New Comments as of 5/8
If you think it wasn't worth your effort to go vote today, you were wrong. The Public Safety Building question lost by 25 votes. Readers of this blog made the difference. Our hat is off to all 700+ of you who visited this week. Now because you have spoken the powers that used to be will have to do this project in the light of day and get it right this time.
Other Results: Your new selectman is David Breen. Art Holmes remains your moderator and Robert Gilchrist replaces Shirley Smith on the Water Board. Donald Morin will sit on the School Committee for 3 years. Congratulations to the winners. We look forward to reporting on how you handle the public trust.
THE RESULTS
Selectman
BREEN 813
Shaheen 298
School Committee
MORIN 510
Harmon 422
Moderator
HOLMES 597
Duffy 450
Water Commission
GILCHRIST 638
Smith 392
Public Safety Building Over-ride
NO 570
Yes 545
Remember YOU made the difference.
Hanging Gardens
18 comments:
HG,
Thanks for a resource that helps the taxpayers know the truth.
Apparently WMRC and the MDN couldn't spin this story enough for the BOS. Todays MDN speaks of how the "controversial" safety building just barely failed.
Hopefully now the BOS can get the taxpayers the answers they asked for.
If they really had 1.5 million for site cleanup in the budget then lets go buy a more suitable 3 acre parcel of land and put an economic building on it that can be added to as the town grows. The FD section should at minimum fit all of the aparatus we now own.
Thanks Riff Raff. We feel that the people in charge are now beginning to understand how this new tool (blogging) has affected the power of the people.
The Building issue is best summed up by the following quote.
"To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn't know where he is going."
JOE NAMATH
Riff Raff...I agree. Seems that the town officials were trying to "stuff" the clean-up costs through the public safety project in light of the poor decision made when purchasing the land. Let's see what they can put together now that expectations have been communicated.
I don't doubt the blogs made a difference. As to how many visit the blog gets, the good news and bad news is I know I visit about 10 x a day and am probably not the only one.
About a suitable piece of land, would that 7 or so acres the Cobblers Knoll people donated to the town work at all?
So much of what is discussed here is exactly what is wrong with the BOS. They never seem to have considered alternative sites or encouraged input from the townspeople, but chose this land for their own reasons and tried to bulldoze it through, from the initial land purchase to yesterday's override vote. Forums such as these have been the only forums for the residents to voice their questions and concerns. And at least on this issue, it has performed admirably. People asked the hard questions and demanded that they be answered satisfactorily before commiting any more taxpayer dollars into this money pit. It is now incumbent upon them to acknowledge these concerns and respond by opening the testing and mitigation process to public scrutiny and/or explore other land options. Refurbishing/rebuilding the current town building campus to encompass all public facilities is certainly an option. Community preservation monies should be able to be utilized for at least the portion involving the Taft Library and perhaps the Town Hall as well.
Let's hope they really are listening.
I think what the Town now has to look at is the projects championed by Cutler in the past. Anything she supports is like placing a big sloppy wet kiss of death on it and quite frankly, I don't want her to support anything for the Town. Everything this selectman has been behind on a large scale has gone down in a ball of flames. Is she really a representative of the people here in town or like Shaheen from the past, just telling us children what is best for us! Maybe in the upcoming year Mendon voters need to look at whether she really represents their interests.
P.S. Is there any truth to the matter of an assault and battery charge against one of our volunteer firefighters? Please keep us informed.
We agree with your assessment of Sharon Cutler.
As far as any criminal charges against a town employee go, we will check into it. We will not allow a name on this blog unless it is confirmed and relevant to job performance. We are not the MDN or WMRC. They rake enough muck for all of us.
HG
The most frightening aspect of the coming term, is that we now have Sharon Cutler as the Chairperson of the BOS, Tinio, who to this point has been an empty chair, and newcomer, David Breen, who will at best need some time to get grounded and figure out the process. Cutler has alienated most of those who elected her in the first place, and been a constant thorn in the side to those who work in any capacity for the town. The Board needs to be scrutinized and held accountable lest the next year become a replay of the past two years.
Thanks to those who sent us the information about the assault case. We don't really find it relevant to the Mendon Fire Department at this point. If that changes we will write about it here.
HG
Just one note about the assault case(s). I believe if you look hard you will find that there are two call firefighters that have assault issues involving girl friends or wives.
We hear you on the assault case(s). We try to maintain a standard that keeps personal issues personal.
If we wanted to become a gossip blog it would bring in more readers but lower the standard.
If any issue affects the performance of a public figure in Mendon we will report it.
Domestic issues are difficult to get a handle on. Who hasn't had a fight with their girl/boy friend, husband/wife, neighbor, etc? Is that really a public matter?
We will let the Milford Daily News continue as the chief character assassin in the area. They would love to see some of the dirt we have in the sand box.
HG
Well yes it is a matter of public concern that town officials (ie firefighters/emt)have assault records. What does that say about the quality of help the town is getting? How does it affect their paitent care? These people work for the town. I do how ever agree with the gossip blog thing but the dirty laundry is puked from the fearless leader daily so i guess the truth is out there just do a little digging and you will find it in public record...
Then let it stand as public record, and those inquisitive enough will find it on their own and make up their own minds. Domestic assault cases are a difficult call at best, as there are those that are truly life threatening and those that are merely spiteful attacks over non-incidences when one of the players is over the top. To determine which is really meaningful usually requires a more in depth look than what appears on public record.
The Woonsocket Call reported on April 27th that the call firefighter will face a jury trial in his case of Domestic Assault and Battery, so it would appear to be something other than a simple spiteful attack over non-incidences. Be very careful not to belittle domestic abuse here on these blogs. It's a serious issue not to be glossed over and made to seem like nothing. Maybe he's innocent, but maybe he's guilty. It would appear that a jury of his peers will decide that.
The Firefighter EMT is also a Selectman in ... You guessed it, Millville. He also did serve, or used to serve as a FF/EMT for SuperChief, as one of the scabs that took the jobs when you had that problem before. He assaulted his GF when he was supposed to be at a meeting in Millville and said he had to attend a business meeting. Interesting strategy.
As the wags down here tell it, Sgt. B and SuperChief assisted him in surrendering his weapons to Wrentham. Distrurbing to note that this guy would run to these two officials when he was in trouble...
How does that Dukes of Hazzard theme go?: "Just a good ole' boy, not meaning no harm..."
I never belittle domestic abuse. The point was it's of little benefit to speculate, and as no facts were mentioned here, it seemed inappropriate to condemn someone without any facts.
The facts of the allegation and the impending court case are there in the April 27th Woonsocket Call. This "firefighter" is also listed in the Town of Mendon Annual Report 2005 as earning $1,728.00 from the Mendon fire department.
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