TTC_07_18_18_Vol.14-No.38.p1-12
TTC_07_18_18_Vol.14-No.38.p1-12.pdf
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Page www.TheTownCommon.com July <strong>18</strong> - 24, 20<strong>18</strong><br />
How to Submit<br />
Letters to the Editor<br />
Marc Maravalli, B.S., R.Ph.<br />
Publisher/Editor, The Town Common<br />
Letters to the Editor provide<br />
a useful way of communicating<br />
concerns, issues, or suggestions to<br />
all members of the community.<br />
The Town Common encourages<br />
all citizens to submit letters<br />
concerning issues of interest and<br />
concern to the local community.<br />
Letters selected for publication<br />
may be edited for length and clarity.<br />
Some letters may serve as a catalyst<br />
for other articles or coverage, and<br />
community leaders and agencies<br />
will be offered an opportunity to<br />
respond to letters concerning their<br />
areas of responsibility.<br />
All letters must be signed and<br />
include a daytime telephone<br />
number.<br />
Letters may be submitted to:<br />
The Editor<br />
c/o The Town Common<br />
77 Wethersfield St.<br />
Rowley, MA 01969<br />
or preferably via e-mail to:<br />
editor@thetowncommon.com.<br />
The Town Common deadline is<br />
5pm Wednesday (except when a<br />
federal holiday necessitates an<br />
earlier deadline).<br />
The Town Common<br />
serves the communities of the<br />
Upper North Shore of Mass. &<br />
Coastal New Hampshire and<br />
welcomes your participation.<br />
Send your Organization or Group<br />
Notices, Birth or Engagement<br />
Announcements, Photos, Articles and<br />
Letters to the Editor, by mail, phone,<br />
fax, or e-mail to: 77 Wethersfield St.,<br />
Rowley, MA 01969<br />
Phone: 978-948-8696<br />
Fax: 978-948-2564<br />
E-mail: news@thetowncommon.com<br />
The Town Common<br />
Marc Maravalli, Publisher / Editor<br />
editor@thetowncommon.com<br />
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graphics@thetowncommon.com<br />
Advertising Opportunities<br />
advertise@thetowncommon.com<br />
Event and Announcement Submissions<br />
events@thetowncommon.com<br />
77 Wethersfield Street<br />
Rowley, MA 01969-1713<br />
Phone: (978) 948-8696<br />
Fax: (978) 948-2564<br />
www.thetowncommon.com<br />
The Town Common is not responsible for typographical errors or<br />
omissions, but reprint opportunities do exist for prompt notification<br />
of such errors. Advertisers should notify The Town Common of any<br />
errors in ads on the first day of issuance.<br />
No credits &/or refunds are offered or implied.<br />
All material and content cannot be duplicated without written<br />
consent of the publisher. The right is reserved to reject, omit, or<br />
edit any copy offered for publication.<br />
Copyright 2004-20<strong>18</strong> The Town Common © - All Rights Reserved<br />
In loving memory of<br />
Liz Ichizawa, Reporter (1956 - 2005)<br />
Letters To The Editor<br />
Rowley Special Town Meeting<br />
“the Dave and Joan show”<br />
Dear Editor,<br />
Community Announcements<br />
Community Connections<br />
Business Spotlight<br />
Facebook Site - Rowley Citizens for Governmental Transparency<br />
utilizing M.G.L. c. 231, § 59H seeking to get signatures or support<br />
addressing For governmental financial accountability has been successful,<br />
Real Estate •<br />
Sale<br />
the Facebook site receives numerous visits every day. For This Sale petition site<br />
promotes transparency through public media. Transparency has been<br />
difficult by this town given the recent<br />
Sports • attempts to<br />
Sports • gather records of<br />
Sports<br />
the selectmen and water boards. Rowley citizens thought last year’s<br />
selectmen’s promotions of “citizen un-query” at their meetings were<br />
bad until they found<br />
Pets,<br />
out something<br />
Animals,<br />
at the annual<br />
Plus<br />
town meeting.<br />
To enhance their peasant controls, Article 2 motions were negated.<br />
Thus, the “we run things” culture has strengthened their ability to<br />
manipulate the public. Health & Fitness<br />
The latest “Special” meeting held June <strong>18</strong>, 20<strong>18</strong>, was a correction<br />
meeting to re-appropriate previously appropriated funds for the<br />
school budget. Rowley Selectmen, particularly “boss hog”, did not<br />
expect this tactical redistribution of previously appropriated funds to<br />
be noticed by the voters. The 2:1 mandate by the poll vote on May 8<br />
was completely “ignored” by the selectmen.<br />
Boss Hog informed his followers at the “SPECIAL” that the<br />
selectmen can’t do anything to reduce the school budget. That<br />
profound statement shows the complacent culture of our “only”<br />
elected officials that “could” do something. With that statement, Boss<br />
Hog admitted that they are not concerned for “us” or the 722 voters<br />
(60% of the vote) at the last election. The selectmen are the only<br />
representatives for “us” voters in Rowley that “can” do something!<br />
And the voters know it!!! At the town meeting, only <strong>12</strong>1 members<br />
attended. Dave Peterson, supported by his wife Joan, acting as town<br />
moderator, pushed through the “un-vetted” “unchecked” triton<br />
budget by re-appropriating funds!<br />
The selectmen’s “validators”, the finance committee and town<br />
moderator Joan Peterson, conjured up the $139,808 dollar school<br />
funding article.<br />
Did they rob Peter to pay Paul?<br />
Selectmen Peterson spent an exorbitant amount of time explaining<br />
with his deep authoritative voice his logic. In support, Selectmen<br />
Snow added a 10 second explanation. The other selectmen remained<br />
silent. Selectmen Peterson has a very supportive wife, Moderator<br />
Peterson. Why wouldn’t he get the vote up with their army of 88<br />
versus the 722 poll voters on May 8?<br />
The army was amassed the second time this year to thwart those<br />
uninvolved voters and were shown “how it’s done”!!! 88 town<br />
meeting member attendees walked lockstep with our town fathers<br />
again instead of supporting the Rowley ballot vote. All opposition<br />
voters totaled 19. My guess, the 703 missing voters were busy at their<br />
“second jobs” gathering funds for their taxes.<br />
Budget preparation, price checking and oversight committee<br />
The<br />
(finance) thriftiness<br />
Town<br />
are not allowed in Rowley. Drop<br />
Common<br />
in to a meeting<br />
or two and ask the hard questions.<br />
Oops!!! I forgot, citizen queries are not allowed at meetings, only<br />
comments! It’s like the Article 2 right we had and no one seems to be<br />
able to tell when, why or who took it away.<br />
Ask Joan!!<br />
Tim Toomey<br />
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<br />
Summer Traditions at the<br />
Historic Whittier Home &<br />
Museum in Amesbury<br />
The Town Common Courtesy Photo<br />
It is no small feat to keep a beautiful House Museum and National<br />
Historic Landmark in tip-top condition, but the members of the<br />
John Greenleaf Whittier Home in Amesbury are working hard to do<br />
just that. President, Christina Bryant reports that this year’s projects<br />
include the scraping and painting of all three porches, fence repair<br />
along Picard St. and the insulation of the attic in hopes of reducing<br />
heating bills this coming winter. Many windows have also been<br />
repaired and sealed towards this goal. Maintenance of an historical<br />
property must adhere to stringent guidelines and we have done our<br />
due diligence to ensure that these guidelines are being followed.<br />
Though the attic insulation is being funded in part by a matching<br />
partnership grant from Essex National Heritage, the expense is high.<br />
As a non-profit we can only meet these costs by hosting events, giving<br />
tours and relying on the donations of loyal supporters of the Home.<br />
The Museum is open for tours every Saturday from 11:00 to<br />
4:00. Trained docents will guide visitors through all the rooms and<br />
outbuildings of the Home which have been kept in original condition.<br />
We host student groups from the surrounding areas and offer tours by<br />
appointment for special groups. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for<br />
seniors, $3 for MTA members with ID card, veterans and children<br />
accompanied by adults are free.<br />
On Saturday, July 21st from 2:00 to 4:00 we will host our annual<br />
Summer Tea in the Victorian Garden. This a lovely way to spend<br />
an afternoon, in the beautifully maintained garden where Whittier<br />
once sat amongst his fruit trees and grape arbor. The grape arbor is<br />
still there and bears luscious concord grapes in the autumn. During<br />
the Tea guests will be treated to a savory and sweet buffet, with oldfashioned<br />
tea sandwiches and mouthwatering sweet treats. Whittier<br />
Home members will serve hot and iced tea to guests in china teapots<br />
and teacups, at tables with cloths, flowers and china plates. Classical<br />
guitarist, John Tavano will provide soothing background music to<br />
augment the ambience of this treasured event. The buffet is elegantly<br />
presented by Amesbury’s grand dame of hospitality and humor,<br />
Rosemary Werner. This will be Rosey’s swan song at the Whittier<br />
Home as she and her husband will be moving south to enjoy a gentle<br />
retirement in the fall. She will be greatly missed! Don’t miss this<br />
grand summer tradition! The cost is $20 per person. Reservations<br />
can be made by calling the Whittier Home at 978-388-1337.<br />
On Sunday, August <strong>12</strong>th from 3:00 to 5:00 poets, and those<br />
who love poetry are invited to the 20th Annual Tapestry of Voices<br />
Poetry Celebration held in the garden at the Whittier Home.<br />
Tapestry of Voices was co-founded by Lainie Senechal, Amesbury’s<br />
first Poet Laureate, poet, painter and environmentalist, and Harris<br />
Gardner, much-published poet and recipient of the Ibbetson Street<br />
Life Time Achievement Award in 2015. Together they have partnered<br />
with the Whittier Home to present such literary luminaries as Rhina<br />
P. Espaillat, Alfred Nicol and many others reading the poetry of<br />
Whittier as well as their own works. This year’s readings will celebrate<br />
Danvers not only Agway the 20th anniversary of the event, but also Amesbury’s<br />
350th 9 Wenham birthday. St This event is free and open to the public with light<br />
refreshments provided after the reading.<br />
The Whittier Home and Museum is a welcoming and exciting place<br />
to visit! We hope to see many of you there this summer. Visit out<br />
website at www.whittierhome.org or call 978-388-1337 for notice of<br />
upcoming events.