Pelham - Windham News February 11, 2011 - 3
The Word Around Town... Letters to our Editor
Supporting Michelle Farrell for School Board
We have observed Michelle Farrell, for the last
several years, volunteering her time to work with our children and bring the best to our schools. Her experience, education, and collaborative approach, coupled with her experience as a current School Board member, make her the right choice for us for a three-year term. Michelle has first-hand knowledge on the issues that we are not only faced with today in our schools, but also the issues that we will be faced with as parents and as a town for the next several years, as we continue to grow. What we respect about Michelle is her willingness to listen to the parents and taxpayers before making any recommendations, as well as her ability to make the best decisions for the entire school district.
She has spent countless hours creating a
Facilities Master Plan that will address the critical space issues, and she is helping to leverage the 75-percent state funding for kindergarten. It is with much enthusiasm that we say Michelle
Farrell has our vote! Please join us in voting for Michelle Farrell for School Board.
Rob and Holly Breton - Windham
Much-Needed Positive Energy I am writing this letter in support of Stephanie
Wimmer as she runs for the three-year term for Windham School Board. Stephanie would be a wonderful addition to the current board, as she brings a new and very positive energy that will help to keep the group progressing. I have seen firsthand how hard-working Stephanie is while working side by side with her at both the Strawberry Festival and Annual Fundraising Event for the Windham Endowment. Her superior organization skills and sharp attention to detail kept both groups on track, and produced a seamless and successful event. Additionally, Stephanie is very knowledgeable of the education system and our children’s needs as they relate to the “big picture” in town. Having taught religious education with her at St. Matthew’s Parish for more than three years, I have seen how she quickly adapts curriculum and overlying themes into age-appropriate teaching, which are on target and worthwhile for the students. I believe Stephanie will bring this same kind of understanding and knowledge of the system to our School Board. The end result will likely be a very appropriate and sensible solution to problems and situations that are difficult to address. I invite all of my friends, neighbors, and business associates to consider voting for Stephanie Wimmer, too. She will always make decisions with our community’s best interest at heart.
Stacey Bruzzese - Windham
GOP Committee Meeting Reschedule
After being forced to cancel the January 18 committee meeting because of weather, the Windham GOP Town Committee has rescheduled Shawn Jasper, Deputy Majority Leader, as our guest speaker. The meeting will be on Tuesday,
Vote Stephanie Wimmer for School Board
I am writing in support of Stephanie Wimmer for one of the two open positions for a three- year term on the Windham School Board. I have known Stephanie since my husband and I moved to Windham seven years ago. I have had the privilege of witnessing her dedication to the Town of Windham, through her countless hours volunteering on school committees, for the Windham Endowment, for her church, and for our library. She is hard- working, smart, and determined to give back to the community in which we all live. Stephanie is efficient, thorough, and always willing to roll up her sleeves to get all the information needed to make sound, ethical decisions. She is honest, open-minded, and always ready to contribute to the betterment of our community and our schools. As a mother of two young children enrolled in the Windham School District, she is invested. Record has shown that she will make decisions that are best for all the children in Windham, even if it might not be the ideal scenario for her own.
In our present economic situation, it is
imperative that our elected officials have the mindset and mental toughness to make difficult decisions for the benefit of our children and our community. Fortunately for the voters in Windham, we have such a candidate. I ask for you to join me in voting for Stephanie Wimmer on March 8.
Judi Carboni - Windham
Proposed Debate for Windham School Board Candidates
I scheduled the debate in order to provide the public with the opportunity to gain a thorough understanding of the candidate’s points of view on the topics that matter most to the voters. The Women’s Club debate night is greatly appreciated and I look forward to participating;
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February 15, at 7 p.m. at the Windham Senior Center. Mr. Jasper will speak on what’s happening in Concord now that the Republicans are back in the majority for the first time in four years. Mr. Jasper is in his ninth term in the NH House, and has been active in House Republican leadership for many years. He lives in Hudson and serves his community as a Selectman. Chairman Pam Skinner states, “We are very pleased to bring a senior member of House Republican leadership to Windham, and are looking forward to hearing the party’s plans to bring the state back to fiscal soundness in these trying economic times.” This meeting is a public service open to all, no matter what party affiliation. New Hampshire residents who want to know how the Republican Party is responding to the current fiscal crisis are urged to attend this very informative session. However, after the program, there will be a
Town Committee meeting open to registered Windham Republicans only. The purpose of this meeting is to elect officers for the coming term. If anyone has questions or wishes further information, they may call Pam Skinner at 893- 6825 or Margaret Crisler at 595-7625.
Margaret McKee Crisler - Windham
however, there is limited time for any one group of candidates, and from my experience there is not enough time to get into some of the tough issues. Typically, there is an overview of the candidate’s background and an opinion or two. Rather, I’d like to provide a dedicated two- hour time slot for the public to get together with the candidates for the School Board, and get in- depth on the critical issues we are facing, which include but are not limited to: the splitting of the third grade, difficult contract negotiations with the teacher’s union, the proposed tuitioning of Pelham rather than full utilization of the high school by Windham, the proposed splitting of the SAU, the school’s budget, the master plan and the associated costs, the proposed kindergarten, staff turnover at the senior levels, the Center School’s “in-need-of-improvement” rating, two failed budgets, and the current overcrowding of our schools, to name a few. I’d also like to give the public ample time to
vet the candidates around the School Board’s processes and discuss ways in which the candidates can help improve the board’s image, openness to the public, and transparency in order to get more public involvement. This School Board will have much on their plate and I think it is critically important for the public to have as much time as they need to vet the candidates in order to make the right decision, come voting day. I’ve reserved the town hall for February 18 from 7-9 p.m. and March 4 from 7-9 p.m. in order to provide ample time and involvement for the public. To date, I’ve had no other candidates accept the offer of the 18th; I’m hoping making the 4th available will encourage some to participate. To any candidates interested, I can be reached at
Joel_Dube@yahoo.com or 437-0803, or for anyone in the public who’s got questions for me. I’ll be sending a letter to each candidate formally announcing the debate with an invite to be sure all are aware. The public is also invited to participate in an online forum, open to all, where various Windham political issues are discussed at http://
tjcase.websitetoolbox.com. I regularly post on the forum and will gladly publicly answer any question. I’ll also post the status of the debate as
the date gets closer. Joel F. Dube - Windham
Deliberative Session
Participation Encouraged Please join us at this year’s School District
Deliberative Session on Friday, February 11, at 7 p.m. at Windham High School. The Deliberative Session is a chance to learn more about our School Board’s proposed budget and warrant articles and impact their final form on our March 8 ballot.
Registered voters in Windham have two opportunities to influence the budget and warrant articles proposed by our School Board—the Deliberative Session and Election Day. We encourage all voters to participate in this week’s Deliberative Session and to vote on March 8.
Michelle Farrell and Stephanie Wimmer - Windham
Full Civil Rights for All In a recent letter from NH Senate Majority
Leader, Representative D.J. Bettencourt, he stated that a repeal of NH Same Sex Marriage Equality law would be addressed at “an appropriate time” in the state legislature. He said, “as a practicing Catholic, someone with a strong moral sense of right and wrong and as someone who has voted against gay marriage in the past, I reject the accusation that I have abandoned or betrayed family values” in response to accusations by the National Organization for Marriage. I recognize that it is a fine line for some to balance public policy and religious thought and belief. In fact, in our country, we of a certain age can remember President Kennedy address fears that his being Catholic would impact his decision- making, telling the Greater Houston Ministerial Association on September 12, 1960, “I am not the Catholic candidate for President. I am the Democratic Party candidate for President who also happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public matters—and the Church continued to page 5 - Letters
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