Is Franklin, NH mayor, Olivia Zink, using that office to shill for her progressive left-wing action group? Karen Testerman has some observations about the electioneering of Mayor Zink, who is also the Executive Director of Open Democracy here in NH.
Related: New Hampshire Democrats Still Can’t Get Over Redistricting Commission Fail
Open Democracy is a far-left Progressive-Socialist entity that advocates for a very specific agenda (and it isn’t one born of traditional NH values).
February 2021 Report from the Desk of Karen Testerman
The shortest month of the year has flown by and on Monday we are at the beginning of March and the next City Council meeting. You may join the meeting at 6:00 PM via ZOOM. Click here for more information. I look forward to your participation.
At the February 1, 2021 City Council meeting residents voiced their comments on the upcoming Resolution for Non-Partisan Fair Redistricting #15-21 that will be presented for a vote at the March 1, 2021 meeting. According to the resolution the redistricting:
“created representatives who are unknown to most of the voters of that district, representatives who have no intimate involvement or relationship to the community they will serve…”
The Resolution #15-21 further calls for the:
“Communities of interest shall be considered when redistricting:…and
The City of Franklin shall call upon its[sic] elected state legislators, in writing, to uphold these …principles…
The Constitution for the State of New Hampshire clearly states in Part 2, Article 9
“every ten years thereafter, the legislature shall make an apportionment of representatives according to the last general census of the inhabitants of the state taken by authority of the United States or of this state. In making such apportionment, no town, ward or place shall be divided nor the boundaries thereof altered.”
The General Court (legislature) is specifically tasked by the Constitution to assign representation based on the boundaries and change in population of towns. Their task is based on boundaries and population not on the character of the communities. Additionally, the City Charter clearly delineates the geographic boundaries of the wards in Franklin.
I find this attempt to use the City Council to paint the General Court as partisan offensive. I will not be supporting this Resolution as requested by the Mayor Pro-temp.
The Council accepted and appropriated a Community Development Financial Authority block grant of $80,000 for parking lot improvements.
There was an extensive discussion introduced by Councilor Robert Desrochers to increase the Veterans’ exemption which has been a topic of discussion for the past nine years.
Superintendent Daniel LeGallo reported that only 22 of the 937 students chose not to return to the Hybrid school schedule due to COVID restrictions. He also iterated that the Department of Education had exempted the annual National Assessment of Education Progress due to COVID. When queried if the Franklin School District would be mandating vaccinations for staff and students, the Superintendent was uncertain and would need to consult with the school attorney.
FSD was recently informed that they would receive an additional $2.6 million in COVID relief funds. The Superintendent was reminded that the City Council dug deep to scrape together an average of $400,000 over each of the past three years to support FSD. He was asked if the School District would consider repaying some of those $1.2million to the city for much needed support of fire, police and municipal services. The answer was NO.
Additionally, the Superintendent was asked about the follow-up to compliance with RSA 189:11 Instruction in Nation and State History and Government which requires civics, history, and the Constitutions for the State and United States, with test results to be submitted to the Department of Education annually. My request for curriculum by grade and results reported to the DOE, this is what I received. Needless to say I was disappointed.
- 2017-18 passing rate for Grade 9 was 66%.
- 2018-19 passing rate for grade 9 was 68%.
Finally Councilor Desrochers introduced a motion to discuss the impact of solar arrays to the city. A robust discussion ensued. The proper chain of action must originate with the planning board.
If at any time you would like to contact me, I can be reached at karen@sanbornhall.net or at (603) 934-7111.
Karen Testerman
Ward II Franklin City Council
Isn’t that sweet! And to think that the councilors all (but one) think that overriding the NH Constitution is such a NIFTY idea, eh? Has it struck them, yet, that when an overtly Political hack group is advocating for something, it JUST might have an agenda to it?
So, a couple of things that I should note demonstrating that redistricting is a long-term “thing” for the “advocacy” group Zink runs.
- Franklin City Council votes Olivia Zink interim mayor until October (Concord Monitor, 1/26/21)
- Open Democracy – Olivia Zink, Executive Director, advocating for unconstitutional Redistricting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Media Contact
Olivia Zink
Executive Director, Open Democracy Action
(603) 661-8621 or olivia@opendemocracy.me
Open Democracy Action Statement regarding Senate Vote on SB 8, Redistricting Reform
Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Senate voted 14-10 today to pass SB 8, establishing an independent redistricting commission in New Hampshire.
Statement from Open Democracy Action Executive Director Olivia Zink: “Voters need to pick politicians, not the other way around. SB 8 establishes a redistricting process that it is independent, transparent, and ensures that constituents in New Hampshire are fairly represented. New Hampshire has a proud tradition of true citizen participation with our citizen legislature. Support for independent redistricting demonstrates our state’s commitment to ensuring that every voter has a chance to participate in a fair electoral process. We encourage Governor Sununu and all legislators to support redistricting reform as this bill moves forward.”
- From Open Democracy 6/25/2020:
…Also heard on Thursday was the HB 1665 advisory independent redistricting commission, one of the marquee bills of the 2019-2020 term. The commission would, for the first time, take steps to remove partisan drawing of voting districts by having equal members of each party as well as unaffiliated voters. The commission would also have to do all of its work in open meetings. These reforms are intended to avoid the gerrymandered districts from the 2010-2012 redistricting process which resulted in flipping 22 House of Representative seats in 2016 according to the Association Press. It also resulted in the Executive Council district 2, which snakes from Rochester in the east to Hinsdale in the southwest. The process was conducted largely out of sight of the public, and resulted in months of litigation and a NH Supreme Court case.
In his testimony, Open Democracy Action’s Brian Beihl, deputy director of the organization, noted each previous attempt at such a commission has improved the current bill. “At its core, it gives each party the opportunity to have its say on who serves as commissioners, makes sure the process is transparent to the legislature and voters, and that the legislature has the final word on amendments.” Beihl said. “These are all vast improvements over our current system.”
- From Open Democracy 3/15/18 – and if you have Zandra Rice-Hawkins of Granite State Progress (TRULY a Progressive / Socialist group paid for by out of state money) as your Media Handler, that shows that “non-partisan” is never a phrase to be applied to Open Democracy. Ditto the Kent Street Coalition
Media Advisory & Community Calendar for Saturday, March 24th at 1:00 PM
Contact: Olivia Zink (603) 661-8621 olivia@opendemocracy.me
Kyri W Claflin (603) 540-4492, kyriclaflin@comcast.net
Citizen Action Against Gerrymandering — A Forum:
How partisan map-making tilts elections, and how to make them fair again
CONCORD, NH – Political parties have been gerrymandering — drawing election districts to benefit themselves — for at least two centuries. But extreme examples in the past decade have prompted Americans across party lines to fight back in state capitols, online, at protests and in courthouses.
To tell that story, explore the issues and rally support for the fight in New Hampshire, five grassroots groups invite you to Citizen Action Against Gerrymandering — A Forum on Saturday, March 24th from 1:00 to 5:00 PM in Concord.
The keynote speaker will be U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, a leading national advocate for independent, citizen-led redistricting. More national perspective will come from John Bisognano, a leader of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s national anti-gerrymandering organization, and lawyer Ruth Greenwood of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center in a discussion moderated by law professor Amy Vorenberg. Greenwood helped win a groundbreaking anti-gerrymandering decision in Wisconsin in 2016. If upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer, the ruling could profoundly change redistricting nationwide.
The challenge in New Hampshire will be addressed by Paul Twomey, a New Hampshire election law expert and litigator, State Senator Dan Feltes, and Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky in a panel moderated by Liz Tentarelli of the League of Women Voters.
The forum will conclude with a panel of local leaders — Olivia Zink, NH Coalition for Open Democracy; Michael O’Brien, America Votes; State Representative Jerry Knirk; and Louise P. Spencer, Kent Street Coalition — on the need for citizens to organize and act before the next round of redistricting in 2021, closer than it might seem.
The forum will be Saturday, March 24 at Sweeney Hall, NHTI, 31 College Drive, Concord. Tickets are free, but space is limited. RSVP early at https://march24citizenaction.eventbrite.com/
The forum is sponsored by Capital Coalition, Open Democracy, New Hampshire Progress Alliance, America Votes New Hampshire, and Granite State Progress.
WHAT: Citizen Action Against Gerrymandering — A Forum
WHEN: Saturday, March 24th from 1:00 to 5:00 PM (registration at 12:30)
WHERE: Sweeney Hall, NHTI, 31 College Drive, Concord
WHY: Political parties have been gerrymandering — drawing election districts to benefit themselves — for at least two centuries. But extreme examples in the past decade have prompted Americans across party lines to fight back in state capitols, online, at protests and in courthouses. Ahead of New Hampshire’s next redistricting, citizens and advocacy groups are educating the public about the importance of fair redistricting.
MEDIA: Members of the media should RSVP to Zandra [This would be Zandra Rice-Hawkins, Exec. Dir. at Granite State Progress -Skip] at (603) 892-2150 or zandra@granitestateprogress.org
Summary – IMHO, and in agreeing with Karen, Zink is using her status as a City Councilor and now Mayor pro-temp to push a very PARTISAN agenda item – and Karen correctly points out that it is UNCONSTITUTIONAL here in NH.
So ask yourself – why would a “non-partisan” group be advocating for voiding the precepts of the NH Constitution if NOT for Partisan purposes?