News and Views » Questions and Answers

Police chief residency requirements

Admin — Sun, 18 May 2008 08:06:55 +0000

Question: With our position for police chief…is it true that whomever this person turns out to be, they will have to be within a certian driving distance to BOW? Who will enforce this and is this true?

BCC Answer: Yes this is true and it was in effect for Chief Jaran. The contract states that the Bow Police Chief needs to live within 30 minutes of Bow. Jaran lives in Gilford and it is very unlikely he could get here in 30 minutes legally. The person who would need to enforce this is the Town Manager, Jim Pitts but he did not.

‘Electioneering’ within voting area

Admin — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:24:16 +0000

Question: The Town election is coming up and I am concerned that my voting rights may be violated but I am not sure. Let me explain, the last election I voted at, I overheard a conversation between one of our selectmen and a voter inside the Bow Community Center where we vote. The selectman was telling the voter to not vote for the candidate who I was going to vote for. What the selectman was doing did not sound right to me. Also this selectman’s wife was running around with a campaign button inside the polling area and I am pretty sure that is not legal as well but I don’t know what the law is. Are what the selectman and his wife did legal?

BCC Answer: What you told me is very serious and you should tell the moderator as soon as you witnessed it. The law that you saw violated are RSA 659:43 & 659:44. If the moderator fails to take action you should tell the other selectmen and they should take action. Your last recourse would be to call the attorney general. A selectman should know better and not break the public trust in this way. You should not feel bad if you report this behavior.

Where is the rationale for a 45.2% increase?

Admin — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:17:13 +0000

Question: In the up coming elections in Bow on May 13th the residents/voters need to keep in mind that the proposed municipal budget is up 8% over last years budget which is actually closer to 13% when you figure in all the separate Warrant Articles that should truly be part of the proposed budget. The Selectmen vote was 3-2 and the Budget Committee vote was 4-3 on this proposed budget.

You should also keep in mind that the current School Board and School District Administration displayed their continued arrogance by their attempt to implement the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) into Bow High School under the radar screen of residents and parents at great expense to the taxpayers along with their 6% plus budget increase that included adding 11 additional school staff. Since 2002-03 school staff has increased by 49 (+17%) while student enrollment has declined by 162 (-9%) students while the budgets have increased by $7.7 million (+45.2%). Where is the rationale for this?

We desperately need to elect good outstanding people with leadership abilities that possess “common sense”, people that believe in America and possess the ability to be able to differentiate between the wants and needs of the Town and the School District in these tough economic times ahead just as all of us have to do in our own homes and businesses.

We need candidates that will start looking at creative ways to reduce the cost of doing business for the Town and School District instead of just throwing taxpayer’s money at it annually in order to stabilize and/or reduce our annual tax burden. Everyone associated with the budget process and those responsible for spending our money need to be more involved and creative in this process and look at how we can do things better and for less money.

My taxes increased 25.1% last year alone (+51.2% since 2002) and look to increase substantially again this year if everything passes at Town Meeting so please join me on May 13th in supporting Robert Louf for Selectman, incumbent Peter Cheney, and candidate Brad Hutton for Budget Committee, and candidates Van Mosher and Marc Brunelle for School Board. Thank you.

Rick Hiland
Bow NH

BCC Answer: Mr. Hiland is a Bow Budget Committee Member and the BCC doesn’t feel that it can’t add anything to Mr. Hiland’s question.

Bow Schools Staff Count as of February 6, 2008

Questions About Bow Education

Admin — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:45:35 +0000

To Mr. Paul Revere and the Bow Citizens Coalition,

FACT: The Bow High School teaching staff currently has 12 members with MA +30 years experience, 5 with MA +15 years experience, 26 with MA + some years experience, 4 with BA +30 years experience, 5 with BA +15 years experience, 13 with BA+ some years experience, a Principal and Assistant Principal with at least an MA + some years experience each I would guess and a Superintendent with a PhD + some years experience. That makes a total of 68 educators (of 100 +/- total staff at BHS) for 617 students which is roughly 9 students per educator.

FACT & QUESTION: Why can’t these 68 educators with their credentials and levels of experience that are also very well paid, I might add, to the tune of $4.8 million plus in wages and benefits (68 educators for $3,387,555 in wages & $1,364,146 in benefits) budgeted annually for Bow High School, develop a program to challenge all our students (and to supplement the current AP program for our brightest students) at Bow High School? That could/should be “the best thing since sliced bread” and a “slam dunk” all in one for the taxpayers and students I would think?

QUESTION: Why is it necessary to spend all this additional money outside of Bow on an IB Programme to challenge our students globally when we supposedly have all this expertise right here in Bow, NH USA already? This really makes you wonder if we are currently getting our money’s worth from our tax dollars if our educators cannot currently challenge our students?

QUESTION: What is this IB Programme really costing us, not just the obvious cost which they frequently refer to but all the incidental hidden costs like substitute teachers to cover the ones that go out for training for example? Do our current students learn or benefit from these substitute teachers, confusion and lost time in the classroom while our paid educators gallivant around the country being trained in this IB Programme??

QUESTION: Why are we currently focusing on the application process to this IB Programme of progressivism, beliefs, values & theory of a global society and not on the basics of knowledge like reading, writing, English language, geography, math, science and American History? Why isn’t a rigorous curriculum of education already in place in Bow High School?

QUESTION: How do the teachers at the BES and BMS feel about having most all the money budgeted for “professional development” in the school district being gobbled up by the travel and training expense involved with the Bow High School IB Programme and application process? Does this jeopardize or affect the education of these younger students?

QUESTION: How does an IB Programme like this challenge our bright students in the multiple tier level classroom system now in place at Bow High School where you have varying degrees of learner abilities in the same classroom? Will this IB Programme just add more confusion? Why aren’t we challenging all our students at all levels?

MY OPINION: All Bow students need to have a solid well rounded academic/knowledge based education and that is what the taxpayer is responsible for supporting with their tax dollars, not this global fluff.

MY OPINION: Stop this IB Programme nonsense!

Rick Hiland
Bow

Spending or Home Values Increase Taxes?

Admin — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:04:11 +0000

Question: I believe people need to be educated that the ONLY item that affects the amount of their tax bills is how much the town spends. If we all get our houses reassessed and everyone’s value drops 15% or 20% the tax rate will just go up to compensate for the drop in revenue. I have heard for years people saying how the increase in property values have increased their taxes, not true.

BCC Answer: We couldn’t agree more with our educated viewer.

Is Bow’s Acceptance of International Baccalaureate a “Done Deal”

Admin — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:44:36 +0000

Question: Based on the BHS administrator report for March is this a done deal? What was the purpose of the public forums? To say here you go, this is what we are doing and as part of the application process we just have to prove that we presented it to the public? Don’t we get a say or vote about this?

BCC Answer: No, this is not a done deal, as getting accepted to the IB program is a multi-year process and the community needs to show support. So far the school board and school officials have run a stealth campaign to get IB approved. Public hearings began last month and there was a significant amount of resistance to the IB program at both public hearings. Regardless of the public resistance and a difficult economy the Board school board spent taxpayer monies to apply to this expensive and controversial program. The purpose of the public forum was to get public feedback but school board chair only heard one side of the public discussion, in fact, she calls those who are against the IB program a “sub-group”.

If there is a public outcry against the IB program or if there is no financial support for the program the IB people will not accept Bowâ€™s application. The first step to show the IB program is to elect School Board Candidates that run as anti-IB candidates. The second step is to write letters to the editor to express your opinion. The larger the public outcry the larger the likelihood that Bow will not be accepted to the program.

Question About Timing of Assessments

Admin — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:40:06 +0000

Question: I have a question and I do not know the legalities of it. I was wondering if you can vote to have an assessment any year or if they are on a schedule? Anyone who has their property on the market or trying to borrowing money to buy a house or a home improvement loan or equity loan has seen their property depreciate in value a huge amount over the last few months. I had my house independently appraised in July 2007. I had another appraisal done in February of this year just for curiosity, and it dropped in value 13% seven months. At that rate it will not take long for our property values to drop 25 to 30% or more. I am sure the town will not adjust our taxes accordingly. The town was just assessed and of course the values and taxes in Bow rose dramatically. If you watch the news they say we are going to have a major adjustment in property values all across the country. Actually, it has been adjusting for over a year now with no end in sight. A year from now the property values will be at less than 70% of what they were when they were assessed. Can we contract for an assessment when the economy is depressed or are we stuck with the high assessed values until the economy turns around and they need to raise the budget again?

And why do we get assessed by an out of state assessment company that is comfortable looking at 4 and 5 million dollar houses every day in their home state? Why don’t we contract a local assessor?

BCC Answer: The selectmen put them on as schedule but you could get a petitioned warrant article together and get 25 people to sign it. If you do get a warrant article together make sure it states what you want with regards to assessors. Unfortunately this cost money and you may get some resistance because people do not like having their house assessed due to privacy.

Town and School Budgets

Admin — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:29:58 +0000

Question: In reading one of the postings, it is noted that it is not illegal for town employees and teachers to vote themselves a pay raise. I don’t have a problem with reasonable pay increases for these folks that work for the town. But it does smell an awful lot like Washington DC doesn’t it? We need to take back our town from all the liberal spenders.

The budget committee members should be held more accountable than in the past. Spending in this town is totally out of control. Not enough people seem to care. Perhaps that’s because they’re in the 6 figure income bracket. Many of us are not. Bush’s middle class is now the family that has a $100,000 yearly income. You know where that leaves the rest of us!! This obscene budget spending spree is driving the lower income families out of town. Is this what we want? Of course, not.

Based on the fact that my property taxes skyrocketed 19% last year, I can only conclude that the town now has excess funds from many folks like myself. How convenient it was to have property reassessed last year by the same firm that porked the residents of Hopkinton. The town officials should be ashamed to look a property owner in the eye and give a straight answer. Guaranteed you’ll get a political response!!!!

BCC Answer: All budget members did not vote for the increase – 2 members were on the record and voted NO to the warrant.

Why Does Bow Have Its Own Sau, Teach Chinese

Admin — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:22:43 +0000

Question: Why does Bow have to have an SAU all of its own? Couldn’t we save a lot of money by joining a nearby SAU? Bow has to have an SAU all of its own? It only makes sense to me. This would save the taxpayers a good deal of their hard-earned dollars!!! Why hasn’t this been addressed openly at a school meeting? How much money could we truly save by joining another SAU?

BCC Answer: Yes, Bow has an SAU all of its own. Yes Bow would save lot of money by joining a nearby SAU. It makes sense to critical thinkers as well. This would save the taxpayers a good deal of their hard-earned dollars!!! This is not beening addressed openly at a school meeting because not enough taxpayers go to school board meetings and school district meetings, but hopefully that will change.

Question: Why are we teaching Chinese to 6 students? Who authorized this? How is the instructor paid? Perhaps the parents of the six students should pay for this frivolous class!!! Enough already. Let’s be realistic in our academic teachings. Based on recent figures, it appears that the junior class is roughly 50% proficient in reading, writing and arithmetic. One doesn’t have to have to have a PhD to realize there’s a problem here. Who’s accountable for these horrific scores? And the school superintendent supports this IB program. Really now. Why is it that these people holding important positions can’t see the forest through the trees. Perhaps they’re like the lead horse wearing blinders while pulling the wagon into quicksand.

BCC Answer: Chinese is being taught in the school. Presently the teacher is here from China and is paid for by a grant and is housed with a Bow family. But – if we are to continue teaching the language after the 2 year grant is up then we as taxpayers will be asked by the school board to add this position to the curriculum.

Do school and town employees pay into their retirement plans?

Admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:03:06 +0000

Question: Do school and town employees pay into their retirement plans? From what I read in the papers it appears that they do not and that we as taxpayers pay for their retirement. If this is true when the contracts come up for renewal should there be consideration of having employee contracts retirement plans be changed to something like a 401K? This is what everyone else has to do. I donâ€™t have someone else paying for my retirement plan it is all my money. If we were not paying for the employeesâ€™ retirement wouldn’t the town be saving a significant amount of money?

BCC Answer: You are correct, Bow Taxpayer are the ones that pay for town employeeâ€™s retirement plans, in fact our town manager benefits from two taxpayer funded retirement plans. So yes, town employees donâ€™t pay into 401 K plans like we do. This definitely should be considered as a significant cost cutting idea.

Police Department Funding

Admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:23:00 +0000

Question: Every year the Bow PD asks for more money for more officers, more cars, and now a new station. And each year they base their need (not our need) on the statistics showing the number of calls in different categories. And each year the #1 category by a wide margin is complaints about speeding. But speeding just keeps getting worse each year. Why isn’t the PD being held to lowering the number of speeders and hopefully the number of calls? Unless the PD starts enforcing the law, controlling speeding, we the taxpayers will be asked for more money without any end in site because the issue isn’t being resolved. Why aren’t the selectmen doing something about this?

BCC Answer: Your question answers itself. It is important that this is posted so that the selectmen can put this important topic on their agenda

What are the Rules to Get a Ballot Vote?

Admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:49:11 +0000

Question: What are the Rules to Get a Ballot Vote?

BCC Answer: You have a right to a secret ballot vote per RSA 40:4-a Secret Ballot as long as you provide the moderator with the signatures of 5 voters present at the meeting. Don’t be bashful, there are plenty of people who like the secret ballot, so don’t hesitate to ask others for their signature. Below is the petition for a secret ballot. If you like the secret ballot, print out a few before the meeting and bring them with you. If you think the moderator made a mistake concerning a voice vote you can ask for a hand vote or if you wish you can ask for a secret ballot by getting 7 voters (RSA 40:4b) at the meeting to sign your petition or stand up with you to ask for a secret ballot vote.

Your 2007 Bow Town Report has the rules and voter’s rights on pages 10-14.

Chapter 40:4a
Chapter 40:4b
Town and School Meeting Rules