Congressman Frank coming to Dartmouth

Barney Frank will attend the next Dartmouth Democratic Town Committee Meeting to speak on healthcare reform and the financial implications of it.
Th e meeting will be August 18th, 2009 @ 6:30 at the Southworth Library

Mr. Frank is always informative and entertaining.
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Bob Dylan on Friday, If you gotta go, go now- 1965

One of his funkiest sounds


And here is the rest.
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Police Department organization and appointments

At this week's Select Board meeting, the Board discussed appointments within the police department and that we would launch a search for a Deputy Police Chief to include those outside the department. The Dartmouth Police Department employees with the exception of the Chief work under the civil service law. Promotions are based upon civil service tests and other factors which add up to give candidates a score. The top three scorers are presented to the Select Board for appointment. The top scorer must be appointed unless a valid reason for selecting another candidate is given.
The department has proposed a new structure in which a position of Deputy Police Chief is created. That position would join the Chief in not being a civil service position. The proposed new structure is graphically represented in this link
The board agreed to appoint ...

... a new captain at our next meeting on August 3rd. Since some candidates for captain also appear on the lieutenant's list, the choice made may affect the candidates list for lieutenant., the selection made for lieutenant may affect the available choices for sargeant. So we decided to take the positions one at a time, captain first, then lieutenant, then sargeant.
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Your health care dollars at work

This Washington Post article tells you what your health care premiums are buying.

Besides Congressmen, I mean.
Click here to read on!

Local option taxes

Massachusetts has passed a couple of local option taxes that allow municipalities to levy a surcharge on restaurant meals and hotel rooms. The state has also put a surcharge on restaurant meals of 1.25%. Cities and towns have the option of adding an additional .75% to the state surcharge. The tax will take effect on October 1 and the state will begin collecting their portion. In order for the town to levy their percentage, the local legislature, the Town Meeting in Dartmouth's case, must vote to accept the section of Mass General Law (Chapter 64L section 2a) that allows the tax. See the bulletin from the Department of Revenue (DOR) here that details the steps needed. The DOR has also issued a spreadsheet...

... that estimates the revenue that could be raised by the town in FY2010. The spreadsheet in MS Excel format is at this link.
The meals tax is estimated to net about $440K for the town while the hotel room tax would raise about $33K per percentage adopted. The town can levy up to 2%.
A special Town Meeting would have to convene before Aug 31st and vote to accept the new tax statute. The Select Board has scheduled a hearing on Aug 3rd to here from the public on the new tax and to deliberate on calling for a Town Meeting.
hat tip to ML Nunes for the information from the DOR
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Dartmouth Heritage Trust Annual Meeting July 29

“Preserving Dartmouth’s Heritage from the Foundation Up”

Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust Annual Meeting

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 – 6:00 P.M.

At the Wamsutta Club (James Arnold Mansion)
427 County Street, New Bedford, MA

Guest Speaker – Ms. Valerie Talmage
Executive Director, Preserve Rhode Island

The public is cordially invited to the Annual Meeting of the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 6:00 P.M. at the historic Wamsutta Club (James Arnold/William J. Rotch Mansion) 427 County Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts.
The theme of the DHPT annual meeting is: "Protecting whole communities -- collaborations between historic preservation and land conservation.”
Our featured speaker is Ms. Valerie Talmage, Executive Director of Preserve Rhode Island. Our past, your present, their future [www.preserveri.org.
Ms. Talmage will challenge us to ask ourselves “Where is the boundary between land conversation and historic preservation?” While historic preservation and land conservation share many goals, those intrepid protectors live in parallel worlds–separated by laws and rules, governmental institutions, programs, academic backgrounds, and experience–and march to different drummers. How often have we wondered, as we admire a scenic landscape, “What was the house like?” It doesn’t have to be that way.

Valerie Talmage is the Executive Director of Preserve Rhode Island, a statewide non-profit preservation organization with a mission to protect the state's historic structures and unique places for now and for future generations. Prior to joining Preserve Rhode Island in 2007, Talmage was the Director of Projects for the New England Regional Office of the Trust for Public Land, overseeing a portfolio of land conservation
and historic preservation projects throughout New England. Her previous job was as a Land Protection Specialist with The Trustees of Reservations. Talmage spent the first fifteen years of her career at the Massachusetts Historical Commission, first as State Archaeologist and later as its Executive Director and the State Historic Preservation
Officer. She has a B.A. from Wesleyan University and a M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania.
The Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust is a 501 (C) 3, nonprofit preservation organization, established in 2007, specifically to protect and preserve architecturally and historically significant structures and sites located in the town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts and surrounding communities, through the acquisition of such structures and sites, and easement interests therein, through providing financial and technical assistance in connection with the preservation and restoration of such structures and sites, and through education and advocacy.
The Trust manages the 1762 Elihu Akin House and is overseeing its structural conservation. The Trust has received a $195,000 grant from Dartmouth’s Community Preservation Act historic preservation fund. Conservation work begins this summer. The third season of archaeological fieldwork, under the direction of Dr. Christina Hodge, concluded in early July. The DHPT has established a preservation restriction program for private property owners and a partnership with the Wamsutta Club of New Bedford to help oversee the restoration of the James Arnold Mansion.
Please join us on Wednesday, July 29 at 6 p.m. for the Trust’s Annual Meeting. Refreshments will be served. Cash bar. A brief business meeting will include the election of new Board members and a report on the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust’s prior year’s activities. Our featured presentation is a perennially fascinating topic and will be of special interest to advocates of historic preservation and land conservation alike.
More after the jump

Valerie Talmage is the Executive Director of Preserve Rhode Island, a statewide non-profit preservation organization with a mission to protect the state's historic structures and unique places for now and for future generations. Prior to joining Preserve Rhode Island in 2007, Talmage was the Director of Projects for the New England Regional Office of the Trust for Public Land, overseeing a portfolio of land conservation
and historic preservation projects throughout New England. Her previous job was as a Land Protection Specialist with The Trustees of Reservations. Talmage spent the first fifteen years of her career at the Massachusetts Historical Commission, first as State Archaeologist and later as its Executive Director and the State Historic Preservation
Officer. She has a B.A. from Wesleyan University and a M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania.
The Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust is a 501 (C) 3, nonprofit preservation organization, established in 2007, specifically to protect and preserve architecturally and historically significant structures and sites located in the town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts and surrounding communities, through the acquisition of such structures and sites, and easement interests therein, through providing financial and technical assistance in connection with the preservation and restoration of such structures and sites, and through education and advocacy.
The Trust manages the 1762 Elihu Akin House and is overseeing its structural conservation. The Trust has received a $195,000 grant from Dartmouth’s Community Preservation Act historic preservation fund. Conservation work begins this summer. The third season of archaeological fieldwork, under the direction of Dr. Christina Hodge, concluded in early July. The DHPT has established a preservation restriction program for private property owners and a partnership with the Wamsutta Club of New Bedford to help oversee the restoration of the James Arnold Mansion.
Please join us on Wednesday, July 29 at 6 p.m. for the Trust’s Annual Meeting. Refreshments will be served. Cash bar. A brief business meeting will include the election of new Board members and a report on the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust’s prior year’s activities. Our featured presentation is a perennially fascinating topic and will be of special interest to advocates of historic preservation and land conservation alike.
For additional information, please contact Diane M. Gilbert, President, the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust, (508) 993-1216, cell (508) 965-7265, d.m.gilbert@ComCast.net or Peggi Medeiros, Clerk, (508) 992-9624 or (508) 997-7431, pmedeiros@ComCast.net
Click here to read on!

Former insurance executive on our health care system

A lengthy (hour long) interview with Wendell Potter, former Cigna insurance spokesman. He tells what the corporate interests are and how they advance them.
Hint: it's not your health they're worried about.
Once again, Amy Goodman shows us what we are missing with our current crop of corporate talking heads on network and cable news.


Uncle Walter would be proud.
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Dr. Howard Dean on health care reform

This is a lengthy interview with Howard Dean, physician, former chair of the DNC and governor of Vermont and past presidential candidate about health care reform. If you have the time, it's worth the education.


Amy Goodman and Democracy Now are the best!
Click here to read on!

Governor and legislature have more work to do.

In my blog poll here last week about half the respondents were opposed to any further increases in state revenue. While true that teh poll is not a particularly representative sample, it does indicate that the people of the Commonwealth are not ready to accept more taxes. The Governor and legislature are going to have to cut services to make the budget balance if they don't get more revenue. Of course, the crux of the matter is where those cuts fall. Cutting local aid or Chapter 70 school aid pushes the problem onto the municipalities. Cutting spending on items like Quinn bill funding takes the money right out of the pockets of police officers.
I'm sure that the Governor and legislative leaders are working ...

... on where the next cuts will fall. My hope is that the information is presented as soon as possible so that municipalities can plan for the shortfalls if their aid is to be cut. The late passage of the current FY10 budget and the uncertainty of the amount of reduction made it very difficult to plan our town budget. I suspect that the Governor will be forced to make mid year reductions in local aid, as he did last year, in the current fiscal year as well. Knowing that sooner than later prevents the town from overspending the budget. Mid year reductions are a kind of double whammy since you can't unspend funds and the town is forced to make more drastic cuts for the remainder of the year to catch up.
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More evidence that our health care system is failing us

Think our health care is best, watch this


High cost, poor results. Time for a change
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Support grows for health reform

This Blue Mass Group post reports that the radical group, the American Medical Association(AMA), has endorsed the health care reform bill currently working its way through the US House committees.
The AMA said,

"This legislation includes a broad range of provisions that are key to effective, comprehensive health system reform."

The House is likely to pass this bill. To pressure Democratic Senators to follow the House lead, go to this website and vote ...

...which Senator should have a TV ad aimed at their constituents which urges their support. Contribute if you can.
Click here to read on!

Mirror, Mirror report

The Commomwealth Fund has looked at US health care outcomes compared to other nations every other year for 6 years. The result, the US comes in last!
The report summary says,

Among the six nations studied—Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States—the U.S. ranks last, as it did in the 2006 and 2004 editions of Mirror, Mirror. Most troubling, the U.S. fails to achieve better health outcomes than the other countries, and as shown in the earlier editions, the U.S. is last on dimensions of access, patient safety, efficiency, and equity.

The summary shows the US per capita health care spending is $6,102. The next highest cost is Canada at $3,165. And the report continues, ...

...

The most notable way the U.S. differs from other countries is the absence of universal health insurance coverage. Other nations ensure the accessibility of care through universal health insurance systems and through better ties between patients and the physician practices that serve as their long-term "medical home.

Read the whole summary here
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Liliy, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts-Dylan

Liliy, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts from 1975


Drillin in the wall
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Senator Bernie Saunders of Vermont gets it right

Is Senator John McCain in favor of socialized medicine? It seems the answer is, yes. Watch this.


Our Senators in Massachusetts are in favor of everyone having health care. If you can exert pressure on other Senators to get health care for everyone, please do it. Thanks.
Click here to read on!

Governor proposes expansion of charter schools

Via Blue Mass group blog comes this post about a proposal to expand the number of charter schools allowed in the Commonwealth. I support charter schools and I hope that someday we open one in our town.
A group is needed to take up the challenge ...

... of getting a charter school and move it to fruition. Any takers out there?
Click here to read on!

Robert Reich on the House health care plan

From his TPM blog, Robert Reich makes the case for funding the proposed health care bill being considered in the House. Mr. Reich says,

But to say out loud, as the House has just done, that those in our society who can most readily afford it should pay for the health insurance of those who cannot is, well, audacious. There's another word for it: fair.

Read the whole post here


He closes with this,

Tax the wealthy to keep everyone healthy. Not even a bad bumper sticker.

I believe that we, as a society, have a duty to prevent others from suffering needlessly. This House bill is a step in that direction.
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Physicians for National Health Program

Take a look at this FAQ from the Physicians for National Health Program (PNHP)
It lays to rest many of the myths of health care reform. Here is an example,

Over sixty percent (60.5 percent) of health spending in the U.S. is funded by government. Official figures for 2005 peg government’s share of total health expenditure at 45.4 percent, but this excludes two items:
1. Tax subsidies for private insurance, which cost the federal treasury $188.6 billion in 2004. These predominantly benefit wealthy taxpayers.
2. Government purchases of private health insurance for public employees such as police officers and teachers. Government paid private insurers $120.2 billion for such coverage in 2005: 24.7 percent of the total spending by U.S. employers for private insurance.

You see we taxpayers already pay ...

...the lions share of health care costs in the country. That's because of two groups of people who are already covered by government programs, children and the elderly.
A single payer system that covered everyone in the country, including Town of Dartmouth employees, would save our town over $4 million dollars in health insurance costs. That's money that you and I already pay for health insurance. But there's more savings than that. Town employees pay half of the premiums for their health insurance. Those employees would get all that money too, instead of paying it for insurance.
I'm sure that most of you pay something in addition to what your employer pays for health insurance. What if you didn't have to pay those premiums? What if your employer didn't? I haven't heard anyone on the teevee mentioning that savings when talking about the costs of the program.
Bottom line is that we pay too much for less effective health care and don't even cover everyone. Most other industrial countries get more and better health care at lower cost and cover everyone. Don't you think that our country, the wealthiest and most advanced in the world could do the same?
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US House leaders agree on health care bill

It looks as if the House leadership has agreed on a health care reform bill. You can read it at a link here. Jonathan Cohn at the New Republic health care blog has analysis of the bill here. Looks pretty good to me. Better than I expected to come out. The Senate is where the fight is. People need to push hard ...

... to get this bill through. Contact your Representative and both our Senators, Kerry and Kennedy. The insurance and pharmaceutical interests are going to pull out all the stops to prevent this from happening.
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Chamber of Commerce study ranks our state tops in educational effectiveness

The US Chamber of Commerce ranked Massachusetts first in educational effectiveness in a recent study. The study results and other information can be found at this link, http://www.uschamber.com/icw/reportcard/default
Our schools got nearly straight A's.

Is the Chamber correct?
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Police department retirements and promotions

The Dartmouth Police department has seen a number of retirements and there are more on the horizon. Chief Pacheco had introduced a plan to revamp the present structure of the department to the legislature for approval. That approval was received last year and was needed because the police department falls under the civil service act. The new structure will have a Police Chief, Deputy Police Chief, Operations Captain, shift lieutenants, shift sargeants and patrolmen. The Chief and Deputy Chief would be non civil service positions. I think that the Chief's plan is the most effective way to staff the department.
One of our two captains has already retired and the other has given notice of his retirement. A lieutenant has also retired. Chief Pacheco himself has indicated that he will retire in the next year or two.
As a result of the recent and pending retirements, ...

...the Select Board has called for the civil service list for promotion to sargeant, lieutenant and captain. In addition to the civil service test scores, the town passed a bylaw in Fall 2008 that requires a number of years of service in the Dartmouth Police department for promotion. (Article 5 at this link)
Under our charter, the Select Board are the police commissioners and are thereby responsible for appointments in the department in accordance with the civil service and town bylaws. I expect the Select Board to take up the matter of police promotions in the very near future.
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More recycling is needed

The Fall River Herald News reports in this article that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has cited local businesses and schools for inadequate recycling efforts. We need more of this in my view. Singapore recycles all solid waste, Europeans recycle much more than we do. Measures also need to be instituted, packaging standards, etc., that reduce the amount of stuff that gets thrown out.
Dartmouth has seen a huge decrease, ...

... on the order of 50%, in the amount of trash produced after a pay as you throw system was implemented. Other communities should consider the approach.
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How should we pay for state government?

The Blue Mass Group asks the question, How should we pay for state government? I think that is a valid question. The recent increase in sales tax will fund some of what we need but is not adequate. The Governor wants to increase gasoline taxes. Some, including myself, feel that an increase in the income tax rate in the most equitable way to raise the money. I would go a step further and make the income tax progressive like the federal income tax. That would require amending the state constitution. Alternatively, the current flat rate could be applied without deductions as is done in some other states.
A time of economic hardship is not an opportune time ...

... to be raising taxes but I think we can all agree that we want or need the Commonwealth to fund some things. Most of these expenditures have quite laudable goals. Public education, public safety, roads, bridges, commuter rail, and public health all fall in that category, I think. The Copmmonwealth will almost certainly fall short of funds in the next year or two. So the question remains, how are we to raise the money required to fund those activities of state government that the people want or need? Take the poll at left or leave your comment.
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Report on ballon photo simulation

Dr. Dipippo reports,

UPDATE: On Friday morning, July 10, 2009, a team of four engineers from Atlantic Design Engineers successfully conducted the balloon test as part of their photosimulation task for the feasibility study for two 1.65 MW wind turbines proposed for the town’s DPW site at 687 Chase Road. The south turbine was marked by an orange balloon that rose to the maximum height of one turbine mounted on a 100-meter tower (hub height plus length of one blade) or about 460 feet. The north turbine was marked by one large white balloon and a smaller white balloon, some 65 feet lower. The large balloon was analogous to the orange one, and the smaller one marked the total height of a turbine mounted on an 80-meter tower or about 397 feet. Owing to wind at the balloon height (even though there was little wind at ground level), the actual vertical positions of the balloons will not be exactly correct as viewed,...

...but ADE will adjust for this effect using precise GPS coordinates and observed deflections of the balloons made on the ground at the moment digital photos were taken from 13 vantage points around the site.
The preliminary conclusion that I drew as I accompanied the ADE team was that the turbines will obviously be visible from a number of vantage points, but that owing to the significant tree growth in the neighborhoods to the east and west of the site, there are large areas where the sight-lines to the turbines – as tall as they are – are obscured. The area to the immediate south of the site would have a clear view of the south turbine, but the north turbine would not be visible. Since the proposed site lies at the south end of the Paskamansett valley, one of the best vantage points to view both turbines will be from the area of the Hawthorn Country Club that sits on a hill overlooking the valley some 2 miles north-northeast of the turbine sites.
I was also impressed with the high competence of the team that worked efficiently and used the most modern positioning electronics, communication devices, and photo equipment to complete the task within 5 hours. ADE’s feasibility report will include photos of the proposed turbine site area taken from 13 different vantage points in its present state and simulations of how those views will change if the turbines were to be installed. Two sets will be created, one set for turbines mounted on 80-meter towers and one set for 100-meter towers.

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School enrollment and required spending

At the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website, you can find the calculations for Dartmouth's required Net School Spending and the amount of state aid that our district will receive. A summary can be found at this link.
Of particular note are the enrollment numbers, which show that Dartmouth was credited with 135 fewer students in the calculation of the FY10 budget when compared to FY09. That decline in enrollment has ...

... a lot to do with the lower growth in required spending since the spending number is heavily dependent upon the number of students enrolled. Last year, the town saw a similar decrease in the number of students with 120 fewer credited to the budget. A year ago, required spending only increased by $225K. This year, it is increasing by only $177K due to continued lower enrollment and a 2% reduction in Chapter 70 education aid. That 2% reduction amounts to $193K.
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Town receives federal stimulus grant

The Commonwealth did not make the final FY 2009 installment payment of Chapter 70 school aid to local school districts across the state. The school superintendent, Dr. Russell, had an op-ed in the Standard-Times about that and you can find his letter at this link. In Dartmouth's case those funds amounted to over $1 million. Instead, towns were asked to apply for federal stimulus funding in the amount of the payment. That federal money has been granted and received by the town.
The Commonwealth as well as the town cannot have deficit spending. All expenses must be matched by corresponding amounts of revenue. The federal government is under no such restraint. It can ...

... and does engage in deficit spending. Thankfully so in this case
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Myth versus Reality about health care

The Center for American Progress has a helpful sheet on the myths and realities of health care reforms. You can find it here. The video version is here.
Government provided health care is not more expensive than our system. How do I know? Because nearly every industrialized country provides universal health care to its citizens at lower cost than the US. Just a minute! They provide better care than our system. Got it, better care...

... and lower costs. Why is that, you say? Health insurance companies maximize their profits by not providing the very services that you pay them to provide.
The list of problems with our system goes on and on. It makes our industry less competitive, drains money from patient care for administrative costs, and causes myriad societal problems.
One last point. What two groups are the biggest consumers of health care in the country? The elderly and children.
What two groups already have government provided health care coverage? The elderly and children.
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Balloon simulation test scheduled for tomorrow

Dr. Dipippo of the Alternate Energy Committee writes,

Please put the news on our website that the balloon test is now scheduled for Friday, July 9 in the morning.
The weather is predicted to be the best we have seen in weeks, and we cannot miss this opportunity.
I will be accompanying the ADE team to witness the test.
Thanks.
Ron DiPippo, Ph.D.

ADE is Atlantic Design Engineers who have been tasked with preparing the permit application for the wind turbines.
I wrote about the reasons for the short notice and ...

... for the balloon test here.
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Too foggy for balloons

The photo simulation balloon test for our proposed wind turbine sites was canceled this morning due to the low fog.
It will be rescheduled.
I'll let you know when I know. The nature of the test is that it is weather dependent, so expect short notice.

Who could have predicted that we would have another rainy day?
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Wind turbine ballons fly tomorrow July 7

From Dr. DiPippo of the Alternative Energy Committee

I just this minute learned that Atlantic Design will be hoisting two balloons tomorrow (Tuesday, July 7) at the proposed sites for the wind turbines. The balloons will mark the tip of the blades for 100-meter towers and they should be up and visible from about 8 AM until noon.
Photos will be taken from a number of vantage points during the morning.
Please put this notice on the Alternative Energy web page ASAP.

Many thanks.
Ron DiPippo, Ph.D.

These balloons will be used ...

... to prepare photo images of the proposed wind turbines. By floating the balloon to the proper height, the computer generated image can be properly proportioned to give an accurate representation of the appearance of the tower and blades.
Click here to read on!

Executive Administrator search update

The tentative schedule for the selection process is as follows:
The Executive Administrator Search Committee and Municipal Resources (MRI) have selected some candidates for further review. Those candidates were asked to provide answers to essay questions. So far, ten candidates have responded to the essay survey and several have asked for a time extension for their reply. The Executive Administrator Search Committee and MRI will review the essay responses and schedule phone interviews with the Executive Administrator Search Committee during the week of 7/20. The list will be pared down to 5-6 candidates who will be interviewed face to face on 8/5. 2 or 3 of those candidates will be presented ... ... to the Select Board for their choice on 8/6.
This schedule is subject to change but the Search Committee is working diligently to adhere to that schedule.
The names of the final candidates will be released. In the meantime, the names will be held in confidence so as not to jeopardize the candidates present employment.
Click here to read on!

Latest MOB file

Mr. Lynam of the Finance Committee sends this email regarding the MOB file

Bill,
I am going to try something new with the impending distribution of the MOB files ahead of this Thursday's Fin Com meeting.
There has been data I have omitted from the MOB due to its size that I really want to have for my own use. Editing it out because of the file size, or maintaining two separate files, is a pain in the %$^&*#.
I have created a web page, of sorts, for the general public in that [ Free ] Mickey Mouse template that Comcast provides [ no disrespect meant to Mickey ] .
http://home.comcast.net/~alecsradio

From this link there is a general description of what the MOB file is, and isn't, along with a link to a file called " MOB.xls " ... this will always be the most current iteration of the file.
For the normal distribution to the normal suspects I will provide a direct download link to the most current file named in the usual manner [ FY10 MOB 6_26_09.xls ... for example ] All this should make it easier for those with limited download speeds and / or mailbox limitations, while at the same time avoiding you from having to take up huge amounts of space in your blog storage.
I thought I would give this a try and see how it works out.
Any comments or suggestions are welcome ......

The FY10 budget is some $84K ...

... in the red right now. That is without town employee pay increases and assuming the state does not cut our aid as they did this year. Negotiations with town employee unions are underway or beginning.
Click here to read on!