GrokWatch – Granite Grok

Using the Law to ‘Legally’ Steal Elections?

Judge Lewis made it legal for out of state residents to vote in New Hampshire. It’s not quite that simple but he essentially legalized out of state voter influence on your local election (vote fraud) which is not actually a new idea but may have been executed on a massive scale this week.

Now you’d have to be a bit immoral or unethical to take unfair advantage of such a legal loophole, yes? To find and encourage people to participate in such a scheme? Well what if a certain political party did just that? If they used a legal loophole, secured by a liberal Judge, in response to a suit brought by Liberal activist groups, then used their massive canvassing database to target polling places where they could tip elections in their favor? That would be crazy talk. Legally robbing other people of their voice with out of state voters?

So I suppose we’d need some proof to make that case? Well guess what. You can help us gather it.

Small Victory In Merrimack – re: NHSBA

by Steve MacDonald

In a recent legal decision provided to the Merrimack School Superintendent and Board, it has been determined that what the New Hampshire School Board Association (NHSBA) does..

a) Is lobbying.

“Dean Michener is employed by NHSBA and is a registered lobbyist. Thus, it would seem to be a foregone conclusion that NHSBA is engaged in lobbying. …it is also safe to conclude that the membership dues paid to NHSBA would be considered a contribution of funds within the meaning of RSA 15:5 (I)

RSA 15:5 prohibits use of state funds for lobbying, so the town

b) cannot use commingled monies that include state education funding to pay dues to NHSBA and up to this point, that is how they have been paying them.

GrokTV: Rochester City Council Public input on “Sustainable Communities Initiative”- Ken Eyring

by Skip

Ken’s mission at the Rochester City Council meeting( as it sought Public Input on its signing onto the NH version of the Federal Government’s Sustainable Communities Initiative (“SCI”), also known locally as The Granite State Future Plan) was to start connecting the dots between all of the groups that are pushing, advocating, and agitating for the passage of the Granite State Future Plan (to supplant local control of zoning ordinances with those mandated by the Federal Govt’s HUD, EPA, and DOT).

To wit: the Conservation Law Foundation (a partner in the Granite State Future Program) also runs the New Great Bay Coalition that is advocating for a new regional water treatment plant (which is going to cost Rochester mega buckeroonies) under the Water Sustainability Commission, whose final report will be incorporated into the Granite State Future Plan (Otherwise known as: a circular taxpayer firing squad hosted by NGOs and bureaucrats!).

Ken related a comment made during one of the Water Sustainability Commissions:

“Water and sewer rates are too cheap in the State” and at that point, a few of the Commissioners alluded to the Great Bay sewerage treatment project and chuckled that…

“The residents in those towns in that project would soon learn that water and sewer is not cheap.”

He also brought up the fact that the Planner for Rochester, Kenn Ortmann, has a conflict; he is also the Vice Chair of the NH Housing Finance Agency and has a fiduciary responsibility that supersedes that of his responsibility to the City of Rochester. Any further testimony by Ortmann needs to be challenged.

GrokWATCH: Right To Know Request – Water Sustainability Commission – Update 2

by Skip

As I said yesterday, I had requested a contract between the State of NH and Water Sustainability Commission / Synchrony Advisors, LLC, but was informed that there was none. So, on August 2, I asked for additional information from Synchrony Advisors, LLC as to the WSC’s activities, especially their financial ones. Note the time stamp (emphasis mine):

From: Skip Murphy [mailto:Skip@GraniteGrok.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2012 5:13 PM
To: John A. Gilbert; William O’Brien
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information Request – NH Water Sustainability

Chair Gilbert,

I will accept you at your word for this [That there is no contract -Skip]. Thus, I will pull my RTK request for the contract back, as well as the other one concerning the correspondence of the contract.

However, while you all may be volunteers, your activities still were under the auspices of a Governmental Executive Order, thus still subject to RSA 91-A requests. Please consider the following as such:

A Jail Sentence For Drinking Water

by Rick Olson

“All oppression creates a state of war.” —Simone de Beauvoir

Gary Harrington Goes to Jail for Collecting Rain Water

On Wednesday, July 25 Skip featured a Guest Post from Ken Eyring. The central thesis of Mr. Eyring’s post was that the NH Water Sustainability Commission gave a low-profile public notice seeking input from the public regarding management of Granite State water resources over the next 25 year period.

On Sunday July 29, Skip followed up with a response from House Democrat Representative Judith Spang to Ken Eyring. As shown, Spang made several, “The state owns the water, not you,” implied assertions.”

Leave It To Beavers

by Steve MacDonald

The big news today is the disappearance of an entire pond in Hollis, New Hampshire. The town decided to breach a dam, which drained Hayden Reservoir, becasue it was cheaper than keeping it and paying for the work to meet the sharia-law like standards, tithing, and annual tribute demanded by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental services.

I’m sure the DES is disappointed.

GrokWATCH: Right To Know Request – Water Sustainability Commission public surveys

by Skip

Two days ago, we launched our newest Right To Know series concerning Gov. Lynch’s Water Sustainability Commission – that which was ordered into existence by Executive Order:

Good afternoon,

Having just taken your survey, I have a question: will you be publishing all of the surveys taken so as to validate the summary result? Like any good scientific OR Governmental process, it is always best, for openness and transparency, to publish all raw data.

If not, please consider this a Right To Know request under RSA 91-A for all of the filled out surveys that were received from SurveyMonkey (or by other means) on that survey, as shown by your page (http://www.nh.gov/water-sustainability/).

You Can Force A Public School Student to Pay for a ‘Healthy Lunch’ But You Can’t Make Them Eat It.

by Steve MacDonald

Would you be at all surprised to learn that public school students who buy lunch in Public School cafeterias are–after a fashion–getting around the USDA Federal requirement that they consume certain foods with their meal?

Would you be more or less surprised to learn that the federal mandated will cost you as parents and taxpayers more, for no measurable good?

Examples?

Most public school cafeterias used to provide regular mashed potatoes weekly, and by all accounts, most of the kids were eating them. But the USDA forced a switch from regular mashed to mashed sweet Potato. (I wouldn’t touch a sweet potato before I was thirty.) Guess what? Most of those Sweet potatoes end up in the trash.

Subversives! How dare they not eat what we have decided is best for them.

So how about all the mandatory fresh vegetables? How did they fare?

Anonymous Allegations?

by Steve MacDonald

Over at the Concord Monitor web site, someone going by the name of ItsaRepublic, has been doing some very heavy lifting for GraniteGrok. They have gone to bat for us on our investigation of Public Employees who have been using the Monitor’s web site, during office hours, at taxpayer expense. Not exactly a friendly environment to promote anything we do here, but we appreciate the effort.

And as I have pointed out previously, the Monitor had begun letting those sorts of comments stand (where in the past they had been known to ‘moderate’ them out of existance), and letting the debate take it’s bi-partisan course. But when it comes to allowing links back to GranitGrok articles on the investigation itself, a CM Moderator has explained why they wont be doing that any time soon…

By CM Moderator – 05/24/2012 – 8:39 am

We do not post links to websites making anonymous allegations against real people. It does not matter whether the site leans to the right or the left.

That’s curious for a few reasons. First, I’ve seen what the monitor passes off for news. Enough said? Second, Anonymous? Allegations?

Hide and Go Seek

by Steve MacDonald

The editorial in this morning’s Union Leader visits two problems we’ve had in spades around here of late. A public body unwilling to part with public information and School superintendents. What’s worse than a public body denying access to an investigator’s report that was paid for with taxpayer money? Hiring a lawyer to fight the … Read more

Morse Code – It’s A Double Dip In Oyster River

by Steve MacDonald

“Sometimes, life throws you some curves.” That was the response “retiring” Portland Maine School District Superintendent Dr. James Morse gave to the press and the public after announcing that he had taken a job as the Superintendent of the Oyster River Cooperative district in New Hampshire.

“Sometimes, life throws you some curves.”

But we can read the stitches. One of those stitches indicates that Mr. Morse was one of 15 applicants for the job. (Applicant: A person who applies, as for a job.) So how much of a curve ball is it when you announce you are “retiring” (after 32 years in the public education industrial complex), and then get a job for which you applied?

Smart Girl Politics – The Podcast

by Steve MacDonald

Last Thursday I was a guest/co-host on WSMN 1590, Smart Girl Politics Radio with Susan Olsen. We spoke about GrokWatch, some of what we’ve investigated so far, and what the goals are for this project. We also discussed some bureaucratic objections to photo ID laws for voting and my objections to their objection. If … Read more

Smart Girl Politics Radio – On ‘Everything’

by Steve MacDonald

From 10-11am this morning I will be guest co-hosting Smart Girl Politics with Susan Olsen on WSMN 1590 AM. We will be discussing everything so pay attention. There is a slight possibility that we may not get to “everything” in one hour so thinning it out to topics like GrokWatch, ‘Julia’ and the war … Read more

Do Retired School Superintendents Ever Really Retire?

by Steve MacDonald

Starting in July of 2012, Mr. Irwin Sussman will begin his new job as the Superintendent of SAU#43 ( Croydon-Newport), a not so curious turn of events for a man who recently “retired” after 40 years working in public education in New York State. (Last week, you may recall, we introduced you to Robert Sullivan. He retired as the Super in Middleboro MA, and is collecting $70-80K from the State of Massachusetts, while currently running SAU#21 in New Hampshire.)

Mr. Sussman was a teacher, school principal, and finally a superintendent, working in Lake Luzerne NY, when he “felt it was time” to retire…

After two decades at the Hadley-Luzerne Central School District, and the last eight years as the superintendent, Irwin Sussman told the board last week he will retire at the end of the school year.

Sussman, who turns 64 next month, will work his last day on June 30. His career in education spans 40 years.

“I feel that it’s that time,” said Sussman, who was the high school principal for about 11 years before he became the superintendent in January 2003.

Wait. Didn’t I just say he was starting a new job in Croydon-Newport this July?

NH Has a Business Finance Authority

by Steve MacDonald

Bill Walker has a great article over at Bedford Patch on the New Hampshire Business Fiance Authority. According to the first page of the 2011 Annual Report, the BFA has transferred over 1.4 billion dollars from we lazy, undeserving taxpayers (and all holders of dollar balances) to those who truly earned the money (by … Read more

New Hampshire’s SAU 21 Hooked A Double-Dipper

by Steve MacDonald

Public School Superintendents double dipping

Meet Robert M. Sullivan. Mr Sullivan, at the age of 58 ( I believe), ‘retired’ as the Superintendent of the Middleboro Massachusetts School District, where he was earning 128,000.00 per year. But like many “retired” public school superintendents, he didn’t stay retired for very long. He’s currently the Superintendent for the six schools that make up SAU #21 in New Hampshire. (Hampton Falls, North and South Hampton, Seabrook and Winnacunnet Co-op.)

But he’s retired!

“Retired?” Retired, to a Superintendent means you have a new job lined up before you leave the job you retired from, which the retiring Sullivan did. But while Mr. Sullivan is working in the Granite State he isn’t moving to New Hampshire permanently. He and his wife are staying in Massachusetts. Why?

…the out-of-state job will enable Robert M. Sullivan to collect his full Massachusetts pension, estimated to be in the range of $70,000 to $85,000, while also being paid for his new position.

The Complete Gaia Comment Stream

by Steve MacDonald

New Hampshire Public Employee Gaia managed to read, consume, and then comment at the Concord Monitor’s web site some 1200 times in just three years, more often than not during office hours. (Just to clarify this lastpoint, a super majority of time during office hours.) We could guess that they were doing it during one … Read more

New Hampshire Bureaucrats Behaving Badly? Introducing GrokWatch

by Steve MacDonald

No one respects found money, and there is nothing more abundantly “found” in its appearance than the millions and billions bilked from taxpayers every year to “run state and local government.”

In the midst of that relationship, between producers and their wallets, are the hordes of bureaucrats, too many of whom are taking advantage of every opportunity to justify their existence while wasting millions of taxpayer dollars in the process. You know who you are and we know there is at least one other person in New Hampshire who knows as well, and wishes you’d stop it.

So we’re introducing GrokWatch. Our goal? To identify and investigate cases of New Hampshire Bureaucrats Behaving Badly and then announce awards of shame for the worst cases…but we need your help.