Once again, "strings attached" strikes again; Government loves status quo - Granite Grok

Once again, “strings attached” strikes again; Government loves status quo

“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.” – President Obama, Inauguration (2009)

And you wonder why Government can’t get anything done?  It won’t allow you to get rid of the stuff you don’t want that ya bought with that “free money”.  When are our local chucklehead politicians and bureaucrats learn and internalize that taking your citizens’ tax monies siphoned and recirculated by some government entity is just a bad idea for the future?

I’ve railed about my hamlet’s adverse problems with stuff built long ago and now it’s turned out to just raise the local property tax when a private sector entity would have just said “raze it, it just isn’t worth it anymore”.  Betcha Meredith (NH) is wishing they were private as they just got caught by the short…

…hey, Rule #1!  In any case, they’re hamstrung by an entity that is entirely funded with monies extracted from citizens.  Wonder if they’ll be a tad more thoughtful the next time somebody says “Hey, wanna approve this grant application”?  Reformatted, emphasis mine:

MEREDITH LIBRARY MOVE CONCERNS LCHIP

$70,000 grant may have to be repaid if building does not meet requirements

Heh!  Hysterical!

MEREDITH — The Board of Trustees of the Meredith Public Library are expected to reach a decision about where to construct a new library in next several weeks. Meanwhile, the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program has expressed its concern about the future of the Benjamin M. Smith Memorial Library, which has served the town since 1901.

I believe this is what the “public-private” pooh-bahs (who want to erase any boundary that Government should obey concerning separation of State and Civil Society), when it arrives during an election, “outside money” issue.  Hah!

Duncan McNeish, now in his 34th year as a trustee, said Monday that he expects the board to reaffirm its intention to build a new library and choose a site for the facility in the next several weeks. Earlier this year, the trustees hosted several public meetings at which the structural deficiencies and spacial constraints of the existing building were presented along with conceptual designs of a single story library built on a 4-acre lot with adequate space for parking. Since then, the trustees have considered several locations, including a 4-acre parcel at the junction of Barnard Ridge Road and Pleasant Street set aside by the Conservation Commission in the course of its initiative to add some 200 acres to the Page Pond Forest.

Meanwhile, on July 29, Dijit Taylor, executive director of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program wrote to the library trustees to say that the directors of the program were “taken aback to learn of the possible plan to relocate the library.” She reminded the trustees that in the course of seeking a $70,000 grant toward improvements to the Benjamin M. Smith Memorial Library in 2013 they assured the program that the library “was, and would continue to be, an important part of the fabric of downtown Meredith.”

Right on cue – now the entire town is going to be held hostage by these LCHIPers.  The town is already in an uproar over moving the library so this is just more popcorn from afar – but with a moral to learn

Taylor said on the strength of such assurances the grant was awarded and that “the current proposed change in the use of the Meredith Library building is directly opposite that expected when the grant was made.” The board of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, she continued “strongly urges the Meredith Library Trustees to reconsider the option of retaining the library in its historic downtown building and location.” Moreover, Taylor added that should the trustees “pursue the change in use,” the town must advise the program “to be sure the requirements and possible costs triggered by a change in use of the building are well understood.”

Taylor’s letter came as no surprise. Earlier this summer, when the library trustees advised the Board of Selectmen of their intentions, attorney Andrew Livernois explained that if the library building were not put to another public purpose, the town could be required to repay the $70,000 grant.

Even though presented oft by Statist that Government is good, gracious, and beneficent, you can be sure that once you have paid the geld, the Dane must be paid – over and over again.

And government wants to do away with Pay Day Loan companies (and of course, replace them by turning the US Post Office into a bank.  Just THINK of the possibilities (for graft, cronyism, and bang up “world class” operating procedures!)?  Notice they NEVER EVAH point the bony fingers at themselves.

 

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