Recently a lot us witnessed (watching through the windows @ NRMS) involving Mr. Ritter our new town coordinator. I believe that Ms Wilder, Columbus and Mullins did not get there way. Through the window we could see Ms wilder flailing her arms - guess she was pretty mad. There is talk in town that maybe the for some legal reason they could not do what they had set out to do so ---- Mr Columbus and Ms Wilder are now very mad and yelling at and bullying Mr Ritter for every thing and anything! This is not the first time Mr Columbus has done this kind of behavior - Doreen Noble (former COA director)Tammy Coller (former Treasurer) -others who are still employeed and I do not wish to name - Now Ms Wilder is joining in not only toward Mr Ritter but also to other employees - I am so embarrassed that our elected officials are treating our employees this way! I found the rules below on another towns website - perhaps we need to put these in our By-Laws. Pay close attention to the highlighted ones!!!!
BOARD RULES AND ETHICS:
A. Support all Board decisions once they are made.
B. Be well informed concerning the duties of a board member on both local and state levels
as detailed in the General Laws and the By-Laws.
C. Accept the office of Selectman as a means of unselfish service and not benefit personally
or politically from his or her Board activities.
D. In all appointments, judge all candidates only on merit, experience, and qualifications.
E. Abide by all Federal, State, and Local ethics regulations.
F. Recognize that action at official legal meetings is binding and that he or she alone cannot
bind the Board outside of such meetings.
G. Uphold the intent of executive session and respect the privileged communication that
exists in executive session.
H. Make decisions only after all facts on a question have been presented and discuss
Thank you Pauly for posting my blog - thank you all who read and/or participate in this blog. Let's make these selectmen acountable for their actions
Observer
Rules are a great idea. Our whole lives are spent learning the rules to different games, clubs, religions and civic responsibilities. Many who are fortunate to have a copy of the rules can often have an advantage over those who are ignorant of these rules. Most of us fall into the latter category. The Constitution is a great case in point. Did you know the possibility exists that when the seven Southern States dissolved Congress in 1861 and President Lincoln declared a State of Emergency that our Constitution as we know it may have been put on hold? Did you also know the possibility exists that on July 24, 1973 this situation was begun to be corrected? Senate report 93-549 said Since March 9,1933 the United States has been in a state of declared national emergency.
ReplyDeleteIt was in 1933 or there abouts that the US went into bankrupcy it is believed.
The point of all this is to say if most of the players are unaware of the rules of the game it can be very difficult to play the game or even enjoy the viewing.
RE: Rules, ByLaw, Policies and Mass General Laws. The Town has all of the above. Have you read the Town Bylaws? They are archaic, disorganized, and bound in a small paper back booklet. Hard to find anything in them. When someone is elected to an official position, they should be presented with them and then asked if they understand what they mean. Up to a few months ago, the Selectmen had no reason to look at the bylaws of the town or any other laws because the previous Town Coordinator would recite them, or just call to get a legal opinion instead of reviewing the MGL to find the answer. The only time the bylaws came up is when the TC wanted to use them against someone. My guess is that most town departments do not know the Town Bylaws.
ReplyDeleteSo, as an observer, dont feel bad. Thanks Bald Temp for the history lesson. See what we can learn on this blog site.
It is sad and down right wrong to treat Mr. Ritter badly. I always figure what goes around comes around. Ms.Wilder is going to hang herself politically, if we give her a enough rope. You have to have the intelligence tounderstand the rules thst are written, and be willing to abide by them. The voters will take care of Ms.Wilder and Mr.Mullens or the recall will.
DeleteI grew up here (now 5 generations) & used to be so proud to be from Templeton but the last few years I have been very upset with what's been going on politically. Also, now very embarrassed, I might add. The only time I was temporarily proud of the town again was when the landfill was shot down. Then once more when Julie Farrell, Bob Mitchell & Jeff Bennett were elected. They were really starting to turn this town around to be financially sound when, in my opinion, this recall group that has wreaked all kinds of havoc got in & replaced 2 very good selectmen for their own personal agenda!! Of course, as typical of any tyrannical or spoiled group, they lied to get what they wanted. I hope, Bev, that you are right. We are doomed if they stay in!! As one who has tried to do something here & been retaliated against, I know how NASTY the Arrogant, Greedy, self-entitled faction can be!! Just makes me glad I am not like them!!
ReplyDelete"a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates people"
ReplyDeleteThis definition I just downloaded from the internet because it sounds hauntingly familiar to a story I was told at a recent family gathering.
A friend I had not seen in some time was at the gathering and told me how his name came to be on the recall petition. He was approached by a member of a Town Board and asked him to let the recall lady come to his house. My friend was rather non committal but much to his suprise this recall lady showed up at his door step one evening when he was trying to leave for an evening out with his wife.
He told the recall lady he did not have time to speak with her but she just kept flailing about and ranting on an on. He again politely asked her to leave and said she could come back at a later time. She just kept ranting and flailing about going on and on. He finally said what will it take you to leave? She finally stopped speaking and said "just sign this paper" ...and he did. He said he really had no idea what this was about, he just wanted her out of his house.
How sad...but it seems to meet the definition I started this reply with.
The definition was of a bully
ReplyDeleteTouche (too shay) The "Recall Lady". How eloquently put.
ReplyDeleteThere are more of these stories out there. Let's find these people rushed into decision by flailing and ranting door bell ringers and street propaganda pushers! Let's make May a "month of recovery" for this town. Thankyou for your delightful journalism, reachout.
I just watched the video of 2-27-2012 BOS meeting. I was appalled to hear Mrs. Wilder tell a person from the audience to "just leave" and to also hear Mr. Stewart say "these people are ridiculous" who do they work for? I am outraged that elected people can have such an arrogant posture at a public meeting.
ReplyDeleteI wrote the following a couple of weeks ago in response to Skelton's son who was claiming that people on the LTPS, Inc. Facebook page were being bullies by discussing their distaste for his parents. I felt he needed a better definition of bullying presented to him. I will repost here because it seems appropriate for the discussion:
ReplyDeleteThe following definition was found at: http://www.workplacebullying.org/individuals/problem/definition/
Definition of Workplace Bullying
Workplace Bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators that takes one or more of the following forms:
Verbal abuse
Offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating
Work interference — sabotage — which prevents work from getting done
WORKPLACE BULLYING...
Is driven by perpetrators' need to control the targeted individual(s).
Is initiated by bullies who choose their targets, timing, location, and methods.
Escalates to involve others who side with the bully, either voluntarily or through coercion.
Undermines legitimate business interests when bullies' personal agendas take precedence over work itself.
Is akin to domestic violence at work, where the abuser is on the payroll.
How many of these actions have occurred in Templeton politics recently? In my opinion, all of them. I posted the definition because I think some may be confused as to what "bullying" actually is. It is not simply name calling. It is far more subtle than that. Some people may believe as long as they are not name calling, they are not bullying. Not true. Workplace bullying is much more complicated and can be extremely destructive...far beyond name calling.
Actions executed to prevent work from getting done causes tremendous damage not just to the employee simply trying to do their job, but it prevents the advancement of the business as well as the collective goals from being achieved. By sabotaging an employee's work, a bully is creating a hostile environment. This includes not cooperating with others, withholding important documents and information, losing or hiding information, refusing to listen to others, not following established rules and procedures that all others adhere to (acting as if they are "above the law") and providing misinformation in order to make others think or do something they would think or do otherwise.
THIS HAS TO STOP NOW. If one has to manipulate, lie, put others down and be deceptive in any way in order to get their way or what they want, their intensions will eventually fail. They may achieve some of their goals (getting people to quit, making others think a certain way, get elected, etc.) but the dishonest behavior cannot be sustained forever. Lies and deception are very hard to keep straight and maintain. Eventually, they are unraveled and eat their host alive.
I firmly believe when a board of selectmen member tells someone (pete kasper) to "just leave" and then Chris Stewart states that ""these people are ridiculous" rises to the level of bullying. I also understand that Chris Stewart was stressed when on of his stipends was late as he had to "make his mortgage payment"
ReplyDeletewhat is he going to do if they (we the taxpayers) take away the elected officials salaries because of the budget shortfall maybe that why he took out paper for the Municipal light Dept. They have more money
DeleteRan into a friend the other day stopped and chatted.He was telling how Mr.Columbus came to his residence up on South Rd.And how he tried to bull him into signing the recall petition.He said no thanks.He went and voted on the way out.He saw Mrs Farrell across the street.And gave her the thumbs up.And out of the clear.One of these recall members gives him the bird.And yells out loser.What kind of people are we dealing with.Got my friend to log on.And see how the other members of the recall committee act.
ReplyDelete