The South Pittsfield Friends Church will be open on Sunday, August
9th with Rev. Nancy Talbott as the speaker. Service begins at 1:00
pm. All are welcome to attend. Services will also be held on
August 16th with Harold Muzzey as the speaker, and the Quakers will
hold their quarterly meeting service on August 30th. Everyone is
welcome to attend all services.
Pittsfield Listens Now Accepting Applications
for Family & Community Engagement Working Group
Pittsfield Listens will coordinate a Family and Community Engagement
Working Group comprised of parents, family, youth, and
teachers/staff to research DCF, develop an implementation plan, and
outreach to district and community stakeholders with the goal of
building understanding of DCF in the PSD and wider community. The
Working Group offers diverse and tiered leadership opportunities
with a stipend. Application Deadline is Friday August 7. To learn
more about the working group opportunity, how to apply, and about
the DCF and its use in districts across the country, visit
Pittsfieldlistens.org.
The Friday Night Kayaking Club meets at a different lake, pond,
river every friday night during the summer. On July 24 ten kayaks
launched at Harvey Lake in Northwood. To learn where you
can join the group this Friday, visit the group’s web site:
huffnpuff.info. See you this Friday - just show up!
Add yourself to the group’s mailing list - get on the
list by emailing
[email protected] - or visit the web
site.
World-Famous Organist In Concert
“Mark Thallander is a free-lance organist” is how one biographer
begins his description of Mark. It goes on to say that Mark is
probably best known for his long and distinguished music ministry at
the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, Cal., the largest congregation
affiliated with the Reformed Church in America.
He has enjoyed a long and extensive career as an organist, composer
and author and has maintained many associations with universities
and churches throughout the world.
It is about 12 years now that while returning to his
friend’s home in Maine after playing at a Worcester, Mass. church
service, Mark was involved in a horrific car accident that almost
took his life, but in the end took his left arm. Believing his
career as an organist to be over, he relied on God to guide his
future – a future ultimately filled with hope and beauty. To read
more about Mark Thallander, visit his website:
www.markthallander.com.
The First Congregational Church, 24 Main St, Pittsfield, is
delighted to welcome Mark Thallander and his colleague Dr. Peter
Green in concert to play the one-of-a-kind 1877 Wilson W. Ricker
organ and Hallet & Davis grand piano in the church sanctuary. This
free concert is slated for Saturday, August 15 at 7 p.m. Parking and
wheelchair accessible entry located at rear of church building. For
more information, call the church office, 603 435-7471.
Letter To The Editor
Pittsfield is a beautiful town with some wonderful people and so
much to offer. I believe that if you live a positive life, positive
things will follow. However, I just can’t be silent anymore about
the new parking ordinance. I believe there are some things that
need to be said.
There are still many citizens of Pittsfield who have not even heard
about it yet. Others may have heard of it initially and moved on.
For us, it is still a problem. After businesses said no to us
parking in their lot or offered untenable terms, we faced either
breaking our lease or breaking the law every day, until something
was hastily enacted as a result of our tears. Our landlord is still
trying to create a situation so that we will have off-street
parking. However, his building was built before there were cars.
The person who proposed this ban partly based his argument on the
statement that Concord has a similar ordinance. If any research had
been done, it would have been found that Concord repealed the
ordinance years ago. The city of Concord found the ban unworkable
due to the abundance of old buildings built before there were cars.
Providence, Rhode Island, also did away with their parking ban
years ago for multiple reasons, their website stating that doing
away with it vastly improved their city.
Pittsfield’s new ordinance, which was needlessly made town-wide, has
caused residents to give up a basic right, and the reasons behind it
do not support the giving up of this freedom, in my humble opinion.
I love New Hampshire and its motto, “live free or die.” It says so
right on our license plates, but not on the streets of Pittsfield
overnight anymore.
Respectfully submitted,
Diana Levesque
Calendar Of Library Events – Josiah Carpenter Library August 2015
Read, Recycle, Help others, Repeat!
August 6th: 10:00 am- 11:30 All ages Summer Reading Program presents
Superheroes to the Rescue! Larry Frates, guest presenter-Cartoonist
& Storyteller and Make your own Superhero sandwich at Pittsfield
Elementary School Library Media Center, 34 Bow Street, Pittsfield,
NH
August 13th: 10:00 am-11:30 All ages Summer Reading Program Heroes
Save the World Famous heroes, environmental heroes, what can you do?
Scavenger hunt in Dustin’s Park!
Join us for the last week when everyone goes home a winner and a
reader!
Josiah Teen Book Worms Discussing “Counting by 7s” by Holly
Goldberg Sloan on Thursday, August 6th, between 7-8:30 pm at the
library
Library Board of Trustees Meeting Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at 7 pm
Josiah Carpenter Library Staff meeting August 19th at 12:30
Read Meet & Talk August 25th - Join us for an exciting discussion of
“The Lace Reader” by Brunonia Barry at the Pittsfield Senior Center
@ 10:30- Noon. Stay for a leisurely lunch served by the Community
Action Program!
Pittsfield Writer’s Circle Thursday, August 27 at 7 pm at the
library- Writing prompt:
“Describe someone who is or was a hero to you and explain why”
What to look forward to: September is Library Card sign-up month –
free cup of coffee or juice box for every new patron card. October
is Teen Read Month- Spooky, scary story night at the library and a
Library survey concerns hours and services. . . .See you soon!
Josiah Carpenter Library, 41 Main Street, Pittsfield,
NH 03263 (603)435-8406.
www.joiahcarpenterlibrary.org
First Three Department Winners Named In 2015 Gear Giveaway
Departments in NJ, UT, and ON will each receive 4 sets of new Globe
gear
For the fourth year, Globe, DuPont Protection Technologies (DuPont),
and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have partnered to
provide new, state-of-the-art turnout gear to fire departments in
need. Through the 2015 Globe Gear Giveaway Program, 13 departments
from the United States and Canada will each receive four sets of
gear. This year’s first three recipients are the South Amboy (NJ)
Fire Department, Koosharem (UT) Fire Rescue, and L’Orignal Fire
Department (Ontario, Canada).
“We are excited to kick off this year’s Globe Gear Giveaway awards
by providing gear to these three deserving departments,” said NVFC
Chairman Kevin D. Quinn. “We received over 550 applications for
gear, demonstrating the need that fire departments are facing across
North America. Through this program, we lessen the burden on
departments who are struggling to provide gear to their members and
often have to make do with gear that is old, non-compliant,
ill-fitting, and otherwise inadequate, putting the safety of the
firefighters at risk. We are extremely grateful to Globe and DuPont
for their generous support of the volunteer fire service.”
To be eligible to apply for the four sets of new Globe turnout gear,
departments had to be all-volunteer or mostly-volunteer, serve a
population of 25,000 or less, be legally organized in the U.S. or
Canada, demonstrate a need for the gear, and be a member of the
NVFC. To help departments meet this last requirement, Globe
sponsored NVFC Department Memberships for the first 200 non-members
to apply.
The South Amboy (NJ) Fire Department is comprised of 150 volunteer
firefighters who respond to an average of 320 calls per year. Their
small budget is earmarked for maintenance of their 10 apparatus and
vehicles as well as pump, ladder, and hose testing. Their last gear
purchase was in 2007 but only provided 25 new sets of gear; over 80
sets of their current gear are more than 10 years old. A major
residential development of 1,800 units is currently being developed
in their service area, which will essentially double the town’s
population and further stretch the budget and resources of the
department. Despite these limitations, the department responds on
mutual aid assignments to neighboring towns which account for 30
percent of their responses. The donation of four sets of gear will
help them make sure their dedicated responders have proper
protection.
Koosharem Fire Rescue, an all-volunteer department in Utah, provides
fire suppression and emergency service to an area of over 350 square
miles. This area consists of rural, farming, wildland-urban
interface, and forestry lands, including two state highways for
which they are the first due engine. Only 12 of their 14
firefighters have a complete set of turnout gear, and of those who
do, four sets are over 10 years old. The department operates on an
extremely small budget, and the Globe gear donation will allow them
to increase the safety and security of their firefighters.
The L’Orignal Fire Department in Champlain, Ontario, Canada, is an
all-volunteer organization with 26 active firefighters protecting
8,500 citizens in an 80-square-mile area. In addition to standard
apparatus and gear needs, the department must purchase and maintain
ice and water rescue gear. The donated gear will help protect their
firefighters while allowing room in their budget for other funding
priorities.
Additional awards through the Globe Gear Giveaway Program will be
made monthly throughout 2015. A total of 52 sets of gear will be
distributed to departments in need. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site,
Dispatch newsletter, and page on Facebook, as well as the Globe page
on Facebook, for additional information and announcements regarding
the Globe Gear Giveaway Program.
About Globe
Firefighters need to be prepared to perform at their
peak, on every call. That’s why Globe delivers the most advanced,
best-fitting, and longest lasting protection by listening to our
customers, creating breakthrough designs, and applying the
engineering skills of the nation’s most trusted turnout gear
manufacturer. Globe turnout gear is designed to protect you, move
with you, and improve your performance. It’s athletic gear for
firefighters. Learn more at
www.globeturnoutgear.com.
About DuPont Protection Technologies
DuPont Protection Technologies (NYSE: DD) has been
bringing world-class science and engineering to the global
marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and
services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with
customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find
solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food
for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and
protecting life and the environment. For additional information
about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please
visit
www.dupont.com.
About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the
leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests
of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as
the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides
invaluable tools, resources, programs, and advocacy for first
responders across the nation. Learn more at
www.nvfc.org.
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Submitted By Representative Michael Brewster
The Good:
I am a member of the Environment and Agriculture Committee. Our
chairman, Robert Haefner from Hudson, strives on a higher standard
of conduct, respect, and manners of all us members. He gives each
and every citizen the opportunity to speak and be heard. At the end
of the hearing, Haefner will ask if the citizen has more to add.
Bi-partisan, good feelings.
The bill that went through our committee was SB148, related to the
Shellfish Inspection Program. Records must be at the facility and
kept a long period of time. The bill allows NH shellfish to be sold
out of state with FDA approval.
HB 421: authorizing the University of NH to grow industrial hemp for
research purposes. Canada has had agricultural programs growing
industrial hemp. Their biggest market is in California. Seeds, oil,
and hemp milk are the big sellers. There just is not a big market
for it. Hemp clothing lasts forever.
HB466: relative to the definition of “implement of husbandry,”
meaning equipment used exclusively for agricultural, horticultural,
forestry, or livestock operations, to include backhoe, bulldozer,
excavator, grader, loader, and such, shall qualify for farm tractor
registration rates and number plate.
Complaints were made. Some thought,if the equipment is not John
Deere green, it should not have AG number plates.
The bills we are studying now: HB 372: relative to certain private
employers under workers’ compensation. A person engaged in
agriculture or farm employment for an employer whose aggregate
payroll is less than $10,000. (sic)
Casual and Seasonal laborers.
HB 499: permitting NH farmers to sell bison meat and food products
directly to the public, with an amendment added exempting bison
farmers from certain licensure and inspection requirements.
Some farmers are asking for in-field on-farm slaughter, because all
the stressful perils associated with transporting bison, then
processing at a local FDA approved meat cutting facility such as
“Mike’s Custom Meat Cutting and Smokehouse.”
Again, I will thank Mike’s wife and son for coming to our committee.
Brenda was very well spoken, very informative, helpful, and added
much to our study.
I tried a few times to thank Mike’s. Each time I went there, the
parking lot was full of customers.
I can’t wait for “smoked bison from Mike’s Smokehouse.”
During our hearings, much was said about a legendary butcher and his
knowledge in animal husbandry and doctoring, big and small. Victor
Huse is his name.
The Bad
Finance Committees and the Budget
Speaking of the “Three Stooges,” I’ll ask a mamber of the finance
committee a question about State monies. Either they run or they’ll
do the “Curly Shuffle.” You know, Curly lies on his side on the
floor shuffling around in circles. Woo, woo, woo, Moe, Larry,
Cheese.
I do ask a lot of financial questions. Few answers.
I have followed the State’s monies, your money, for years. Budgetary
Financial Data Reports, the Governor’s Operating Budgets, years of
Administrative Services audits, and more. I have been to way too
many finance hearings.
You have all seen, on the side of the road in Epsom and Pittsfield
Police Depts. Speed (EPPDS) limit warning on a small box trailer. A
$100 million stacked of $100 bills is near the same size as that
EPPDS trailer box. The revenue in the General Fund for 2014 is 26
EPPDS, $2.6 billion. The State total expenses, 55 EPPDS, $5.5
billion.
We, the people, need to do a better job at guarding this money. The
police can’t protect these EPPDSes.
A few facts: A raided tax, the Meal and Room Tax, revenue for 2014
was $254 million. $7.7M goes to the Education Trust Fund. Only $63.8
goes back to municipalities. Without being raided, municipalities
would have gotten $101.6 million, Epsom and Pittsfield, about $100
thousand more each. $182.5 million of the remaining tax are dumped
into those unprotected EPPDSes.
This money should go into the Rainy Day Fund.
Another raid is the Hospital Tax, could be $200 million. The Tobacco
Tax and Settlement and raided, $4M a year, Prevention. $144 million
dumped. $130 M goes to education.
These up to more than 5 EPPDSes.
Let’s say the State stored the EPPDSes in silos. The General Fund
monies are stored in Silo 1. This year they got 26 EPPDSes, that’s
2.6 billion total revenues. More than 59% is not specifically
targeted for a specific program. In other words, more than half of
last year’s EPPDS went out the back door.
The NH Dept. of Administrative Services 2013 audit findings: No
internal controls established to ensure data quality, completeness
and accuracy of the financial reports.
The Fed’s guards of Silo1 are local governments, non-profits,
bureaucrats, lobbyists, and other riff raff. Their responsiblity is
to maintain internal control, managing Federal awards in compliance
with law, regulations, reasonable assurance the awards in compliance
with laws, and regulations. These guards are the ones at the back
trough at feeding time.
I’ll continue my Bad for another week. The topic will be Silo 2.
These EPPDS revenues come from over 107 Federal Matching Funds
programs, mediscams. The billions upon billions of dollars that went
through Silo 2. I’ll get to the Ugly, too. And Silo 3.
When you discuss these issues with Finance Member Dan McGuire, don’t
forget the cheeze. (sic)
Light Dawns Over Marblehead
By Penny Ante Wingate, Administrator, Town Interim.
Went to Portsmouth for tall ships weekend with the “little woman.”
Hadn’t been since my drinkin’ days at the U, where it proved
impossible to have a single beer in every bar in Portsmouth. Wow has
that place changed! There were new shops, new cafés, and new bars,
all sitting along lovely sidewalks, streets and alleyways. Not much
of the infrastructure, I understand, paid for by the locals.
So we hope to have it here (not the bars). By the time you-all
(that’s Northern for “y’all”)(we’re Yankees) get this, the public
hearing on the Safe Routes to Schools project will be over. I had
the engineer put in the grade stakes a week before the hearing
because of the ever-present danger they’d be pilfered to prop up
tomatoes. Guess it worked – they’re still there. But the plan for
here in Pittsfield is to make it every bit as beautiful as
Portsmouth, a bit at a time.
Next: Oh Say Can You See! Or, Want Some Cheese With That Whine? To
be clear, I’M the whiny one. A veteran (not a veterinarian) came in
the office last week, fuming (not fulminating) about our United
States flags. His point: four Marines and a Navy Seaman, murdered on
American soil, not being honored by Flag etiquette. Governor ordered
flags to half staff, Tuesday. This veteran came in Thursday. By
then, police, fire and town hall flags were proper. But many others
were not. I chased around looking for who was responsible. Had a
devil of a time finding out. Not going to do it again. Soooo, if
you’ve got a flag on your property and you want to know when to
honor your Countrymen, send me your email. I will add it to my list
and send an email BLAST. God Bless our military.
Yet again, learned something new this week. Entomologist I am not. I
squash bugs. But Hank came in to tell me there’s some people
complaining about – Bedbugs. I mean, YUUK. There’s a new rule. If
there’s free furniture on the side of the road, Leave It There.
Cause if you bring it home, you could have new friends.
That’s it.
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