Hudson - Litchfield News | December 9, 2011 - 5 More Letters to our Editor continued from page 3


Tis year, our “Giving Tree” fundraiser is again on its way. We will be collecting donations through Wednesday December 14. Any amount will help. Checks can be made out to LMS and sent in to your child’s homeroom teacher. Tis community service fundraiser shows the students that even a small amount can help out someone in need and make their holiday bright. Tank you to all who have already given, and to those that will be


giving. Te children who will be receiving these gifts, and their parents will be greatly appreciative. Happy Holiday, and thanks for your support.


Sheila Huston, Litchfield Middle School - Litchfield Tank you from MooreMart Resource Team


As 2011 draws to a close and everyone is in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season, all of us on the MooreMart resource team would like to send a hearty thank you to all who made this year a memorable one. Tere are so many people to thank for their kind generosity throughout


the year: Michael James Toomy of Londonderry Fine Arts who donated a beautiful painting to be raffled off and all proceeds went to MooreMart, Andy Mack, Jr., for allowing us to be part of Cruise Nites held throughout the summer at Mack’s Apples, Deb and Chris Paul of Nutfield Publishing for doing so much work to organize a fundraiser for MooreMart at Woodmont Orchards with all of the participants donating part of their proceeds to MooreMart. To everyone who worked so hard to drop off items for our shipments and


went out of their way to help in any way that they could, we cannot thank you enough. Without your generosity, we would not have been able to achieve what we did this past year. We thank you and our servicemen and women thank you! Our recent Christmas shipment of 4,589 care packages surpassed our last year’s shipment of 3,911.


Te total number of care packages that MooreMart sent in 2011 was 9,473, bringing our total to date to 43,417. MooreMart not only sends packages to our members of the armed


services serving in the Middle East but also to retired veterans at Tilton retirement home, veterans in transition staying at Liberty House in Manchester, Buckingham Place and Dalianis House in Nashua. We also make sure that the veterans hospitalized in Manchester and Walter Reed hospital and Bethesda Medical Center in Washington, DC are not forgotten. Stockings are also distributed to the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Office in Iraq and Afghanistan to be handed out to any serviceman or woman who arrives in the Middle East during Christmas week to insure that they have a care package or Christmas stocking waiting for them. May all of you have a Happy Holiday season.


Terri Ouellette, MooreMart Resource Team Member - Nashua Rothhaus and Lecklider


Finalists for State Awards


I am pleased to announce that Laurie Rothhaus is a finalist for assistant principal of the year and Tom Lecklider is a finalist for middle school principal of the year for the state of New Hampshire. Both administrators were nominated by staff members and participated in an interview process with a panel of educators and school board members in Concord. Tey were both chosen as finalists and site visits with a visiting committee will be held during the month of December. We have a great team in Litchfield, and I am honored that they are being


recognized for their talents. Elaine F. Cutler, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools - Litchfield


Outdoors Charlie Chalk with


New Law Will Allow Rural Communities to Flourish


President Barack Obama recently signed the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011, which permits year-long recreation opportunities on U.S. Forest Service ski areas, boosting rural economies while continuing to maintain stringent environmental safeguards. The year-long recreation season is estimated to annually sustain up to 600 extra jobs and is expected to bring in an additional $40 million to local communities in direct spending. “The Forest Service is taking steps to promote job growth


every day,” said USDA Under Secretary Harris Sherman. “We look forward to welcoming hundreds of thousands more visitors throughout the entire year to their national forests.” The new legislation amends the National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986, which allowed only Nordic and alpine skiing. Under the new legislation, other snow sports may be permitted on National Forest System lands, as well as year-round activities. Potential permitted activities may include zip lines, mountain bike terrain parks and trails, Frisbee golf courses, and ropes courses. Contact the WMNF to see what is coming our way.


Charlie Chalk can be reached at outdoorswithcharlie@areanewsgroup.com CALEA Review of HPD Completed


by Doug Robinson The Commission on Accreditation for Law


Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) has completed the review of the Hudson Police Department. “The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence” states CALEA. CALEA’s specific goals are to strengthen crime


prevention and control capabilities, formalize essential management procedures; establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices, improve service delivery, solidify interagency cooperation and coordination, and increase community and staff confidence in the agency. “The CALEA Accreditation Process is a proven modern management model; once implemented, it presents the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), on a continuing basis, with a blueprint that promotes the efficient use of resources and improves service delivery - regardless of the size,


Captain Robert Tousignant, Captain William Avery, Police Chief Lavoie, Assessor Major Phillip Kasten, Sergeant John McGregor, Board of Selectman member Richard Maddox, and Assessor Deputy Chief Michael Webb


community. We hold ourselves to a standard. By receiving this accreditation, we will have kept that promise.” The completed review of the HPD will be submitted back to the full Commission, for further consideration and approval.


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Innovative, age appropriate curriculum


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Hudson Police Officer Larisa Johnson provides all the operational details of the HPD cruiser to CALEA Assessors, Deputy Chief Michael Webb (rear left) and Assessor, Major Phillip Kasten during the static presentations.


geographic location, or functional responsibilities of the agency” continues CALEA.


During the examination and review, a team of assessors “examined all aspects of the Hudson Police Department’s policies and procedures, management, operations and support services,” commented Hudson Police Chief, Jason Lavoie. “Verification by the team that the Hudson Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain re- accreditation after having received the initial National Accreditation in March 2003. Re-accreditation is for three years, during which the HPD must submit “annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it is initially accredited. The assessors, Deputy Chief Michael Webb from the Abington


Township Police Department, Abington, VA, and Major Phillip Kasten, from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Westminster, MD, reviewed written materials, “interviewed individuals, and visited offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed,” stated Chief Lavoie Inspectors’ three-day review of HPD also involved a tour of the police department, static display presentations of HPD’s fleet of vehicles, hiring practices, booking, prison cells, records, armory, administration, and the evidence room.


During the Public Hearing held in the Board of Selectmen’s Room


at Town Hall, town employees, and BOS both commented on the level of HPD’s “professionalism, courtesy, and respect” afforded by HPD officers. Hudson resident Steve Nute commented that “As a parent … interaction with the police is critical. They are role models and their visibility is vital.” Of the 479 CALEA standards, the Hudson Police Department had zero non-compliance concerns. In addition, of the applied discretion standards, or areas where something in the wording of a standard had changed, only one concern was notated, and that was “minor” commented the Assessors. “I have never worked with a better group of people,” continued Major Phillip Kasten. “I am grateful to all of you for being as open and as frank as you have been. You are the finest personnel that I have seen up and down the East Coast.” “I was told that there is no center of this town. I think I have found the center of Hudson. You are the center of Hudson. You are a fine Police Department. I was amazed at your level of community service. You are loved by the town. Educators commented to us that we could not do our jobs to educate without the service of the Police. Business owners also commented the police department was also a part of the community.” Chief Lavoie stated that, “Our polices are a promise to the


“Licensed Plus”


Accepting Registrations


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