Looks like the comments of Ward Six School Board Member Dan Bergeron have him in hot water with challenger Robyn Dunphy. During Tuesday night’s meeting of the Curriculum and Instruction meeting, Bergeron said that in researching Common Core, he spoke with a lot of educators, many of whom he said supported the new standards. That drew a rebuke from Ward 4 School Committeeman Roy Shoults who said he’d been inundated with phone calls and emails from PARENTS who opposed it. In a statement posted to her campaign’s facebook page yesterday, Dunphy wrote quote: “I heard parent after parent, taxpayer after taxpayer voice their concerns. I heard many questions asked. I heard request after request to slow down, learn more and others just saying no to this change. I also heard our B O S C member speak for teachers who want the change and said their voices should be heard. I am confused by his statement. He is supposed to be for the people in his ward. He should be standing with the parents of the students in his ward. He should be listening to the taxpayers in his ward. His job is to represent those in his ward. He spoke once and his one statement was opposing those who have attended meeting after meeting to speak their minds and concerns.” End quote. Apparently, she has a problem with that and pledged to be an advocate and voice for the taxpayers and parents of Ward Six.
Opponents of Planned Pinardhood don’t believe that the letter sent by the Goffstown Board of Selectmen closes the door on federal grant the town obtained to develop a master plan for the neighborhood. In fact, they actually WANT the town’s Planning Board to vote on and kill the proposed SMART codes, which are the so called sustainable zoning and building codes that came with the plan. Sources tell Girard at Large that absent a specific rejection of the code by the Planning Board, they believe town planning officials will backdoor the code by incorporating it into the pending master plan the town’s about to spend one hundred forty thousand dollars on. Neighborhood activists want it clear before that process begins that these sustainable SMART codes, which significantly increase density, straight jacket building owners, and allow for the proliferation of high density multi unit housing won’t be part of the plan.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Hey, are you looking for a job? Excel, a company based in Bow is hosting a job fair today in Concord in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security. Excel is the North American leader in contract logistics, providing customer focused solutions to a wide range of industries, including automotive, consumer, retail, engineering and manufacturing, life sciences and healthcare, technology, energy and chemicals. Several positions are open as they appear to be staffing up a new facility. Details of the fair, which again is today from eight thirty to four thirty are posted with this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.
The Southern New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission is requesting public input and feedback on the first draft of the Regional Broadband Plan. This plan has been developed between members of the Broadband Stakeholders Group in conjunction with the commission’s staff. While the general public ‘s input is requested, they are particularly interested in hearing from industry sectors such as the hospital medical field, the business community, educational institutions, government agencies, public safety officials, as well as residential and home-based businesses. The public forum is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, October 3rd from six to seven in the planing commission’s conference room in the old Rimmon School at the corner of Dubuque and Amory streets on the West Side. Complete details of the effort and the forum are posted with this newscast at Girard at Large dot com.
Manchester lays to rest Joe Sullivan today. The sixty nine year old retired West High English teacher passed earlier in the week after a long battle with adult onset Muscular Dystrophy. His Funeral Mass is this morning at St. Catherine’s Parish on the corner of Webster and Hemlock streets in Manchester’s North End. It begins at 10:30. We recommend you get there early if you’d like a seat.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is just 30 seconds away!
