Category: Uncategorized

Non-Public BOS Session Scheduled (September 10, 2018)

By Muriel Bristol | September 7, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS meeting to be held Monday, September 10.

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

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.

The first, sixth, and eighth matters (the “c” items) appear to relate again to the recent tax abatement process.

In November, the BOS made a serious error in setting the 2017 tax rate. It affected all of the taxpayers, i.e., about 2,700 taxpayers, to a very large degree. Various figures have been given, ranging as high as $1.4 million. In December, the BOS suggested that those affected should file for abatements, which was a bit of shell game. An abatement fund of $20,000 could not possibly resolve an unauthorized tax levy of $1.4 million. This would be the third meeting that devoted agenda time to hearing abatements or appeals of rejected abatements.

91-A:3 II (j). Consideration of confidential, commercial, or financial information that is exempt from public disclosure under RSA 91-A:5, IV in an adjudicative proceeding pursuant to RSA 541 [Rehearings and Appeals in Certain Cases] or RSA 541-A [Administrative Procedure Act].

The second, third, and fifth items (the “j” items) might also relate to abatements. Of couse, they could be anything at all. The BOS has been sorting out matters related to the title of the old fire station.

91-A:3 II (b). The hiring of any person as a public employee.

The third matter (the “b” item) relates to the hiring of one or more additional town employees. This does not suggest that the BOS intends to either cut the budget through attrition or even level fund it.

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.

The fourth matter (the “e” item) suggests that somebody is seriously dissatisfied with the results of their abatement hearing. On some level, it makes no sense. It was the BOS that actively encouraged all taxpayers last December to seek abatements as an imperfect solution to their own $1.4 million rate-setting error. One would think they would be handing them out like candy.

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.

God only knows to what the seventh matter (the “a” item) relates. This might be somebody’s promotion, such as a police officer (to make room for the one being hired). It might be something from the Mi-Te-Jo hearings. One of the many issues discussed there was a dispute involving some town employee defining things without authority to do so. It could be anything.

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

The Public portion of the agenda has new business, old business, and the approval of minutes.

Under new business is scheduled: 1) Swearing in Police Officer (item posted by Chief Rich Krauss), 2) Update Personnel Policy (Heather Thibodeau), 3) Insurance Buyout Discussion (Heather Thibodeau), 4) Recreation & Boat Launch Discussion (Andy Lucier), 5) Town Report/Election Dates (Andy Lucier), and 6) History of Milton (Andy Lucier).

Selectman Lucier is back from his hiatus. He evidently plans to weigh in on the Town boat ramp. Also, the History of Milton. Get your popcorn ready. There is also the swearing in of a new police officer, which explains one of the prior 91-A:3 II (b) items.

Under old business is scheduled: 7) Cruiser Lease Purchase Discussion Follow up (Rich Krauss), 8) Downtown Winter Parking Discussion Follow up (Rich Krauss), 9) 2018 Dog Warrant List Update (Rich Krauss), 10) Previously Appointed Economic Development Committee Member Terms/Recreation Alternates (Ryan Thibeault), and 11) Townhouse Heating Discussion (Erin Hutchings).

Townhouse heating problems appear for the third time. Winter parking rears its head again too. Watch this one, the BOS was shopping for parking lots last May.

References:

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, September 7). BOS Meeting Agenda, September 10, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/bos_agendas.php

The View from Mt. Major

By Andrea Starr | September 7, 2018

Mount Major (elevation 1,785 feet) is a mountain located in nearby Alton, NH, south of Lake Winnipesaukee and northeast of Straightback Mountain in the Belknap Range.

Mount Major’s parking lot and trailhead are about 20 miles from the intersection of NH Route 75 and NH Route 125 in Milton. Proceed on NH Route 75 towards and through Farmington to NH Route 11. Turn right on NH Route 11 towards Alton. Take the third exit off the Alton rotary and continue on NH Route 11 through Alton village, Alton bay, and Alton. The Mount Major parking lot will be on the left, although it is not uncommon for overflow parking to take place on either side of the road.

There is a signboard with trail maps and several porta-potties in the parking lot. Dogs are permitted on the trails (clean up after them). Good shoes with some ankle support would be useful, a canteen or water bottle too. A light jacket, tied around the waist or stowed in a small backpack, might be welcome at the top. It can be cooler there, due to brisk winds.

The Mount Major Trail (blue blazes) ascends the mountain from the north side. Its length is 1.5 miles and rises about 1,100 feet. It has a gradual rise for about half the trip. Turn left (with the blue blazes) at the Brook Trail junction. This is a popular hike – you will not be lonely.

The Brook Trail (yellow blazes) continues around the base of the mountain to where it connects to the Boulder Loop Trail (orange blazes). The initial stretch of Mount Major Trail (blue blazes), then continuing on the Brook Trail (yellow blazes), and finally the Boulder Loop Trail (orange blazes) make a giant loop around the base of the mountain without ever ascending it.

Continuing up the Mount Major Trail (blue blazes) towards the summit, the ground rises more steeply for the remaining half. As you approach the summit, with still a ways to go, you will break through the trees briefly onto a smooth ledge where Lake Winnipesaukee can first be seen in the direction of Moultonboro. It’s a great photo appetizer.

Excelsior! The summit is an open ledge-y area. It has the remains of a small stone shelter hut (Mr. Phippens’ Hut) there. Vandals destroyed it. (Now a monument to crass stupidity). Its roof is gone and large granite slabs have been toppled from its walls on one side. They do function well as picnic benches.

There is a panoramic view of Lake Winnipesaukee, stretching from Moultonboro bay in the northwest, across the White Mountains towards the north, Wolfeboro village along the lake’s northern side, and the long, thin Alton Bay to the northeast. The mountains are reflected in the lake. Fantastic!

You might just pick out Milton in that general direction with the aid of a topographic map. (I forgot mine). Even the eternal center-insert map from the Weirs Times or Cocheco Times would help identify features, such as the many islands and bays in the lake below.

mtmajor
Alton Bay to the northeast (Andrea Starr)

The MV Mount Washington may be seen traveling on the lake if your visit happens to coincide with its schedule.

Facing away from the lake, you will see the higher Straightback Mountain (elevation 1,911 feet). Mount Major’s peak is elevated 188 feet above the connecting “col” or ridge between them. There are trails to its peak also, more difficult ones, but that is another story. This view is a vast expanse of beautiful rolling wooded ridges and valleys.

One may return the way one came or depart instead down the opposite side (blue blazes still) to the Boulder Loop Trail (orange blazes) and along it back to the parking lot.

References:

Belknap Range Trails. (n.d.). Belknap Range Trails. Retrieved from belknaprangetrails.org/mt-major/blue-trail/

Collins Dictionary. (2018). Excelsior. Retrieved from www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/excelsior

Wikipedia. (2018, September 8). Col. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col

Wikipedia. (2018, February 3). Mount Major. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Major

This Is a Private Party

By S.D. Plissken | September 5, 2018

The NH State Primary election takes place next Tuesday, September 11, between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM. The polling place will be again at the Milton Assembly of God Church at 370 White Mountain Highway.

There will be three ballots from which to choose: Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian.

Events of the last two presidential elections might give one pause in regard to this whole primary process. Republican delegates pledged to Ron Paul were not acknowledged at their party convention in 2012. Democratic delegates pledged to Bernie Sanders encountered similar problems in 2016. And there was that whole Wikileaks thing that revealed rigging by the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

The Bernie Sanders campaign sued the DNC over it. The suit went nowhere, but it was revealing. At one point, a DNC lawyer, Bruce Spiva, argued before the judge that the Democratic Party was a private organization and, as such, was not bound by any actual ballot results.

Wait … what did he say?

We could have voluntarily decided that, ‘Look, we’re gonna go into backrooms like they used to and smoke cigars and pick the candidate that way.’ That’s not the way it was done. But they could have. And that would have also been their right.

Republican Party officials said similar things regarding the Ron Paul delegates during the 2012 campaign. The Libertarian Party, Green Party, and others have not covered themselves in glory either. (The Democrats have since changed their rules, so as to prevent Bernie from upsetting them further).

Okay. A private organization does what it thinks best … best for them, that is. That makes sense. By all means, have a good time at the party, dear.

But it does beg the question: you are going to pay for this yourselves, right? You would not want to stick the undeclared plurality with the bill for your private party.

References:

Milton Town Clerk. (2018, August 31). September 11, 2018 Notice of State Primary Election. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/taxes_292_2284148664.pdf

Milton Town Clerk. (2018, August 31). September 11, 2018 Sample State Primary Ballots. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/taxes_291_2086530106.pdf

Washington Examiner. (2017, May 1). DNC Argues in Court: We Don’t Owe Anyone a Fair Primary Process. Retrieved from www.washingtonexaminer.com/dnc-argues-in-court-we-dont-owe-anyone-a-fair-primary-process/article/2621767

Washington Post. (2017, August 25). Florida Judge Dismisses Fraud Lawsuit Against DNC. Retrieved from www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/08/25/florida-judge-dismisses-fraud-lawsuit-against-dnc/

Gore, Lesley. (1963, March 30). It’s My Party. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Cc5t72G8s

Puzzle #2: Love in Kleptopia

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | September 4, 2018

Caroline Calderbank, young daughter of mathematicians Ingrid Daubechies and Rob Calderbank, posed this problem.

Jan and Maria have fallen in love (via the internet) and Jan wishes to mail her a ring. Unfortunately, they live in the country of Kleptopia where anything sent through the mail will be stolen unless it is enclosed in a padlocked box. Jan and Maria each have plenty of padlocks, but none to which the other has a key. How can Jan get the ring safely into Maria’s hands?

[Answer to Puzzle #2 to follow in the next Puzzle]

Answer to Puzzle #1: Going to St. Ives

The traditional answer to Puzzle #1 is 1. Only the narrator is explicitly said to have been going to St. Ives.

All of the others, all 2,801 of them, are assumed traditionally to have been going the other way or standing along the way. (If one subtracts out the sacks, the living beings total 2,752).

Were they all headed to St. Ives, that would make 2,802 going there (including the narrator). (If you discount the sacks, the living beings total 2,753).

Non-Public BOS Session Scheduled (September 4, 2018)

By Muriel Bristol | September 3, 2018

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a BOS meeting to be held Tuesday, September 4. The meeting is scheduled to begin with a Non-Public session at 5:00 PM. That agenda has one item: Non-Public matters classed as 91-A:3 II (b).

91-A:3 II (b) The hiring of any person as a public employee.

This meeting relates again to the hiring of one or more additional town employees. This does not suggest that the BOS intends to either cut the budget through attrition or even level fund it.

The BOS does not intend to proceed from their Non-Public BOS session to a follow-on Public session.

References:

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, August 31). BOS Meeting Agenda, September 4, 2018. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_agendas_824_4106554878.pdf

Letter to the Publisher: In Re: Goffstown Shows the Way

By John S. Frum, Publisher | September 3, 2018

Mr. Thomas McDougal has objected strongly to one of the two alternative explanations offered in Mr. Plissken’s recent article Goffstown Shows the Way. The two alternatives given were “There may have been a technical problem at that point or it might be that Mr. Bailey’s remarks have been censored.”

Mr. McDougal’s comment:

Regarding the suggestion that Mr. Bailey’s comment was censored, it was not. There was an issue with the video recording on the night in question. Specifically, the camera was off when the Macbook used to run the recording and streaming program was turned on. This resulted in the computer having to be rebooted so it would recognize the camera. Regrettably that resulted in very interesting comments being lost. We could have asked for more time to figure out the issue but hindsight is 20/20.

I find the suggestion that I, or any of the volunteers that run the recording equipment, would censor anyone regardless of their position on any topic offensive and insulting. If there are any questions about how the equipment is run or what is recorded feel free to ask. I can be reached at [personal information omitted].

The philosopher Wittgenstein once asked a friend, “why do people always say it was natural for man to assume that the sun went around the Earth rather than that the Earth was rotating?” The friend replied, “Well, obviously because it just looks as though the Sun is going around the Earth.” Wittgenstein responded, “Well, what would it have looked like if it had looked as though the Earth was rotating?”

The point being that it looks the same either way – Earth round the Sun or Sun round the Earth. Your belief colors the explanation.

In our own defense, our correspondent did not say which was the correct construction. He did give “technical problem” pride of place in his description. And the Milton town government has censored Mr. Bailey before.

We have asked Mr. Bailey what he thinks. Mr. Bailey believes that neither Mr. McDougal nor his volunteers would ever take a hand in anything of that sort. He pointed out that it was Mr. McDougal who spoke so strongly in favor of increased video coverage, advice that the Board of Selectmen ignored.

Mr. Bailey is right. We regret that our article allowed for any other interpretation and that it offended Mr. McDougal. Mr. McDougal and his volunteers are people of worth, performing a valuable service, and who would not participate in censorship. We have revised the article to exclude that possibility.

We hope that this explanation and apology satisfies Mr. McDougal and his volunteers.

 

Puzzle #1: Going to St. Ives

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | September 1, 2018

We begin with a traditional Cornish puzzle:

As I was going to St. Ives,

I met a man with seven wives,

Each wife had seven sacks,

Each sack had seven cats,

Each cat had seven kits:

Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,

How many were there going to St. Ives?

[Answer to Puzzle #1 to follow in the next Puzzle]

Milton’s Idée Fixe

By S.D. Plissken | August 31, 2018

Milton has a very peculiar notion about businesses and its own “need” for them.

In short, the idea is that Milton needs businesses – so that it might tax them – so that it can alleviate its high residential property taxes.

This notion is ubiquitous. You hear it from elected officials, town committees, town employees, town meetings, newspapers, and from the townspeople. It is on everyone’s lips and has been for years. One might say even that it is an idée fixe (an idea that dominates one’s mind, especially for a prolonged period). Milton has long-standing town committees devoted either partly or largely to forwarding this notion.

When hearing it for the first time, it has a sort of superficial plausibility. But somewhere, in the back of your mind, you may sense vaguely that something is not quite right with this proposition. Something about it doesn’t quite “hang together.”

Stop for a moment. Clear your mind. Examine it more closely.

Aah, you see it now, don’t you? There is a flaw in the chain of reasoning. They have it exactly backwards.

Few, if any, businesses would ever enter voluntarily into Milton’s high-tax environment. At least not without some strong countervailing incentive. By their very nature, businesses strive always to reduce their overhead costs. But in this proposition, business is thought likely to choose the higher overhead option – Milton and its high taxes – over lower-tax communities that may be found elsewhere. Even elsewhere nearby.

Milton believes in the story of the boiling frog:

The boiling frog is a fable describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. The story is often used as a metaphor for the inability or unwillingness of people to react to or be aware of sinister threats that arise gradually rather than suddenly.

This is what Milton hopes will happen – that new businesses will come into its tepid waters and sit still while they are slowly boiled. However, the old fable is not true. The frogs do jump out if they possibly can. Wouldn’t you?

For example, Amazon’s recent search for a city in which to establish its secondary headquarters (HQ2) has been much in the news this year. Why not expand where they are in Seattle? Because the waters are getting warmer there. They are jumping out, so to speak, at least partially.

In a uniquely public competition, the [Amazon] company asked cities to highlight several local assets: the education and skills of their workforce, the quality of their transit and built environment, the strength of their schools and universities, and the livability of their communities. Amazon also requested each jurisdiction to describe what level of tax incentives they would provide so that the company could understand how tax breaks would help defray the initial cost of its proposed $5 billion investment. 

Tax breaks? That means lower taxes. That means a community would have to lower its taxes to “encourage” businesses to move there. Well, lower them for the business being encouraged, while everyone else’s taxes would have to be raised.

But they could raise the tax temperature back up later? You know, slowly, so as not to alarm the businesses. Well, no, not really. As the tax temperature rises, the businesses will decide at some point that taxation has become too hot. When that happens, they can just “jump out.” Just like the frogs, and just like Amazon. But jump out to where?

Not to Milton. The temperatures are past tepid here. You can see the bubbles beginning to rise. Its taxes will soon be boiling over. (It might be time to jump out if you can).

But what if Milton really wanted businesses for some other reason? Say, increased employment, general prosperity, etc.. It could reverse direction and reduce its taxes and regulations to achieve that?

No, that would be just crazy. Milton has committees seeking actively to “encourage” businesses – so that they might be taxed – in order to alleviate high residential property taxes.

Everybody knows that will work. They have known it for a long time now.

References:

Brookings Institution. (2018, August 28). Amazon HQ2: How did we get here? What comes next? Retrieved from www.brookings.edu/research/amazon-hq2-how-did-we-get-here-what-comes-next/

Meriam-Webster Dictionary. (n.d.). Idée Fixe. Retrieved from www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idée%20fixe

Reuters News Service. (2017, October 19). Billions in tax breaks offered to Amazon for second headquarters. Retrieved from www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-headquarters/billions-in-tax-breaks-offered-to-amazon-for-second-headquarters-idUSKBN1CO1IP

Wikipedia. (2018, July 26). Boiling Frog. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog

Wikipedia. (2018, May 20). Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_Popular_Delusions_and_the_Madness_of_Crowds

Chairman Thibeault and the Beanstalk

By S.D. Plissken | August 26, 2018

It may be that people these days are less familiar than formerly with the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. Let us set the scene:

Jack is a young, poor boy living with his widowed mother and a dairy cow, on a farm cottage. The cow’s milk was their only source of income. When the cow stops giving milk, Jack’s mother tells him to take her to the market to be sold. On the way, Jack meets a bean dealer who offers magic beans in exchange for the cow, and Jack makes the trade. When he arrives home without any money, his mother becomes angry and disenchanted, throws the beans on the ground, and sends Jack to bed without dinner.

Chairman Thibeault had a bright idea, on which he expounded at last week’s Board of Selectmen’s (BOS) meeting. (Selectman Lucier was absent). Thibeault would like to trade the Town cow for some State magic beans.

Thibeault: Alright. Next on the agenda: A possible State Boat Ramp at the Town Beach. I put this on there [the agenda]. So, this has been talked about a little bit I guess in the past. I reached out to the State a little while ago to get some more information on the State boat ramp. Basically, it’s a 25 to 35-year lease with the State. They require designated trailer spots. It has to be open 24/7 for free – for boaters – to put your boat in and out. It is not intended to be a swimming area. It is not intended to be an area to fish off the dock. The State initially just took a look on Google Earth at the Town Beach. They didn’t say, “yes,” they didn’t say “no.” There were definitely some challenges if we were to try and do a State Boat Ramp there due to competitive parking. The fence would have to be changed a little bit. So, I just wanted to bring it up to the Board of Selectmen, because it’s essentially a Board of Selectmen decision. The State is – would be – willing to talk to us if we want to talk them to get further information. Like I said, it wasn’t a definite “no,” it wasn’t a definite “yes,” because there are challenges with the ball field, with the Town Beach, competing for parking. That was one of their initial concerns, so I wanted to share that with the Board – something to think about. Basically, the State then would be – they would pay for – the boat ramp and maintaining it for those years. So, something we can think about.

Hutchings: Do you want a response?

Thibeault: Yep.

Hutchings: I think it would be a shame to give that to the State. I really do. I think that’s probably kind of the pearl – in the oyster – is that beach area.

Thibeault: You wouldn’t be giving the beach area. Just the spot for the ramps.

Hutchings: You’re going to wind up losing – I mean it’s not a huge area to begin with. We have to give parking up for … for trailers and that. We’re going to lose quite a bit, I think. I asked one of the employees Sunday who was working at the gate to pull up the numbers knowing that this was on the agenda and the amount of money that that brings in up there – I think it would be shame, I mean it’s self-sufficient. I think if we took our money and repaired the boat ramp ourselves, as a town. I think, … I just think it would be a shame to give that away to the State. You’re talking since the middle of May ’til the middle of August, it’s brought in almost $33,000 and that’s not saying the …

Thibeault: $33,000?

Hutchings: $33,000 – $32,726. The boat ramp and the beach. I’m lumping it altogether, because ….

Thibeault: I’ve asked several times how much the boat ramp itself brings in and was told it couldn’t be separated.

Hutchings: Well, I went up and asked Diane on Sunday morning early if she would mind doing this, because when I saw this and she said, how do you want it broke down …

Thibeault: There’s something wrong with those numbers, I think.

Hutchings: Well, I’m saying this is the beach and the boat ramp.

Thibodeau: What were those numbers again?

Hutchings: $32,726, starting from May 8th all the way to August 16th.

Thibodeau: 32 what?

Hutchings: $32,726. The boat ramp – it’s not that the boat ramp brings in the huge amount – the beach brings in the bigger number, but I sat out there, I’ve gone out several times and sat there and watched people who’ve come up, and they bring the whole family, some one of – Uncle Bob we’ll say – brings up the boat, he puts the boat in, and the kids are all out there playing on the beach and then they alternate – they run ’em through. There’s a lot of that that goes on. I think it would be a shame to give that to the State. I really do. So …

Thibeault: I think there’s several options down there and I think we could still charge for the beach and the State ramp would actually bring people into town and promote the town of Milton, which economy is hurting and help the businesses in town because you’d have a State-advertised boat ramp. I do think that we need to be able to separate out how much money just the boat ramp is taking in and my understanding is the way they … they can’t do that right now. The Rec. Commission had actually voted and made a recommendation that that be separated out and I’m not sure where that stands. But, I’m not saying give up the whole Town Beach to the State. That’s not at all what I’m saying if you give up …

Hutchings: But I think if you give up …

Thibeault: … a small part. I’m open to discussing with the State, to see what they have to offer, because it would be a way to get. like I said, a State boat ramp would get us on the map with the State, and also, I mean, we won’t have to pay the cost of putting in the new ramp.

Hutchings: Which is what – about 30 grand? And we already have $15,000 that the taxpayers in town earmarked for it a year or two ago. Two years ago.

Thibeault: But it’s $30,000 we could use on other areas …

Hutchings: There’s $32,726 we could use to put in a new boat ramp. We could put in a nice pavillion down there, so the kids aren’t having to use the tent. I mean, there’s all kinds of things that we could use …

Thibeault: You’re sure there’s no summer camp money in that?

Hutchings: Positive.

Thibeault: Okay. Alright.

Hutchings: I’m just saying. I just think it would be shame to give that away.

Thibeault: Alright. I just think that we need to think outside the box and the $10 fee that we get at the boat ramp – or whatever it is – we have to account for how we are going to bring people into town. And that free advertisement that the State would give us, I think that would help. I wanted to share that with the Board and I guess right now we don’t really have a decision one way or another. So, we can move on.

Now, Thibeault claims that his scheme would save money, a claim that Hutchings questions. But note his main rationale: this would bring people into town to use the now State ramp, which would help businesses, and the State would do the advertising.

The truth is that “helping” businesses is not a governmental function at all. No taxpayer resources whatsoever should be devoted to that purpose. None, nil, zilch.

Government’s supposed justification has always been the protection of life, property, and liberty. At the town level, it is usually taken to also include maintenance of roads and schools. Business and its concerns – its successes or its failures – have no part in this. The town government does not have to, as Chairman Thibeault has it, “account for how we are bringing people into town.” “Boosting” business is not a concern of government of at all.

Surrendering a part of the Town Beach – as some have said, its “pearl” – to the State based on Chairman Thibeault’s theory – just a theory, mind you – that it would somehow “help” business is misguided. That has the taxpayers subsidizing the businesses. That is not how free markets work. He needs perhaps, as happened to Jack in the story, to be sent to bed without his dinner.

But neither he nor Milton town government will welcome these truths.

Of all the offspring of Time, Error is the most ancient, and is so old and familiar an acquaintance, that Truth, when discovered, comes upon most of us like an intruder, and meets the intruder’s welcome.

References:

Milton Board of Selectmen. (2018, August 20). Milton Board of Selectmen Meeting, August 20, 2018. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/LfPichonEYQ?t=1840

Wikipedia, (2018, August 23). Jack and the Beanstalk. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_and_the_Beanstalk

Wikipedia. (2018, May 20). Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_Popular_Delusions_and_the_Madness_of_Crowds

Goffstown Shows the Way

By S.D. Plissken | August 21, 2018

Mr. Bailey rose to speak again during the Public Comments portion of Monday night’s Board of Selectmen’s (BOS) meeting. His subject was again the erroneous over-taxation in the 2017 2nd half tax bill.

The BOS has never given any explanation, exact figures, or proposed solutions to this problem.

Mr. Bailey provided the BOS with copies of the following letter sent out with Goffstown’s first half tax invoice (July 2018). (Milton did not make a similar correction or explanation in its first half tax invoice).

[Town Seal] Town of Goffstown

TOWN OFFICES

16 MAIN STREET, GOFFSTOWN, NH 03405

Dear Goffstown Taxpayers,

Enclosed is your property tax bill for the first half of the property tax year 2018. You may notice a significant reduction in property taxes due, compared to the previous year’s tax rate. There is a unique situation this year which we aim to clarify with this letter.

As you may be aware, the audit of the Goffstown School District 2017 fiscal year identified reporting errors which led to improper retention of unreserved funds above the limits authorized for contingencies under RSA 198:4=b. The accumulation of funds between 2011 and 2017 amounted to a total of $9, 811, 451 which will be reclassified in July at the end of the current School District fiscal year. Without any action, this reclassification of School funds normally would have reduced the amount of taxes to be raised for local education beginning with the 2018 2nd half tax bill in November.

The Board of Selectmen successfully petitioned the State Department of Revenue Administration to adjust the 1st half tax rate in anticipation of this release of funds. The revised tax rate for the 1st half of 2018 is shown below, compared to 50% of the final 2017 tax rate.

[Here there appeared a table showing the County, Local School, State School, Town, and Total tax rates for “50% of 2017 Rate” and “1st Half of 2018 Rate.” The Local School rate of $7.315 in the 50% column has been adjusted downwards to $4.125 in the 1st Half column. That would be a drop of $3.19 per thousand]

The impact of this release of funds continues over the next tax cycle as well. The rate for the 2018 2nd half tax bill will not be determined until the fall, but it is expected to be similar. The 2019 1st half tax bill will increase and approach previous levels as cash flows stabilize. We expect conditions to normalize by the 2019 2nd half tax bill.

If you escrow your property taxes, you may want to notify your financial institution of these anticipated changes. If you are planning to sell or buy property in Goffstown in the next 12 months, you may also want to consult a real estate professional regarding tax proration.

If you have any questions about your taxes or the fund balance issue, please feel free to contact us or visit the Town and School websites at www.Goffstown.com or www.Goffstown.k12.nh.us

Sincerely,

[Signatures of]

Adam Jacobs, Town Administrator

Brian Dalke, Superintendent

Mr. Bailey’s comments cannot be transcribed here. That is because they do not appear in the video record of the meeting. There is a short (1:31) section in which Ms. Virginia Long spoke of an upcoming volunteer cleanup on Casey Road. Mr. Bailey then began to speak –

Glenn Bailey. You have before you a letter issued by the Town of Goffstown and there are more on the sideboard if people … [end of recording].

His full remarks are not included in the published record. That second section is missing. There was a technical problem at that point.

The third section commences at the beginning of the remarks of the next commenter, Mr. Larry Brown, who spoke of the upcoming pie contest.

In any event, Mr. Bailey highlighted the Goffstown letter’s second paragraph as an example of “transparency” in that the Goffstown officials had explained that an error had been committed, as well as describing its scope and size. He went on to highlight the third and fourth paragraphs as examples of “accountability” in that the Goffstown officials had explained in some detail how they proposed to return the money that had been over-collected through their error.

He further remarked that Milton officials, who have spoken often of the importance and virtue of “transparency” and “accountability,” had never displayed any at all in the matter of the 2017 taxes. He said that they had forfeited their right to employ those terms.

References:

Milton Board of Selectmen. (2018, August 20). Milton Board of Selectmen Meeting, August 20, 2018. Part 1. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtYixUTRFa8

Milton Board of Selectmen. (2018, August 20). Milton Board of Selectmen Meeting, August 20, 2018. Part 2. Missing from the record, due to technical difficulties.

Milton Board of Selectmen. (2018, August 20). Milton Board of Selectman Meeting, August 20, 2018. Part 3. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfPichonEYQ