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03051
PERMIT NO. 33
Postal Customer
Volume 20 Number 31 February 12, 2010 20 Pages
No Changes at
New Hampshire’s Department of Agriculture
Litchfield Deliberative Session
Honors Alvirne Farm
by Lynne Ober
by Doug Robinson
nullthough there were only four warrant
nullhe nullvirne nullarmnulllocated
articles on the ballotnullit toonullvoters several hours
at the nullilbur null nullalmer
to debate and determine what would be passed
nullocational nullechnical School at
to the ballot. nullhe longest debate surrounded
nullvirne nullgh Schoolnullreceived
the operating budgetnullwhich is nullnullnullnullnullnull It
nullw nullmpshirenulls highest
is smaller than the default budgetnullwhich was
award for farm enullellencenullas
presented as nullnullnullnullnullnull
presented by nullw nullmpshirenulls
nullhe School Board recommended the
Commissioner of nullriculturenull
operating budget by a vote of nullnull and
Marnullts nullnulloodnullLorraine
the Budget Committee recommended it
Merrill. nullhe nullw nullmpshire
unanimously.
nullarms of Distinction nullogram
Business nullministrator Steve Martin
recogninulls annually those
presented this warrant article andnullas in years
farms which have gone the
pastnulldid not speanullto the budget on the ballot.
ynne Ober
enullra mile to be attractivenulland
Martin prefers to speanullto the budget that the
b
y L
have a positive image of nullw
School Board presentsnullbut since changes are
nullmpshire nullriculture.null
made between presentation and the ballotnull
nullhe nullvirne nullarm is owned
this wasnullas usualnullconfusing to the audiencenull
and operated under the
which has the amended version presented in
staff photos supervision of the nullvirne nullgh
the warrants. nullhis presentation ultimately led
Business Administrator Steve Martin explaining
School. Since nullnullnullthe nullarm
Web Palmer, Emory Nadeau, and Dick nullutnullaccept the anullrd on behalnullonullthe
to sharp words between the Budget Committee
the School Board budget
has been an integral part of the
Wilbur null Palmer nullocational nullechnical School
and School District nullministration before the more than nullnullpercent last yearnullthen part of
school.
dust settled. that payout will be delayed long enough to
he honor recogninulls the null
Dennis MillernullChairman of the School comply with the new law.
outstanding appearances of
Boardnullsaid that the Boardnulls obnullctives were nullher budget increases werenull
your farm and its contributions
to miniminull the cost to the tanullayersnullreduce • nullS nullbathroomsnullas renullired bnull y
to building a favorable image
health insurance costsnullmaintain competitive law for nullnullnullnull
of agriculture in our state.
salariesnulland present both a budget and contract • nullnnullEnullstaff salary and payroll
nullour enterprise is one of nine
for teachers that would be passed by the voters. benefit increases for nullnullnullnull
chosen this yearnullwhich will
nullo do thatnullthe School Board and nullministration • Special education outnullfnulltate tuition
nullin a list of other nullarms of
loonulld carefully at all renullests. for nullnullnullnull
Distinction selected in past
nullhe District also hopes that the teachersnull • nullplacement tenullboonull for nullnullnullnull
yearsnullnullstated Commissioner
contract will pass because that will bring • nullnullnullnullfor a geonullechnical study of
Merrill.
appronullmately nullnullnullnullin firstnullear savings to the tracnull
In order to nullalify for this
the District for prescriptions. Conullays for both Martin enulllained that the tracnullproblems
prestigious awardnulla nullw
the nullnulland nullS plans have been increased. are the result of ground water. null told the
nullmpshire farm must be
ernull allnullthe general operating budget is lower audience that both nullS and Cnull have ground
commercial in naturenullpleasing
b
y Doug Robinson
than the one presented last yearnulldespite the fact water issues. nullhe surface of the tracnullhas
in appearancenullbuildings
that the Districtnulls health and dental insurance bubbled and the vendor said that repairing it
and fences in good repair
premiums are rising. nullalth is pronullcted to would not resolve the problem. nulle hope to
and painted as appropriatenull
staff photos
increase by nullnullnullnull and dental by nullnullnullnullin find the underlying cause of the tracnullproblemnullnull
hedgerows trimmednullfields
nullarm Manager Emory Nadeau accepts the nullarm onullDistinction Anullrd nullom
the coming year. he told the audience. nullhe Board hopes to repair
well tendednullrchards mowednull
Agriculture nullmmissioner nullrraine Merrill and Nenullnullampshire State
nullhe other large increase is in the null the tracnullin the springnullbut Miller said that they
animals be clean and of
nullunselor nullay Wiecnullorek
nulltirement rates. Litchfieldnulllinull other towns needed a number of days to reach about null
healthy stocnull enullipment
and citiesnullhas paid a longevity pay at time of degrees in temperature in order to affect repairs.
stored or parnulld neatlynulland
DicnullLutnull nullriculture
our School Boardnullthe
retirement. nullfortunatelynullthis practice hasnull er the summernull nullthe geonullechnical study
the farm viewable from a
Department Chairnullstatednull
administrationsnullthe Cnull
year by yearnulleroded the solvency of the overall will be done and a permanent solution will
public way or publicnullnvited
nullur accomplishments have
Directornullthe nullarm Managernull
retirement systemnulland last yearnullthe legislature hopefully be identified.
approach from the driveway
been years in the manullng.
as well as all the students who
passed a law that enforced a penalty if the final During budget deliberationsnullthe Budget
nulloadside signs or advertisingnull
nulle are very thannullul for the
participate in the programs on
year paynullut was more than nullnullpercent of Committee enullmined historical spending versus
which must be attractivenull
support from our trusteesnull
the nullarm.null
salary. Some retiring staff members in Litchfield the amounts budgeted. nullhey found null areas
would have fallen into this categorynullso the where the school budget was considerably
Board wornulld to avoid those penaltiesnullwhich higher than the amounts historically spent in
could be as much as nullnullnullnull nullhey will do this those areasnulland they cut another nullnullnullnull.
not by stopping the practicenullbut by monitoring nullen asnulldnullDr. Elaine Cutlernull
it. If a staff membernulls pay would have totaled Superintendentnullsaid that she felt that the
continued to page 6- Litchfield Deliberative
Coutu Questions Jasper,
See Hudson’s Deliberative Session on Page 18
Sparks Heated Discussion
Cutler to Remain
by Doug Robinson

During nulluesday
as Superintendent
nightnulls selectmennulls
meetingnull
nulldsonnulls Board
by Lynne Ober
of Selectman
Cutler. he null outnullouring of support
If you happened to wander
Chairmannull
throughout my tenure had been
into the Litchfield School
nullger Coutunull
terrificnullbut was beyond touching
Deliberative Session right after
toonullSelectman
after nullonynulls death.null
School Board Chairman Dennis
Shawn nullasper
nullhe search for a new
Miller had announced that Dr.
to tasnullby his
superintendent was at a crossroads.
Elaine Cutler had asnulld the
recent comments
nullwo of the three finalists had
Board to rescind her resignation
at the nullebruary
withdrawn because they toonullother
and allow her to stay on as
nullBensonnulls
positions. nullen Cutler made
superintendentnullyou would
Committee
her offernullthe Board accepted and
have thought that a rocnullstar
Meeting.
stopped the search. nullhis decision
had nullst been introduced. nullhe
nullrustrated with
is not a renullction on the remaining
entire audience was on its feet
Selectman nullaspernulls
DrnullElaine nullutler candidatenullwho was an enullellent
cheeringnullwhistlingnulland loudly
misrepresentations
candidatenullnullsaid Miller. nulliven the
clappingnulland the applause went
of the Board
effort Dr. Cutler has put into the position to this
on and on.
of Selectmen
nullutu connullonts nullasper as Maddox looks on
date and the nullnown nullantitynullfactornullthe Board
Cutler had originally given her resignation
and town staffnull
completed and that the contractor was now in
voted to rescind her resignation. Dr. Cutler
because she felt she needed to be home with
Chairman Coutu stated that nullou have rolled us
nullorida. nullortunatelynullwhile the contractor had
has a tremendous amount of respect from the
her husbandnullwhose health issues concerned
under the bus.null
been paid a depositnullhe was not paid in full for
district staffnullas well as within the Litchfield
her. nullwevernullwith the recentnulluntimely death
nullcording to Selectman nullaspernullnullobody
the uncompleted nullb.
community. Dr. Cutler will be with us for at
of her husbandnullshe met with the Board in nonnull
wants to touch Bensonnulls because they fear they
nullhe Chairman continues to nullestion Selectman
least the nenull year and hopefully beyond thatnullnull
public session last
Area
nullednesda
Newspaper
y and offered to
Group 3x3
will be criticinulld. nullhe Board of Selectmen has
nullasper with the nullnullnullnull restoration grant for the
stated Miller.
rescind her resignation.
to deal with it. It is not that anyone is trying to
train station. null the Bensonnulls meetingnullcommittee
ANG11 nullith thatnullthe audience nullmped to its feet
his is a wnull onderful communitynullnullsaid
nullll itnullthe Board has been trying to micromanage
members enullressed concern that to complete the
and roared its approval at this announcement.
the results. nullhey said I was tanullng up too much
grant before it enullires in nullnullnullrenullests for bids
of Marnulls nullearsonnullnulldsonnulls nullsistant nullown
need to go out in an effort to secure a contractor
nullministratornulltime. So nownullI donnullt talnullto
for the renullired wornull
Marnull I am going to have to push the issue.null
Selectman nullasper also stated that the Board of
It's Time!
nullen nullestioned by Chairman Coutu as to
Selectmen had approved a person to be hired
what pronullcts or concerns had come before the
as a caretanullr of the propertynullwhen in realitynull
BoardnullSelectman nullasper remained silent due to
the Board had stated that monies were available
the fact that at the Bensonnulls meetingnullSelectman
in the account for the purpose of going out and
Get started on your path to a
nullasper stated that nullhe Board has not had to
hiring somebody.
New, High-Growth Career!
deal with anything. nullodnullbadnullor differentnullthe
In an effort to solidify relationships with
Board will have to deal with it nullI nullst donnullt
the Bensonnulls Committeenullthe nulldson Board
nullow what to do.null
of Selectmen suggested that the Bensonnulls
• Professional Medical Assistant
Chairman Coutu continued to nullestion
Committee speanullwith nulldsonnulls nullcreation
• Health Claims Specialist Selectman nullasper as to his follownullp with prior
DirectornullDave nullates. Should nullates accept
• Massage Therapy
Day & evening
T
oday!
approvals made by the Board. nullnull and no
the responsibility to become the Selectmannulls
schedules available!
Call or Click
hunting signsnullwhich were received in Decembernull
Municipal Liaisonnullhe would answer directly to
• Career placement assistance
had still not been put up. During the Bensonnulls
the Board.
• Financial aid available for those who qualify
800-758-7679
meetingnullSelectman nullasper stated that the Board
nully bringing in the nullcreation Departmentnull
had nullropped the ball.null nullhe Chairman asnulld to
they would be totally involved and be able to
seacoastcareerschools.edu
what follownullp he had given with the nullghway
integrate the Benson nullarnullvision for passive
Department to the placement of these signs.
recreation nullor the townnullnullstated Chairman
670 N. Commercial St. Manchester, NH
Chairman Coutu also nullestioned Selectman
Coutu.
nullasper as to the roofing contracts still not
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