The Northwood Board of Selectmen announces the formation of a town administrator search committee.  Town Administrator Brent Lemire retired this month and the selectmen are seeking several interested town citizens to be included on the search committee. They will join two town employees and an elected official who have been chosen to serve on the committee.  Duties include reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and providing recommendations to the selectmen. If interested, please send a letter of interest to the Board of Selectmen, attention Sandy Garrett, 818 First NH Tpke. Northwood, NH 03261 or e-mail [email protected]  Deadline is Monday, April 13 at 4 pm.

Northwood PTA hosts Health & Safety information night

Tuesday April 7 

The Northwood PTA will be hosting a Family Health and Wellness Information Night on Tuesday April 7 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.  Featured will be Dr Alan Eaton of UNH Cooperative Extension with a talk on preventing Tick borne illness. As we approach the warmer weather this information is very timely. His talk will be 6-7 p.m. and all community members are invited. In addition the PTA will host several community groups providing information on other health and safety topics. There will also be a fun Wildlife encounter for children from 5:30-7:30.  We hope you can participate in this fun and informative event.

Letter To The Editor

I wanted to respond to my position regarding support of a full-day kindergarten program in Northwood beginning in 2018.

The only reason I would support full-day beginning at that time would be if our school board was able (and willing) to get their financial house in order.

They are currently implementing recommendations made as a result of a 60-page special education performance audit report issued on December 6, 2013. However, many of the cost-effective measures that are being adopted will not see financial savings for a few years. Thus, once those measures are in place the cost of a full-day kindergarten program will not increase the overall K-8 school budget. Rather it would be absorbed into the existing school budget and not increase current school taxes.

The citizen petition voted down last month would have added more than $100,000 to an already bloated school budget.

With voters approving the school budget and other warrant articles, the total increase in spending next year will be $400,000.

The average cost to educate the 419 K-8 students next year is estimated at $18,041 per student.

At the grade 9-12 level the average cost to educate the 236 students at Coe-Brown is $14,683. However when you add in the special education expenses budgeted separate from the Coe-Brown tuition rate provided by the Trustees, the average cost per student increases to $16,721.

For comparison purposes the only other public-private non-profit high school in the state (Pinkerton Academy) is charging 25% less ($10,964) in their tuition rate than Coe-Brown. The in-state tuition rate at UNH for residents is currently only $13,670. Too bad we couldn’t put a cap on spending and not allow the costs per student for K-12 to be higher than the tuition rate at UNH. We would save over $2 million.     

Jim Hadley    

Northwood

Letter To The Editor

Free Speech in Northwood

I'd like to commend the Northwood School Board for voting to uphold the right of freedom of speech.

At the board's March 19th meeting, board member Tim Jandebeur refused to sign a statement requiring all board members to "support" the votes and policies of the board. He said that although he had no objection to the rest of the code of ethics, he objected to this particular provision as a violation of his First Amendment rights. He pointed out that last year the Timberlane School Board withdrew a similar rule when the NH Civil Liberties Union threatened a lawsuit over its unconstitutionality.

In their letter to the Timberlane School Board, the Civil Liberties Union had asserted that such policies "imperil the open debate necessary for the public to evaluate its elected officials." They then quoted a US Supreme Court decision:

"The manifest function of the First Amendment in a representative government requires that legislators be given the widest latitude to express their views on issues of policy. The central commitment of the First Amendment ... is that ‘debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open.' ... Just as erroneous statements must be protected to give freedom of expression the breathing space it needs to survive, so statements criticizing public policy and the implementation of it must be similarly protected ...."

The NHCLU also cited another court case to demonstrate that "this principle applies with particular force to school districts."

The Northwood School Board, after a brief debate, voted 4-1 to remove the objectionable provision. Good for them, good for Tim, and good for all of us.

Michael Faiella

Northwood

Letter To The Editor

Northwood Election 

As a Northwood resident and newly elected Selectman, I want to thank to each and everyone who came out to cast their votes on March 10, 2015 and genuinely extend  my gratitude to those who voted for me. 

Thank you for trusting and believing in me! You made this happen and it will be a honor to serve you.

As many of you perhaps know already that I have the best interest in heart for our community. I am committed to listen to you and working together to build a better future for our town.

Sincerely,

Your newly elected Selectman,

Rick Wolf

Letter To The Editor

To the Editor,

I haven't the patience to compete with all of the "blarney" out there so I just want to say thank you. Thank you for reelecting me to the Northwood School Board. Thank you for approving the school budget, teacher and support staff contracts as well as the retirement incentive. Finally thanks for the approval of the town budget. It was a great turnout and you were more than generous. Now it’s time for us to show you what we can accomplish.. What a great town to live in.

Thank you so much,

Tim Jandebeur

Northwood

Northwood School 2nd  Quarter Honor Roll

5th Gr. High Honors

Megan Brieger, Skye Loto, Alexander Quaglia, Eva Roy, Anne Thoms

5th Gr. Honors

Kylie Bocash, Burke Bulger, Thomas Cirillo, Elizabeth Cromer, Mallory Farrar, Nicole Gaedtke, Seth Ireland, Denzel Martinez, Kailynn Nicoll, Emma Pollak, Myranda St. Onge, Parker Tatem, Elizabeth White

6th Gr. High Honors

Jennifer Bettencourt, Amelia Brackett, Addison Cox, Porter Heigis, Liam Jozokos, Christian Kiernan, Emma Pinard, Andrew Quaglia, Brenna Roy, Raina Skora

6th Gr. Honors

Jillian Bearden, Kaden Beliveau, Adrianna Bingham, Joshua Bowers, Gabrielle Critchett, Tyler Hartford, Piper Leduke, Shelby Lefoley, Logan Mihellich, William Moehlmann, Darin Sweet, Luke Tkaczyk, Caitlyn van Gerena, Ty Votour

7th Gr. High Honors

Katherine Blake, Benjamin Brieger, Evan Lentz, Ryan Nester, Kelsey Pease, Mary Thoms, Samantha Troy

7th Gr. Honors

Hunter Adams, Jaden Boulanger, Brianna Burke, Stone Compton, Matthew Davis, Makayla DeButts, Hailie Holland, Ryan Hughes, Brianna Jackson, Victoria Johnston, Sophie Laird, Michael MacEachern, Brynna Meeker, Ethan Meeker, Kendall Nester, Eli Pinard, Morgan Tatem, Elijah Tomlinson-Burrell, Samantha Welch

8th Grade High Honors

Alivia DiPrizio, Olivia Farrar, Emma Tobbe, Megan Wimsat

8th Gr. Honors

Summer Brown, Clayton Canfield, Alivia DiPrizio, Alyssa Hill, Lillian Marie, Lucas McCusker, Caleb Mihelich, Jonathan Moehlmann, Jacob Nesmith, Carly Ramsey, Jacob Rich, Zachery Sheehan

Letter To The Editor

To the editor:

I just wanted to take a quick moment to thank everyone who supported me in the Special Election Republican Primary for State Representative. I am constantly encouraged by the amount of community members who are passionate about fiscal responsibility and the need for a fresh conservative voice up in Concord. 

As the general election for the May 19 State Representative Special Election proceeds I am excited to work to keep the seat in the hands of fiscally responsible leaders who will advocate for local control of our communities. Thank you so much to all of my volunteers who helped me spread my message and helped me gain support throughout the primary. Thank you to all of my sign wavers (who stood out in the snow at one point) and thank you to everyone who donated their time and effort to help advocate for fiscal responsibility, liberty and conservative values. 

I hope that come May 19th we can elect a fiscally responsible Representative who will keep our community at the forefront of conservation in Concord.

Thanks for all of the support!

Yvonne M. Dean-Baley

Letter to the Editor

Government Services 

Last week, I reported that I had had my septic tank pumped and was grateful to the citizens of Northwood for providing a septic lagoon at the Transfer Station to receive the contents.  

In his letter on the subject of All-Day K, Pittsfield Libertarian Willie Matras celebrates its defeat and encourages us to "continue to take back ground that has been lost." I hope that this does not include the septic lagoon.  Living in a very old house, as we do, teaches the lesson of the need for governmental services.  

When we bought the house in 1982 from Bob and Joann Bailey, we found that the previous owners, the Towle sisters, had never installed running water or central heat. They lived here with a privy off the back shed – a three-holer no less – and a pump out front. 

It didn't take us long to get Joe and Fred Holmes to install the "necessaries" – indoor plumbing and later central heat.  So I know, first hand, the value of a septic tank and a place to dump its contents. 

Of similar interest is the fact that there are two dumps on the property.  Since the house was built around 1820, according to town historian Joann Bailey, the original builder John Stockman and then the Towle family dumped their refuse back in the woods and over the bank to the north.  Not a bad solution when you have 42 acres and most debris would rot or rust away.  But this was not a sustainable solution, especially if you had a small lot and non-biodegradable trash. 

So then the citizens of the town established a common dump, which has evolved into a Transfer Station and recycling center. 

Please note, Willie, that you still have the "freedom" to dump your trash out back – or use an outhouse – but I prefer these governmental solutions that citizens have chosen. 

Tom Chase 

Northwood   

Letter To The Editor

I appreciate the defense by Sharon Matras of a recent letter of mine.  I would like to assure her though, that I am not shamed by lame arguments.  Nevertheless, I do understand the techniques of "the anointed" as the great economist Dr. Thomas Sowell describes.  Attempting to intrude on and manage other peoples lives (by those that have enough trouble mismanaging their own) at various board and committee meetings is too common.  It is inane pretense for deliberative  consideration - knowing my own frailties and slips on the ice (why is spring so elusive?) of shifting small town affairs I think we all should eschew the inane.

Regarding Tom Chase's misuse of the word "misguided" it was an insult to Joanne Bailey who misguided no one.  She merely recounted the historical fact that a local private citizen had provided a most satisfactory kindergarten for Northwood children for 26 years.  I simply reflected (on) the meaning of the responsible and self-reliant principal once evident in the towns of the live free or die state.  Further, according to many who availed themselves of this service she charged with consideration as to the means of parents.

To the greater point Mrs. Matras alluded, if there are those who want a kindergarten - of debatable value -  then why doesn’t one or more of them step up and provide same? There are more than a few ways to accomplish this. The answer is simple and inescapable: they want others to do it and most definitely others to pay for it.

Finally, regarding those who disingenuously objected to some (self-identified as Republicans)  opining on town ballot items. How about the complainants  as members of the party of the Leviathan  (pretending they only have ‘local’ motives) admit that Big Brother is their closest family relative.

Joseph McCaffrey