Retiring from Board of Selectmen after three years
After serving as part of the team of Selectpersons for the past three years, I want to thank those I served with and worked with. When I entered office, I was not prepared for the scope of work or the knowledge-base that the job of Selectperson requires. My singular goal while running for office was […]
House cuts must pass many hurdles
Elections have consequences. We saw that in the last few weeks, when Republicans finally found their voice and set about to dismantle what our bipartisan legislature had worked hard to achieve over the past two years. The Finance Committee voted to cut $68 million from the Department of Transportation (DOT), mostly in personnel cuts which […]
Precedent is to let Town Meeting decide
Dear Members of the Board of Selectmen and Members of the Budget Committee and Town Administrator, Thank you for serving Andover with your best efforts and your desire to do what is best for the community. It is sometimes a thankless job, and I am grateful that you have stepped up to the task. In […]
Keen sense of ownership and commitment
Town Administrator Marj Roy and I met in late August to design a strategic plan to improve the process of developing the school and municipal budgets. Our approach focused on devising a meaningful exchange of information among all parties involved (Board of Selectmen, department heads, Town Administrator, School Board, Budget Committee, and the public) and developing […]
Doing their best at a very tough job
What a winter it has been! As I look out the window of my warm and cozy house, I can see the plow trucks going by. Some are driven by people who work to keep our town roads and parking lots safe, and some are driven by people who work to keep driveways and private […]
Legislature hard at work, despite snow cancellations
The House has settled after the dramatic upheaval of a few weeks ago when Shawn Jasper became Speaker instead of Bill O’Brien. While there are still some lingering bad feelings among the two Republican factions, committee chairs and vice chairs appointed by Speaker Jasper have been busy scheduling hearings, and a sense of normality seems […]
Introduces four-year term for governor again
We had our first House session of 2015 on January 7. Concealed weapons were again allowed anywhere in the State House, reversing the previous House stand. A new rule requiring the support of 20 members instead of 10 to ask for a roll call was tabled 343 to 36. Representative Bill O’Brien’s attempt to have […]
Many details impact costs and benefits
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels produce DC electricity when sunlight strikes a chemically-coated silicone cell. The amount of power produced fluctuates with the intensity of the sun. The DC current moves though wires to an inverter, where it is converted into AC current, the type of electricity that runs our households and businesses. A solar PV […]
It may seem a lifetime ago, but the 2014 election was just over a month ago. I want to thank all who participated, and especially those who voted to re-elect me to represent our three beautiful towns of Andover, Salisbury, and Danbury. My buddy, David Karrick, also got the nod, as did Senator Andrew Hosmer […]
There's a lot to like about the Beacon
Polite letters to the editor! A whole lot of pages, every issue! High-quality paper and large type! Absence of political rants and raves! Spelling and grammer correct, mostly! You only have to read it once a month! The “Beacon Members Win!” giveaways! You get it free – whether you want it or not! Lots of […]