Reminder
Pittsfield Youth Baseball Association (PYBA) sign-ups for
baseball/softball will be held February 20 and 27, 2010, from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. and March 3, 2010, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the
Pittsfield Community Center
The fee for signing up is $50 per player (all levels); $125
max per family.
NO FUNDRAISER REQUIRED THIS YEAR.
You can go to PYBA’s website
www.leaguelineup.com/pittsfield click on “Online Forms,”
fill out the registration form, print it and bring it with you
to sign ups to save time.
Any questions, call Penny Taylor, 435-7472
Celebrating Birthdays are: February 17, Jim Schroth, Sue
Derosier, Craig Paggi; February 18, Ray Lammott, Barbara Clark,
Arthur Harnden, Patty Houle; February 19, Carl Anderson, Ronald
Vien, Ginny Richard; February 20, Fred Hast I, Chris Johnson,
Amy Thompson; February 21, Staci Bousquet, Robert Bousquet, Gail
O’Keefem, Ann Strand; February 22, Dan Dunne; February 23, Sarah
Hillsgrove.
A Very Happy Birthday To One And All!
Winners in the Drawing at the Peterson-Cram Post,
American Legion are as follows:
January - #157, Chris Ward,
$50; #121, Wayne Gray, $25; #154, Larry Callicort, $19; Jenna
Freese, $10; #94, Allison LaFlamme, $10.
February - #208, Al
MacLellan, $50; #144, Joshua Freese, $25; #226, John Kost, $10;
#203, Harold McClary, $10; #97, Apollo McHaas, $10.
REMINDER
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.
Due to scheduling conflict for March 1, 2010, The American
Legion Peterson-Cram Post 75 will hold their March 2010 meeting
on March 8, 2010 at the regular time of 7:30 pm. This is
to allow Post members to attend the Meet the Candidates Night at
the Middle High School for the upcoming Town elections.
Date Change
The Pittsfield Senior Center FREE WinterFest
Celebration has been changed to Wednesday February 24th instead
of Thursday February 25th. Our Chef is putting together a
fabulous meal for our celebration, so come, bring your friends
visit with old friends and enjoy the day. D B
Entertainment, Karaoke & DJ Service will be here at 11 a.m.
singing and encouraging us to be part of the entertainment as
well. Call 435-8482 for details.
The First
Congregational Church in Pittsfield is very fortunate to have a
handbell choir, “JuBellation,” made possible with a gift from
Leha Varney, in memory of her husband, John. The choir will be
offering two special musical selections during the worship
service at 10:30 a.m. on February 28. You are invited to attend
to see and hear how wonderfully JuBellation brings praise to God
through these beautiful instruments. The church is located at 24
Main Street, Pittsfield.
Letter
Pittsfield Voters,
I am Merrill Vaughan, and am
running for the three year position on the Ethics Committee. For
those of you who know me, you know that I have been involved in
town activities since I arrived in 2005. But for those of you
who do not know me, here is a brief list of my activities: I
have served on the Town Manger Study Committee; Served on the
Budget Committee; Served on the Economic Development Committee;
2009 Master Plan Committee; Pittsfield Representative to the
Concord Regional Crime Line; and the Pittsfield Emergency
Management Operations Shelter Coordinator. I am currently the
vice chair of the Pittsfield Ethics Committee.
You will find
out that any actions I have taken on any of the above committees
I have done so with the best interests for the town, not for any
one individual, organization or outside interests. Integrity is
the key word for our town officials those that are elected and
those that are appointed.
If you are one of those who have
questions for me before the election, feel free to contact me on
my cell phone (603) 344-0264 and I will do my best to answer any
questions you might have. If elected, I will ensure that the
Ethics Committee, when called upon, will make the right
decision, fairly, legally and in a timely manner that is
consistent with our Ethics Policy.
Thank you for your
consideration and vote,
Merrill A. Vaughan
Candidate for
Ethics Committee
$1,000 Prize Offered In Poetry Contest
A $1,000 grand
prize is being offered to the last poet standing in a contest
sponsored by the Christian Poets Guild.
Poems of 21 lines or
fewer on any subject and in any style will be judged by the
guild contest director Dr. Jack Carroll. “We love encouraging
poets,” he says.
The contest is free to enter and open to
poets of any age. Fifty prizes totaling more than $5,000 will be
awarded.
Entries must be received by March 7, and may be
submitted by mail to 7308 Heritage Dr., Mt. Vernon, IN 47620 or
at www.freecontest.com.
Those sending entries should include their name and address on
the same page as the poem. A winners list will be sent to all
entrants.
NH
Grazing Conference
The 4th NH Statewide Grazing Conference,
“Grazing Greener Pastures” will be held at Southern NH
University March 6, 2010 - 8AM-4PM. This conference will focus
on pasture management, creating a grazing plan and building
soils to increase herd health.
To register online go to:
http://www.events.unh.edu/RegistrationForm.pm?event id=6502
or, for more information call or e mail : Mary West,
[email protected] or Dot
Perkins,
[email protected] UNH Cooperative Extension, Merrimack
County, 603-796-2151.
Local Grandmother And Grandson Make National Top Ten For 2009
Pauline L. Dodge and her grandson Justin Greene made the
National Top Ten 2009 show season with the Appaloosa Horse Club.
Justin and his Appaloosa mare Chinquapin Allie sailed through
2009 with all 4 feet aloft to make the National Top Ten in Youth
Walk Trot Keyhole, Youth Walk Trot Camas Prairie Stumps
(barrels) and Youth Nez Pierce Stake Race (poles). Cayene
Wrangler, owned by Pauline L. Dodge, AKA Nana made top ten in
Foundation Pedigree Mares all ages.
Justin has
been showing since he was just a toddler, and has been in the
National Top Ten for several years running. Pauline has
always been the person behind the lines keeping the home fires
burning and organized. This is a family affair, and
has been for many years. These teams travel through
the summer with Carole Dodge and Dan Greene, Justin’s mom and
dad, and Pauline’s daughter and son-in-law. They
along with several other team members haul through New England
to show on the Regional Appaloosa Circuit.
Congratulations to both Pauline and Justin on their great
accomplishments for 2009 and here’s looking forward to
congratulations in 2010 as well!
Letter
Dearest Pittsfield Citizen,
“I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you
all making request with joy...” (Philippians 1:3, 4).
First
and foremost I want to take this opportunity to say “thank you”
for allowing me the privilege of serving you on the Board of
Selectmen these past four years. As challenging as it has been
at times, it has truly been an honor. The respective
responsibility that came along with it was not taken lightly!
Your confidence and support along the way has been both humbling
and encouraging. Great strides have been made toward more
efficient town operations. Even still, there remains much room
for improvement. The incoming Board will have to work closely
with the town administrator to diligently enforce ordinances,
maintain policies and procedures, hold town employees
accountable, and protect the overall financial interests of the
town.
Although we hang our hats upon the constitutional
phrase “representation by the people, for the people,” we live
in an age that progressively falters the integrity of its worth.
Having said this, it is imperative that we the people get
assertively involved in the process, defending the value system
that our country was founded upon before our freedom in the
purest sense of the word becomes a thing of the past. “All that
is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do
nothing” (Edmund Burke). Additionally, become knowledgeable of
your candidates before electing them into office. “When the
righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the
wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Proverbs 29:2).
Affectionately,
Linda Small
Pittsfield Fire And Rescue Service News – November 2009
During the month of November, fifty-six calls for emergency
assistance were received. Fire and EMS personnel responded
to 39 medical emergencies, 2 structure fires, 1 outside rubbish
fire, 4 motor vehicle accidents, 3 hazardous conditions, 4
service calls, 1 good intent call, and 2 alarm activations.
One of the calls was a simultaneous response.
Congratulations to Dep. Chief Deane on completing the Fire &
Emergency Services Instructor 1 program.
Members participated
in monthly trainings including: EMS – Scene Scenario review; ICS
Review; Fire Ground Hydraulics; and continuing
in-service/on-duty staff training.
During November, 10
code consultations, 3 follow up inspections, 1 code inspection,
1 fire investigation, 2 woodstove installation inspections, 1
Haz-Mat consultation, and 1 oil burner permit inspection were
conducted. Twenty-seven Permits to Kindle
a Fire were issued. A monthly Department
was held.
December 2009
Personnel responded to sixty-seven calls for
emergency assistance including 44 medical emergencies, 1
structure fire, 1 fuel boiler fire, 1 vehicle fire, 1 hazardous
condition, 4 motor vehicle accidents, 0 service calls, 2 good
intent calls, and 4 alarm activations. Two of the calls
were simultaneous responses.
Trainings during December
included: a live burn in Chichester, EMS training – review of
Stair Chair; Combined Training – Ice Rescue; and an Officer’s
training.
Six code consultations, 1 foster care home
inspection, 1 Place of Assembly, 3 follow up inspections, 1 code
inspection, 1 fire investigation and 2 oil burn inspections were
conducted.
Several members participated at the H1N1
Point of Distribution at NHTI in Concord. Members of the
Department assisted at the Chamber’s Annual Tree Lighting.
Safety Tip: Always use caution when venturing out on to a frozen
lake or pond. As the temperature changes, ice melts and
freezes at an uneven rate. Dark snow and ice are signs of
weak spots. Avoid thin, clear or honeycomb shaped ice.
Travel with a partner and stay away from deep areas.
Physical Matters
Painful Knees
By Peter Minnehan,
Physical Therapist
Pain in the front of the knee is a common
complaint of many athletes and non-athletes alike. The joint
between the knee cap (patella) and front of the knee (femur) is
often the source of aching due to inflammation or gradual wear
and tear. The smooth coating of the joint surfaces, called
cartilage, can wear from a number of factors including
imbalances of muscles controlling the knee and poor mechanics of
the foot and leg. When certain muscles are too tight or not
strong enough, the kneecap often does not glide as it should.
Poor foot mechanics, often seen as “flat feet” or “high arches”,
can also alter proper knee function.
When one considers the
number of times we bend and straightened our knees each day, it
is not hard to see how painful wear and tear can develop. The
good news is that in most cases, conservative measures can
resolve or greatly improve this painful condition. Applying cold
to the area for 10 or 15 minutes after anything that stirs up
knee pain is a good first aid measure. Wearing good supportive
shoes is also beneficial. When foot mechanics problems are
beyond that which shoes can address, orthotic fitting may be a
part of the solution. Exercises to address an individuals
strength or flexibility imbalances while not requiring fancy
equipment need to be chosen and performed properly to be
effective. So if painful knees are limiting your function or
performance, try the route of cold application and supportive
shoes, but if pain persists or worsens, it is best to seek the
advice of a qualified professional to “get you back in your
game.”
Letter To The Editor
Last April, I discovered that the
Pittsfield Planning Board had five lawful seats but seven people
sitting. The selectmen called a special town meeting to add two
seats, but the new seats solved nothing because the problem runs
much deeper.
The deeper problem is that the town meeting’s
resolution in 2007 to elect the planning board was legally
incomplete. The resolution was supposed to define the number of
seats, the staggering of terms, and the means of electing the
members, that is, “by ballot or by other means” (RSA 669:17, V),
such as hand vote at the town meeting business session. The
resolution defined none of these things, and, on pointed
questioning, a Local-Government Center lawyer admitted that a
court might strike down the resolution to elect the planning
board. To safeguard the elected planning board, the town meeting
must adopt a new resolution to elect the planning board. I have
petitioned such a resolution.
I proposed five members instead
of seven because:
1. Five is enough. The board of selectmen,
the zoning board, and even the NH Supreme Court each has five
members.
2. Fewer seats make more contested elections. Voters
have no real choices in uncontested elections.
3. The
townspeople will not get to choose between five and seven any
other way. Last summer, the selectmen decided against letting
the townspeople vote for five.
This resolution favors no one.
It will open all seats for election in 2011. It will challenge
me the most because I alone will have to run three consecutive
years to retain a seat.
The selectmen are proposing a
resolution that THEY appoint the planning board. Please vote NO
to an appointed board, and YES to a DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED
board!
Thank you,
Jim Pritchard
Letter To The Editor
Planning Board: Five or Seven?
The
State allows residents to vote for either a 5 or 7 member
Planning Board(PB). Pittsfield’s current 7-member board has been
in place for decades. The NH Data Center lists 35 towns with a
similar population range (3600-5000), and provides data on
whether a town’s Planning Board is appointed or elected. 71% of
those 35 towns ELECT their Planning Board members. The Data
Center does not provide a list of 5 vs. 7 PB members.
I
visited each of these 35 town websites to make my own decision
on 5 or 7 and I found that Pittsfield is not the only town
dealing with the issue of uncontested positions. Sure, it can
happen with 5, but it certainly happens more with 7. Seems with
7 PB members in a town with less than 5000 residents, you are
more likely faced with an annual Planning Board member ballot
without Planning Board member choices!
Pittsfield residents
made a sound decision to elect their Planning Board members in
2007. This year residents will be asked to reinforce that
decision by voting no to the warrant article on appointing
Planning Board members.
Residents will also be asked to
consider a 5-member Planning Board. I think this petition is
worth serious consideration. The Board of Selectmen, the Zoning
Board, and the School Board all operate in Pittsfield with 5
members. Why not the Planning Board? My own review of those 35
towns proved to me that a 5-member Planning Board would create
choice for voters every year on Election Day.
Apparently the
actual article numbers on the town meeting warrant are still
subject to change. I will vote YES to downsize to a 5-member
Board, and NO to appoint the Planning Board members.
God
Bless Our Troops,
Rachel Wood
Pittsfield
Letter
My name is Clayton Wood and I am asking for your vote
for one of the 2 School Board 3-year term positions. My family
and I moved to Pittsfield 5 years ago after being attracted to
the town’s local charm and history. We firmly believe in
Pittsfield’s “diamond in the rough” character and have been
looking for ways to contribute to the town we call home. I am
currently serving the town as chair of the Website Committee
since its creation in 2007 and also as an Alternate Member on
the Planning Board since April 2009. I am also serving as a
Director and Treasurer for the Historical Society.
I have
three daughters all starting their educations at the Elementary
School so I am very interested in the educational quality of our
school system. Since receiving a Ph.D. from MIT, I have been
involved with education in a variety of ways during my
professional career as an engineer. My business experience as a
Vice President of a high-tech company will also be an asset for
understanding and managing the administrative responsibility of
the position. I have already been involved with the District and
Schools for the past 2 years as a community volunteer serving
the Math Task Force, Community Forums, PMHS NEASC, District
Technology, and High School Redesign Committees. My efforts on
improving the technology resources have produced new websites
for the District and Elementary School.
I have been
attending the School Board meetings since January and would like
to commend the committee now serving. I have found a solid,
professional and well-run board. I believe that my professional
and educational background will be an added value.
Your vote
on March 9 for the 3-year School Board position would be greatly
appreciated.
God Bless our Country
Clayton Wood
Rusty and Sharon Carter of Blackstone, MA along with Jeffrey and
Kimberly Casey of Pittsfield, NH are pleased to announce the
engagement of their daughter, Lisa Carter, to Brett Bonina.
Brett is the son of John and Paula Bonina of Bellingham, MA.
Lisa is a 2008 graduate of Bryant University where she majored
in Business Management and is currently employed with GTECH
Corporation in Providence, RI as a Project Manager. Brett
is currently serving his first tour in Iraq with the Army
National Guard where he is working as a mechanic. Upon returning
this summer, he will finish his degree in Construction
Management at New England Institute of Technology. The couple is
planning on a summer 2011 wedding.
Letter To The Editor
To the good citizens of Pittsfield,
I
don’t know if it’s the crisp, cool weather of working outside or
just the time to think, as I move another stone into place.
It’s been a couple of weeks since I attended the Budget
Committee Public Hearing on the School and Town Budget. My
respect has grown for the School Board, particularly since they
hired John Freeman as School Superintendent; the Budget
Committee, with some new members and spokesperson, Leslie Vogt;
and the Board of Selectmen, 5 members who represent my town’s
interest, not theirs or their friends’.
I think in our
Town’s interest we should have a moratorium on raises at any
level. If no raises were given, we could almost fund our capital
reserves to buy a new grader, loader, backhoe, and sidewalk
tractor. To put only $1,000 in each account this year is only
going to put off the payment.
As I look over ten years of budget
summaries, I see how many departments that have
many personnel. Its costs are going through the
roof, with the
exception of f the BCEP Solid Waste contract.
Does anybody
but me see the State and Federal Governments’ revenue problem.
We need to start thinking of how we are going to cut 10% from
our budgets next year and the year after.
I say no raises. If
there’s a contract, renegotiate. This is a new decade, we must
do things differently.
Get some fresh air people!
Respectfully,
Dan Schroth
Letter To The Editor
In the Feb. 10 Sun, Jim Pritchard, Dan
Greene and Clayton Wood stated that I misled the public with my
previous letter. First, if you look at your ballots, or read the
minutes of the meeting, you will find that I was not the only
objection and consequently the PLANNING BOARD VOTED TO “NOT
RECOMMEND” BOTH of Jim’s ordinances.
If I was the only one
with concerns, why did the board vote this way? Did anyone
notice that the other two signatures are also Planning Board
members? So, if these three support Jim’s ordinances, why
couldn’t they get the board to go along? I think in the future,
to get a fair board, these three should not be seated at the
same time.
I’m sure Jim and crew are trying to represent that
they are doing this “for the best interests of the Town,” but I
have a problem believing them. Nothing I have observed has given
me any reason to trust them. Jim’s past lawsuits (which have
already cost the Town thousands of dollars to defend) have
proven he will go to great lengths to get what he wants.
It
is my sincere hope that the Townspeople will watch what is
happening at this board next year. With the Zoning being worked
on, it is in everyone’s best interest to attend a couple of
meetings and to make sure your opinion is heard at all Public
Hearings. This is your town, do not allow a small group of
fanatics to make your decisions for you.
I will no longer be
on the board next year. With three candidates for Planning
Board, I’m supporting Pat Hefferman and Ted Mitchell. At least
they may listen to the people.
Hank Fitzgerald
Letter To The Editor
I would like to thank the citizens of
Pittsfield for giving me the opportunity to serve you. It has
been a very rewarding experience to see how a small community
can pull together during difficult economic times, tornadoes,
floods and ice storms. I have been proud to be part of this
community and witness first hand as a Town official how a small
town in need can all pull together and help one another.
I
feel that the board has gained a lot of progress on your behalf
over the last four years. We have carefully balanced the budget
wi the help of department heads and because of this we were able
to save you fifty nine cents per thousand on your tax bill last
fall without compromising the public safety or our community.
This has been a high priority for the Board. We have continued
to work to get new businesses to come to town while trying to
help the ones here survive the current economic times.
We
should all be a part in planning for the future of Pittsfield.
While we should be supportive of the new Board of Selectmen, we
will need to keep watch in order to hold them to the same
standard that the current board has set. The spending
will continue to need to be monitored, newly adopted and revised
town practicies will need to be enforced and new business
development will need to be encouraged in order to increase the
revenues coming into town.
It has been a pleasure to serve
the citizens of Pittsfield, and I will leave with many great
memories.
Thank you,
Larry Konopka
US
Senate Confirms New Hampshire Judge Susan Carbon
Submitted by the office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Judge
Susan Carbon Senate was confirmed as Director of the Department
of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women this past
Thursday.
In her announcement of the confirmation Senator
Shaheen noted, “ Every two minutes someone in this country is a
victim of sexual violence. Every 52 seconds a woman is
victimized by a spouse or partner. These crimes devastate
victim’s lives. They shatter families. They often create fear in
whole communities. The Office on Violence Against Women leads
our nation’s efforts to prevent these deadly crimes and to
identify, capture and punish perpetrators. The Office on
Violence Against Women works with law enforcement, victim
advocates, health care providers and others. It provides
financial and technical assistance to communities across the
country that are working to end domestic violence, sexual
assault and stalking.”
President Obama’s choice to
lead our country’s efforts against domestic and sexual violence
is a state-court judge from New Hampshire. Judd Gregg, the
Senior Senator from New Hampshire, first recognized
Susan’s capabilities and potential. In 1991 then-Governor Gregg
appointed Susan Carbon to be a part-time district court judge.
When Shaheen became Governor, she appointed Carbon to be a
full-time judge. Because of her commitment to ending domestic
violence and her expertise in family law, she was named the
Supervisory Judge of the Family Division, a position she still
holds.
Senator Shaheen went on, “Susan Carbon is
exceptionally qualified to serve as the Director of the Office
on Violence Against Women. She is the leading voice in New
Hampshire on domestic violence and family law and has been the
driving force behind many of New Hampshire’s efforts to
strengthen legal protections for victims of domestic violence.
She also has become a national leader on domestic violence. She
frequently serves as faculty for the National Judicial Institute
on Domestic Violence and she chaired the project which produced
the guidebook for professionals in their work around domestic
violence court orders. She is a good and decent person who is
anxious to take on the responsibility of leading the Office on
Violence Against Women.”
Judge Carbon is a resident of
Chichester.
Obituaries
Avis Marion Plante (Wilder-Jones)
Avis Plante of 67 Main
Street, Pittsfield, NH died February 7, 2010 after fighting a
long battle with cancer. Born in Somerville, MA on August 5th
1931. She worked for Sylvania in Woburn, MA and retired from
Batesville Casket Company in Nashua, NH. Avis was a free spirit
who enjoyed helping people. Her hobbies included crotchet,
bingo, and traveling by car.
She is survived by a Nephew
Vernon Palmer and his wife Kathy of Hickory NC. Also survived by
her five children and their families. Barbara Kitzmiller and
Dexter Peirce of Londonderry, NH, Linda and Ray Davis of
Middleton, NH, Anna and Dale Bostridge of Mims, FL, George and
Sandra Wilder of Newhaven, MA, and John and Candy Wilder of
Church Hill, TN. Avis also had ten grandchildren and fifteen
great grandchildren that she loved and cared for deeply.
In
lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in memory of Avis
be made to the Pittsfield Food Pantry at 85 Main Street,
Pittsfield, NH 03263 or to the St. Ann Healthcare Center, 195
Dover Point Road, Dover, NH 03820.
To express condolences,
please visit: www.peasleefuneralhome.com
