Category: Politics

By S.D. Plissken | January 1, 2019

Many have written on authority and its nature: what it is, how it is asserted, acknowledged, or granted, and how it may be ignored, withdrawn, lost, or refused.

Auctoritas

The English word authority is derived from the Latin auctoritas. The Romans took that to refer to someone having a certain amount of prestige. Such a one would have the ability to rally others to support his (or her) endeavors. While it did have a political aspect, its use was not limited to politics. It would be possible to exert this quality in religious, judicial, commercial, familial, personal and other spheres.

It was partly a respect granted to those who were deemed wise, successful, or otherwise blessed. They had influence. Their endorsement or recommendation had weight.

For the Romans, it had roots also in ownership. The auctor was the author, creator, or founder. He (or she) was the maker, the homesteader, the originator, the inventor, the owner, or the one who augmented, enlarged, or expanded an existing property or enterprise.

The Romans made a political distinction between auctoritas (authority) and potestas (power). The Roman orator Cicero said, “Cum potestas in populo auctoritas in senatu sit,” which may be translated, “While power resides in the people, authority rests with the Senate.” The Classicist Theodor Momsen defined auctoritas as being “more than advice, but less than a command.”

Note that, as described, the components of auctoritas may be lost or withdrawn. The prestige of those whose advice, endeavors, or endorsements fail might be shaken. A succession of poor outcomes might cause one’s authority to diminish markedly or even evaporate entirely.

The Mandate of Heaven

The Chinese had a similar concept, which they expressed as the Mandate of Heaven. Its manifestation or evaluation seems to have been retrospective. Its expression might even be termed post hoc (or after the fact).

Heaven embodied the natural order and will of the universe. It bestowed its mandate on a just ruler. Heaven did not say so out loud or at the outset. The just and successful ruler was assumed to be enjoying the Mandate (or approval) of Heaven. The poor or unjust ruler, who experienced a succession of calamities, be they natural, military, or political, or who was overthrown or defeated, was presumed to have experienced Heaven’s disapproval: they lost the Mandate of Heaven.

Intrinsic to the concept of the Mandate of Heaven was the right of rebellion against an unjust ruler (Wikipedia, 2018)

A successful rebellion was taken as a sign that Heaven had withdrawn its approval from an unjust ruler and shifted it to the rebel leader. By virtue of his success, the new ruler now held the Mandate of Heaven.

The New England author, Miss Sedgwick expressed a similar line of thought, in which talent and worth deserve distinction, and of which the Almighty signifies his approval:

Talent and worth are the only eternal grounds of distinction. To these the Almighty has affixed His everlasting patent of nobility.

Voluntary Servitude

The sixteenth century Frenchman Étienne de la Boétie penned his seminal essay, the Discourse on Voluntary Servitude in or around 1576. (A fascinating read). In this essay, he introduced the concept of voluntary servitude, or political acquiescence, so to speak. Even the tyrant will have always his active supporters, his beneficiaries and hangers-on, his toadies, if you will. Those who benefit directly from his rule.

But neither these active supporters, nor the several layers of similar beneficiaries and partial beneficiaries beneath them, are enough to keep the ruler in his seat. It requires also that the bulk of the ruled at least acquiesce in their own enslavement. The tyrant remains in place only because the ruled permit it, albeit passively, and perhaps even contribute to it.

De la Boétie advised them:

Resolve to serve no more, and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces.

Many writers, across a wide variety of academic disciplines, have acknowledged and echoed De la Boétie’s fundamental insight. Tyrants rule only because those ruled acquiesce in it. If the subjects withdraw their support, continued misrule becomes impossible.

The Lack Thereof

I have intended to write on this topic for some time. A recent social media post caught my interest and draws me out now. (Perhaps half-cocked). It pointed out that Milton’s various Boards and Committees have trouble finding members to serve upon them. Their meetings are sparsely attended. Voter apathy is at an all-time high. (A substantial majority of the registered voters do not bother to vote). These have not been my words. Its author is well intentioned, but is mistaken in thinking exhortations alone can change anything at this point.

Confucius said that the beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper names. Milton is a failed state. A succession of unjust rulers, running from near the turn of the current century, have all imposed the impossible: tax increases that were more than the rate of inflation. The current administration is only the most recent iteration of this pernicious run of failures.

Less than a year ago, one-sixth of the voters chose to dissolve the Town government entirely. Talk about withdrawing support. Bravo! I challenge the selectmen to put that measure back on the ballot themselves. Have the Town lawyer spruce it up, give it some real teeth. Do it as a sort of vote of confidence. You do imagine you enjoy the voters’ support, don’t you? The numbers of disincorporaters could not possibly increase.

From the social media description, it seems that Milton’s voters – those bearing the burden of its unconscionable tax increases – have already taken De la Boétie’s advice: few vote, fewer attend, and fewest of all fill seats on the boards and committees. The electorate need not put its hands upon the Town government, but only cease to support it.

And the effects may be seen in the Roman sense too. A succession of failures have reduced the Town government’s auctoritas. Its most recent budget failure has certainly diminished its authority, as it well it should have. No one wants to be a part of that.

The next administration must reverse course immediately, right from the outset, or they will fail too. One hopes that the change is not already too late. Budget cuts, large ones, with concomitant tax cuts, large ones, are the only path to restoring any kind of authority. Otherwise, it is just another exercise in potestas. And support ebbs even faster in the face of that.

Milton has not yet lost the Mandate of Heaven, although that must inevitably come. Nobody can say exactly when the tipping point will come. It is only after the Mandate is irretrievably lost that it is acknowledged to have been lost.

References:

De la Boétie, Étienne. (1576). The Politics of Obedience: The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude. Retrieved from mises.org/library/politics-obedience-discourse-voluntary-servitude

Wikipedia. (2018, November 11). Auctoritas. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auctoritas

Wikipedia. (2018, December 4). Catherine Sedgewick. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharine_Sedgwick

Wikipedia. (2018, November 21). Discourse on Voluntary Servitude. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse_on_Voluntary_Servitude

Wikipedia. (2018, December 24). Mandate of Heaven. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven

By Muriel Bristol | December 24, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS Workshop and a BOS Extra Meeting to be held Wednesday, December 26.

The first meeting is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM. The agenda for the Workshop meeting has one item.

Review and discuss the RFP bids for Town owned building demolition and real-estate RFPs.

The Extra Meeting is intended to begin at 4:30 PM. It has two agenda items.

Town owned property demolition discussion. Other business that may come before the Board.

The RSAs no doubt require a regular meeting, an “Extra Meeting,” so to speak, rather than a workshop meeting, for actual voting.

They will not be recorded. Mr. McDougall asked again that the BOS workshop meetings be recorded for the larger at-home audience. (The sort of transparency and accountability that Chairman Thibeault promised when he ran for office). One doubts that will happen at this point, but we shall see.

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Under our own “other business”: May all our readers have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Mr. S.D. Plissken contributed to this article.

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References:

Town of Milton. (2018, December 21). BOS Workshop & Extra Meeting Agendas, December 26, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_862_2298969183.pdf

Youtube. (1965). Cone of Silence. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1eUIK9CihA&feature=youtu.be&t=19

By S.D. Plissken | December 19, 2018

Chairman Thibeault is fond of saying that “we,” meaning the Board of Selectmen (BOS), and Milton in general, “need to think ‘outside the box.'”

The catchphrase regarding thinking “outside the box” originates with management consultants of the 1970s and 1980s. It is the pop psychology of yesteryear. You should be concerned whenever you hear it.

The sad fact is that he, the BOS, and Milton governance in general, for well over a decade, represent the ne plus ultra of conventional thinking. Everything they do is very much within “the box.”

They cannot help themselves, poor things. Their approach is inherent in the nature of government. It is impossible to rationally allocate resources. If ten of something seems desirable, wouldn’t twenty be even better? It is impossible to say, because government lacks a price mechanism with which to measure its decisions. It relies to a very great extent – some have even said that it relies entirely – upon “magical thinking.” That is why government should never be engaged for any task or service that might be provided by the free market.

While it is always instructive, and sometimes amusing, to examine their more absurd premises more thoroughly, – and I have tried – let us confine ourselves this time to the most recent BOS meeting. Issues are rarely explained in these meetings, as such, but it is sometimes possible to extract some sense – some rumor – of what is happening from the little tidbits that are dropped along the way.

In our last episode, the Town Clerk had objected – through intermediaries – to being the Central Repository for all Town monetary transactions. Her objection is not fundamental or constitutional, although objections could certainly be made along those lines. She was willing to undertake the increased tasks. Her problem arises only from the principle that increased tasks should be accompanied by increased personnel hours. Well, that makes sense. (The BOS should consider deeply how this same principle might be applied in their own dealings with the State government).

Past meetings have informed us that the State government forbids the Town government to keep more than $1,500 in the house at any one time. Are you with me so far? The larger in-the-box thinkers have given the smaller in-the-box thinkers a directive. This unfunded imposition comes with costs. Was any out-of-the-box thinking employed? No, we have been given an order and are rushing to fulfil it. The taxpayers can pay the freight. All very much within “the-box.”

Now the Town government’s new bank wants to change the way that they take in their deposits. This is just a bank “policy.” It is something that works well for them. (Note that, on the market, the customer is always right, and there are other banks in the world).

The Town’s bank “recommended” that we establish a central repository for all the Town’s exactions, excuse me, deposits. The Town Treasurer agreed, the Auditors were insistent, the Town Counsel approved it, the Town department heads loved it, the Town Administrator said that all the cool Towns are doing it. We take orders from banks too. All very much within “the box.”

Whenever they cite this “all the other Towns” reasoning, as they do frequently, I hear my mother’s voice: “If all the other kids were jumping off a bridge, would you jump too?” Her point being that it’s not that you can’t do what the others are doing, if they are acting wisely, but that it is folly to be a lemming just to be like the other lemmings.

By itself, citing “all the other Towns” is really the same as having no reason at all. It is a confession of having no reason. Completely ridiculous, but very much within “the box.”

Anyway, the Town Treasurer restructured Town monetary procedures such that the various departments off-loaded portions of their deposit accounting to the Town Clerk. Just like all the other Towns. The various departments all spend less time on those fiddly bookkeeping details. And the money is all in one place. Less is more. They love it. Win-win, right?

Well, no. None of these apparatchiks gave up any personnel hours to the Town Clerk when they piled on their extra tasks. It was more like a zero-sum game: she got their tasks, while they retained the hours with which they formerly did those tasks. She reportedly tried to juggle these increased tasks, for a time, but finds it is not working for her.

Will all those that are surprised please raise their hands?

I see, the BOS have their hands up. (They raise their hands for everything). They seem to be baffled. To their minds, it apparently makes perfect sense that the Town Clerk should do more so that others might do less. It adds up somehow?

So, the BOS dug in their heels regarding full-time status for her administrative assistant. Nor did they arrange for any extra assistance from the departments that were relieved from the tasks with which she now struggles. The BOS provided no solutions. Instead, they told all of the children to sort it out for themselves. They have until the end of January to do so. Don’t make me come in there.

It is impossible to accept yet another Town personnel expansion. (The Town needs to move in the opposite direction). One might hope that some interdepartmental reallocation or redistribution of budget money or personnel hours is made instead. Cutting elsewhere to pay for this latest shiny initiative would work quite well.

But the Town Clerk is to be much admired. Her spirited defense of her department showed true grit. She demonstrated exactly the qualities that the BOS has so sadly lacked in defending the taxpayers’ interests.

One might well imagine that we will see these issues emerge again in some form.

References:

Town of Milton. (2018, December 17). BOS Meeting, December 17, 2018. Retrieved from youtu.be/SLBEx1a45pQ?t=5245

Wikipedia. (2018, December 18). Thinking Outside the Box. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking_outside_the_box

 

 

By Muriel Bristol | November 17, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS meeting to be held Monday, December 17.

The meeting is scheduled to begin with a Non-Public preliminary session at 5:00 PM. That agenda has five Non-Public items classed as 91-A:3 II (a), 91-A:3 II (c), 91-A:3 II (d), 91-A:3 II (e), and 91-A:3 II (c).

91-A:3 II (a) The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him or her, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted.

While the language of this RSA encompasses dismissals, that would run very much against trend in the Milton Town government. The Town has had a truck driver position posted and there is that whole matter of the Town Clerk/Tax Collector Central Deposit.

91-A:3 II (c). Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person, other than a member of the public body itself, unless such person requests an open meeting. This exemption shall extend to any application for assistance or tax abatement or waiver of a fee, fine, or other levy, if based on inability to pay or poverty of the applicant.

These (c) items are perennial favorites. There are two of them this time. At some point, the “public body itself” might begin to wonder why there are so very many. Might it be something they are themselves causing?

91-A:3 II (d) Consideration of the acquisition, sale, or lease of real or personal property which, if discussed in public, would likely benefit a party or parties whose interests are adverse to those of the general community.

Again, one would certainly hope that nothing additional is being acquired or leased. Sales might extend to old fire stations or the condemned properties, now owned by the Town, whose demolitions are out to bid. There is also the proposed $1 sale of historic District No. 1 Schoolhouse.

91-A:3 II (e) Consideration or negotiation of pending claims or litigation which has been threatened in writing or filed by or against the public body or any subdivision thereof, or by or against any member thereof because of his or her membership in such public body, until the claim or litigation has been fully adjudicated or otherwise settled. Any application filed for tax abatement, pursuant to law, with any body or board shall not constitute a threatened or filed litigation against any public body for the purposes of this subparagraph.

It would seem that the public body, or some part of it, or some member of it, is being sued. Quelle surprise!

The BOS intend to adjourn their Non-Public BOS session at approximately (*) 6:00 PM, when they intend to return to Public session.

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The Public portion of the agenda has New Business, Old Business, and housekeeping items.

Under New Business are scheduled seven agenda items: 1) Approval of 2019 Holiday Schedule (Heather Thibodeau), 2) Discuss Casey Road Land Protection Committee Warrant Article (Karen Golab), 3) MFPL & LCHIP Grant (Betsy Baker), 4) Eversource Contract Payment (Richard Krauss), 5) 2018 Encumbrances (Heather Thibodeau), 6) Public Hearing: No Thru Trucking Ordinance (Heather Thibodeau) *7:00PM, and 7) Open Bids for RFPs (Heather Thibodeau).

The initial agenda item seeks approval of a proposed 2019 holiday schedule. How many days?

It seems that Casey Road Land needs its own Protection Committee. This sort of begs a question: is the Conservation Committee’s protection insufficient in some way?

The Milton Free Public Library (MFPL) has announced that they will be receiving a $36,000 Land & Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) grant. LCHIP is “an independent state authority.” Its taxpayer money comes from county registry of deeds fees and Moose license plates. (TANSTAAFL).

Eversource Contract Payment is a bit vague. Higher than expected energy costs have been mentioned previously. But the Fire Department was mentioned then as being a bigger problem than the Police Department. The Town does get some money off from its solar farm at the transfer station.

The 2017 Encumbrances below has to do with the Three Ponds Protective Association’s (TPPA) grant not having had a legal vote to “encumber,” i.e., carry over, unused monies from last year to this year. This agenda item would have to do with not making the same mistake again. Encumber early and often.

The Proposed Heavy Hauling Ordinance Discussion Follow up continues from past meetings. This would be the second of two hearings. It is all about forbidding logging trucks from passing and repassing on Governors, Hare, and Nute roads to and from Middleton Lumber (on NH Route 153 in Middleton). This can not affect similar heavy-duty traffic by Milton residents over those very same roads.

Under Old Business is scheduled six items: 8) Review Cemetery Budget (Heather Thibodeau), 9) Warrant & CIP Warrant Article Discussion & Approval (Heather Thibodeau), 10) TPPA 2017 Encumbrance Discussion Follow-up (Heather Thibodeau), 11) Department Budget Updates (Heather Thibodeau), 12) Adjustment to Town Department Holiday Celebration (Heather Thibodeau), and 13) Town Clerk/Tax Collector Central Deposit Discussion Follow-up (Board of Selectmen).

Previously, the BOS had discussed adding someone to the Cemetery Budget. That person would handle the administrative aspects of having a Town Cemetery. The previous discussion was notable for being completely free of any actual facts in setting the budget amount.

A Warrant Article discussion and approval. And Tax Acceleration Program (CIP) discussion and approval. Expect unanimous votes. Because that is certainly not what will happen when the taxpayers speak for themselves. Draw your own conclusions about “representation.”

The TPPA 2017 Encumbrance has to do with the Three Ponds Protective Association’s (TPPA) grant not having had a legal vote to “encumber,” i.e., carry over, unused monies from last year to this year. Yes, the prior BOS (Rawson, Thibeault, and Long) did vote, but they did so after the legal deadline, so the original money is incapable of being carried over. It drops instead into the General Fund. At the last meeting, all sorts of wild schemes were afoot to reallocate new money and make it as if it was the old money encumbered. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Town budget updates. The annual insurance increases walked in the door at the conclusion of the departmental budget submissions. That would occasion departmental budget increases.

An adjustment to the Town Department Holiday Celebration. The dual Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays fall this year on successive Tuesdays. Imagine that decisions must be made regarding closing Town Hall for all or part of the Mondays. One supposes Boxing Day could be in the mix too.

The Town Clerk/Tax Collector Central Deposit Discussion Follow-up is a bit of a misnomer. The Town Clerk has the BOS over a barrel. The Town Treasurer has recommended giving her whatever she wants. As has the financial advisor (did you know they even had one?), the Town Counsel, and everyone else. Expect to learn how things are folded: cheap suits, houses of cards, and, especially, poor poker hands.

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There is a new boxed item list at the margins entitled Outstanding Items. No, there is nothing particularly deserving about them; it is just that they have been held over from prior sessions. The alternative name might be Selectman Lucier’s Bucket List. They include Town Owned Property, Recreation Revenue & Office Discussion, Website Update, Property Maint. Code, Town Report, Atlantic Broadband Contract, NH Listens, and Junkyard. In no particular order.

By the way, do not forget to add the taking down of the invalid no parking signs from the invalid and now rescinded no parking ordinance. They are still there.

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Finally, there will be the approval of prior minutes (from the BOS Meeting of November 5, and the Joint BOS-BC Meetings of December 5 and December 11), the expenditure report, Public Comments “Pertaining to Topics Discussed,” Town Administrator comments, and BOS comments.

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Ms. McDougall has called a fourth meeting of her Milton Advocates group. It will take place again in the Nute Library’s Community Room, on Saturday, December 29), at 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. All town residents are invited. Bring your best manners. (Not her words).

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Mr. S.D. Plissken contributed to this article.

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References:

LCHIP. (2018). Land & Community Heritage Investment Program. Retrieved from lchip.org/

State of New Hampshire. (2016, June 21). RSA Chapter 91-A. Access to Governmental Records and Meetings. Retrieved from www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/VI/91-A/91-A-3.htm

Town of Milton. (2018, November 16). BOS Meeting Agenda, December 17, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_860_3404723203.pdf

Youtube. (1965). Cone of Silence. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1eUIK9CihA&feature=youtu.be&t=19

By Muriel Bristol | December 4, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a joint BOS-Budget Committee meeting to be held Tuesday, December 11, 2018.

The BOS intend to begin their joint BOS-BC meeting at approximately (*) 6:00 PM.

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Its agenda is described in the single sentence:

Be advised the Budget Committee & Board of Selectmen will conduct a joint meeting to discuss the Town Budget.

One follow-on meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 18, also at 6:00 PM

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References:

Town of Milton. (2018, November 30). Joint Budget Committee Meeting Agenda, December 11, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_850_1411371321.pdf

 

By S.D. Plissken | December 6, 2018

At the most recent Milton BOS meeting, the “Financial Policy Regarding Town Deposits” agenda item turned out to be much more involved than simply raising the ceiling on amounts of cash that may be held in town hall.

To set the scene, the Town Clerk had earlier in the year sought to expand the hours of her assistant. This came up during the departmental budget reviews. The BOS seemed about to wave this expansion through, as they usually do with nearly all additional expenses, but stopped at the brink. They appeared to realize finally that they had already spent like drunken sailors. They drew back from downing this last tankard.

At this meeting, the Town Administrator explained that the Town Clerk had notified the BOS, and the Town Treasurer that, due to budgetary constraints, she found herself unable to continue to be the agent and central repository for all of the Town’s financial transactions. She had “involved” the Town Treasurer, who was called to explain the issue.

Chairman Thibeault: Next up, Financial Policy Regarding Town Deposits. Heather?

Administrator Thibodeau: I believe the board got an e-mail about the Town Clerk wished to change the plan of several deposits, and she involved MacKenzie [Campbell], our Treasurer, who is here tonight, and she really wanted him to handle this discussion with the board. So, he’s here to talk about it a little bit more. I’ve also given you and I guess you’ve already gotten that and made copies of the plan that’s in place in our current financial policy. We really need to have a plan as to where go from here. Both MacKenzie and I have looked into this, extensively. We need the board’s directive as to what we need to do. And, so, I would ask that MacKenzie come forward and help us with this discussion. Basically, we have the policy in place is one central depository for the Town now. All departments bring all deposits and that is the Town [process]. And then the Treasurer handles … has handled the deposits from there …  how they get to the bank. Our auditor, our attorney, and everybody is in agreement with what needs to happen, but MacKenzie …

Treasurer Campbell: Essentially, the way it is set up right now is that most of the Town monies flow through, in and out, of the Town Clerk’s office. They come into the office through our department heads and our departments. So, monies – deposits – coming in have to go through the Town Clerk, where they are recorded, and set up for transfer, which I check. At that point I transfer that money from an escrow opportunity, from a holding escrow, to a distributary escrow. Some of these escrows you may have heard of, or know off the top of your head, you know, Rec. Revolving, etc. The Town Clerk has since requested to not to perform these duties, saying that it’s beyond her budgetary constraints. Personally, it’s something that I disagree with – moving a depository location. That’s going to yield unnecessary risk, time, money, constraints to the Town. I’ve confirmed this through our financial partners, TD Bank. They’ve suggested as well looking at other Towns. Pretty much every other Town in the State has this flowing through their Clerk’s office.

Thibodeau: Our financial advisor …

Campbell: Our financial advisor is concerned about this move as well. She’d prefer [our not moving this] out of the Clerk’s office, especially where we just have it set it up this year. It’s really full that way, ultimately. Everything is properly recorded the way it is now. And it’s a change I would not suggest moving forward with. The previous policy was enacted by a previous board. So, I don’t know what power we have to change it.

Thibeault: Alright, so, I guess …

Campbell: The power is with them …

Thibeault: I guess I have a question then … if the other board members are alright with that. So, I get our policy … I guess I’m confused between the e-mail I’ve received, from the Town Clerk, and the policy. So, the e-mail – if I understand this correctly, correct me if I’m wrong – we have two issues here. One issue is the actual delegation of the deposits, …

Campbell: Correct.

Thibeault: Which is bringing the money to the bank, …

Campbell: Correct.

Thibeault: And then where the money is going to be deposited  and how …

Campbell: We don’t have a problem with taking up more of that … depository … bringing it to the bank. There’s never been an issue there. Simply contact myself and I delegate the authority. Make sure that happens. Today, for example, our deputy took it.

Thibeault: So, in the email, the way I’m reading this, it’s basically say that the Town Clerk no longer wants to do the deposits. It doesn’t say anything about actually taking the money in the office. But, I … obviously, conversations you guys have had with the Town Clerk that’s …

Campbell: She hasn’t identified to me particularly … anything other than actually bringing the money to the bank, which there is an issue.

Selectman Lucier: My interpretation was that was the issue, it wasn’t, it …. so, what … give me the Reader’s Digest version.

Thibodeau: She has indicated that she doesn’t have the staffing or the time to do … to be the central depository for the town and I believe she’s ….

Campbell: Which would encompass both. Both duties.

Thibodeau: Right, both duties. And to do that … and there’s a lot of paperwork involved with that. So, that is what she has indicated to both me and to others, I believe …

Thibeault: So, part of it, essentially, is already resolved – the part of actually bringing the deposits to the bank. That could be … you can resolve that without … fairly quickly without …

Campbell: Yes. And anytime anyone is working that long, we come up with a solution …

Thibeault: And that also isn’t a concern with Town Counsel or anybody else you guys have spoken with.

Thibodeau: We can make sure that person is bonded. His deputy … and somebody he has … it has to be in writing …

Campbell: It has to be a bonded employee.

Thibodeau: It has to be a bonded person, … and it has to be somebody he has delegated to in writing, and we have to have that on file. And eventually that has happened.

Campbell: And we have multiple safeguards in place to make sure that the money will reach the bank, even that night. So, there’s no rush to specifically have it done during the day, as long as we’re following the RSA, which is to deposit the monies once it hits $1,500.

Thibodeau: And we’re following the policies and making sure those things happen.

Thibeault: And that’s in line with our current Town policy, as well.

Campbell: Yes, the one enacted by a previous board.

Thibeault: It follows the RSA.

Thibodeau: Here’s the issue with it as of January 1st. We need make sure we have a place that Town deposits can be deposited to. If it …

Thibeault: Well, I guess I would request that the board … we need to meet with the Town Clerk.

Thibodeau: I can do it. [inaudible]. I need you to request her presence.

Campbell: It needs to be ironed out. Anything that the Town can help towards her department, as a team. We should look at, other things, you know, until the budgetary constraint is resolved. We need to be able to make sure that the money is flowing in and out of that office.

Thibeault: Okay. I’ll make the motion that we, the BOS, request that the Town Clerk be present at the next BOS meeting, so that we can discuss the Town deposits.

Vice-Chairwoman Hutchings: Seconded.

Thibeault: All in favor?

Whole BOS: Aye.

Thibeault: Obviously, I’ll ask MacKenzie to be here …

Campbell: Yes. What’s the next?

Thibodeau: The 17th.

Campbell: Excellent.

As you may see, the BOS is a bit slow to grasp what is happening. Some might say that they are almost gormless.

For those of you that have had some union experience, you will recognize immediately that the Town Clerk is engaging in a Work-to-Rule slowdown: she proposes to perform her job, according to its exact requirements, but to do nothing that might lie outside her job description, such as being the Town’s central depository.

Why might she do this? Aah, the extra “lot of paperwork,” “the staffing,” and her “budget constraints.” Think back. You would not give her the extra hours for her assistant when you reviewed her budget. Now, she feels that those “budget constraints” make it difficult, for she and her part-time assistant to do all the extras that you have “just set up this year.”

It sounds as if you “just set up” a great big new stack of Quid for the Town Clerk, but did not provide her with any Quo. Now, if her assistant had those extra hours … Well, you get the picture. Then it might be an entirely different story.

All the BOS needs to do is expand the Town Clerk’s budget, to include those hours, maybe add another insurance policy too, and expand taxes, yet again. And they will. They set this in motion when they “just set up” the extra duties. It is almost as if they cannot help themselves. It is almost as if they were feckless.

Maybe they should review what Ms. McDougall told them about cross-training.

References:

Town of Milton. (2018, December 3). BOS Meeting, December 3, 2018. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0_0zA8v7go&feature=youtu.be&t=533

Wikipedia. (2018, October 11). Work-to-Rule. Retrieved from //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work-to-rule

 

By Muriel Bristol | December 4, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a joint BOS-Budget Committee meeting to be held Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

The BOS intend to begin their joint BOS-BC meeting at approximately (*) 6:00 PM.

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Its agenda is described in the single sentence:

Be advised the Budget Committee & Board of Selectmen will conduct a joint meeting to discuss the Town Budget.

Two follow-on meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, December 11, and Tuesday, December 18, also at 6:00 PM.

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A series of three joint meetings held in November of last year ran through departmental budgets. The first meeting, that of November 8, 2017, reviewed the departmental budgets or budget items of the Town Administrator, Insurance Benefits, Moderator, Cemetery. Planning & Code, Planning Board, Zoning, Sewer, and Conservation. The second and third meetings reviewed other departmental budgets.

A fourth joint meeting, held December 4, 2018, was the one in which problems with the “recent Tax Assessment” were first mentioned. From the minutes:

BOS questioning how this process occurred without prior knowledge or notice. A current total of 747 properties increasing between 1-14.9% and 1189 properties increasing up more than 15% of a total 2719 total properties. Average change was over 14%.

The BOS of that time consisted of Chairman Rawson and Selectman Thibeault. Despite what is said in their minutes, it emerged later that, in fact, the BOS did have prior knowledge and notice, and had themselves approved the assessment.

That fourth joint BOS-Budget Committee of 2017 dealt also, as Old Business, with the BOS Approval of 2018 Default Budget and the Budget Committee Review And Recommendations of Town Budgets.

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References:

Town of Milton. (2018, November 30). Joint Budget Committee Meeting Agenda, December 5, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_850_1906353652.pdf

 

By Muriel Bristol | December 2, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS meeting to be held Monday, December 3.

There is no Non-Public session scheduled. This would be the first BOS meeting in quite a while that does not have a preliminary Non-Public session scheduled.

The BOS intend to begin their Public BOS session at approximately (*) 6:00 PM.

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Its agenda features New Business, Old Business, and housekeeping items.

Under New Business are scheduled seven agenda items: 1) Extension Request for Salvage Yard Permit (Roger Libby), 2) Financial Policy Regarding Town Deposits (Heather Thibodeau), 3) Public Hearing: No Thru Trucking Ordinance (Heather Thibodeau) *7:00 PM, 4) 2019 Warrant Article Discussion (Heather Thibodeau), 5) Silver Street/Dawson Street Intersection (Pat Smith), 6) Review of Building Permit Fines & Appeal Process (Heather Thibodeau), and 7) Approval of Contract for Cemetery Trustee (Heather Thibodeau).

Mr. Libby appeared at several BOS meetings early in this administration regarding his salvage yard permit. At that time, he seemed quite concerned to find himself pinned between a State requirement that he have one and the Town’s rather dilatory approach to signing off. It then disappeared off the agenda. He now returns seeking an extension.

Earlier BOS meetings brought up the Financial Policy Regarding Town Deposits. At that time it was said that a limit on the amount of money that could be held on hand at the Emma Ramsey Center was compelling more frequent trips to the bank than might be necessary. This agenda item likely seeks to increase that limit.

The Public Hearing: No Thru-Trucking Ordinance is the first of two hearings that the BOS shall have before implementing their No Thru-Trucking Ordinance. It is intended to forbid tandem logging trucks from passing and repassing on Governors, Hare, and Nute roads to Middleton Lumber (on NH Route 153 in Middleton). This is one of the items remaining on Selectman Lucier’s bucket list.

The 2019 Warrant Article discussion returns from last time, when it turned out to be merely a formal presentation of the draft Town-originating Warrant Articles. Likely, an addition to or revision of those previously submitted to the BOS is now desired.

The DPW director seeks to address some issue with the intersection of Silver and Dawson streets.

Next comes the Review of Building Permit Fines & Appeal Process. It would be difficult to imagine an elimination, or even reduction, of Building Permit Fees, or any simplification of the Appeals Process. This is likely an increase in fees and processes, but who knows? Life is full of surprises.

We have seen this year contract approvals aplenty. Their contents and terms have not been mentioned to date. This will likely be another perfunctory unanimous vote to approve on our behalf whatever it might say.

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Under Old Business is scheduled four items: 8) Discussion of Town Report Process (Heather Thibodeau), 9) Recreation Revenue & Office Discussion Follow-up (Ryan Thibeault/Andy Lucier), 10) TPPA 2017 Encumbrances Discussion (Heather Thibodeau), and 11) Health Insurance Budget Line Discussion (Heather Thibodeau).

Here reappear several more items from Selectman Lucier’s bucket list. The point of interest being that the BOS might have adopted suggestions that prior items remain on the agenda until resolved.

The Town Report Process would be Selectman Lucier’s hobby horse regarding publication of tax assessments for all properties within the Town Report, as well as publishing there a list of tax delinquents. He has stated that a tax delinquents list serves to “shame” taxpayers who are in arrears. It is for you to decide who actually bears the shame of taxes that have risen too high.

Recreation Revenue & Office combines two issues from prior meetings. It has proven difficult in the past to glean exact information from Recreation Department accounts. The difficulty has arisen mostly in determining how much money derives from boat ramp fees, as opposed to beach admissions and other sources. The Office component of this has been another of Selectman Lucier’s concerns. He has expressed formerly a desire to close the Beach office during the winter to save heating expenses.

The Three Ponds Protective Association (TPPA) has not spent all of this year’s money in the Town account for that purpose and will want authorization to roll the remainder over into next year’s accounts.

The Health Insurance increase proved a surprise at a prior BOS meeting. How its increases could be a surprise, is itself a puzzle. They have likely increased nearly every year, if not absolutely every year, for a very long time. Federal revisions to health care (ACA), and their inevitable cost increases, were designed as a sort of balloon payment: small costs to be more palatable up front, with the actual vastly increased costs “ballooning” in later years. These are those later years.

The Health Insurance Budget Line item might reflect actual insurance changes in budgets over the amounts projected and approved in those budgets. It might even incorporate some alteration in the way insurance appears in those budgets.

Finally, there will be the approval of prior minutes (from the BOS Meeting of November 19), the expenditure report, Town Administrator comments, and BOS comments.

The new secondary Public Comments is not listed in the agenda.

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Mr. S.D. Plissken contributed to this article.

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Ms. McDougall has rescheduled the third meeting of her Milton Advocates group from its original time to a new time of Saturday, December 8, at 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, in the Nute Library’s Community Room. All town residents are invited. Bring your best manners. (Not her words).

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References:

Our Milton Home Facebook Group. (2018, November 13). Lynette McDougall Posting. Retrieved from www.facebook.com/groups/OurMiltonHome/permalink/1971690139591941/

State of New Hampshire. (2016, June 21). RSA Chapter 91-A. Access to Governmental Records and Meetings. Retrieved from www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/VI/91-A/91-A-3.htm

Town of Milton. (2018, November 30). BOS Meeting Agenda, December 3, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_852_3089392928.pdf

 

By S.D. Plissken | November 30, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) will hold Public Hearings, on the Proposed Public Ordinance in regards to ‘No Through-Trucking’ signage at the Emma Ramsey Center on Monday, December 3rd, and Monday, December 17th, at 7:00 PM.

The signs are to be placed on Governors Road, Hare Road, and Nute Road. They are intended to prevent tandem logging trucks from traveling on those roads on their way “through” to Middleton Lumber.

Imagine those tandem logging trucks turning around on NH Routes 75, 125, and 153, in order to comply. Other heavy trucks, belonging to residents of those roads, will continue to pass there.

On the advice of Chief Krauss, the original $1,000 fine has been adapted to a graduated sequence of $250, $500, and then $1,000. The Chief did not believe a judge would impose a $1,000 penalty for a first offence. He has mentioned also that enforcement will be difficult.

Who, what, where, and when. And now, the why.

This is a pretty much a done deal. Chairman Thibeault has expressed misgivings, but Selectman Lucier is bound and determined and split BOS votes are exceedingly rare. The purpose of these hearings is merely to satisfy a State requirement that there Shall be Two Public Hearings prior to passage of any Ordinance.

Do not expect to be heard at the “hearing” in the word’s plain sense that the BOS will actually pay much attention to opposing arguments. One might speak against it, but whatever is said will fall on deaf ears.

References:

Town of Milton. (n.d.). Notice of Public Hearing. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_public_hearing_11_1922881116.pdf

 

By S.D. Plissken | November 23, 2018

Yes, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) is still there. After the Budget they just imposed upon us, they should be gone. What was it that TV lawyer used to shout out by way of objection? Incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial! It is quite difficult to miss them when they won’t go away.

The Historical Society Discussion began with Chairman Thibeault’s disclaimer about being Vice-something-or-other at the Historical Society. It turned out to be a mutual willingness – a three-way deal, actually – for the Town to sell the historical Plummer’s Ridge (District Number 1) Schoolhouse back to the Historical Society for the sum of $1. It would then be moved across the street to one of the condemned sites whose building is scheduled for demolition. The Historical Society would retain their current Milton Mills building, but add this other old building and site to their holdings.  It would have a modicum of parking, as well as some ability to get septic and such, which is not practicable at their current site.

One would hope that our wise overlords would consider a lengthy lease arrangement – say, 99 years with an option for 99 more – instead of an outright sale. That worked well enough for Hong Kong and Guantanamo. If the Historical Society were to collapse – several BOS meetings have had agenda items devoted to how parlous their situation is – then the Town would retain ownership of its historical building.

At the very least, the BOS should include some sort of reversion or first-refusal clause in the deed. We would never be confronted with a successor Plummer’s Ridge Schoolhouse Tattoo Shop and Head Emporium or a Plummer’s Ridge Schoolhouse Massage Parlor.

The Three Ponds Protective Association (TPPA) gave a lengthy rundown of their efforts to eradicate Brittle Naiad from the Three Ponds. In point of fact, one of the things mentioned was that it would be impossible to ever entirely eradicate it. It is with us until the end of time. With TPPA’s own money, as well as with grants from the States of New Hampshire and Maine, and the Towns of Milton and Lebanon, they have eliminated much, but not all, of the invasive plant.

Some of these government entities were mentioned as already balking at future grants. But, our own wise overlords voted for another $10,000 go-around next year and put future go-arounds into the Tax Acceleration Program (CIP) plan, evidently in perpetuity. They did so unanimously, of course. It emerged at the end that none of these rounds have done anything much about infestations upstream, or done anything whatsoever about infestations downstream at Spaulding Pond, which has, if anything a greater degree of infestation. It is not a Salmon Falls or Milton Waterways Protective Association, just a Three Ponds Protective Association.

The Recycling Grant (Pat Smith) and Approve Transfer Funds from Highway Vehicle CRF (Capital Reserve Fund) to General Fund (Pat Smith) were both accepted unanimously. The grant would partially pay for a 30-yard container. The $1,420 grant from New Hampshire the Beautiful would pay partially (20%) for a $7,100 30-yard open-top solid waste container for the transfer station. Vice-chairwoman Hutchings wanted to make sure that taxpayers knew that the money would come from prior taxes, rather than future taxes. The other item was authorization a withdrawal of $38,631, for a previously approved new Ford F250 pickup truck.

The Town Administrator’s Warrant Article Discussion had to do with presenting drafts of the Town’s various Warrant Articles. Discussion on them is scheduled for December 3. Selectman Lucier asked if his various bucket list items were included.

This question engendered again some degree of friction amongst the BOS members. The disappearing Agenda items issue emerged again. Say, for example, Selectman Lucier, or one of the others, has some brainstorm. Chief Krauss, or the Town attorney, or one of the other Selectmen point out some possible difficulty with the brainstorm. Its Agenda item is then tabled for clarification or receipt of further information. And never mentioned again.

In that sense, their little apparatus has a procedural flaw. Some of those present were looking at the Town Administrator. Wouldn’t it be her task to follow behind the BOS, shovel up their little nuggets, and try to direct them where they need to go? You know, to sort of “administer” things? Or is it for the Chairman to follow through to a conclusion? You know, as their supposed leader. Or is it for the individual selectman with the brainstorm?

The Proposed Heavy Hauling Ordinance from Selectman Lucier’s bucket list progressed to its next phase, which involved scheduling two Public Hearings on the subject: December 3 and December 17, each at 7:00 PM.

Chairman Thibeault pondered the effect this Proposed Heavy Hauling Ordinance might have on Middleton’s economy. Some seemed astonished. He doesn’t care a fig about taxing Milton’s economy and taxpayers to the margins, but Middleton’s economy is now a concern? That would be a valid reason to allow heavy trucking to damage Milton’s roads and endanger its children? The BOS has failed to represent Milton taxpayers, but Middleton has found an advocate. How can we miss him, if he won’t go away?

There was some actual back and forth, friction even. Chairman Thibeault had taken the item in question, verbally, to the Planning Board, who may or may not do anything about it. Is that the procedure? (We need to see that Org chart again). The Chairman seemed peeved, but whether he was annoyed with Selectmen Lucier, or the Planning Board, or both, was difficult to say.

In the secondary Public Comments, Ms. McDougall suggested a consolidated historic area, such as Strawberry Banke, and pointed out that brittle naiad is “rampant” at Spaulding Pond. Selectman Lucier had never heard that before. Well, of course, you only listen to interest groups.

Mr. Williams reminded them of a prior suggestion: tabled items should go onto the Old Business list – and stay there – until they are fully resolved.

Mr. Brown had also a procedural suggestion. He then told a historical anecdote about Admiral Byng during the Seven Years War. The British Admiralty hanged him for “failing to do his utmost.” Voltaire satirized this event in his novel Candide: In this country, from time to time, we hang an admiral to encourage the others. Hmm.

The Town Administrator announced that the Senior Citizens’ dinner is postponed from Tuesday, November 20, to “next” Tuesday, which would be Tuesday, November 27; and that the Town Christmas Tree-lighting will be on December 2, at 4:00 PM, at Veterans’ Park. She also wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving holiday with their families friends, and that we should all remember to be thankful for our blessings.

Selectman Lucier wanted everyone to remember the Leo Lessard Memorial Blood Drive at the Assembly of God church on December 22.

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Due to a full schedule of community Christmas events, Ms. McDougall’s Milton Advocates meeting has been postponed one week from December 1 to December 8. Same time, same place, different day. (Same good manners).

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References:

Town of Milton. (2018, November 16). BOS Meeting Agenda, November 19, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_847_3934517289.pdf

Town of Milton. (2018, November 19). BOS Meeting, November 19, 2018. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD_oY1EhflY

Town of Milton. (2018, November 20). Public Hearings, December 3 and December 17, 2018, Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_849_1922881116.pdf

Wikipedia. (2018, October 24). John Byng. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Byng