The budget committee chair and his newly contracted wife
Oh My HEAD! and Ooh Myy HEADD! were the two thoughts that came to mind when we got word about what happened at the Timberlane Regional School Board meeting last night. Thursdays are so much fun. In the Oh My HEAD! category, the board voted to award the public relations contract they sought to improve their image in the community to Bedford based SERESC. That means Gretchen Grosky, the wife of Timberlane Budget Committee Chairman Jason Grosky, will soon be on the job on the taxpayers’ dime at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars a month. That’s not bad, though when you consider that Superintendent Earl Metzler’s wife has a contract with the district through SERESC that cost taxpayers fifty thousand dollars. Just in case your forgot, Metzler sits on SERESC’s board of directors and SERESC’s Executive Director, Richard LaSalle, preceded Metzler as Timberlane’s superintendent.
Metzler: Want cuts? I’ll give you cuts!
As if that weren’t bad enough, the real Ooh Myy HEADD! moment came when the school board voted to support the potential actions that the flat line budget presented by the administration would necessitate. Now, before you think that sounds like a good thing, know that the way Metzler and crew said they’d have to cut the budget to get to a zero percent spending increase would be to close the Sandown Central Elementary School!
Just a reminder, Sandown is the town represented by Donna Green on the School Board and by Arthur Green and Cathy Gorman on the budget committee. It is also the town where Selectman Cindy Buco has spoken out against Metzler’s unprofessional conduct and admittedly disrespectful behavior of those elected officials. How’s that for a crowd pleaser?
The Greens: Their town’s school targeted for shutdown
In a statement to Girard at Large, Donna Green described the budget as “punitive and disingenuous.” Quote “First time they are asked for cuts and all they can think of doing is closing a school…there is more to cut before it comes to this.” End quote. It would seem Metzler wasn’t kidding when he told the Tri-Town Times that his behavior wouldn’t change. What’s he going to do next to punish or intimidate these folks who dare ask questions and seek information on his actions, file a false complaint with the police to discredit them? Oh wait…
Here’s the article in the TTT. Here are more details as published on Donna Green’s blog.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Jasper: Makes appointments, trouble ahead
Newly Elected Speaker of the New Hampshire House Shawn Jasper has made his first appointments. Former Hooksett State Representative Terry Pfaff will be Jasper’s Chief of Staff and Jim Rivers, former spokesman for Governor Steve Merrill will be Communications Director. As Chief of Staff, Pfaff will oversee 1 1 4 House and Joint employees and a biennial budget of thirty four million dollars.
In the announcement, Pfaff lavished praise on Jasper’s Republican credentials and his ability to build consensus on issues. Pfaff’s praises aren’t going to be enough to get Jasper out of the G O P’s dog house, though, as the consensus builder seems to be taunting the Republican Caucus. Jasper wants to appoint the Republican Leader of the House. Given that only about three dozen Republicans voted for him as speaker against the choice of the G O P Caucus, you can imagine that’s not going over too well.
O’Brien: Calls GOP caucus to choose leader
State Representative Bill O’Brien, the man Jasper mutinied against to win the speakership, has called a meeting of the Republican Caucus for Monday morning at the Grappone Center in Concord. According to O’Brien, the purpose of the caucus will be to elect a House Republican Leader for the Executive Committee of the Republican State Committee, the designation of that elected House Republican Leader as the Majority Leader of the House for this term and the consideration of a Resolution stating that the Republican Caucus (a) will support a House Rule for this session requiring the Speaker to appoint the elected leaders of the Majority and Minority parties as the Majority Leader and Minority Leaders respectively and (b) that the House Republican Leader elected at this caucus is the Majority Leader for this term and shall be appointed by the Speaker.
Baldasaro: Republican Leader?
O’Brien has said he will not run for the Republican Leader’s position. Girard at Large has learned that Londonderry State Representative Al Baldassaro is considering a run. The shorthand on this is this: The Republican Caucus doesn’t appear as if it’s going to let Jasper hand pick its leadership. Anyway, Jasper is expected to announce committee chairs and other appointments in the coming week.
Reagan: New Education Committee Chair
Senate President Chuck Morse has released committee assignments for the State Senate. In a bit of a surprise, Senator John Reagan has replaced Senator Nancy Stiles as Chairman of the Education Committee. Stiles will remain on the committee as Vice-Chair and will Chair the Transportation Committee. Senator Russell Prescott has replaced Senator Andy Sanborn as Chair of the Commerce Committee. Sanborn will Chair the Health and Human Services Committee. Senator David Boutin will now chair the Ways and Means Committee, I guess it pays to lie about not voting to raise taxes and fees. Senator Gary Daniels will replace Boutin as Chair of the Capital Budget Committee. We’ve uploaded all committee assignments with this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.
Holiday Parade, Tree Lighting delayed in Merrimack
Based upon the latest weather forecast for Saturday, which is calling for 100% chance of rain all day long, the Merrimack Parks and Recreation Department has decided to officially postpone the Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting. The event will now be held on Sunday, December 7th. The parade will still begin at 3:00 pm and the Tree Lighting at Abbie Griffin Park will begin immediately following the parade. If you have any questions, you are asked to contact the Merrimack Parks and Recreation Office at 8 8 2 1 0 4 6.
There’s no word on whether or not Manchester’s parade will step off tomorrow as planned.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next1
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