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Pittsfield NH News

February 10, 2010

The Suncook Valley Sun News Archive is Maintained by Modern Concepts. We are NOT affliated in any way with the Suncook Valley Sun Newspaper.



 

Celebrating Birthdays are: February 11, Joshua Rogers, Dale Derosier, Jennifer Blais; February 12, Daniel St. Laurent, Richrd Frost, Dwight Morse; February 13, Lorrie Cornell, Jesse Giordano; February 14, Russ Courtemanche, Ogden Boyd, Jr.; February 15, Lenny Deane, Peggy Chagnon; February 16, Margaret Snedeker.


A Very Happy Birthday To One and All!




Come join The Greater Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce as we enjoy our monthly Business After Hours. The event will be held at Quantum Life Healing located on Route 28 in the Suncook Business Park in Allenstown. The event will be held on Thursday February 25th from 6-8pm. There will be light refreshments served. A brief overview of the services provided by Quantum Life Healing will be given to all who participate in this event. This is a networking opportunity for your business, so remember to bring your business cards. Everyone is welcome to come. If you are not a member and are interested in becoming one, this is a great opportunity to learn what The Greater Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce is involved in and how it could benefit your business. Find out more information about this and upcoming events at www.pittsfieldchamber.org.




Congratulations to Nellie and Albert Riel who will celebrate their 55th Wedding Anniversary on February 12th!




Pittsfield High School
All Class Reunion


The Pittsfield High School All Class Reunion Committee will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 6:15pm at Pittsfield Youth Workshop. The All Class Reunion is being planned for Sat. July 17 in conjunction with Old Home Day. If you’d like more information or if you have any questions, please contact Andi Riel at 435-6346.

 


 

Letter


Dear Pittsfield Residents,
My name is Don Chase and I am a candidate for one of the two selectmen positions that you will be voting on at our town elections on March 9th of this year. I would like to start by saying that I am not running against the other two candidates. I am running on my own merits.


Many of you already know me as I have lived in town for about 15 years. I am known for being a very honest and outspoken advocate for the people of our community. I am also a strong believer in open government and RSA 91-a (the right to know law).


I am against “micro-management” by the Board of Selectmen. We have some of the very best department heads in the state and we should be able to trust their judgment when it comes to their individual budgets. It goes without saying that we need to keep our overall budget as low as possible, but not at the expense of crippling our essential services such as Police, Fire, and Highway.


As owner/operator of Don’s Taxi, I am painfully aware of the impact that our stagnant economy has on every resident and business owner in this town. As a selectman, I obviously have no control over that, but I will certainly make all of my decisions with it foremost in mind.


If I am fortunate enough to have your vote and get elected into office for the next three years, you can rest assured that every single decision I make as a board member will be made with the resident and taxpayer in my mind.


Don Chase

 


 

School Lunch Menus
February 15-19, 2010

 

PES
Monday - Taco salad, salsa, dessert, milk.
Tuesday - Chicken sandwich, fries, fruit, milk.
Wednesday - Ravioli, veggie, fruit, milk.
Thursday - Fish and cheese sandwich, veggie, fruit, milk.
Friday - Pizza, veggie, fruit, milk.

 

CHICHESTER
Monday - Chicken teriyaki, spicy fries, corn, chocolate cake, milk.
Tuesday - Toasted cheese sandwich, chicken noodle soup, carrot sticks, fruit, milk.
Wednesday - Variety pizza, garden salad, fruit, milk.
Thursday - Chicken nuggets, baked fries, mixed veggies, fresh fruit, milk.
Friday - Mozzarella cheese sticks, marinara sauce, green beans, pears, milk.
Enjoy your February Vacation and be safe!

 

PMHS
Monday - Pizza, corn, mixed fruit, milk.
Tuesday - Nachos and cheese, meatsauce, lettuce, tomato, fresh fruit, milk.
Wednesday - Pasta with meatsauce, garden salad, bread, milk.
Thursday - Baked chicken, potato, cranberry, peas, bread, baked dessert, milk.
Friday - Make your own grinders, cheese, ham, turkey, lettuce, tomato, fresh fruit, milk.
Salad Bar each day unless stated otherwise.
Have a safe week!

 


 

Pittsfield Boys Basketball


The Pittsfield Boys Basketball teams are having a great season so far. The JV Boys are 10-1 and the varsity boys are 8-3. We have a 5 game home stand coming up in the month of February. The support has been great and we look forward to seeing you at the upcoming games.


Remaining Games:
2/11/10 - Home vs. Moultonborough JV & V Boys, 5:30-7:00 (Senior Ceremony Prior to game).
2/12/10 - Game @ Concord Christian V Boys, 7 PM.
2/15/10 - Game @ Newmarket JV & V Boys, 5:30-7:00.
2/23/10 - V Boys 1st Round of State Tournament - 7 PM (Home of higher seed) @ Pittsfield.
2/26/10 - V Boys Quarter Final of State Tournament - 7PM (Home of the higher seed) hopefully @ Pittsfield.
3/2/10 - V Boys Semi Finals of State Tournament - 5:30 or 7:00 @ Plymouth State University.
3/5/10-  V Boys State Finals - 7 PM @ Plymouth State University.
The JV Girls Tournament sponsored by The Pittsfield Police Association held at PHS - 2/13/10-2/15/10.
The JV Boys Tournament sponsored by The Pittsfield Police Association held at PHS - 2/20/10-2/22/10.

 


 

PMHS Students Hold Empty Bowl Fundraiser


Pittsfield Middle High School students recently held their first Empty Bowl Fundraiser to benefit the Pittsfield Food Pantry. Art students created ceramic bowls to be bid upon by faculty and staff in a silent auction. High bidders then enjoyed a bowl of delicious homemade soup prepared by food and nutrition students. Over 300.00 dollars was raised in support of The Pittsfield Food Pantry.


Empty Bowls is a grassroots movement meant to end hunger. Begun in 1990, Empty Bowls states their goals “are to raise money to help organizations fight hunger, to raise awareness about the issues of hunger and food security, and to help bring about an attitude that will not allow hunger to exist. From its humble beginnings as a meal for the staff of one high school, Empty Bowls has spread across the United States and beyond and has raised tens of millions of dollars for anti-hunger organizations.”

 


 

White House Seeks $125 Billion For Veterans In 2011
Homelessness, Claims Increases And Access - Priorities for VA Budget


To expand health care to a record-number of Veterans, reduce the number of homeless Veterans and process a dramatically increased number of new disability compensation claims, the White House has announced a proposed $125 billion budget next year for the Department of Veterans Affairs.


“Our budget proposal provides the resources necessary to continue our aggressive pursuit of President Obama’s two over-arching goals for Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “First, the requested budget will help transform VA into a 21st century organization. And second, it will ensure that we approach Veterans’ care as a lifetime initiative, from the day they take their oaths until the day they are laid to rest.”


The $125 billion budget request, which has to be approved by Congress, includes $60.3 billion for discretionary spending (mostly health care) and $64.7 billion in mandatory funding (mostly for disability compensation and pensions).


“VA’s 2011 budget request covers many areas but focuses on three central issues that are of critical importance to our Veterans - easier access to benefits and services, faster disability claims decisions, and ending the downward spiral that results in Veterans’ homelessness,” Shinseki said.


Reducing Claims Backlog
The president’s budget proposal includes an increase of $460 million and more than 4,000 additional claims processors for Veterans benefits. This is a 27 percent funding increase over the 2010 level.

 

The 1,014,000 claims received in 2009 were a 75 percent increase over the 579,000 received in 2000. Shinseki said the Department expects a 30 percent increase in claims - to 1,319,000 - in 2011 from 2009 levels.


One reason for the increase is VA’s expansion of the number of Agent Orange-related illnesses that automatically qualify for disability benefits. Veterans exposed to the Agent Orange herbicides during the Vietnam War are likely to file additional claims that will have a substantial impact upon the processing system for benefits, the secretary said.


“We project significantly increased claims inventories in the near term while we make fundamental improvements to the way we process disability compensation claims,” Shinseki said.


Long-term reduction of the inventory will come from additional manpower, improved business practices, plus an infusion of $145 million in the proposed budget for development of a paperless claims processing system, which plays a significant role in the transformation of VA.


Automating the GI Bill
The budget proposal includes $44 million to complete by December 2010 an automated system for processing applications for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. VA also plans to start development next year of electronic systems to process claims from other VA-administered educational programs.


The Post-9/11 GI Bill authorizes the most extensive educational assistance opportunity since the passage of the original GI Bill in 1944. Over $1.7 billion in regular Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit payments have been issued since the implementation of the program on Aug. 1, 2009. In 2011, VA expects the number of all education claims to grow by 32 percent over 2009, going from 1.7 million to 2.25 million.


“To meet this increasing workload and process education claims in a timely manner, VA, has established a comprehensive strategy to develop industry-standard technologies to modernize the delivery of these important educational benefits,” Shinseki said.


Eliminating Homelessness
The budget proposal includes $4.2 billion in 2011 to reduce and help prevent homelessness among Veterans. That breaks down into $3.4 billion for core medical services and $799 million for specific homeless programs and expanded medical care, which includes $294 million for expanded homeless initiatives. This increased investment for expanded homeless services is consistent with the VA secretary’s established goal of ultimately eliminating homelessness among Veterans.


On a typical night, about 131,000 Veterans are homeless. They represent every war and generation, from the “Greatest Generation” to the latest generation of Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. To date, VA operates the largest system of homeless treatment and assistance programs in the nation.


Targeting Mental Health, Preventing Suicides
“The 2011 budget proposal continues the department’s keen focus on improving the quality, access and value of mental health care provided to Veterans,” Shinseki said.


The spending request seeks $5.2 billion for mental health, an increase of $410 million (or 8.5 percent) over current spending, enabling expansion of inpatient, residential and outpatient mental health services, with emphasis on making mental health services part of primary care and specialty care.


The secretary noted that one-fifth of the patients seen last year in VA’s health care facilities had a mental health diagnosis, and that the department has added more than 6,000 new mental health professionals since 2005, bringing to 19,000 the number of employees dedicated to mental health care.


The budget request will enable the department to continue expanding its programs for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), along with the diagnosis and treatment of depression, substance abuse and other mental health problems. Shinseki called PSTD treatment “central to VA’s mission.”


The proposed spending will continue VA’s suicide prevention program.


Since July 2007, the department’s suicide prevention hotline has received nearly 225,000 calls from Veterans, active-duty personnel and family members. The hotline is credited with saving the lives of nearly 7,000 people.
Reaching Rural Veterans
For 2011, VA is seeking $250 million to strengthen access to health care for 3.2 million Veterans enrolled in VA’s medical system who live in rural areas. Rural outreach includes expanded use of home-based primary care and mental health.


A key portion of rural outreach - which shows promise for use with Veterans across the country - is VA’s innovative “telehealth” program.


It links patients and health care providers by telephones and includes telephone-based data transmission, enabling daily monitoring of patients with chronic problems.


The budget provides an increase of $42 million for VA’s home telehealth program. The effort already cares for 35,000 patients and is the largest program of its kind in the world.


Serving Women Veterans
The 2011 budget provides $217.6 million to meet the gender-specific health care needs of women Veterans, an increase of $18.6 million (or 9.4 percent) over the 2010 level. Enhanced primary care for women Veterans remains one of the Department’s top priorities. The number of women Veterans is growing rapidly and women are increasingly using VA for their health care.


Shinseki said the expansion of health care programs for women Veterans will lead to higher quality care, increased coordination of care, enhanced privacy and dignity, and a greater sense of security among women patients.


Among the initiatives for women in the 2011 budget proposal are expanded health care services in Vet Centers, increased training for health care providers to advance their knowledge and understanding of women’s health issues, and implementing a peer call center and social networking site for women combat Veterans. This call center will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Delivering World-Class Health Care
During 2011, VA expects to treat 6.1 million patients, who will account for more than 800,000 hospitalizations and 83 million outpatient visits.


The total includes 439,000 Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, for whom $2.6 billion is included in the budget proposal. That’s an increase of $597 million - or 30 percent - from the current budget.


The proposed budget for health care includes:
* $6.8 billion for long-term care, an increase of $859 million (or 14 percent) over 2010. This amount includes $1.5 billion for non-institutional long-term care;


* Expanding access to VA health care system for more than 99,000 Veterans who were previously denied care because of their incomes;


* $590 million for medical and prosthetic research; and


* Continuing development of a “virtual lifetime electronic record,” a digital health record that will accompany Veterans throughout their lives.


VA is requesting $54.3 billion in advance appropriations for 2012 for health care, an increase of $2.8 billion over the 2011 enacted amount.


Planned initiatives in 2012 include better leveraging acquisitions and contracting, enhancing the use of referral agreements, strengthening VA’s relationship with the Defense Department, and expanding the use of medical technology.


Preserving National Shrines
“VA remains steadfastly committed to providing access to a dignified and respectful burial for Veterans choosing to be buried in a VA national cemetery,” Shinseki said. “This promise requires that we maintain national cemeteries as shrines dedicated to the memory of those who served this nation in uniform.”


The requested $251 million for cemetery operations and maintenance will support more than 114,000 interments in 2011, a 3.8 percent increase over 2010. In 2011, the department will maintain 8,441 acres with 3.1 million gravesites. The budget request includes $37 million to clean and realign an estimated 668,000 headstones and repair 100,000 sunken graves.


Building for the Future
$1.15 billion requested for major construction for 2011 includes funding for medical facilities in New Orleans; Denver; Palo Alto, Calif.; Alameda, Calif.; and Omaha, Neb. Also budgeted for 2011 are major expansions and improvements to the national cemeteries in Indiantown Gap, Pa.; Los Angeles; and Tahoma, Wash., and new burial access policies that will provide a burial option to an additional 500,000 Veterans and enhance service in urban areas.

 

A requested budget of $468 million for minor construction in 2011 would fund a wide variety of improvements at VA facilities.

 


 

Letter


My name is Fred Okrent and after long and hard consideration, I have decided to become a write-in candidate for a position as Selectman for the Town of Pittsfield.


I have lived in Pittsfield since 1992 and I am married to the former Laura Ahearn, who was branch manager of the Citizens Bank branch here in town. I worked for IBM for 30 years in an electro-mechanical engineering position in Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Engineering. After retiring from IBM and moving to Pittsfield, I held a number of jobs, most of them in high tech areas, for a number of years. I am currently the Housing Standards Agency Administrator and Chief Inspector here in town. I do hold certification as a Property Maintenance Inspector.


I have been a volunteer firefighter since 1970, serving in various leadership positions over the years. I am currently a Staff Captain in the Pittsfield Fire Department. I am also a veteran, having been drafted and served 5 years on active duty with the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, including a tour of duty in Korea.


My IBM career taught me much about planning and project management (including budgeting) while my Fire Department and military service taught me much about leadership. I believe that this background, along with a strong measure of common sense, make me well suited for the position of Selectman.


I believe in Pittsfield and truly believe it is a great place to live and work but I also believe it can be even better than it is now and I would like the chance to be part of making that happen. I therefore ask for your write-in vote on Election Day. Thank you for your consideration.


Fred Okrent

 


 

Letter


In the February 3 Sun, Hank Fitzgerald misrepresented our frontage and home occupation petitions.


The citizen frontage definition does not remove the “right to count frontage on any Class VI roads,” because there is no “right” to begin with. RSA 674:41. The planning board expressed no concern that the definition “could cause a problem with a Municipal Land Taking”; only Hank expressed that concern, and he refused to let us answer it. The NH Supreme Court has twice upheld requiring Class V highway frontage: Trottier v. Lebanon and Sanderson v. Candia.


The home occupation definition does not “add a sign ordinance”; it establishes a size for home occupation signs. CURRENTLY, the zoning ordinance says, “Each home occupation shall be permitted a sign on the frontage of the property in accordance with the sign requirements of this ordinance.”


Any at-home commercial activity with more than 12 car visits per day is not accessory to the residence; it is a principal use in its own right. Consequently, the home and commercial activity are a “combined dwelling and business,” which is permitted by special exception in all districts except the commercial district, where it is permitted by right.


We have established objective conditions for home occupations, and we propose that home occupations meeting those conditions be permitted by right in all zoning districts. Anyone wanting to do INCONSPICUOUS at-home commerce would be able do so WITH NO INTERFERENCE FROM THE TOWN! What Hank Fitzgerald and Dan Schroth are really fighting is our proposal to eliminate the currently required but unnecessary reviews by the zoning and planning boards.

 

Petitioners,
Jim Pritchard
Dan Greene
Clayton Wood

 


 

Letter
Vote YES On Frontage Definition Petition


Mr. Pritchard’s Frontage Definition petition clearly defines the issue in no uncertain terms and in fairness to all. The definition does not complicate the Master Plan, which, in my opinion, is a very well researched and a very fair assessment of Pittsfield’s potential forward direction. The Frontage Definition is just one paragraph of a 51-page Zoning Ordinance that is very much in need of revision. At the January 7th Planning Board Meeting, after completely misrepresenting Mr. Pritchard’s Petitions, then voting them down by a 5-2 majority, the stated plan was to wait until next year and vote on a document that has yet to be written.


They want us to vote against this concise Frontage Definition so our freedom and growth potential are not restricted. Whose freedom are they referring to? Residents currently have no inherent freedom in this situation. And just what kind of growth potential do they think will be restricted? Frankly, I question the judgment of any Planning Board member who thinks a successful development plan should not include upgrading a discontinued Class VI road to a maintained Class V road. How is development on undeveloped roads in Pittsfield’s best interest?


I will vote Yes on the Frontage Definition (Article 5). I will vote No on Article 2 which would revert to an appointed Planning Board. Voting a Planning Board member in or out of office is a freedom that voters should not relinquish.


God Bless Our Troops,
Rachel Wood
Pittsfield

 


 

Letter


To The Residents Of Pittsfield:
Jim Prichard has submitted another Citizen’s Petition reducing the Planning Board from 7 members to 5. I think everyone needs to set him right at the elections. His intentions are to put more power in fewer hands, so that he would have a better chance of getting his way. This is not democracy, this is typical backroom dealing which he accuses everyone else of doing.


Over the last few years Jim and his family have sued the Town of Pittsfield Zoning and Planning Board several times over decisions that he didn’t like or agree with. The Courts including Superior and State Supreme Courts have ruled against him. Now he feels he is qualified to write our ordinances so that he could maybe win one.


Jim has no background in law, planning, zoning or even building. He studies on the computer to come up with things that say and mean what he wants them to say, and not what is best for the Town.


Jim is running for Planning Board again this year and I hope the residents are tired of his tactics. Jim has been a disruption to the Planning Board, not an asset.


Jim has questioned spending money for Central NH Regional Planning Commission to assist the Planning Board with a complete Zoning rewrite. The CNHRPC is a professional group with expertise in these matters. They are not a group of residents with agendas.


Please vote against anything all of Jim’s Ordinances as well as himself.
Hank Fitzgerald
Pittsfield, NH

 


 

Letter


To My Many Friends,
My vision is not the best, but I will try to let you know how I’m doing at the NH Veteran’s Home in Tilton, NH. It sure is a large place and it’s a good place to be, in my condition. I’ve come a long way since I had my stroke and mental problems. The staff here is tops and we get the best of care. Most of the vets here are in wheelchairs and some like me have walkers. We have plenty to do for therapy.  They furnish all the medication, laundry, barber shop, hair dresser for the women, library. I could go on and on. I don’t have a worry to think about. They even take care of my doctor’s appointments here and in Concord. They take me by bus with a nurse. She has all my paperwork and gets info from my doctor.


I see Bob Wesson, formerly of Pittsfield. His son comes every week to see him and sometimes Royce Elkins comes with him and they come to visit with me.


I had a surprise visit before Xmas with John and Shirley Genest and they had a bag of goodies for me. They both looked good and the visit meant a lot to me.


Terry Robinson has comes to see me also.


My wife, Nellie and Dottie come every Monday if the weather is OK, and take me out to lunch.


I received 25 Birthday cards and for Xmas I received 45 cards. I had them all up on the wall.


All my best to you all,
Al Riel

 


 

Pittsfield Meet the Candidates Night


The Greater Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce is hosting the annual “Meet the Candidates Night” on Monday, March 1st at 7:00pm at the Pittsfield Middle High School Lecture Hall.


All registered candidates have received a letter asking them to prepare and submit a one page letter for inclusion in an information packet that will be handed out that night. CANDIDATES - if you did not receive a letter (at the time you signed up to run for your position) please contact Andi Riel at 435-6346. I must receive your letter by Feb. 19th at 5pm to be included in the packet.


Please note that we will not allow candidates or other parties to distribute additional handouts or materials to the audience at the meeting.


Please come meet the Candidates and show your support. Each candidate will have time to address the audience and then there will be question/answer time. The Chamber does not, as a body, support any individual running for election. We are only providing a platform for the Candidates and the Community to meet.


If you have any questions about the event, please contact Andi Riel at 435-6346 or visit www.pittsfieldchamber.org.

 


 

 

 











 

 

 

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