Letter To The Editor
On
Tuesday, I testified at a hearing before the Education
Committee of the State House of Representatives in favor of
HB207. HB207 will prohibit the State Department of Education
and the State Board of Education from requiring any school
district to implement Federal Common Core Standards.
I
reminded them that our Town of Northwood (2015) voted to opt out
of Common Core and Smarter Balance Testing by 61%.
At
this hearing there was only one person, who spoke against the
bill. He was a paid lobbyist, paid by your tax dollars. He was
from the New Hampshire School Board Association. How is he paid
by your tax dollars? Under the Northwood School
District School Board Services Budget there is a line called
School Board Dues and Fees which they have budgeted $4,200.00 in
the proposed budget. A certain percentage of this money goes to
pay this association. This is whom the current members of our
School Board are listening to as experts. This man noted that
HB207 was redundant because the Common Core Standards are
already not mandated by the state. The State of New Hampshire
has gone past this, for almost every district has implemented
Common Core because the State Dept. of Education mandated the
Smarter Balance Testing. I wonder who else is paying this man’s
salary.
Everybody else that testified spoke in favor of the bill. There
were five parents who spoke. They came from all different parts
of New Hampshire with children in Elementary, High School, both,
and two had children out of school and children still in school.
Each stated that Common Core was dumbing down their children.
Their children were frustrated and bored because of Common Core
not because we need Full Day Kindergarten or a Full Time
Curriculum Director.
Sincerely,
Marie L. Correa
Letter To The Editor
Rebuttal to rebuttal:
I
feel honored to have sparked letters rebutting my views-
especially that the Tom Chase would reply- I guess he’s accepted
the federal election so is remembering “all politics is local”.
I will say that I admire the consistency of the Liberals- they
consistently never let reality get in the way of their agenda.
Tom, et al, misses the point- Full Day Kindergarten was voted
upon and defeated- more than once. Period. Thus it IS sneak
backhanded for it to be tacked onto a budget no matter if 1 or
1000 people did it, voted for or against, attended meetings or
didn’t. It was voted on. It was defeated just as Hillary was-
that being another example of Liberals not accepting reality
(unfortunately in that case people have been hurt and tortured
as a result).
The
Town and its Committees need to realize this is NOT Washington
DC, Manchester or New Jersey (Gunter). Taxes are already
exorbitant and an added tax burden for all to benefit a few is
always wrong. As we make America great again, let’s return New
Hampshire to its rural, frugal, conservative roots…that worked
for over 200 years. The last 8 years, with a gross national debt
exceeding that of all the former administrations combined proves
that liberalization and expenditure of large amounts hurts
rather than helps, disenfranchises and divides the nation rather
than uniting and improving the life of those who contribute in
(rather than take out) this once Great Nation. But gratefully
the nightmare’s over- no more apologies for being American.
Take time- as Tom said, to play a game with your child-
beforehand, teach them how to count and read the alphabet,
etc—it costs the taxpayers nothing and the return on your
investment of time pays high returns. Thank you.
God
Bless President Trump.
Paul Johnston
Northwood
Time To Sign Up
If
you have an interest in becoming an active participant in local
government one way is to serve on one of the many boards and
committees that rely on its citizens to make decisions that
affect our town and school. The time to sign up to have your
name on the local ballot for the March election is now:
Wednesday, January 25 through Friday, February 3 at 5 pm.
One
question often asked is are there qualifications for a
particular position? There is no specific knowledge or training
required, only an interest and willingness to serve. Some
positions such as town treasurer, for example, are best served
by a person with specific experience in the field (financial).
There are residency requirements and some positions do not allow
you to serve on multiple boards. Workshops are available for
many areas of local government at no cost to a volunteer. Don’t
hesitate to ask about any particular position or go to a meeting
and see how the board or committee conducts business.
Open positions on the ballot include one each: selectmen,
treasurer, cemetery trustee, library trustee, police
commissioner, and trustee of trust funds, all with three year
terms. There are 2 planning board positions open with three year
terms. There are currently 6 openings on the budget committee: 4
for three year terms and 1 each for two year and one year term.
On the school side, there is one school board member position
for a three year term.
To
sign up for an open town position, go to the town hall office of
Town Clerk/Tax Collector Judy Pease during her normal business
hours. Contact School District Clerk Penny Hampl at 234-8609 if
you would like to be on the ballot for school board member.
Letter To The Editor
The
Cradle of Liberty
“The democratic process has failed our children.” So said a
school board member at Northwood’s budget committee hearing on
the proposed school budget.
She
was reacting to my complaint that although all-day kindergarten
had been rejected each of the last 3 years, the last 2 years by
wide margins, this year the board decided to overturn the
voters’ decision and deny people a choice. This year there will
be no warrant item on all-day kindergarten. The board plans to
institute all-day kindergarten whether voters support the
proposed budget or the default budget.
It
is certainly true that the democratic process doesn’t always
give us what we want. But what’s the alternative? If not the
democratic process, then what process do we use to make
important community decisions? Who decides, if not the people?
“Democracy is the worst form of government,” Winston Churchill
once said, “except for all the others.”
We
live in New England, where the American democratic process was
invented. We cannot possibly say, here in the cradle of liberty,
that democracy is just fine as long as things come out the way
we like.
By
embedding a repeatedly defeated item in the proposed budget,
the school board is telling Northwood’s citizens that their
views and votes don’t count. People may very well be reluctant
to exercise their right to vote when they see that a local
governing board can render their votes meaningless.
The
people have spoken. Their voice should be heard.
The
deliberative session is Monday, February 6th, 6:30 PM. at the
Northwood School Gym.
Michael Faiella
Northwood
Letter To The Editor
To
the Editor,
Budgeting. Nottingham. Public input. Three hot buttons this
year. Budgeting is not an art form, it’s more about common
sense. The amount of money is not near as important as budgeting
the amount of money on hand. Poor budgeting ends in two results.
First, nothing is working, and second, there is never enough
money, as in Northwood School.
Nottingham, over years, made a number of budgeting decisions
that are completely different than Northwood. They have over a
hundred more students yet less teachers is one example. Instead
they have a curriculum director. Nottingham’s 2017/18 cost per
student is just over 16K. Ours, without the teacher and support
staff contract, is over 19K. Auburn, 903 students, 13,809 per
student. Candia, 409 students, $16,059 per student. Northwood,
609 students, $19,330 per student. All three mentioned schools,
far ahead of us in educating their students. All four schools in
our SAU dropped in ranking.
I
will be talking about Thursdays farce Budget Committee hearing
on the school budget. There were a number of absolutely
incredible statements, but I want to be able to quote them
exactly. The DVD is not ready. But stay tuned. I now know why
the budget committee was off by over $700,000 on the recently
ended school year. And I finally understand why three board
members and nine budget committee members feel free to ignore
the will of Northwood.
Tim
(the Grinch)
Jandebeur
Northwood
Letter To The Editor
Mary
Waldron For the People
The
letter that Tom Chase wrote about repairing the boat launch at
Mary Waldron beach was filled with so much rhetoric, that I had
to respond. His “What If” scenarios defy logic. Tom’s
implication that the repair of the boat launch at Mary Waldron
Beach will set off a series of chain reactions that will result
in the lowering of property values in Northwood, is an
imaginative joy ride.
The
fictional comment about the use of the boat ramp totaling 6-8
people is another laughable hyperbole. Spend an hour at the
boat ramp on Memorial Day, and Labor Day and the numbers will
tell the real story.
Public assets in the town need upkeep and sometimes repair. The
idea of closing these public offerings every time they need
repair is unconscionable.
Bow
Lake is a beautiful natural asset for our town, yet it seems
incongruous that Tom thinks it should be impossible for
Northwood residents to enjoy what is in their own backyard. The
approbation of this money will keep the boat launch usable for
Northwood residents for many years to come.
This boat launch is the only public access to Bow Lake in
Northwood. It is used by the fire department for rescues on the
lake. Time is of the essence during emergencies, and having a
boat launch usable for the Northwood side of the lake could be a
life -saving asset. What cost do you put on human life?
For
those of you in the town that enjoy boating, fishing, swimming
and the ability to view the wildlife and beauty of Bow Lake.
Don’t let Tom’s illogical and elitist views take away your only
access to this natural treasure.
Stephen Conway
This Weekend’s LRPA After Dark Feature:
1951’s “At War With The Army”
Join Lakes Region Public Access Television at 10:30 p.m. this
Friday and Saturday night (January 27 & 28) for our “LRPA After
Dark” presentation of 1951’s musical comedy “At War With the
Army,” starring the classic comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry
Lewis.
Sergeant Victor Puccinelli and Private First Class Alvin Korwin
serve in the U.S. Army during WWII. Before enlisting, they were
best friends and partners in a nightclub song-and-dance act.
Since enlisting and serving on the same base, they tend to get
on each other’s nerves. Puccinelli (Martin), a suave ladies’
man, is good at his boring, paper-pushing desk job, but dreams
of being transferred to active duty overseas. His CO has no
intentions of letting him leave, intending instead to commission
him as the company’s Warrant Officer. Korwin (Lewis) is a
lovable goofball who works in the mess hall but can’t do
anything right. Everything he touches turns to disaster. He’s on
K.P. duty as a result of his incompetence. Korwin begs for a
weekend pass visit his wife, but can’t seem to catch a break.
Things are further complicated by Puccinelli’s love life, which
is in a constant whirlwind, plus the fact that Korwin wants his
old partner to record a song they have co-written and rehearse
for a USO show, much to Puccinelli’s chagrin. Will Puccinelli
get to see active duty? Will Korwin get to see his wife back
home? Most importantly, will the guys get together and put on
the show?
Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis made 16 movies together over the
span of their careers. “At War With the Army” was their third
movie, but their first starring vehicle. Their roles in this
film, as in all of their movies, follow typecasting: Martin as
the handsome Romeo, Lewis as the luckless jokester. “At War With
the Army” has everything that you’d expect from a Martin and
Lewis movie: loads of wonderful slapstick moments, as well as
songs, shtick, crazy mix-ups and zany antics, and even a spoof
of Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald in “Going My Way.” This was
vintage Martin and Lewis, before egos and jealousy got in the
way. If it sounds like fun, then grab your popcorn and meet us
after dark for this wacky sendup of Army bureaucracy.
Northwood
Congregational Church Service Project
Have you felt powerless and sad listening to the news lately?
Do you feel the urge to feel and do good this New Year in the
midst of turmoil in this great country of ours? We know it’s
better to give than to receive and in the news lately, if you’re
like me, you feel overwhelmed and lost for ways we can make a
difference. But we CAN!!! Ripple Effects ROCK!
Please join us for our third “Service Service” at Northwood
Congregational Church on Route 4 next to Coe Brown at 9 am
Sunday, January 29th with a two-fold project.
We
have decided on the months with 5 Sundays, we’ll use that time
to go forth and do good locally in lieu of traditional worship
that day. We cleaned the athletic fields last October and
planted annuals at Families in Transition in downtown Manchester
last May to bring seeds of hope to those in the roughest part of
that city.
Firstly, we ask that you bring 42 of something “treaty.”
A Peace Treaty if you will! Cookies, candies, nuts, etc. We’ll
put 6 each in 7 baskets. We will assemble them for our town
service workers with a note of appreciation for keeping
Northwood Safe and Sound. We will make up cards of thanks and
then deliver to the Police and Fire Dept. (the weekday workers
such as the 2 schools, library, town offices, Transportation
Dept. who keep our roads safe and secure will be delivered on
Monday by volunteers).
Secondly, we will assemble Blessing Bags to have on hand for
homeless and underserved. We will attempt to make up bags to
have on hand in your car to give out to those who you think
might need a pick me up. Many of us see these unfortunate people
and wonder what we can do. Think of bringing items to put in
the bags pondering what you might need if you had nothing or
little? Some things that come to mind are warm socks,
flashlights , hand warmers, gift cards for groceries (you can
purchase through the church for a win win). The list is endless
and whatever comes we will use and bless them in prayer.
Please see flyer from a group that started these and there is an
online video to explain the project.
We
know, through GOD, small things can plant seeds and make a big
difference.
Our
church is the centerpoint gathering spot for END 48 HOURS OF
HUNGER so we really do try to emulate the Golden Rule wherever
and however we can. We’d love to have you join us! We will
have enough bags so that all who come will leave with at least
one Blessing Bag to have on hand in your car. If you can’t
attend, you may leave donations in the church.
Letter To The Editor
It’s
Not Fair!
Northwood’s only public access to Bow Lake is slated to be left
to ruin. The majority of the cottages and homes along the
Northwood portion of Bow Lake use the ramp seasonally to launch
their water craft. These cottage owners pay the highest rate of
taxes in Northwood providing a huge support to the town’s tax
base.
And
what about all those boat owners who cannot afford to buy a
cottage on the water; the ones, like myself, who live close by
within a mile of the Mary Waldron Boat Ramp? Evenings and week
nights those like myself trailer their boats, launch, and then
take their trailers back to their homes. Those boat owners,
Northwood taxpayers, bought close to the lake because they had
access to the recreation - for their families. That includes the
people in Gaviat Green and McCullen Boathouse that launch about
20 boats a season.
It
is not fair to use the “conservation card” to keep a certain
segment of Northwood’s population off the lake by making the
ramp inaccessible to the town’s only public access. Does the
Conservation Commission want to force people who live on the
lake to create their own private boat ramps? How is that
protecting the environment?
The
Mary Waldron Boat Ramp is to the point of excluding all boats
due to the slope of the ramp and erosion into the lake that does
not allow the boats to float in order to disengage from the
trailer. How is this fair or fiscally responsible to allow this
ramp to continue to decline to the point of disuse?
Think about this resource for Northwood residents and how it
contributes to a better life. Support Northwood by voting “yes”
to repair Mary Waldron Beach & Boat Ramp.
John Boyd
Letter To The Editor
Boat
Ramp Blues
I’d
like to thank Fred Tobbe and Hubert Bittner for their recent
letters to The Sun: Fred for describing the $61K project in some
detail and Hubert for providing the viewpoint of a property
owner who lives close to Mary Waldron Beach on Bow Lake Road.
Fred also lives nearby, and his family lives across the street
from Hubert.
Some of the aspects of the project seem worthwhile to me, such
as building a wall between the beach and the boat ramp. But the
boat ramp – as planned – will involve dredging 50 feet out into
the lake and installing concrete planks to handle boat trailers.
Whether this will pass muster with the Division of Environmental
Services remains to be seen.
Hubert addresses two of my concerns, but manages to miss the
point in both instances.
I –
and the Northwood Conservation Commission – have expressed
concerns about outboard motor exhausts polluting the area next
to the beach and stirring up sediments – and nutrients – that
contribute to algal blooms. Obviously, this is not as much of a
problem once the boats are out in the lake.
He
also dismisses the risk of milfoil being introduced, suggesting
that it may come in at the Strafford ramp, 4.9 mile away. But he
fails to note that Strafford has supported a Lake Host program
for years at that ramp.
What’s missing from this proposal is any mention of initiating a
Lake Host program at this ramp. There is still time to do that
at the Deliberative Session, by adding another $3,500 to the
Invasive Aquatic Species Prevention Fund.
Until these issues are addressed, I continue to see this as an
ill-conceived project that will add 13¢ per $1000 to our tax
bills while benefiting a relative small number of folks.
Tom
Chase
Northwood
Buy A Filter Or Be A Filter
Submitted By Jim Grant, Northwood Garage
A cabin air filter catches more than dust, sometimes.
An
engine air filter, filters out dirt, dust, and debris from the
air that the engine needs. The air that comes from your heater
and A/C is outside air, the same air your engine needs. This air
enters your vehicle through the grill located at the base of the
windshield.
But
there is a problem with the air entering your car. It’s full of
dust and stuff! Dust, debris, pollen, road salt dust, even tire
rubber; yes tire rubber! After all, where do you think that
tire rubber stuff goes as the tires wear? (Clearly, not in neat
little piles on the side of the road.)
When you’ve been following another vehicle and the sun light is
just right, you can see the dust and stuff swirl in the air
behind that car or truck. If you’re using your heater, defroster
or A/C in the summer, this dust is entering your car!
Before cabin filters were introduced, you and your family were
breathing dirtier air than your engine! With that thought you
can better understand that cabin filters are a good thing.
Cabin filters do need to be serviced/replaced regularly;
generally twice a year. Ideally, follow the car manufacturer’s
recommended service interval, which can be found in your Owner’s
Manual.