Gilmanton Corners Town Library Thank You
The volunteers at the Gilmanton Corners Town Library wish to thank all
of the people who have donated books over the last year. Without your
continued contributions our shelves would be much barer. Donations of DVDs,
CDs, videos, audios, and new paperbacks are most welcomed and vital
additions to our collections. You in the community are the heart of our
library.
Our most recent contribution comes from Henry Page. Mr. Page has
generously donated two large boxes of reference books on furniture,
tractors, and other historic objects. If you need to decide if your table is
a Hepplewhite, you could look it up in one of these lovely books.
Remember we are open Wednesdays from 3-5 PM and Saturdays, 10-12. Come
see our most recent donations.
Letter To The Editor
Dear Editor,
I am writing to support operating funds for the
Gilmanton Year Round Library. After my husband and I moved to Gilmanton 22
years ago, we were astonished to discover that Gilmanton did not have a
four-season library. We assumed that Gilmanton, like almost all other towns,
would provide such a vital and basic service to its citizens.
For years, we’ve commuted to neighboring towns for our books. We’re
grateful to their taxpayers for providing well-stocked libraries, so
fundamental to a well-educated and democratic society.
Now it is our turn. Now we have an opportunity to look forward. Let us
show our children that we value their future. Let us show folks who want to
move to Gilmanton and remain here that we have a library to enrich our
lives.
When the fundraising began for the GYRL, my pre-teen donated her
birthday money without hesitation. She got it! Please come to vote for the
library at Town Meeting on March 13.
Sincerely,
Sarah Thorne
Gilmanton
Letter
It was suggested by supporters of the Gilmanton Year Round Library that
a mere 6 cents per day increase in property taxes is all that is needed to
fund the library for the year. At the Gilmanton Budget Committee Public
Hearing on 02/04/10, it was reported that property taxes would increase by 9
cents per thousand.
I’m retired and received no Cost of Living Adjustment this year.
However, it does cost me an additional 12 cents per day for my health plan;
39 cents per day to register our 6 year old vehicles, plus daily increases
in the price of home heating, utilities, and groceries.
I commend the Library Association for the completion of this monumental
volunteer task. I do find their assumption that the taxpayers would
ultimately fund the library’s operational expenses based upon an ad hoc
survey to be flawed. Had the association appeared before the town, presented
their plan, and obtained a commitment for tax dollars to be used to
subsidize operational expenses, there would be no debate. Funding would be a
matter of record approved or disapproved by the majority of voters present.
Perhaps a capital reserve fund could have been established to subsidize
donations/grants and volunteer efforts should there be an operational
shortfall.
Last year the association requested $75,000.00. The Town Selectmen and
Budget Committee stated there would be no elected official to oversee these
funds. This year the association will be asking for $41,300.00. If Gilmanton
residents elect trustees to oversee town expenditures, why not for the Year
Round Library?
We condemn our representatives in Washington for the lack of “checks and
balances” when it comes to tax dollar spending. Isn’t the Year Round Library
the same, just on a much smaller scale?
Roger Ball
Gilmanton, IW
Letter
To The Voters Of Gilmanton:
My name is Israel “Joe” Willard and I am
running for the office of Selectman and would look forward to the
opportunity to serve my Town. I have previously served on several board and
committees including the Budget Committee, the Zoning Board of Adjustment as
both an alternate and a full member, the Feasibility Study Committee and the
Recycling Committee which resulted in the facility we now have. I believe in
public service and I tried to step up to the plate and serve when such
opportunities were available. I proudly served my country as a Marine.
I would like to bring management and other work experience to the Board
of Selectmen. I worked for United Parcel Service as part of their management
team; I have construction experience in site work and large building
construction and on a smaller scale the experience I gained from building
the home I live in today.
Having retired, I spend a lot of time at Serenity Ledges maintaining our
farm. And I have learned what its like to live on a fixed income.
Although conservative by nature I am realist enough to know tax dollars
today do not hold the same value they did twenty years ago. If elected I
pledge to stand by voters’ decisions made at Town Meeting, and will make
sure town codes and ordinances apply equally to all. I may not always have
answers to problems that arise but I will do the research to come up with
viable solutions.
We are told our economy is improving but we all know it hasn’t hit
Gilmanton yet; that will take more time. I will strive to keep taxes under
control by spending on needs and not wants.
I respectfully ask for your vote March 9, 2010.
Thank you,
Israel Willard
Letter
Gilmanton Voters:
This year the Year Round Library Association is
requesting town funding in the amount of $41,300. Again this year this
petition should be defeated!
While there are hopeful signs that the economy is recovering, the tide
has not lifted all boats. Your Gilmanton friends and neighbors are still
facing foreclosure pressures, decreased work hours and layoffs. Our
Gilmanton Community Food Bank is extremely busy and expanding. This is not
the time to increase our tax load!
We are fortunate to have two local libraries available here in town. The
heated Gilmanton Corner Public Library, staffed by volunteers, is open in
the winter on Wednesdays, 3 to 5 and Saturdays, 10 to noon. It offers full
library activities and services. The Gilmanton Iron Works Library is open
May through October. The full resources of the Gilford and Belmont Libraries
are available for a modest out of town fee.
The requested $41,300 is for this year’s operating expenses and is
woefully inadequate for 2011 and beyond. Please help defeat this unnecessary
tax increase!
William Angevine
Gilmanton, NH
Letter
To the Gilmanton voters,
I read a book from the Gilmanton Year Round
Library this past fall, The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, and it made
me think of the struggle of people to provide a positive influence on their
surroundings. There is a character “Tom the builder” who devotes his life,
flawed in many ways, virtuous in others to the construction of a cathedral
in 12th century England. In the end the cathedral gets built and with the
support of the town and an institution is created which heals the sick and
nurtures spiritual well being throughout the community. In Gilmanton, the
GRYL association has built a library for the people and now the people are
being asked to help maintain it in order to help educate our children and
provide a place for community involvement. I will vote with Tom the builder
to help the town support our new cathedral of education and community at the
next town meeting.
Joe Derrick
6 Year Resident Of Gilmanton
Gilmanton Year-Round Library
The Gilmanton Year-Round Library is pleased to present two parenting
workshops and will begin an on-going toddler activity this March.
Parent Workshop on Homework to be held at Gilmanton Year Round Library.
“Helping Your Students with Homework” will be presented at the Gilmanton
Year Round Library. The Director of Student Services at the Gilmanton
School, Emily Reese will host a Parent Workshop on this topic. She will give
parents up to date tips and resources for helping with homework. The program
will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 11th. It is free of charge and
open to all parents and caregivers looking to ensure that their children get
the homework support they need. We will look forward to seeing you there.
Wiggles and Giggles To Begin Friday March 12th At The
Gilmanton Year Round Library
Wiggles and Giggles is a fun new Music and Movement program for both
parent and toddler. This parent-participation program is designed for you to
sing and dance alongside your toddler. You will have as much fun as your
child while he/she learns about social skills, as well as being introduced
to language through music! Come and join us as we sing, dance and of
course...Wiggle and Giggle! This program is free and begins at 10:15 a.m.,
Friday, March 12th. We will look forward to Wiggling and Giggling with you!
Parent Workshop at the Gilmanton Year Round Library - “Internet Safety:
Understanding the Dangers of MySpace and FaceBook and How to Help Keep Your
Child Safe”
On March 31st, the Director of Student Services, Emily Reese, and
Guidance Counselors, Katie McEntee and Erin Prada all from the Gilmanton
School with Officer Sullivan of Belmont will present a Parent Workshop at
the Gilmanton Year Round Library. They will be discussing the dangers of
MySpace and FaceBook with parents and caregivers. It is important to keep
children safe as they enter this cyber world. Come out and find out how!
This workshop will begin at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 31st.
The Library is located at 1385 NH Route 140, Gilmanton Iron Works and is
handicapped accessible. For further information please call 364-2400. All
programs are open to the public free of charge.
Letter To The Editor,
........ Wondering Why Gilmanton Taxpayers Are
Being Asked To Fund The Associations Library?
In the August 23, 2002, issue of the now discontinued Gilmanton Gazette,
there is an architectural rendering of the original design for the Gilmanton
Year Round Library. Designed by Tom Wallace of Tennant and Wallace, the
rendering shows a modest one story-structure approximately 48 feet in length
and I would guess, by the pitch of the roof, 32 feet wide. That, with a
small addition shown off the side, probably would have come to approximately
1800 square feet of floor space.
In the spring of 2003, the Association launched: “Chapter 1 - The
Campaign To Build The Library,” and around that time posted a recruitment
form on their web-site for the purpose of communicating their objectives
and...... for soliciting donations.
The objectives of the Association, stated on that form, were to: “build
the Library” and, (this comes directly from the form): raise an “Initial
Endowment - needed to support the operations of the library, after it has
been built.”
The amount of money, stated on the form, to “build the Library,” was:
$575,000
The amount of money, stated on the form, “needed to support the
operations of the library, after it has been built,” was: $225,000
............ For a total of $800,000
If one were to factor in “in-kind” donations, the existing Association’s
library, all 4200+ square feet of it .......... cost a little over $800,000
to build.
Gilmanton taxpayers .....did the Association spend the donor raised
endowment? What gave them the right? Had the Association adhered to its
original budget, most likely based on the original design’s 1800 square feet
( Architects projection was actually $450,000 ), would they have built it
for under $500,000, thereby retaining $300,000 + of that raised endowment?
You decide!
Al Blake
Gilmanton, NH
Gilmanton Year-Round Library
For Response to Mr. Blake’s Diatribe
In The Feb 24 SVS
The Gilmanton Year-Round Library Board has tried to correct the
misinformation in letters from Al Blake. We don’t understand his motives in
a continuing campaign to malign the many volunteers who have worked for a
decade to create a full-service public library for the citizens of
Gilmanton. So far as I know Mr. Blake has made no effort to check the
accuracy of his statements, and insinuations of malfeasance are close to
libelous. Mr. Blake’s campaign to destroy the library will hurt everyone in
Town, and it is impossible to know what satisfaction that would bring him.
Some specifics: The original design (your words Mr. Blake) for the
Gilmanton Year-Round Library, by Tenant/Wallace, that Mr. Blake refers to in
his letter published 2/24, contained a total of 6308 square feet. The
architect was trying to come as close as possible to State recommended size.
It had 3154 square feet on each of two floors. The architect’s original
estimate for the building alone was $888,550. This did not include
furnishings, or anything to make the library operational. We have the
original plans and estimate to support our figures. We came so close to our
construction estimate of $575,000 for the reconstructed barn, even Mr. Blake
would be amazed. This is the amount he quoted as shown on the
brochure.
Mr. Blake suggests charging cardholders for library privileges. This
would require a charge of more than $100 per cardholder, including children.
Such a policy would make the library a private entity. We would lose all of
the State and local services provided to public libraries, as well as
special prices for books and periodicals. Hardly a practical alternative to
modest taxpayer support.
Stan Bean, President, Gilmanton Year-Round Library Board
