I received this article this morning and am reprinting it as written:
"It seems to be that all you do is bash someone. This time it is the selectmen. Why not talk to them and see what their reasons were for the decision they made. Instead you have to bash them, because you are not man or woman enough to face them. Your website needs to be taken down, it is a disgrace to the town of Ashland. I am the one that before said it was negative and this proves it again. Get real and grow up and be proactive. Get rid of your website!!!!
Thank you for your comments. Let me answer you by saying that I was at the Budget Committee meeting when Dan Golden explained the Select Board's reasons for their decision not provide the budget in Excel format to the Budget Committee. I put those reasons in my blog article. Dan did not want to explain further at the meeting. I was critical of the decision, but I did not "bash" Dan Golden or Jeanette Stewart. I respect both people, but I disagree with their decision for the reasons I stated. By "bash" I assume that you mean attack personally, like saying that someone is not man or woman enough to confront someone. I disagreed with a decision for specific reasons.
ReplyDeleteI would add, since you brought up the subject, the Select Board's decision is a violation of our right to know according to the Freedom of Information law. Any citizen of the town can request a copy of the budget in Excel format, and the town is obligated to provide it. The Budget Committee has a right to take the town to court over this issue. I would rather the town reconsider their decision.
In response to the statement, "Why not talk to them and see what their reasons were for the decision they made" I would also like to remind the author that I did specifically talk to Dan Golden at the meeting to determine the Select Board's reasoning behind the decision. I was told it is because we "ask too much," a statement that I find difficult to understand, especially without further clarification, which was not offered. The information in the town budget has been freely given to us, repeatedly. All we asked for, was not more information, but the SAME information in a format that we could save us hours of time, as Mr. Toth explained in his article. Mr. Golden seemed to feel that he was being "interrogated"; however, as the Select Board representative on the committee and one who voted with Janette Stewart on the decision, I think it reasonable to assume he would have been the one to provide that reasoning. If you have additional information behind the decision, I would love to hear it.
ReplyDeleteAs I stated in an earlier response to your previous post, the blog invites discussion. Please provide facts along with your accusations so that we may better understand why you think the website is a disgrace, what you mean by "grow up" and the reasoning behind your assertion that we are not being proactive. In my mind, growing up means, among other things, being able to engage in a conversation. Is "Get real and grow up and be proactive. Get rid of your website!!!!" a sign of maturity?
I personally love Ashland and want nothing but the best for the town and it's wonderful residents. Ashland has enormous untapped potential. I also personally believe that all should have a voice in our town (hence the blog) and have all the information that they need to make informed decisions. The website, the blog and the Coalition are, contrary to your belief, very proactive. Join us and help us find the way to a better future for Ashland.
The right to know law does not require a public body to provide information in the form that it is requested such as an excel file. They can provide a hard copy but are not required to provide an electronic copy.
ReplyDeleteI have just made the decision to become a member of Ashland Speaks. I have read this particular comment and felt I had to respond. We live in a democratic society where as far as I know there is still the right of "Freedom of Speech". We all have the right to have an opinion and to have that opinion respected. It doesn't mean we all have to agree. Wouldn't this country or our small town become stagnant if we all did agree? We all have the right to give our ideas to create a dialog between people to help make our town stronger, especially during these hard economic times. Questions are not always easy to ask or have answered, but without them, how do we as concerned citizens make the decisions that need to be made? In the past few years I have tried to attend select board meetings to start to understand how our town runs and become more involved in a town that I have grown to love. I truly appreciate the time and effort town officials and town workers give every day to Ashland residents. I believe elected officials are responsible to the people who elected them. Part of that responsibility is to listen and try to answer questions. Is that an easy situation to be in? Certainly not, but it is part of the job. Ashland Speaks provides just one way our town's residents can comment and ask questions. Let's get the thinking process going! Our Select Board members, Utility Commissioners, and School Board members should expect support from all of us, and part of that support is to express our opinions. Right now in Washington D.C., not much is being accomplished. All of us are trying to work, pay our bills, and take care of our families. Getting to our federal representatives isn't easy. Why not start in a wonderful town like Ashland to make an effort to become more involved and informed? Ashland is our home, let's all work to keep it the special place it is and do what we need to do for the needed growth in the future.
ReplyDeleteThank you to Ashland Speaks for the opportunity to give my opinion.
I am including the language from RSA 91-A:4 in response to the comment that the town does not have to provide the information in the form requested. The RSA seems to indicate that if the Budget Committee needs the data in Excel format and the town creates the spreadsheet in Excel, the town is obligated to meet the request unless the spreadsheet contains confidential information.
ReplyDelete"In the same manner as set forth in RSA 91-A:4, IV, any public body or agency which maintains governmental records in electronic format may, in lieu of providing original records, copy governmental records requested to electronic media using standard or common file formats in a manner that does not reveal information which is confidential under this chapter or any other law. If copying to electronic media is not reasonably practicable, or if the person or entity requesting access requests a different method, the public body or agency may provide a printout of governmental records requested, or may use any other means reasonably calculated to comply with the request in light of the purpose of this chapter as expressed in RSA 91-A:1. Access to work papers, personnel data, and other confidential information under RSA 91-A:5, IV shall not be provided.
VI. Every agreement to settle a lawsuit against a governmental unit, threatened lawsuit, or other claim, entered into by any political subdivision or its insurer, shall be kept on file at the municipal clerk's office and made available for public inspection for a period of no less than 10 years from the date of settlement.
VII. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a public body or agency to compile, cross-reference, or assemble information into a form in which it is not already kept or reported by that body or agency."