I have submitted the following to the local papers:
First, the School Board decided to flaunt the will of Gilford voters, who voted 2-1 to not have a new Superintendent (hiring one the day before the election). Then, the Board decided to not hold the Special Meeting as petitioned by Gilford residents because of this action (and in violation of NH law). Then at the Gilford Candidates Night, the current Chair and past Chair (Kurt Webber and Sue Allen, respectively) insisted simply by saving $11,000 on busing costs was a superb reason to start up full day kindergarten – again, showing complete disdain for Gilford voters who had previously voted NO (video at GilfordGrok.com). Kurt Webber has further doubled down by stating he had cut the School Board’s budget (even though expenditures have grown) – and showing that the bureaucrat-ese of “Washington budgeting cuts” (where a “cut” = “increasing, but at a slower pace”) has been brought to Gilford.
Now we just had the taxpayer funded Superintendent willing to speak at a forum sponsored by the taxpayer funded Parks & Recs Director to “educate” residents on the tax cap petition (which has already been “not recommended” by his employers, the School Board). Although he claims ignorance of the RSA that prohibits this (lets assume to be true), just the idea that the School Board did not see the impropriety of this, RSA aside, speaks volumes.
Doug Lambert stood up against this by bringing it to the public’s attention, citing the RSA. He also corrected the School Board’s lawyer at the Deliberative Session (who read only the part of the RSA dealing the tax cap that put the School Board’s position in a positive light) by reading the REST of the RSA that contradicted the lawyer’s utterances (video on GilfordGrok.com). And yes, he is one of the Gilford residents who is using the only source of remedy available to citizens between elections by bringing the Superintendent hiring before a judge.
Fed up with this public malfeasance, Doug Lambert is now running to be on the School Board. His platform: full compliance with all laws, greater transparency in deliberations / actions, moving towards more accessibility, and forcing more budgetary openness. These are stances that I wholeheartedly endorse – as well as his stated stance of respecting the will of the voters of Gilford in all things.
Therefore, I am happy to endorse Doug Lambert to replace either Kurt Webber or Sue Allen. I ask for your vote for him (and only for him for one of the two three-year seats).
