Editorial: Credibility and opinions

 In last week’s editorial, we mistakenly identified Matt Comai as a Hooksett School Board member when we should have stated that he is a member of the Long-range Planning Committee of the Hooksett School Board. The mistake happened due to a misreading of the minutes. Should it have happened? Of course not. But it simply wasn’t questioned at the time. Should we have known who is on the Hooksett School Board? Of course. But it’s easy to lose track of every member of every town and school board and police and fire department of the six towns we cover. It was an honest mistake, which we apologize for and are happy to clear up here.

Nevertheless, our opinion stands. Whether Comai is on the board, on a planning committee or just a regular Joe, he did indicate that he thought people should be coming to meetings to get their information first hand, not reading about it in the newspaper or online. We disagreed. We think newspapers play an important role in informing the public, since people simply don’t have time to attend every public meeting. Web discussion boards fulfill that role too. The letter writer (below) takes us on, asking if the editor of this paper has ever run for office. She hasn’t, because it would be a conflict of interest to hold office in Hooksett while being editor of the local paper. Should she ever decide to leave The Hooksett Banner, Ginger Kozlowski may well take on such a challenge. And in doing so, she would encourage public discussion of issues and work for freedom of information.

Does The Hooksett Banner scare people from running for office? If so, good. We want people in office who aren’t afraid to be asked the hard questions, not the type of people who think they know better than the rest of us how to set public policy. It truly can be a thankless, miserable job holding public office, so we thank those who have taken it on. Overall, we think the Hooksett School Board does a wonderful job. So do many other town and school board members. But if we see an issue which we think is worthy of questioning, we will not shy away from the topic. If we don’t ask the hard questions, who will?

Letters:

If we want unbiased reporting, we need public access TV

To the Editor:
Last week’s editorial in The Hooksett Banner stated if there were an argument for a public access television station or Web cast, it’s now. I couldn’t agree more, although I’m sure my reasoning will differ from the editors’ reasons. Apparently, to be an editor for The Hooksett Banner you don’t need research skills, just a desire to ridicule and discredit people in the community that are actually trying to make things better.
For the past two weeks, the editor of the The Hooksett Banner has been bashing the School Board in an attempt to draw them out and create some type of controversy where it does not exist. Luckily for us, the Hooksett School Board has too much class and brains to fall for this lame attempt.
Last week, the editor repeatedly bashed a gentleman for comments he made at a school board meeting. While his comments were factual, there was one very big problem – this person is not a Hooksett School Board member as was repeatedly reported in the Banner.
How can you write a whole editorial and have the basic facts so wrong? This is sloppy journalism at its best. Ginger Kozlowski has been “reporting” and living in Hooksett for many years, yet she doesn’t even know who the members of the local board are? Isn’t that pertinent to her job? What happens to accountability and credibility.
Although I’m a resident of Hooksett, I am employed in another town in the education field as an administrator. From my perspective, the members of the Hooksett School Board have made some of the most educationally sound decisions I’ve ever seen. Hookett is blessed to have such an educated, involved and committed group of individuals on the Hooksett School Board. I’d like to publicly thank them for their service and commitment to our students and the community as a whole. Keep up the good work!
As for Ginger Kozlowski, I ask you this: How’s the view from the cheap seats? I don’t recall you ever sitting on a committee nor seeing your name on a ballot to run for elected office, but, boy, can you criticize those who do. You are doing the community of Hooksett a big disservice. I wonder how many people have decided not to run for a position after watching how you treat our elected officials – it’s just not worth it!
Public access television is pertinent to this community if we ever want actual unbiased reporting – we all know it won’t happen with this editor!

Marjorie Raymond
Hooksett

Vote ‘yes’ for Auburn-Candia Middle School

To the Editor:
On March 14, at 7 p.m. (snow date March 21 at 7 p.m.), a bond will be presented for vote at the annual Auburn School District Meeting for the construction of a grade 6 to 8 middle school on a 58-acre property located near the intersection of Hooksett Road and Old Candia Road, along with a long-term tuition agreement with Candia for their students to attend the new middle school. 
Auburn Village School has been overcrowded for several years, with our middle-schoolers literally squeezed into the second floor. There are six classrooms that are in portable trailers in the parking lot. There is inadequate science and computer lab space and classrooms that are bursting with students.  Three programs currently do not have a classroom and are taught from mobile carts.  The library is half the state-recommended size, and trying to keep enough books on the limited shelf space for reading levels of all eight grades is a challenge. Special education space is shamefully undersized with students receiving therapies in the hallways!
It is time to give our middle school students a space where they have room to become the leaders of tomorrow with a well-rounded education consisting of more programs, adequate-size classrooms and laboratories, enough time to eat lunch, physical education, a library filled with reading-level-appropriate literature, adequate playing fields for athletic opportunities, and a more diverse group of kids, including students from Candia.
How can you help?
Vote “yes” on Article 2.
Encourage your friends and neighbors to vote “yes.”
Register to vote at the Town Hall, if you are not a registered voter, by Feb. 29.
Go to www.stateofourschool.com for information on how and when to register to vote.
Communicate. Talk about the date of the vote (March 14) and make sure your friends and neighbors are registered. Talk about the importance of passing this bond and the consequences of its failure. A bond vote requires a two-thirds passing margin – 2007 was less than two-thirds!
A middle school with Candia provides the best educationally and fiscally responsible solution for the town of Auburn.  Please mark your calendar and come to the Auburn Village School on Friday, March 14, and vote “yes” for our kids!  Child care is provided so that all voters can attend.
Come and vote on March 14. Bring all registered “yes” voters with you. We can get this done with your help!


Caylene Mottola
Auburn

Epsom’s experienced selectmen made hard decisions too

To the Editor:
Although my letter of the 19th was written to encourage Epsom’s residents to think about running for selectman, it must have hit a nerve. The tone of Bob Blodgett’s letter of the 24th implied that he thinks that only three of the five selectmen, that is, the three who haven’t yet finished a full term, can make all the right decisions and that the other two members have no concern for the best interest of the town. Blodgett, chairman of the board, is the newest member; serving only six months. The two senior members have a total of seven years combined service and have had to make some hard decisions, too. Some were not too pleasant, but they too took a stand for what they felt was good for the town.
I would like to encourage you, as Epsom’s residents, to attend the remaining Board of Selectmen’s meetings and judge for yourself before you vote on March 11.
Just keep in mind when you vote, that we all will have to live with the statement you make, for years to come.
Richard Frambach
Epsom

House Democrats are dangerous for our state’s economy

To the Editor:
I am writing to agree with Hooksett Rep. David Boutin about the differences between Democrats and Republicans in terms of the state budget. The Republican philosophy is quite clear – if you tax less, there is less money for the government to spend! Of course, our current crop of Dems in the State House increased spending in last year’s budget by 17.5 percent and new taxes and fees, then, of course, had to go up by $169 million. That’s a lot for a small state! In my house, if I want to go on a $10,000 cruise, I have to have the money in my pocket first before I spend it. I don’t buy the cruise first, and then decide how I’m going to pay for it! That’s the responsible way to run a budget. Apparently, in the House in Concord, with the Democrats in charge, they use a different formula – one that’s dangerous for our state’s future economy!

Liz Feren
Hooksett

Mitt Romney would make the best president for times like this

To the Editor:
Don’t judge a book by its cover. It wasn’t surprising to have so many people ask me why I was holding a sign for Mitt Romney instead of Huckabee. As with the mainstream media, they apparently presumed that “Evangelical Christians” (especially the noisy and unapologetic types like me), would automatically support an ordained minister. The Lord has no respect for persons or positions. “You will know them by their fruit.”
With some of the endorsements he garnered, I had reservations. John McCain didn’t get my support for the same reason, plus others. Rudy never had a chance, being pro-abortion. Thompson spoke well, and would perhaps rank as a VP, but didn’t instill confidence in his ability to win. My second favorite, Duncan Hunter suffered the same unfortunate reality of the “un-electability” factor. Ron Paul’s positions were great, in most cases, but not enough.
Who can we believe when they all lie? That puts them all on the same level. Therefore, take them all at their word, then measure their words equally. Mitt Romney’s positions on all the major issues most closely match mine. Most of all, Mitt Romney is the candidate most hated by the liberals and their transparent media allies. They do lie, all the time. It seems that they are so panicked, they can’t even think straight and presume that their advice would sway their opponents. It’s too late now, but they should have endorsed Mitt if they really wanted to sink his campaign among us in the Right. (We ARE right, and it is right to call us right.)
Mitt Romney is on the right side of the issues. He is a Conservative and has publicly, without hesitation, boldly declared that The Holy Bible IS The Word of God. That was the moment which put him over. How he has determined to worship the God of the Bible may be erroneous, but Jesus looks at the heart, where no one can see. On the outside, where the fruit is, Mitt Romney is the man I think would make the best president for such a time as this.
David Ross
Hooksett

Service, service – and then there is service

To the Editor:
Once upon a time I thought I had a handle on the meaning of various words to include the word “SERVICE” which is described as “the act of doing things for others.” Then I bumped into the following terms which reference the word service:
Internal Revenue Service
Postal Service
Telephone Service
Civil Service
Customer Service
Service Stations
Public Service
This is not what I thought “service” meant.
One day while eating at the Circle Restaurant, I overheard two cattle farmers from Pittsfield talking,  and one of them said he had hired a bull to “service” a few of his cows. All of a sudden it all came into perspective. Now I understand what those “service” agencies are all about.

 Jim Breagy
 Epsom

Tri-Town saved my life

To the Editor:
I am writing to commend the efficient rapid response by the following members of Tri-Town Ambulance: D. Desrochers, Eric Uitts and William Palmer. Without their actions, this letter could not be written. Obviously, I am totally in their debt for responding to an incident at Shaw’s in Hooksett two weeks ago.
Most importantly for all readers, the value of CPR training is highlighted. One never knows when you could be called upon to save a life!
Again, praise and my appreciation to Tri-Town Ambulance.
Albra Pollard
Candia