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Editorial
Getting what you ask for
So the people of Weare have spoken, and they're getting
what they asked for. Voters are now faced with a
tough choice in March - the position of police chief is
going to be an elected one for the first time this year.
Last March, voters opted to change the way the chief
is chosen, largely as a reaction to negative feelings
toward current chief Myles Rigney, who had a contract
that wasn't going to end anytime soon.
So, now it's an open field. Rigney, who's been placed
on administrative leave for who-knows-what reason,
says he will not run for the office. There is some fear,
however, that no one will sign up to run at all, in which
case the chief will be appointed.
It could be a scary proposition if you think about it -
anyone could throw their hat in the ring and with
enough support, become the head of the department.
The town could end up with someone completely
unqualified - or worse.
But that probably won't happen. Officials said there
are several qualified people who they think will step up
if no one files. We hope there are a few good choices to
pick from. And the department has good, hard-working
officers who make the safety of Weare residents a priority,
so the town won't fall apart while the new chief
learns the ropes.
As with any choice, the options must be weighed
carefully. The people wanted this; they have to live with
the outcome. So it's imperative that they pay attention
to this race, study the candidates and make the right
decision. That's what choice is all about.
-Christine Heiser
Letters
What the town manager will do under new town government
To the Editor:
In this, my third letter about
the proposed Goffstown charter,
to be voted on in March, I will
cover only part four, the administration
of government, as this
is long and involved.
Everything revolves around,
and is centered in the town manager.
Currently, the chief administrative
officer of the Town of
Goffstown is called the administrator.
This suits the scope of the job,
with the board of selectmen
doing much of the administrative
decision-making.
Under the proposed charter,
the CAO is called the town
manager, and takes on much
more of the administrating.
The council becomes more
like the school board, in that the
group makes policy and passes
ordinances for the town, but the
town manager makes appointments
of offices, including
police chief, fire chief and
department of public works
director, which are currently
made by the selectmen. Other
duties will be enumerated later.
"The council shall appoint a
person especially qualified by
experience and training, who
receives the votes of at least five
member of the council to be the
manager." This super-majority
vote assures careful consideration
of candidates for the office.
The manager then serves "at the
pleasure of the council."
The manager shall "supervise
and be responsible for the
administrative and financial
affairs of the town and shall
carry out the policies enacted by
the council."
He/she organizes, continues,
or discontinues departments, as
determined by the council. He
appoints and removes all subordinate
officers and employees
and fixes their compensation.
He provides back-up for and
attends council meetings. He
reports monthly to the council
all records of doings, including
financial, of his office.
He keeps the council fully
advised as to the needs of the
town, financial and otherwise,
including revenues. He examines
affairs of any department
under his control.
He controls and supervises,
subject to council direction,
work on town buildings, roads,
bridges, etc., purchase of suppliers
for same, for police, fire,
highway departments, sewers
and drains.
He administers poor relief for
the town. Works with the council
on grant applications, assures
audit and approval of authorized
claims against the town before
paying.
Assures letting, making and
performance of work contracted
for the town. Recommends to
the council measure requiring
their action; keeps complete
inventory of all town property.
Approves vouchers for obligations
incurred by town departments;
and performs such other
duties as voted by the council.
He may speak before the council,
but not vote.
Annually, early in the budget
process, the manager is to be
evaluated, to see whether he
should be kept, dismissed, have
or not have a pay increase. The
council, thus, retains control
over the manager.
At any time, the manager may
be reprimanded or removed for
cause, by a vote of at lease five
of the seven members; a procedure
is spelled out for this.
While the manager shall have
the power to appoint or remove
any town department head, it is
with the advice and consent of
the council, which may override
the manager's decision by a vote
of five council members.
As the same time, no councilor
shall interfere with the
administration of the town by
the manager.
In the event of incapacity or
inability of the manager to perform
the duties of the office, the
council may appoint an acting
manager, who shall have such
powers as determined by the
council.
The manager shall appoint the
head of each of the town departments,
which are police, fire,
public works, parks and recreation
and administration.
The council shall appoint
members of the following committees:
ADA Compliance,
Building of Boards and
Appeals, Cable TV Community
Access, Cemetery Trustees (currently
elected), Conservation
Commission, Economic
Development committee,
Historic District and Heritage
Commission, Parks and
Recreation and others deemed
by the council to be important to
the running of the town.
Ordinances which define
functions and duties of town
departments or agencies shall
constitute the administrative
code. Department heads run
their departments according to
this code.
In addition, there shall be
department rules and regulations,
a copy of which shall be
in the office of the town clerk.
The council shall engage such
attorneys as deemed necessary.
Let's cut this off here, leaving
the fiscal affairs portion of section
four for another time. I
hope this abridgement of section
four sufficiently detailed, and
yet understandable.
I'll be back.
Charles W. Carr, Goffstown
Students need to learn to cope with the inconveniences of life
To the Editor:
Why not be creative and
responsible with the use of the
existing large parking lots at the
Goffstown High School that
taxpayers are paying for? Even
assuming it's possible, would it
be responsible to consume more
invaluable land space surrounding
the high school for more
parking for students? Is that
how we want to devote education
tax money - to give students
the opportunity to drive to
school and park? Why do we as
taxpayers and homeowners
have to cater to the private decision
made by apparently many
parents of high school students
to allow them to drive?
Because you don't want to force
your children to use the bus system
or choose to allow your
children to drive, or don't want
to get creative and carpool with
other parents (or students with
lawful parking spaces) to deal
with the inconvenience of their
children involved in after
school activities, those private
decisions should not compel
taxpayers to pay for more parking
spaces, compel homeowners
to tolerate curbside (actually,
shoulder/embankment) parking
(and all that entails), compel
townpeople driving along
the public way to tolerate the
unsafety of an endless stream of
cars parked along the road, and
students walking down the
road, especially during the
snowy winter months, and compel
snow plows, and others
involved in maintenance and
upkeep of the road way, to work
around that same endless stream
of parked cars.
We haven't even touched
upon the question of who is
liable if one of these parked cars
is hit by a snow plow, mail carrier
vehicle, or garbage truck, or
is hit when a driver on the public
way tries to safely avoid a
car accident or simply loses
control in bad road conditions.
We are not the ones making
the children unsafe by banning
curbside parking on the side
roads close to the school, or
being intolerant and petty
because we refuse to tolerate
the parking along Wallace
Road, where there is no gravel
shoulder and the shoulder
embankment (the "parking"
area) is eroding away. The parents
of these students are allowing
their children to drive and,
thus, must accept all the risks
and inconveniences that entails.
I am unfamiliar with the current
policy of the high school
concerning parking, and I personally
have nothing against
high school students, in particular,
seniors who are essentially a
stones-throw away from adulthood,
driving to school. I am
sure that many are involved in
after-school programs, have
jobs that begin when their
school day ends, and simply
want to be driving more as they
reach closer toward adulthood.
Parking, however, must be limited,
and should be extended
first to those showing a sincere
need to drive to school and
thereafter to a portion of the
seniors/juniors on a lottery
basis, which alternates monthly
or by semester. No single
answer will satisfy all. We as
parents, homeowners, and taxpayers
must be responsible and
creative when devising a solution,
and then enforce the curbside
parking ban (which should
include Wallace Road) against
those who disrespect that decision.
It may be "uncool" to take the
bus, an inconvenience to tolerate
a lengthy bus ride, and irritating
to find an appropriate car
pooling situation for those who
have after school activities or a
job.
Learning to cope with these
situations would be a lesson
well-learned earlier rather than
later in life.
Jen Foley, Goffstown
Thanks for your generosity
To the Editor:
On behalf of the nursing home
and the Activities Department, I
would like to extend my sincere
thanks and gratitude to our
organization, business or club
for your generosity this holiday
season.
Through your time and generosity,
you have made the lives
of residents at our home more
enjoyable. For many of them,
the holiday season is not a time
to rejoice and be happy.
So when people like you take
the time out of your busy lives to
give and think of the folks at the
nursing home, I know that it is
appreciated beyond words.
The blanket drive sponsored by
your company (Neighborhood
News) aided 37 residents of our
facility.
From the families, residents
and staff, we extend to all of you
a happy and safe year and hope
to hear from you next holiday
season.
Katie Leduc
Director of activities
Hillsborough County Nursing Home
Goffstown
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