out of everybody not being employed by Derry.
Hey BC, Instead of cutting Townie jobs to meet our exploding budget, how about all town employees giving up just two weeks of their 10 and 11 week vacation time and we could ADD 8 more town jobs . Heck , some of those jobs we could throw in some lifetime employment bennies.
OK, we know T-BIRD would like a job working for the town. Lets start a new position with lifetime employment. OUR ADMINISTRATOR needs a chaffeur instead of using costly police crusers and personel. He could also run meals to fire dept,pick-up dry cleaning for officials from Conn. and Auburn NH. AND maybe consult the next land devour for the next drug store.
Is this the crime wave you referred to?
From FBI web site:
"Preliminary figures indicate that, as a whole, law enforcement agencies throughout the Nation reported a decrease of 1.8 percent in the number of violent crimes brought to their attention in the first half of 2007 when compared with figures reported for the first six months of 2006. The violent crime category includes murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The number of property crimes in the United States from January to June of 2007 decreased 2.6 percent when compared with data from the same time period in 2006. Property crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Arson is also a property crime, but data for arson are not included in property crime totals. Figures for 2007 indicate that arson decreased 9.7 percent in the first half of the year when compared to 2006 figures for the same time period."
For Derry there were 801 crimes reported on the FBI site in 2005 and 802 crimes in 2006 (2007 not yest available). Hardly a crime wave.
Once again we have found a blogger (8:43) long on opinion and short on facts. Doesn't being wrong bother you even a little?
Anon 7:55 and 10:22, who are you to decide that the council screwed up with appointments. Derrytxpyr2 didn't accuse anyone of resigning for stated reasons, he said people resigned instead of serving with new members. He also didn't say anything about the individuals who continue to serve ... may he knows more about dedication than either of you
Anon 7:55, what do you know about dedication and people's motives. You're saying the council screwed up in making appointments the past two years ... who are you to decide that, its obviously because the people you wanted on didn't get reappointed. So you put the spin on it ... I guess it isn't always a cigar is it.
Anon 10:42 sounds like you are taking this too personally ... guess you are either someone who didn't get reappointed or had an interest in seeing someone appointed. Guess a cigar just isn't a cigar now is it.
Guess I hit a nerve. No big surprise there, didn't get their way so they are taking their marbles and going home.
Next year they should just put all the names in a hat and pick them out. When people are removed just because they served too long in one persons opinion thats not right. These people give their personal time to the town. They volunteer because they want a better Derry. When a person is moved up from an alternate position who has not gone to workshops, law lectures, site walks etc why should they bump someone who has. These boards are not supposed to be politcal.
It just may be that the people that refused seats or resigned just didn't want to be a part of the circus anymore. Or maybe they just had personal reasons. Who are we to question them. At least they try and make Derry a better place to live.
Anyone with half a clue will be able to predict that due to the economy, 2007 and 2008 crime rates will be higher. Read the paper - watch the news. This year has already had an unbelievable number of hold ups and home break-ins in Derry alone. Am I the only one who reads the crime log?
Well we could use FBI statistics or anon 10:00's recollection of Derry crime logs over the last several years. And if that doesn't work we can predict future crime rates... that's always safe for awhile. Finally we can assume that adding yet more cops will have any impact on this "crime wave". As things get tough, the crimes most likely to increase are (unfortunately) domestic crimes as families disintigrate. More cops do not stop Fred from getting drunk and smacking Jane. Higher taxes just provide one more pressure on our families. Who can say which straw breaks their backs. But the Council is unwilling to make even modest cuts in spending.
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