Former South Berwick town manager to file complaint with Human …
Foster’s Daily Democrat
Emboldened by a recent ruling from the state Department of Labor that found he was pressured to resign, former Town Manager Jeff Grossman is launching an aggressive campaign to get his old job back.
New leadership takes the reins at two SAD 35 schools
Foster’s Daily Democrat
There will be some new faces walking the halls of two School Administrative District 35 schools this fall.
State pushes Kittery to join with Wells school district
Foster’s Daily Democrat
The state is asking the local School Committee to meet with the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District School Committee to talk about consolidating the two districts in an effort to cut costs.
Property valuations are mailed in Eliot
York Weekly
Homeowners may have been shocked with the new property valuations they received in the mail this week, but the town assessor urges residents to use caution when interpreting the numbers.
Morning crash injures Berwick woman
Foster’s Daily Democrat
A Berwick, Maine woman escaped serious injury Wednesday morning after police say her car veered across the center line and nearly collided head on with a Berwick Public Works truck.
p.s. giving your opinion in the papers is a lot better than saying nothing at all. It’s a form of communication and the councilors that go on record should be commended for it, any of them. I wish they would all do it, maybe we would better understand what they were thinking. Leaking? that’s a huge stretch.
for some
You know, in big boy world, when someone loses a corporate battle, they suck it up and move on…..and the corporation presents a UNITED FRONT on the decision if the corporation should face litigation as the result of the decision.
That is what should have gone on here. Talking to the papers, back dooring people, it is disgraceful. Utterly disgraceful. IF THIS TOWN HAD ADEQUATE LEGAL COUNSEL, the lawyer would be telling the group to shut up……..
This gets more and more childish and idiotic and ineptly handled every day. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, we are all going to pay dearly for these antics.
How do we dump this entire group and get a new council of experienced, professional, educated adults?
we tried that. It got voted down.
Like it or not, it’s called democracy. You have to run in elections to get in (or out). Mid- term referendums on a whim of 10% was ill-conceived.
Just reread the article on this situation. Ultimately it could cost the town 300K. Peachy. Time for these fools to grow up and hire a real lawyers.
Also, whatever Burke did or didn’t ask Grossman to do as far as scheduling a meeting is a ridiculous premise for this guy to ask to be paid his entire salary for the next two years.
The Town Council — WITH ITS ATTORNEY — needs to up the ante here considerably and change the playing field to consider Grossman’s competence. They should — WITH PROPER REPRESENTATION — be in there fighting this on multiple fronts.
Not this idiotic back and forth about who said they would schedule a meeting, and who went to executive decisions. This is like some stupid playground battle.
I, for one, am seriously not interested in paying for the Town Council to continue its amateur hour on trying to settle this.
and, we should also go after that organization that did the search for the town when they hired Grossman.
Why was the town not advised of Grossman’s previous litigation efforts?????????????????????????????????
This is trench warfare, and its about time the Council woke up and realized it. Before they cost us 300K
Run for council?
careful anonymous some people in here think they are doing a fine job! they get quite upset with those of us who express a distaste for incompetence.
i’d love to, but I couldn’t get elected. I’m a newcomer to town, and I favor a sound ordinance, and prodding the current code enforcement officer to actually enforce the codes and the Town Zoning Board’s decisions for ALL town residents. Not just some.
So, i couldn’t get elected. There’d be some pretty heavy duty action against me.
God knows, i understand that, BSS…..
and you know, i resent paying for their delusions.
Well, we’re ALL paying for someone’s delusions by approving the school budget. Don’t think you corner the market on resentment! I’d love to run for the school board, but I don’t see eye to eye with ONE person on that board, and I don’t want the aggravation.
Two questions >>> so how great are the new computers the board bought themselves? Did they get the gaming equipped models? Those are sweet.
And, so, has the Town Council asked for bids or proposals on a new health insurance policy for town employees? Or are we still going to be one of the few remaining muncipalities or businesses in the country offering a complete free ride?
i think the maintenance man needs a laptop for his new van in case he gets lost going home, he could always google mapquest.
They’ll probably have to put that in next year’s budget. I don’t think there is enough money to cover that in the big slush account.
Wow, now there’s some cynicism.
the assistant to the assistant principal will find a way
i don’t think its cynicism at all….i think they have truly abused the trust of the public and people are getting just completely fed up.
The council, the school board, they don’t seem to grasp that many people in town are having a very hard time economically. its not good enough to whine that employment law is “complex”, and no wonder things got screwed up. They have to settle this before it costs the town a couple hundred thousand more dollars. And the way to settle this is to make it just as expensive for Grossman, and all the people supporting him (the MME or whoever it was) to continue.
And the rest of this, the computers, the insurance, the assistant to the assistant……there’s an attitude here towards public money that has to change.
Then run for office.
It’s easy to snipe. All these folks are public minded people, donating their time for no other reason thatn they offered up themselves to face issues with the judgements that bring to the task.
Part of the problem has been that the Council has had a bad professional manager for years. The interim manager is holding down the fort as best she can; but they need a competent Town Manager, which they are in the process of hiring.
Maybe I should have put a little smiley face after my comment. Sharon, no offense, but I’ll pose this question to you since you’ve most recently brought it up. Does EVERYONE who has a ‘cynical’ opinion, or a differing opinion have to run for office? There are very few seats available on town council or the school board, and there are as many opinions as there are people so that isn’t even a realistic response to a negative comment. I don’t think it is ‘sniping’ to voice an opinion, nor do I think you have to run for office in order to voice an opinion. And I’m tired of people labeling other people’s posts as cynical. I don’t label peoples’ viewpoints as ‘idiotic’, ‘short-sighted’, ‘negative’, ‘cynical’, though goodness knows there have been quite a few posts that fall into those categories and I resent you passing judgment on mine. This silliness has gone on so long in town that I now find it laughable, and my post was a tongue-in-cheek response to a lighthearted viewpoint. Sometimes humor can diffuse a situation, and people can cope with difficulties more easily. Lighten up, for heaven’s sakes. Have you forgotten how to laugh?
I’m just some schmuck on the blog; passing out a lighthearted comment of my own. Ignore it! or sensitive are you?
LJ, You express an opinion that all these councilors and board members are insensitive, or arrogant, or something else. I know that not to be true at all. They are earnest, hard working public minded people for the most part. So I see your comments as cynical, sarcastic at least. But that’s just this schmuck.
You know, doing this job for free and, really, truly having the best interests of everyone at heart shouldn’t be a catch-all excuse for doing the job badly. Nor do those automatically make you good at the job.
These guys, with this termination, were clearly completely out of their depth…..they didn’t turn to anyone or at least to the right people for help. Why? who knows…expense, arrogance, ignorance. Bottomline, whatever, they have now made a bad situation/decision worse, thru a repeat of the same behavior.
Now, potentially, unless they change their ways, we’re going to end up paying Grossman more money. In a town that is really on a respirator financially due primarily to Grossman’s management……..
Who sees something wrong with this picture? It isn’t a cynical reaction, its a sensible reaction to be horrified at this mess….We need some people here who are willing to admit that things are a mess and they need some help!!!! Before it gets worse >>>> even with the best of intentions on their part.
I mean, geez, I would really and truly love to pilot an F-47…and I’d do it for free! Can I try?
I believe they relied on their attorney to get it right, and maybe he didn’t. But maybe he did and Grossman’s stuff is all bluster.
Show me where I said that ‘all these councilors and board members are insensitive, arrogant or something else.’ I said nothing of the sort. The fact that they are earnest, hard-working, blah, blah, blah, matters not IF they continually make decisions that are not sound for the town. None of us have jobs that give brownie points for being earnest or hard-working IF the results don’t have the desired effect. “Well, the CEO of the XYZ company managed to get the company several hundred thousand dollars in debt, but, boy, did he work hard at it.” Not so much. I don’t think you are a schmuck, HOWEVER, even if I did I wouldn’t say it, nor would I pass judgment on you or anybody else for stating their opinion. I might disagree with your opinions, but I don’t label.
At this point, they should stop taking chances that Grossman’s stuff is all bluster. They need to stop talking, stop sniping at each other, present a united front — the decision and the mistakes have been made, the dye is cast — hire a competent attorney and END THIS.
LJ,
Seems to me if you don’t care or dismiss my comments, you would not be so worked up. I seem have struck a nerve.
This is citizen government. No one hires CEOs for this …. except of course a Town Manager, who is supposed to to be a professional. Your analogy misses the point.
You are absolutely right, Sharon. I am completely wrong and will not ever disagree with you again.
Sharon,
I think you’re missing the point. No matter how well intentioned the group is, if they aren’t competent in this position, they do more harm than good……..it doesn’t matter how hard they work or are willing to work…
if they don’t know what they are doing, they get in trouble…….and that’s what seems to have happened here.
No one may have intended to get into this mess, but they are there now, we are there with them. The point is to admit you are over your head, get help and MOVE ON> without financially crippling the town further…..
By the way, I’ve said your comments are cynical or sarcastic. They are!! I haven’t said you are cynical. This schmuck hasn’t labeled you.
And no you didn’t strike a nerve. I asked you to back up the comment you made about me. You did not. You addressed yourself to me, I had the decency to respond and not ignore. It is called manners. But I certainly will remember to dismiss what you say in the future.
Well at least there’s that sarcasm………………
i guess we’re supposed to be happy about all this. We’re supposed to keep shrugging it off because they are public minded people. we’re not to question any of this. Just put on a happy face, otherwise you are cynical and sarcastic. We should just sit back and hope that Mr Grossman is bluffing. We should just sit back and watch as the council continues to trip all over themselves at our expense. 102K plus legal fees already with the potential for much more is hardly a bluster. i realize a few members of our council think this is a “bluster” but i for one have seen enough. Call me cynical, call me sarcastic, just don’t forget to call me fed up.
Me too. As soon as my kid graduates, i’m firesaling the house and getting out of here. this is ridiculous. These people are going to bankrupt the town if they continue on in this fashion for another three or four years. Anyone bother yet — i know this is quibbling — to develop any estimates whatsoever on what the carrying costs are going to be this winter for our favorite white elephant, the church?
oh our future million dollar library that came complete without windows! brilliant.
yes, whose brother-in-law has been chosen to do the architectural renderings? And whose sister-in-law has been designated to sell us the heating oil for it for the winter? If they delay the purchase long enough, oil may be back over 140, so we can pay top dollar like we want to….
we had to jump right on that as if we had the money.
Lady Jane, I enjoy your posts!
My understanding is that “even though it was a bad deal, there was a group of people who really wanted it”……. some rationalization. Also there seems to be this theory going around that it “didn’t really cost anything cause money had been set aside”.
The money management skills here are beyond appalling.
wow!!!!!!
you never heard that? every time i’ve talked to anyone in town about it, those are the town rationalizations offered.
Man, you guys just gush cynicism. Those are real uplifting posts. And your ideas for a better town are…?
I’m one of the rednecks who have lived in this town pretty much all my life.
What is wrong with a little cynicism? I think it’s pretty judgemental to keep calling people cynical. Isn’t what this forum is for? “rants and raves” as well as suggestions?
Opinions are just that. I think some people just want to express themselves and may not feel comfortable speaking at a town meeting.
From what I’ve seen in my time living in this town, there are some things to be cynical about. I don’t read this blog for news or research. I read it because it’s entertaining and a way to see how my fellow citizens are thinking and feeling. Plenty of people say things I don’t really care for, but to be so critical of someone else’s posts because they don’t offer a solution to the towns problems is pretty harsh IMO. I’m just say’n……….
Thank you MM. Sharon, I am not going to solve the towns problems here, nor will I try. I don’t have to explain myself to you, however I am at the town meetings and I am at the school board meetings, I speak up and I put my time in. I’ve posted positive thoughts and I’ve posted not so positive thoughts. It just so happens that on this subject, I don’t really have a good thing to say. Stop crying about the cynics. It’s old.
Calling everyone cynical is simply an effort to dismiss the entire situation and disregard the fact that we’ve got a group of people in charge who have demonstrated very clearly that they are in way over their heads.
Look, they paid an inflated price for a piece of property that there is nothing more than a whisp of a plan for…..no estimates have been done on the rehab, renovations or even carrying costs. And the town couldn’t/can’t afford any of it. Cost? Well, for starters, the 800K purchase price……to actually make any use of it? Who knows…..
They completely screwed up the termination of the Town Manager. The town has already paid over 100K in termination costs and could be on the line for at least 200K more.
Come on. At some point, facing reality can not be dismissed as cynicism. Its called being a grown up, cutting your losses and dealing head on with a situation.
If we don’t, then the entire town is going to suffer….you think that this year’s tax increase was something? They keep going the way they are going, just wait till next year. Gonna knock your socks off…..
Feel beter?
i feel great knowing that Anonymous, Ladyjane and MM make sense anyway.
Thanks. There are a number of people in town and on this board that feel the same. However, making sense and making change are two different things, especially when you disagree with the most popular opinions!
I can’t believe anyone would defend that town manager sleeze bag. Who does he think he is? People do get fired from jobs everyday because companies are not happy with performance. If they are lucky they get a severance package but it is never 102,000!!!!
He is a public servant and he is supposed to be serving the town…he works for us and he was doing a poor job. Our finances were so messed up and he could not get along with people. His management approach of my way or the highway is not going to work in this town. People are educated here.
If he was any kind of a professional, he would have quietly walked away and felt fortunate to get $102,000. The fact that he is going for unemployment is deplorable. He is unprofessional and we should be glad to be rid of him. He is the one that is causing all the publicity here with all his interviews with the paper….not the town.
Also, the fact that he told the paper that he went to Foxwoods after getting fired says it all…..