What are we waiting for? Is it time to be ok now? Do we know enough about anything to be secure yet about: a.) how this town is supposed to operate? and b.) is it operating that way?
We do know:
*The 2009 independent financial audit report - done in July 2009 - has come in, and, as of June 2009, Paris was in solid shape. The audit information is public information, available to look at and ask questions about if you call the town office ahead of time.
*That we will not have to take out a loan to operate this town after the end of March, contrary to a concerned statement made in early January by then newly appointed town manager P. Tarr.
*Where we stand, right now, on budget to actual expenses, because Treasurer Sharon Gendreau has those figures. This information is also public, and, if you call ahead, you can arrange a time to ask your own questions.
TPR learned today, for instance, that the budgeted amount for attorney fees, $8,000, is already over budget by 50%. We have paid, as of March 30, 2010, $12,070.87 ($1,000 of that for Mr. Hanley's repeat performance re. Town Farm Road...).
*That we are fortunate to have a dedicated and professional group of ladies working in that front office.
*That we have 4 selectmen who are going to try their hardest to get this town back on track, with our support.
But we have unfinished business, always with unknowns:
*How much will we lose from state revenue this coming year?
What will we have to cut further?
*The resolution of a law suit brought about by the vengeful firing of a former town manager;
* An interlocal agreement with Norway that must be reestablished - or a new plan made - to keep solid waste management in the hands of a board comprised of people who are responsive to the voters, and the law, instead of their own agenda.
We've started; and now we have to keep each other moving - complacency is such an easy chair to fall into when the maddening roar stops for a moment.
This town will only become what we want if we demand it be so, and then step up to help.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
On the Docket for Thursday
The issue of an injunction, to immediately overturn efforts of the boards of selectmen in the towns of Paris and Norway to deal with questionable management practices of the recently deposed board of Norway-Paris Solid Waste, will be addressed in Oxford Co. Superior Court on Thursday, April 1, at 12:00 noon.
All court proceedings are open to the public.
The request, filed by former NPSW lawyer Dana Hanley, is to immediately reinstate 5 of the deposed 7 NPSW board members, and to rescind all efforts to recognize the interlocal agreement passed by voters in both towns last June.
Once again voters, this time in Norway as well as Paris, are in danger of being sold short.
The wishes of the few, to control the choice of many. It depends, no doubt, on where one stands how the shape of that decision should play out..
Paris has become quite experienced in this kind of fight. It takes courage, backbone, and determination to follow through on clean up after being taken advantage of by the few.
It is a hard act, for the newly seated board of selectmen in Paris, to follow - betrayal by a previous board majority who tried to sell voters down the river.
It will take extra work on the part of this new board to garner the trust of citizens.
Not the few naysayers; but the majority, the citizens, the voters, the folks whose town Paris is.
All court proceedings are open to the public.
The request, filed by former NPSW lawyer Dana Hanley, is to immediately reinstate 5 of the deposed 7 NPSW board members, and to rescind all efforts to recognize the interlocal agreement passed by voters in both towns last June.
Once again voters, this time in Norway as well as Paris, are in danger of being sold short.
The wishes of the few, to control the choice of many. It depends, no doubt, on where one stands how the shape of that decision should play out..
Paris has become quite experienced in this kind of fight. It takes courage, backbone, and determination to follow through on clean up after being taken advantage of by the few.
It is a hard act, for the newly seated board of selectmen in Paris, to follow - betrayal by a previous board majority who tried to sell voters down the river.
It will take extra work on the part of this new board to garner the trust of citizens.
Not the few naysayers; but the majority, the citizens, the voters, the folks whose town Paris is.
Monday, March 22, 2010
On More Than One Level
Up for the second time tonight as a new selectboard; a board of 4, since Selectman Young officially resigned tonight, and the board agreed not to hold a special election to fill the seat 6 weeks before the June town meeting.
New dynamics emerging on this board: interactive; information seeking; disagreeing with each other sometimes, without shutting the other down. And the doing of homework before class begins. Not to say that sometimes last minute items don't come up; but when a topic has been around a while - an ordinance, a law suit, a policy - it is refreshing to hear "I have been reading that statute..." from the front table. Even more refreshing would be "..and I have a copy with me."
Several items on the manager's report were actually main agenda items:
* We need a new street sweeper - case presented by Road Foreman Frank Danforth;
*The town is looking toward computerizing the town report to save paper and mailing. Do they really know how many non-computer folks there are in this town? Selectman Herrick made the point that come town meeting people will want to have something to hold in their hands to refer to; the speaker responded that that information would be on the computer and they could print it out..... missed the point....
Main agenda:
*Finally, just one year late, a hearing scheduled for the repairs to the petitioned replacement subdivision ordinance voted in last June. The impediments have been corrected, and these corrections will appear on the June 2010 warrant. For real.
*Our acting town clerk, Liz Knox, became official until June 30, when she will then be reappointed for another term. Paris is grateful for her continued dedication and efforts.
LEVEL TWO
Item 11. This law suit. Selectman Herrick said "This item is a very emotional topic for many people...many people." He went on to point out that it's necessary to separate the emotion from the cost of the law suit; that a decision needs to be made that is good for the town.
He is right on all counts, absolutely right. Working backwards on the points above, what works for the whole town must be the focus of our selectmen. And, of course, in order to run any machine, mechanical or municipal, the operators have to be able to manage the costs.
But, now, this emotional part. Why is this item so emotional? And, is emotion a nonessential component to the machine? Or is there more to it?
The situation has become so complex that it is almost impossible to boil things down to one, or even two, issue(s) of merit. We had a groundless firing; we had bullies; we had deceit after deceit. We - staff, elected officials, hired personnel, citizens - were all mocked, misled, lied to, cheated. People. All of us people. We were sold down the river. How does that feel?
And then a law suit. Wanted her job back. Couldn't get anyone to listen. Twice. How does that feel? Not only to the jobless person, but to us watching? Helpless and watching? Can you look away? Is the action right? wrong? How does that quandary itself feel?
Still the turmoil continued. Two of our elected officials trapped in the turmoil of the civil war brought on by the 3 other elected officials. How does that feel? To the 2? To the angry citizens watching?
Nine long, ridiculous, awful months.
We cannot disregard the emotion. It should not run the show; but it is part of who we are as people, all of us - elected officials, hired staff, citizens - our values, our vision, our hopes are built around our emotions.
And that includes our anger. We cannot sustain this anger any longer. Until there is a resolution to this lawsuit that has been blown into global proportions and looms over this town like a toxic cloud, we cannot rebuild, no matter how many street sweepers, fire tankers, and neat & tidy budgets we manage to whip up. Our former manager must be able to get on with her life - we owe her that - and we must be able to get on with Paris.
New dynamics emerging on this board: interactive; information seeking; disagreeing with each other sometimes, without shutting the other down. And the doing of homework before class begins. Not to say that sometimes last minute items don't come up; but when a topic has been around a while - an ordinance, a law suit, a policy - it is refreshing to hear "I have been reading that statute..." from the front table. Even more refreshing would be "..and I have a copy with me."
Several items on the manager's report were actually main agenda items:
* We need a new street sweeper - case presented by Road Foreman Frank Danforth;
*The town is looking toward computerizing the town report to save paper and mailing. Do they really know how many non-computer folks there are in this town? Selectman Herrick made the point that come town meeting people will want to have something to hold in their hands to refer to; the speaker responded that that information would be on the computer and they could print it out..... missed the point....
Main agenda:
*Finally, just one year late, a hearing scheduled for the repairs to the petitioned replacement subdivision ordinance voted in last June. The impediments have been corrected, and these corrections will appear on the June 2010 warrant. For real.
*Our acting town clerk, Liz Knox, became official until June 30, when she will then be reappointed for another term. Paris is grateful for her continued dedication and efforts.
LEVEL TWO
Item 11. This law suit. Selectman Herrick said "This item is a very emotional topic for many people...many people." He went on to point out that it's necessary to separate the emotion from the cost of the law suit; that a decision needs to be made that is good for the town.
He is right on all counts, absolutely right. Working backwards on the points above, what works for the whole town must be the focus of our selectmen. And, of course, in order to run any machine, mechanical or municipal, the operators have to be able to manage the costs.
But, now, this emotional part. Why is this item so emotional? And, is emotion a nonessential component to the machine? Or is there more to it?
The situation has become so complex that it is almost impossible to boil things down to one, or even two, issue(s) of merit. We had a groundless firing; we had bullies; we had deceit after deceit. We - staff, elected officials, hired personnel, citizens - were all mocked, misled, lied to, cheated. People. All of us people. We were sold down the river. How does that feel?
And then a law suit. Wanted her job back. Couldn't get anyone to listen. Twice. How does that feel? Not only to the jobless person, but to us watching? Helpless and watching? Can you look away? Is the action right? wrong? How does that quandary itself feel?
Still the turmoil continued. Two of our elected officials trapped in the turmoil of the civil war brought on by the 3 other elected officials. How does that feel? To the 2? To the angry citizens watching?
Nine long, ridiculous, awful months.
We cannot disregard the emotion. It should not run the show; but it is part of who we are as people, all of us - elected officials, hired staff, citizens - our values, our vision, our hopes are built around our emotions.
And that includes our anger. We cannot sustain this anger any longer. Until there is a resolution to this lawsuit that has been blown into global proportions and looms over this town like a toxic cloud, we cannot rebuild, no matter how many street sweepers, fire tankers, and neat & tidy budgets we manage to whip up. Our former manager must be able to get on with her life - we owe her that - and we must be able to get on with Paris.
Friday, March 19, 2010
For Monday the 22nd
Posted here is the agenda for the Paris selectboard meeting Monday March 22, 7 pm, at the Paris fire station.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Time's Up
Paris voters cannot sit in on the executive session Thursday at 6 pm when our new selectboard gathers at a special meeting with town attorney Geoff Hole. But we all have a stake in that discussion, and we need to make our expectations clear.
We expect the facts to be presented to each of our elected officials (to date that has not happened), not only about the costs, but about the reasons and the methods and the options.
We expect there to be some resolution besides going to court because we're stuck with it.
We expect there to be good strong intelligent questions, serious discourse, and thinking outside of the box. We want a solution that deals with the rightness of things - not just a check list. We are sick of hearing about things that won't work - can't work - might not work.
We have had 9 months of things that did not work and we put a stop to that. We did - the 612 in the letter June 2009, the 354 for the recall ordinance petition in July, the 338 for individujal selectmen recalls in November , the 279 to request a notary public in December to set a town meeting, the 437 at the January town meeting, the 600 plus at 2 recall elections in February. We, the voters, worked together in our community and made that happen.
Our elected officials should look back at what we did, and recognize that it was the wrongness of things that motivated us. They need to keep that in mind as they work through their discussion Thursday night.
And, they need to consider:
No one asked for that firing in June, nor any of the poorly-orchestrated, costly, and destructive decisions made between then and the recall election in February. Our town almost capsized.
We can, all of us together, right the ship; but now we need the specific help of our elected officials in taking the appropriate, necessary legal steps to continue what we started.
The voters expect our selectboard to come up with a solution that will work for this town, that will make this town right again. Not right because it's quicker or cheaper or easier... but because it's right.
We expect the facts to be presented to each of our elected officials (to date that has not happened), not only about the costs, but about the reasons and the methods and the options.
We expect there to be some resolution besides going to court because we're stuck with it.
We expect there to be good strong intelligent questions, serious discourse, and thinking outside of the box. We want a solution that deals with the rightness of things - not just a check list. We are sick of hearing about things that won't work - can't work - might not work.
We have had 9 months of things that did not work and we put a stop to that. We did - the 612 in the letter June 2009, the 354 for the recall ordinance petition in July, the 338 for individujal selectmen recalls in November , the 279 to request a notary public in December to set a town meeting, the 437 at the January town meeting, the 600 plus at 2 recall elections in February. We, the voters, worked together in our community and made that happen.
Our elected officials should look back at what we did, and recognize that it was the wrongness of things that motivated us. They need to keep that in mind as they work through their discussion Thursday night.
And, they need to consider:
No one asked for that firing in June, nor any of the poorly-orchestrated, costly, and destructive decisions made between then and the recall election in February. Our town almost capsized.
We can, all of us together, right the ship; but now we need the specific help of our elected officials in taking the appropriate, necessary legal steps to continue what we started.
The voters expect our selectboard to come up with a solution that will work for this town, that will make this town right again. Not right because it's quicker or cheaper or easier... but because it's right.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Better Late Than Never
The Paris selectboard have scheduled a special meeting Thursday March 18 with town's attorney, Geoffrey Hole, to discuss matters relating to Sharon Jackson vs. The Town of Paris. The suit was filed in July 2009 - and to date, there has been no exchange of information, no discussions, no clear understanding of anything.
This is not just about money - that would be a gross oversimplification. This is about wrongness -all the way around. It is complex, sticky, and unpleasant; but not impossible to deal with. The people in this town are not timid by nature, and have shown a distinct bent this winter for setting things straight. However, not only do the town's people not know anything about the status of the suit, neither do our selectmen at this point.
The meeting will be held in closed session, most likely. However, the discussion at this meeting should provide the basis for answers we have been waiting for:
What happened? How did it get to this? What can we do now? How do we go on from here?
As a result of the 3-18-10 meeting, it is to be hoped that the next selectmen's meeting, Monday March 22, will include specific straightforward information on this topic. When citizens have been attending these meetings over a long period of time, they do not need to be read endless details and rules about procedure; they simply need to be given information about what's going on, as much as is possible without jeopardizing confidential proceedings.
Our selectmen need to know we are waiting for their response.
This is not just about money - that would be a gross oversimplification. This is about wrongness -all the way around. It is complex, sticky, and unpleasant; but not impossible to deal with. The people in this town are not timid by nature, and have shown a distinct bent this winter for setting things straight. However, not only do the town's people not know anything about the status of the suit, neither do our selectmen at this point.
The meeting will be held in closed session, most likely. However, the discussion at this meeting should provide the basis for answers we have been waiting for:
What happened? How did it get to this? What can we do now? How do we go on from here?
As a result of the 3-18-10 meeting, it is to be hoped that the next selectmen's meeting, Monday March 22, will include specific straightforward information on this topic. When citizens have been attending these meetings over a long period of time, they do not need to be read endless details and rules about procedure; they simply need to be given information about what's going on, as much as is possible without jeopardizing confidential proceedings.
Our selectmen need to know we are waiting for their response.
Openings
Any Paris resident 18 years or older may pick up candidacy papers at the town office to run for the following seats: (election to be held in June)
one director, PUD;
two directors, SAD 17;
two selectmen, Town of Paris
Papers may be picked up beginning March 15, and must be returned by April 26. [FYI -Anything to do with candidacy forms is public information.]
one director, PUD;
two directors, SAD 17;
two selectmen, Town of Paris
Papers may be picked up beginning March 15, and must be returned by April 26. [FYI -Anything to do with candidacy forms is public information.]
Friday, March 12, 2010
They need to hear from us...
Yes, there is still time to negotiate this lawsuit that nobody wants. It is not a done deal. The extension of the discovery deadline until April 10 (see the Motion and Order here) means depositions have yet to be taken from the 3 selectmen who initiated the firing of former Town Manager Jackson. The Sun Journal published an article 2-11-10 stating as much. The article stated 5 selectmen would be questioned, but that is not accurate; only the 3 would be deposed.
There must be negotiations. It is not necessary to throw up our hands and say there's nothing we can do. An injustice has been done, to the former town manager, and to this town. Nobody asked for any of this - 3 selfish individuals just took it upon themselves to tie this huge millstone around our necks.
Contact our selectmen - the individuals now in place on the selectboard are working together for this town. They need to hear from us.
There must be negotiations. It is not necessary to throw up our hands and say there's nothing we can do. An injustice has been done, to the former town manager, and to this town. Nobody asked for any of this - 3 selfish individuals just took it upon themselves to tie this huge millstone around our necks.
Contact our selectmen - the individuals now in place on the selectboard are working together for this town. They need to hear from us.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The start
A smallish crowd - 35, plus 4 selectmen, one town manager, one town clerk taking minutes, and the NPC-TV camera person. The business of the town of Paris was transacted by the book, with decorum and dignity, and absolutely no hint of disorder. To the letter. Absolutely, no exception. At all. None. Every point covered. Completely.
The next to last item was to accept the resignation of Forrie Everett from the budget committee. Forrie has been a vital part of this community and this town's government, and his resignation was accepted, but with regret. He and his wife Pammie will be moving to Florida for the cold weather months, hopefully returning here in the summers. Forrie has made a difference in Paris. We are sorry to lose him.
The final item brought the following resolution by newly elected selectperson, Jean Smart:
"We will meet with our attorney at 6:30 pm, [and] go into executive session at our next meeting [ed. note: March 22]. If the attorney is not available [at that time], then there will be a special meeting scheduled."
Question to Mgr. Tarr, from our also newly elected selectperson, Ted Kurtz: "Can I come in tomorrow and look at the [lawsuit] file?" This is good. Gathering information, coming with questions ready; looking for answers to the questions.
There is still time. Gather information, ask questions, get accurate deadlines and procedures. No one wants this lawsuit. Few even really understand what it is about; and fewer still know how to stop it. We do not have to do this.
If you are one of the 600+ who signed the open letter to selectmen last June saying you were not consulted about the decision to fire; or one of the 1500+ who voted in November for a recall ordinance; or one of the 339 or the 279 to petition for a recall question on the ballot in December; or one of the 487 who turned out at the town meeting on Jan.7 and, after approving the fire truck purchase, defeated every single special agenda item; or one of the over 600+ voters in February who voted 2 selectmen out and another 2 back in - this message is for you:
CONTACT YOUR SELECTMEN. Tell them Paris does not need to go to court. Insist that they investigate, negotiate, and then come to some kind of decision that all parties in this lawsuit can live with. Tell them to find a way.
The next to last item was to accept the resignation of Forrie Everett from the budget committee. Forrie has been a vital part of this community and this town's government, and his resignation was accepted, but with regret. He and his wife Pammie will be moving to Florida for the cold weather months, hopefully returning here in the summers. Forrie has made a difference in Paris. We are sorry to lose him.
The final item brought the following resolution by newly elected selectperson, Jean Smart:
"We will meet with our attorney at 6:30 pm, [and] go into executive session at our next meeting [ed. note: March 22]. If the attorney is not available [at that time], then there will be a special meeting scheduled."
Question to Mgr. Tarr, from our also newly elected selectperson, Ted Kurtz: "Can I come in tomorrow and look at the [lawsuit] file?" This is good. Gathering information, coming with questions ready; looking for answers to the questions.
There is still time. Gather information, ask questions, get accurate deadlines and procedures. No one wants this lawsuit. Few even really understand what it is about; and fewer still know how to stop it. We do not have to do this.
If you are one of the 600+ who signed the open letter to selectmen last June saying you were not consulted about the decision to fire; or one of the 1500+ who voted in November for a recall ordinance; or one of the 339 or the 279 to petition for a recall question on the ballot in December; or one of the 487 who turned out at the town meeting on Jan.7 and, after approving the fire truck purchase, defeated every single special agenda item; or one of the over 600+ voters in February who voted 2 selectmen out and another 2 back in - this message is for you:
CONTACT YOUR SELECTMEN. Tell them Paris does not need to go to court. Insist that they investigate, negotiate, and then come to some kind of decision that all parties in this lawsuit can live with. Tell them to find a way.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Thursday March 11 at 7 PM
Posted as a link to this site is the Agenda for the selectmen's meeting. Note the final item, under "selectmen requests. This is a good beginning.
Bring questions, listen to the answers, talk with each other, ask more questions. It is going to take all of us to get the job done.
Bring questions, listen to the answers, talk with each other, ask more questions. It is going to take all of us to get the job done.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Ready to move on
At 7 PM on March 11th at the fire station, the Paris Selectboard will have their first meeting with the 2 new sworn in members, bringing the board back to the full member status of 5.
Today's election saw Ted Kurtz elected by a count of 416 votes to fill the term that runs through June 30th, 2010. The term of the contested seat, sought by Jean Smart and Ken West, runs through June 30, 2012. Jean Smart was declared the winner with 323 votes.
Once again, the town of Paris extends its appreciaition to the staff in our town office for their extra efforts and their professionalism; we thank, one more time, the ballot clerks who have come and sat all day to monitor still another election, the 3rd in 5 weeks! And we thank the crew at the fire station who have helped with setting up, not only for the elections, but for the selectboard meetings as well.
12.5% of the registered voters in this town took time to come out and vote in a time of year that this town doesn't usually vote; 123 voted by absentee ballot. Citizens campaigned, wrote letters, called people, distributed flyers, and voted. When it comes right down to it, it is the people that make a town go. A town is about its people...all of them.
Come Thursday night. Be ready to ask questions about what this new team is going to do to get this town moving again. We have things to do, responsibilities to be met, plans that need to be put in order. [editor's note: refer to postings Unresolved Issues and What's on the list?]
Today's election saw Ted Kurtz elected by a count of 416 votes to fill the term that runs through June 30th, 2010. The term of the contested seat, sought by Jean Smart and Ken West, runs through June 30, 2012. Jean Smart was declared the winner with 323 votes.
Once again, the town of Paris extends its appreciaition to the staff in our town office for their extra efforts and their professionalism; we thank, one more time, the ballot clerks who have come and sat all day to monitor still another election, the 3rd in 5 weeks! And we thank the crew at the fire station who have helped with setting up, not only for the elections, but for the selectboard meetings as well.
12.5% of the registered voters in this town took time to come out and vote in a time of year that this town doesn't usually vote; 123 voted by absentee ballot. Citizens campaigned, wrote letters, called people, distributed flyers, and voted. When it comes right down to it, it is the people that make a town go. A town is about its people...all of them.
Come Thursday night. Be ready to ask questions about what this new team is going to do to get this town moving again. We have things to do, responsibilities to be met, plans that need to be put in order. [editor's note: refer to postings Unresolved Issues and What's on the list?]
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Vote Tuesday March 9, Paris Fire Station
Polls open 8AM - 8PM
(Absentee voting Monday 8:30 - 4:30 at Paris Town Office )
Candidates for term ending June 2012: Jean Smart, Ken West;
Candidate for term ending June 2010: Ted Kurtz (must be voted in even if unopposed)
Come and vote! Get your friends out to vote!
(Absentee voting Monday 8:30 - 4:30 at Paris Town Office )
Candidates for term ending June 2012: Jean Smart, Ken West;
Candidate for term ending June 2010: Ted Kurtz (must be voted in even if unopposed)
Come and vote! Get your friends out to vote!
Agreeing that this town should be liable....
If you have a need to remind yourself what made 611 Paris residents, citizens, and voters so angry on June 22, 2009 that they wrote an open letter to the Paris Selectmen and published it in 2 papers, saying "You did not speak for us when you fired Sharon Jackson!" - get yourself a copy of the dvd made by NPCTV.
You will come across the following little snatch of dialogue:
Selectman Young: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion...uh... to take a vote on...uh...page 2, termination...
Selectman Glover: So, you're suggesting she [Town Mgr. Jackson] be terminated without cause?
S. Young: Yes.
S. Glover: You're agreeing that this town should be liable for the penalties for termination?
S. Young: Yes.
We all know the rest of this sorry drama. Including the recalls that ended the political careers of a couple of select men.
The above conversation makes it pretty clear that someone, and whoever else was attached to that someone, knew there were going to be repercussions.
Good. Let's send them the bill for the thousands of dollars in legal fees from Bernstein & Shur that dealt with the resulting law suit and questions on how to avoid being recalled.
Let's send them the bill for the thousands of dollars involved in paying Mgr. Jackson the severance pay written into her contract; plus more, because they decided to "ratify" that firing in October, and the severance pay began all over again.
Maybe we can get them to reimburse the town at $1000 for each of the 2 recall elections in November, and the almost $1000 for the election coming up March 9; all of the elections the result of irresponsible decisions and unfortunate leadership skills.
Nice that they - or he and they - or however it gets sliced - agreed that the town should be liable for penalties for termination. Word aound town, however, is that the "town" (i.e. the tax payers) takes a very different view of that decision....
You will come across the following little snatch of dialogue:
Selectman Young: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion...uh... to take a vote on...uh...page 2, termination...
Selectman Glover: So, you're suggesting she [Town Mgr. Jackson] be terminated without cause?
S. Young: Yes.
S. Glover: You're agreeing that this town should be liable for the penalties for termination?
S. Young: Yes.
We all know the rest of this sorry drama. Including the recalls that ended the political careers of a couple of select men.
The above conversation makes it pretty clear that someone, and whoever else was attached to that someone, knew there were going to be repercussions.
Good. Let's send them the bill for the thousands of dollars in legal fees from Bernstein & Shur that dealt with the resulting law suit and questions on how to avoid being recalled.
Let's send them the bill for the thousands of dollars involved in paying Mgr. Jackson the severance pay written into her contract; plus more, because they decided to "ratify" that firing in October, and the severance pay began all over again.
Maybe we can get them to reimburse the town at $1000 for each of the 2 recall elections in November, and the almost $1000 for the election coming up March 9; all of the elections the result of irresponsible decisions and unfortunate leadership skills.
Nice that they - or he and they - or however it gets sliced - agreed that the town should be liable for penalties for termination. Word aound town, however, is that the "town" (i.e. the tax payers) takes a very different view of that decision....
Friday, March 5, 2010
Just because the storm has stopped...
It's important, Paris voters, that, just because this town is not wracked with seething crisis at this moment, we don't forget to finish the job of doing what we're supposed to be doing: making sure this town gets back on track. That's not exactly just a flip of a switch....
Reminder:
3 candidates running for 2 openings on Paris Board of Selectmen:
2 1/2 year vacancy, to end June 30, 2012
Jean Smart
Ken West
3 months vacancy, to end June 30, 2010
Ted Kurtz
Election day is Tuesday, March 9, 8 AM - 8 PM at Paris Fire Station;
or
Vote absentee ballot through Monday March 5, 8 AM - 4:30 PM at Paris Town Office.
NPC-TV will broadcast the 2-25-10 candidate forum again this Sunday, March 7, at 6:30 pm.
Reminder:
3 candidates running for 2 openings on Paris Board of Selectmen:
2 1/2 year vacancy, to end June 30, 2012
Jean Smart
Ken West
3 months vacancy, to end June 30, 2010
Ted Kurtz
Election day is Tuesday, March 9, 8 AM - 8 PM at Paris Fire Station;
or
Vote absentee ballot through Monday March 5, 8 AM - 4:30 PM at Paris Town Office.
NPC-TV will broadcast the 2-25-10 candidate forum again this Sunday, March 7, at 6:30 pm.
Unresolved Issues
Check list:
*Ask about how we are going to pay our bills;
*Ask about the responsibility for handling the ins and outs of this law suit;
*Ask when the tax payers will have some straight talk on this law suit;
[editor's note: If not resolved, the process for discovery (preparation for court) will resume April 10.]
*Ask what steps this new board of selectmen are going to take to be sure there is better sharing of information with citizens;
*Ask how we are going to deal with the shortfall of state funds.
*Ask about how we are going to pay our bills;
*Ask about the responsibility for handling the ins and outs of this law suit;
*Ask when the tax payers will have some straight talk on this law suit;
[editor's note: If not resolved, the process for discovery (preparation for court) will resume April 10.]
*Ask what steps this new board of selectmen are going to take to be sure there is better sharing of information with citizens;
*Ask how we are going to deal with the shortfall of state funds.
Monday, March 1, 2010
What's on the list?
No, Paris, it's not all better yet. And there isn't any magic. We - all of us - have to get out and make things happen. We've made a serious start with voter turn out to stop things from going any further south in our town government.
The hardest part, the less dramatic and immediately gratifying, the more demanding because it is longer term - though no less critical - is yet to come. The patient has had the bone set, antibiotics have been administered, care givers have been identified, the patient has been discharged from the hospital. Now the patient's bone has to heal, #1; and then the patient has to learn how to walk again, #2.
We have to re-establish the ordinary, day to day functioning of our municipal machine, clear of the debris of misunderstandings, lack of accurate information, guilt trips and naysayers, blame and innuendos. Without focusing on the real, but distracting, too-hards, never-been-done-befores, no-one will-show-ups, there's-not-enough-moneys.
What's on the list? Here are some starters:
*Three candidates are running for the 2 open seats on the select board. Time has been limited, but there has been a Meet the Candidates night, and articles and ads in the paper. It's up to the voters to do their part - again, still, one more time - and get to the polls March 9. Or, vote by absentee ballot at the town office up until that day. Remind your friends to vote. Offer to drive them. Vote yourself!
*Norway Paris Solid Waste will be needing directors to replace those removed by the joint decision of Norway and Paris selectboards last week. For the Paris seats, Paris has an application process for any interested Paris citizen to make his or her interest known to our Paris selectmen. Call the town office.
*The law suit facing the town is not a taboo subject shrouded in dreadful unspeakable mystery; it is a topic that requires a little homework on the part of our elected officials, and then some straight talk with the voters, as much as is possible when a legal issue is under consideration. But there must be straight talk. Because, before any healing can possibly happen in this town, there has to be a way to deal with a miscarriage of justice that has left people confused, angry, and worried.
The dilemma of the law suit can be dealt with. In a workable way...somehow. Our elected officials have this assignment, and we voters will continue to remind them. The deadline for this will be sooner rather than later.....
*Land use is still a raw issue. We have subdivision-ordinance amendments sitting in dry dock.
A comment made at the candidate's forum offers food for thought - how do the citizens in Paris as a whole (not only the builders, or the land owners) feel about the whole idea of what our town becomes?
The Comprehensive Plan enacted June 2007, and the Subdivision Ordinance (the original ordinance) enacted at the same time, was surrounded by heavy controversy and strong feelings; attempts to repair things only made the controversy worse; the replacement ordinance enacted in 2009 only fed the controversy. There never has been a time to have an actual dialog in the light of day without individual agendas or demands and threats. Somehow that needs to be looked at.
This town belongs to every tax payer in it, including, but not exclusively, the ones who have a financial interest in the use of the land.
*The budget? Oh yes. But we have a crew already on that. They'll be talking to us soon, and everyone should be ready with questions.
*And that civil tone that everyone is craving? We will all have to help with that. That will take a while to get nailed back down. Straight talk will help. Listening will help. Taking responsibility will help. It's not so easy....
The hardest part, the less dramatic and immediately gratifying, the more demanding because it is longer term - though no less critical - is yet to come. The patient has had the bone set, antibiotics have been administered, care givers have been identified, the patient has been discharged from the hospital. Now the patient's bone has to heal, #1; and then the patient has to learn how to walk again, #2.
We have to re-establish the ordinary, day to day functioning of our municipal machine, clear of the debris of misunderstandings, lack of accurate information, guilt trips and naysayers, blame and innuendos. Without focusing on the real, but distracting, too-hards, never-been-done-befores, no-one will-show-ups, there's-not-enough-moneys.
What's on the list? Here are some starters:
*Three candidates are running for the 2 open seats on the select board. Time has been limited, but there has been a Meet the Candidates night, and articles and ads in the paper. It's up to the voters to do their part - again, still, one more time - and get to the polls March 9. Or, vote by absentee ballot at the town office up until that day. Remind your friends to vote. Offer to drive them. Vote yourself!
*Norway Paris Solid Waste will be needing directors to replace those removed by the joint decision of Norway and Paris selectboards last week. For the Paris seats, Paris has an application process for any interested Paris citizen to make his or her interest known to our Paris selectmen. Call the town office.
*The law suit facing the town is not a taboo subject shrouded in dreadful unspeakable mystery; it is a topic that requires a little homework on the part of our elected officials, and then some straight talk with the voters, as much as is possible when a legal issue is under consideration. But there must be straight talk. Because, before any healing can possibly happen in this town, there has to be a way to deal with a miscarriage of justice that has left people confused, angry, and worried.
The dilemma of the law suit can be dealt with. In a workable way...somehow. Our elected officials have this assignment, and we voters will continue to remind them. The deadline for this will be sooner rather than later.....
*Land use is still a raw issue. We have subdivision-ordinance amendments sitting in dry dock.
A comment made at the candidate's forum offers food for thought - how do the citizens in Paris as a whole (not only the builders, or the land owners) feel about the whole idea of what our town becomes?
The Comprehensive Plan enacted June 2007, and the Subdivision Ordinance (the original ordinance) enacted at the same time, was surrounded by heavy controversy and strong feelings; attempts to repair things only made the controversy worse; the replacement ordinance enacted in 2009 only fed the controversy. There never has been a time to have an actual dialog in the light of day without individual agendas or demands and threats. Somehow that needs to be looked at.
This town belongs to every tax payer in it, including, but not exclusively, the ones who have a financial interest in the use of the land.
*The budget? Oh yes. But we have a crew already on that. They'll be talking to us soon, and everyone should be ready with questions.
*And that civil tone that everyone is craving? We will all have to help with that. That will take a while to get nailed back down. Straight talk will help. Listening will help. Taking responsibility will help. It's not so easy....
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