A very happy 16th birthday to Molly Dahl on March 4th.
A benefit Spaghetti Dinner for the Michael Briggs Scholarship
will be held on Tuesday, March 10, from 5-7 p.m. in the Epsom
Central School Multi-Purpose Room. Tickets are $5 or adults or $3
for children. They may be purchased ahead of time at the Epsom
Central School Office or at the door on the night of the dinner.
Happy Birthday to Megan Morey on March 5th.
The Chichester School District Meeting will be held on Saturday,
March 7, at 9 a.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room at the School.
A belated Happy Birthday to Abigail McIntosh whose February 27th
birthday was somehow missed last week.
Voting for Town and School District officials will take place on
Tuesday, March 10, at the Town/Grange Hall beginning at 10 a.m.
Come to the Chichester Historical Society Museum on Monday,
March 9, at 7 p.m. for a free program on “Local Indian History and
Lore” presented by Tim Paterson from Pittsfield. Mr. Paterson is
very knowledgeable about NH Indians and their history and knows a
lot about Native Americans in this localized area. All are
welcome to attend, and refreshments will be served.
At the Chichester Library the Youth Newbery Medal Winners and
Newbery Honor Books are now all together in their own section. There
is a Newbery Medal Winner and Honor Book announced every year. We
found that we were missing a few of the winners so the following
Youth Fiction books have been added to the library collection:
CRISPIN THE CROSS OF LEAD by Avi, CRISS CROSS by Lynne Rae Perkins,
ELIJAH OF BUXTON by Christopher Paul Curtis, KIRA-KIRA by Cynthia
Kadohata, and THE GRAVE YARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman. Stop by and look
over the Newbery section.
Chichester Historical Society
On March 9th at 7 p.m., the historical society will have Tim Patterson,
a Pittsfield resident and NH History expert, speak on the early history of
our area when Native Indians inhabited and traveled this region. This
program, “Local Indian History and Lore,” will be held at the Historical
Society Museum, 49 Main Street. Please note the change of date to MONDAY,
instead of the second Thursday. Programs are free and all are welcome.
Refreshments will be served.
The Historical Society has asked that two articles be placed on the 2009
town meeting warrant. One asks voters to consider the formation of a
Heritage Commission. The other deals with stonewall protection along
town-owned roads. Information about each of these is available at the town
library and the town offices. The handouts will also be available on March
14th, Town Meeting Day. If you would like more information or clarification,
please call Richard Pratt, 798-3151, or Lucille Noel, 798-5709.
You may also view this on Chichester’s website:
www.chichesternh.org
under “What’s New?”
Photography To Be Exhibited
My name is Deborah Seamon. Most of you will know me by Deborah Kenneally. I
am having my photography exhibited at the Chichester Library for the month
of March and also at the Audubon Society on Silk Farm Road in Concord for
the month of March and April.
I hope you can come out and enjoy my work.
There will be rare sightings and photos that may surprise you. I will have
prints for sale at both locations in various sizes, as well as cards.
You may also visit my work in progress web site at: deborahseamon.webs.com
Letter
Mr. Kenneally,
In your letter 2/18/2009, Election Time, you
mention your accomplishments and qualifications as a Road Agent here in
Chichester.
In these trying financial times, I like the cut of your jib
with the cost savings of 60K in your department, and your certification as a
Master Road Scholar is but icing on the cake. I want an experienced,
dedicated resident in the position of Road Agent, and it appears that you
fit the bill perfectly.
It is fiscally responsible to keep a hard worker
such as yourself in this position, as it makes no sense to change horses in
this economic climate. You obviously know your stuff, the town, work well
with Department heads, and you are sensitive to our pocketbooks.
I
appreciate the fine job you and your department have done here in Chichester
over the last few years.
Keep up the good work !!
Bette Bogdan
Letter
To the Citizens of Chichester,
I am a resident and business
owner in the Town of Chichester, and I am endorsing Jim Plunkett for the
position of Road Agent. Here is why.
David Kenneally’s editorial letter
in the 02/18/2009 issue of the Sun stated that he has saved the town vast
amounts of money. According to the Selectmen’s minutes of January 20th, Mr.
Kenneally reported he had an accident with a vehicle on Depot Street. The
wing was torn off the front when the truck caught the expansion joint on the
bridge, over $2,000 in repairs. This from someone who states he knows
these roads better than anyone. He failed to report this in a timely manner
to the town; along with potential engineering costs and bridge repairs. And
this is just one example. Save the town money? I think not! I strongly urge
the citizens of our town to read through some of our past minutes from the
Selectman’s meetings. Go to www.chichesternh.org and you will get a very accurate picture of what a
bargain Mr. Kenneally has been for us.
We can continue to be misled or
we can take a step in the right direction by voting for Jim Plunkett. Jim,
like so many of us, is concerned about his tax dollars. He believes that
he could manage the budget more efficiently and effectively. He has
experience in various tasks and jobs that gives him the experience to do
this job well including a degree in business. He will not shirk
responsibility. He is a man committed to this town and the betterment of
this area. He is a man of integrity and I am proud to call him a
friend.
Vote Jim Plunkett on March 10th!
Kevin J. Mara, DVM
2008 - A Good Year In The Show Ring
Caleb and Elizabeth Stock are to be
congratulated on another successful year in the show ring. It has been a
long season with the first horse show in May, in Barrington nd the last, in
December in Rowley, MA.
Caleb and Elizabeth are the children of Martha
and Stephen Stock of Chichester.
Caleb has had a great year showing his
registered Solid Bred Paint, Spot Me A Jac. Caleb and “Jac” ended the season
with a championship trophy in their division. The pair has worked hard this
year and it shows.
This was Elizabeth’s first year riding saddle seat on
her registered Saddlebred, Wing Commander Stonewall Son. “Toy” is a seasoned
show horse and the two make a great pair, bringing home numerous ribbons and
trophies.
Both Caleb and Elizabeth ride under the instruction of Joanne
Galvin of Deer Run Farm in Pittsfield. The Stock family would like to thank
both Joanne and her daughter, Jen for their support and dedication and for a
wonderful year and look forward to the 2009 season.
Chichester Looks Into The Crystal Ball
On Saturday, February 14th, the
residents of Chichester showed their love and commitment to their town and
its rural integrity. With facilitation by the University of New
Hampshire Cooperative Extension (UNHCE), the Central New Hampshire Regional
Planning Commission (CNHRPC) and the Chichester Master Plan Steering
Committee, residents were asked to develop visioning scenarios in eight
major focus areas which included, housing, transportation, community
services, cultural and historic preservation, natural resources, business
and industry, education, and community leadership. Matt Monahan, of the
CNHRPC, began the day with providing a brief overview of Chichester
demographics and presented preliminary results of the 2009 Master Plan
survey. If you haven’t filled out yours yet, you have until March
15th.
Michelle Gagne from UNHCE asked attendees to join a focus group of
their interest, and then break out into different rooms for group
discussions. To help with the discussions, Michelle invited Professor
Ken Williams from the SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, Vermont to have
his students lead the discussion groups. These students came from many
origins and backgrounds including Ghana, West Africa, New Orleans, Cameroon,
Kentucky, San Francisco, Ethiopia, and Daegu, South Korea. Each of
these students are studying various curriculums each encompassing
Sustainable Development and Community Leadership. These break out
groups proved to be a very effective avenue to open unbiased discussion.
Lunch for all those in attendance was provided by the Master Plan
Steering Committee which included a build-your-own sandwich bar and
spaghetti with Barbara F’s homemade sauce.
After lunch, a
spokesman from each group presented their discussion to all of those in
attendance and additional comments and discussion were received.
Michelle and her staff have taken with them the day’s discussion boards and
will be preparing a report to present to the Town and continue with the
efforts of the Master Plan Steering Committee to formulate clear, objective,
forward looking visions for the Town of Chichester.
Craig Tufts from
CNHRPC presented “Build Out” maps of Chichester. These maps included a
base map showing the existing structures and development within Chichester.
Additional maps showed how Chichester might develop with the current zoning
that is in place. This map was not a prediction of the future, but
just a potential of what could happen. Craig asked attendees to
participate in an exercise where they placed stickers on areas where they
thought development should occur and other areas that should be protected
from future development. Over the next few months, Craig will be
working with the Steering Committee to develop alternative build-out
scenarios with data provided by the day’s events and the results of the
Master Plan Survey.
The Master Plan Steering Committee would like to
thank everyone who was in attendance and looks forward to your continued
participation in future events. If you have any questions,
please contact Jamie at 798-5350 or by e-mail at
[email protected].
For additional information please visit
www.chichesternh.org.
A Message to Chichester Taxpayers
Our annual Town Meeting is fast
approaching and both the Chichester Board of Selectmen and Budget Committee
would like to encourage all residents to make time to participate in this
very important forum.
During this year’s budgeting process the Selectmen
and Budget Committee once again attempted to balance the needs of the town,
while keeping in mind the difficult state of the current local and national
economy, and projected decrease in town revenues. As a result, the proposed
town operating budget for 2009 reflects a decrease of 2.45 % and the overall
town budget (with warrant articles included) represents a 15.9% decrease
compared to last year’s budget. This was achieved through further “belt
tightening” in many areas, a more practical approach concerning capital
reserve funding, and a decision not to recommend a couple Highway Department
road projects proposed for this year. Taking into account the projected
lower revenues for the town for 2009, the estimated funds to be raised by
taxes will be slightly less than last year.
The Town Meeting will afford
everyone the chance to see and hear the details of proposed spending. More
importantly, it provides a valuable opportunity for your voices to be heard
with regard to desired spending priorities, and to help town officials
identify budget items which represent things you think the town “must have”
versus things that would be “nice to have.”
Please mark your calendar for
the March 14th Town Meeting (as well as the March 7th School District
Meeting)and be part of the process! It will give you the opportunity to make
a difference and have a voice in how your town is run and tax dollars are
spent.
Chichester Board of Selectmen:
Richard DeBold
Jeff Jordan
Stephen
MacCleery
Chichester Budget Committee:
Lisa Drouse
Bruce Dyke
Norman Larochelle
Scott Marston
John Martell
Lucille Noel
Jason
Weir
Letter
What About The Taxpayer?
I am writing this letter as a
concerned Taxpayer from the Town of Chichester.
During the Summer of 2008
the Town Road Agent requested bids for winter sand from local vendors and he
received five bids. The low bidder was awarded the bid and supplied as much
sand as the shed could hold in the fall. Since that initial delivery of sand
that vendor has passed away and his business has ceased operations. Normal
protocol would dictate the vendor with the next lowest bid provide sand for
the remainder of the winter season. Unfortunately, that has not been the
case. Currently the Town is purchasing sand from the third lowest bidder at
a cost fifteen percent higher than original bid and fourteen percent higher
than second lowest bidder. At this point I would like to say that I am the
second lowest bidder of the sand. In all circumstances but most certainly
during these troubled economic times the Taxpayers dollars should be spent
in a most prudent manner.
I want to repeat for the record that I am
writing as a concerned Taxpayer and not a vendor that did not get the Towns
business. The Road Agent should explain to the Taxpayers the reasons behind
his decision to spend more of the Taxpayers money than would appear
necessary. Maybe it’s time for a Change.
Frank Merrill