GilfordGrok

Update:  we may be partisan, but we try to be accurate as well.  I received this from Scott Dunn, the Town Administrator and promised to put it up at my earliest convenience:

Hi Skip,

I just wanted to set the record straight after reading the Grok today.

In the final version of the M.O.U. pertaining to plowing, the “Emergency Lane” declaration was specifically deleted at the request of Chairman Benavides.  This was also announced at the public hearing.

Thought you might like to know……

Scott

Consider it corrected and done.

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GilfordGrok is happy to announce its recommendations / endorsements.  Please note that we have only mentioned those positions that are being contested by more than one person:

Some quick takes:

• While I have had a few issues with some of Gus's votes (e.g., the most recent one over plowing the Gilford Community Church parking lot - declaring it a "Fire Emergency lane" was the wrong thing to do, I do see Gus as the more conservative member of the Selectboard at this time.  I believe that he did the right thing, along with Connie Grant, in firing Evans Juris; as a result, we have a far better person in that role (heh! - one that DOES know how to turn on a laptop!).  Gus has had the taxpayers' in mind as new policies have been rolled out that will save the taxpayers money far into the future, such as replacing the COLA with merit raises and having employees increasing their share of their healthcare costs (just as we in the private sector are having to do). He also was instrumental in starting the process to have the Town's expenses put out on the website for all of the townfolk to see.  Please vote for Gus!
  

• This was a bit harder, but our take for Moderator is for Sandra.  She has served in many capacities, she knows the issues, and she knows the "players" and the townfolk.  Further, we believe that she is a better fit overall for the community.  Heh!  She also, from years of practice, has the skill set that can prove to be helpful for when the Deliberative Session may turn out to have folks similar in temperment to those she oversaw for years...Please vote for Sandra!

• I believe that the Budcomm has done a good job over the last few years; I no longer do the "cringe dance with the semi-annual envelope" when the Town sends out tax bills.  However, that oversight cannot go lax.  I am not convinced that better times are around the corner as national policies are racking up stratospheric debts and less than an anemic job outlook, those in control in Concord are continuing their beat down on small businesses and adding new fees and taxes in desperation to keep their 30% higher budget expenditures from causing them more political grief.  And the County isn't helping lately either.  Thus, it is our thought that Chan, Pat, and Dave will be best at maintaining a lid on budget increases. While I don't know Pat personally, I have spoken to more than a few folks that do - he comes highly recommended.  While Chan may not be AS conservative as I, he belongs on the BudComm.  And knowing Dave as I do, and having read his many Letters to the Editor over the past few years, I know that he will put the taxpayers first.  Please vote for Chan, Pat, and Dave!

• I have had my spats Derek while he was the School Board rep when I was first elected - especially over the inclusion of Football into the budget AFTER we were all reminded that the original sponsors had promised that taxpayers would never have to pay for that program.  I believe that his emphasis to push programs forward, regardless of the cost, needs to be countered.  I also believe in term limits - time for voters to implement such and that is one reason for endorsing Conrad.  On the other hand, I have known Don for a while now, having listened to his "back to basic" messages at several TEA Party meetings.  While they were on the topic of Government, I also agree with his campaign tag line: "Basics First".  I have often reported on the NECAP scores here; until our students (and a vast majority of them!) have mastered the fundamentals, the District should not be moving to new methodologies.  Frankly, Derek's comment during the Q&A period about "new math" was ingenious - certainly most would agree that the current methods have not worked lately and the test scores show that.  Back to Basics?  Indeed!  Please vote for Conrad and Don!

I will have more to say concerning Dale Dormody and Margo Weeks tomorrow and why I have made the decisions above.

With respect to the School Board Warrants: Coming Real Soon!

With respect to the Town Warrants (non-Zoning issue ones): Coming Real Soon!