Author Archives: overeasy

Short term memory

Over the next few days, while you’re watching Romneymania in Tampa, if you’re so inclined, take a moment to think back over the primary season that this event culminates.  Sure, the opponents said a lot of nasty things about Mitt, … Continue reading

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What’s the hitch?

A couple of BOS meetings ago, the Police Chief appeared before the board to say that they had ticketed a few boat trailers that had been left for an extended period of time at the Mast Landing parking lot.  The … Continue reading

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Forty two to save (and counting)

You might think that the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance is laser focused on saving the iconic Brewster Memorial Hall.  After all, they have it on their seven-to-save list, right?  Not exactly.  You see, every year they add seven more to … Continue reading

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Tabloid News

This week’s Grunter editorial finally recognizes that their reporting has been lacking.  What should be coming clear to everyone is that the business dealings of the town are rarely laid out at public meetings.  The press may decide to only … Continue reading

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No bid document trail

The $200,000 Brewster Hall repair warrant article was passed in March 2012.  Four months later, as of July 11, no work had been put out to public bidding.  I had been made aware of the situation by a concerned town … Continue reading

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Here it is

I gather from the activity on the blog today, that folks are waiting to see what I think of the editorial in Today’s Grunter,  The short answer is – not much. Astute readers will notice that the letter that they … Continue reading

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Taking a break

Looks like things are on track with Brewster Hall bidding.  How bout that – 5 people interested in the carpet job so far?  Guess things must be a little slow for local people. I thought the most interesting part of … Continue reading

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You Decide

I sent this to the Grunter this week. I had to laugh at the Grunter coverage of the latest controversy framed as another Brewster Hall issue. . They had me wondering if I was at the same meeting. The article … Continue reading

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The cost of doing business

As I was saying, I just got a packet of information from the Town Manager in response to my most recent Right to Know request.  There were 252 pages, including many doubles, triples, quadruples, and a few quintuplets.  There was … Continue reading

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What a difference a day makes

Today I received the proceeds of my latest Right to Know request  from the town.  Among other things I had requested communications concerning Brewster Hall repair activities.  I found three emails from the Town Planner initiating the process for developing … Continue reading

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Horse’s mouth

I’m not going to try to go chapter and verse about the “reporting” in this week’s Grunter.  It’s just so over the top.  I’ll just encourage you to take five minutes and watch it for yourself:  Click here. Then ask … Continue reading

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Know your Brewster Hall facts

OK, tonight we’re going to play a new game:  Know your Brewster Hall Facts. Let’s start out with an easy one:  When was the place built? If you guessed anything between 1890 and say 1905 you get credit for a … Continue reading

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Just say no

At the last BOS meeting there was a discussion about implementing a “customer satisfaction survey” of people who go through the town’s zoning and code enforcement process.  In the course of the discussion Dave Senecal threw out an example of … Continue reading

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To Bid or Not to Bid

This week I took a peek at the Selectmen’s agenda to see if they might possibly be following up on the controversy raised at the last meeting concerning the lack of public bidding on Brewster Hall projects.  Nothing,  So I … Continue reading

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Nothing but the best

I’m a great believer in what is often called the 80/20 rule.  Simply put it says that you can usually get 80% of the benefit for 20% of the cost or effort.  The corollary of course is that you typically … Continue reading

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The big lie

You will recall that I recently received a call from a local asbestos abatement contractor who told me that, contrary to what Mr. Owen has been telling everyone, the job was NEVER put out to bid.  Mr. Owen has maintained … Continue reading

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Radiant heat

The sun is beating down hard today, and it reminds me that I got asked some questions about radiant panels at the last BOS meeting. Brewster Hall has electric resistance heaters, most of them baseboard convection units.  Mr. Houseman described … Continue reading

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Where do you draw the line?

Today I got a call from a Wolfeboro citizen that does Asbestos Abatement.  He told me that after the March referendum, he went to the Town Manager and expressed interest in removing the asbestos from Brewter Hall.  He was surprised … Continue reading

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For what it’s worth

At the last Selectman’s meeting, I made an issue of the fact that only one vendor has been asked to provide more than $75,000 worth of windows for BMH.  The Town Manager defended his action by saying it would require … Continue reading

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BOS June 20

Just got back from the BOS meeting.  I went there to listen to the update on Brewster Hall improvements.  Rob Houseman went over the activity to date, but it was a closed discussion and the spreadsheet was not made available … Continue reading

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Kicking a beehive

A week or so ago I was walking from Bradley’s Hardware to the Post Office via the back way.  There was a nice new table on the new sidewalk bumpout outside Crepes Ohh La La, and I couldn’t help wonder … Continue reading

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So how’s that Town Hall Fixup goin?

I’ve submitted two Right to Know requests for all information related to Town Hall repairs.  There was little forthcoming.  They are playing this very close to the vest. There have been no RFPs issued for bidding on any aspect of … Continue reading

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The big picture

As we see the downtown reconstruction taking shape, I can’t imagine

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BOS May 2

Jumped into the BOS meeting on TV at about 30 minutes in.  I don’t think I missed

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All decked out

Everything looks great downtown doesn’t it?  I have no idea if

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In with the new

I know that people like to frame the debate as “for or against”.  You know, either you’re with us or you’re against us.  Any kind of dissent means you disagree with everything and therefore have no valid input to the … Continue reading

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Tick tock

The face of the clock in Brewster Hall is in desperate need of repair, especially the sunny south side. An estimate of around $32,000 was received and a grant for $10,000 was secured.  According to the Town Manager, the Friends … Continue reading

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Make us an offer we can’t refuse

The spin from the restorationists is that even though the majority of voters indicated that they do not support the Friends’ agenda of restoring Brewster Hall for use as Town Offices, there was no other alternative endorsed, so just stay … Continue reading

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Here’s a 6,000 sq ft town office

These folks have one of the lowest tax rates in New Hampshire.  You don’t have to live in a dump to have low taxes.  See the whole description here.

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Just an idea

Here’s one of the possible Library expansion plans that the trustees looked at.  The “old” library is the building at the top. I think it’s about 9,500 sq ft.  That’s about a 50% more space than the current town offices.

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You can’t get there from here

I emailed the results of the article 30 ballot referendum to Andy Smith from the UNH Survey Center, here’s what he had to say: Ouch! Seems like “none of the above” is the answer! From our work with you and … Continue reading

Posted in Brewster Hall/Town Office | 6 Comments

Tag team antics

A little controversy and vilification is good for circulation, and for better of for worse circulation is the measure of a newspaper’s worth.  So it came as no surprise two weeks ago when the Editor pumped up the volume on … Continue reading

Posted in Brewster Hall/Town Office, Town Politics | 2 Comments

Wild wild west

Pretty boring Selectmen’s meeting tonight.  That’s a good thing.  One item of interest though was a letter proposed by Parks and Rec director Ethan Hipple to our State Senator Jeb Bradley.  Ethan drafted the letter and was asking for board … Continue reading

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Looking sideways

One of the things that always amazes me about watching professional sports on television,  especially football, is the way the sportscasters always seem to be able to tell us what the players are actually thinking.  I suppose it’s because most … Continue reading

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Damage control

With a rash of letters this week concerning important national issues, the Editor decided to stay on familiar ground by dedicating half of his editorial to disputing Frank Onishuk’s personal opinion about what is an undeniable lack of voter participation … Continue reading

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BOS April 4th

I tele-attended the BOS meeting tonight. The new chairman is Linda Murray with Sarah Silk as vice-chair. Given that the board members have not changed, assignments to the various town committees was pretty much a re-assignment.  I don’t know when … Continue reading

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Here we go again

Maybe I’m just a little too picky, but I have a thing about accuracy.  Last year, after the $4 million BMH article failed to get the necessary 60% support, Dave Bowers on at least two occasions stated from his chair … Continue reading

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Depot in the depot square

You recall that Dave Ford mentioned an upgrade to Depot Square as part of the downtown work currently in progress.  I got this plan from him today that shows the proposed changes.  The work was precipitated in part by a … Continue reading

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Brief pause

Have to attend to a family event, so will be taking a few days off from the blog.  Hope to have some more energy stuff then and maybe a little more politics. In the meantime, I’ve been following the Volvo … Continue reading

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Stab from the past

Half of the people can be part right all of the time, Some of the people can be all right part of the time. I think Abraham Lincoln said that. “I’ll let you be in my dreams if I can … Continue reading

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