Planning Board News from TGN

News staff photo by KERRY O’BRIEN The Templeton Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the rezoning proposal next month. Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — The Planning Board is proposing to rezone the tip of the village district at Baldwinville center from residential to commercial-industrial and will be holding a public hearing next month before bringing it to town meeting for approval. “We want to rezone to attract business,” said Planning Board department manager Carl Giacobone. “We’re trying to prime the area. We’re trying to build a tax base — if businesses come in it’s good for our bottom line.” The proposed area are parcels 60, 61, 62, 284 and 285 — located behind Lee’s Hot Dog Stand on Mill Street. Currently, the area is comprised of undeveloped land, an abandoned parking lot, and a cleared area which used to be the location of Baldwinville Paper Products and American Tissue Mills of Massachusetts. It makes Mill Street a dead end.

from todays Worcester Telegram

Narragansett school budget heads to joint town meeting

By George Barnes, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
gbarnes@telegram.com

1 comment | Add a comment

TEMPLETON — With the defeat Friday of extra money for the Narragansett Regional School District, school officials are moving to the next step, which is a joint town meeting with Phillipston.

Phillipston and Templeton are the only two towns in the Narragansett Regional School District. On Friday at a special town meeting, Templeton voters defeated a request to add $561,371 to the $4,430,615 approved in May as Templeton's share of the regional school district budget. Phillipston approved its portion of the increased school budget at its annual town meeting in May. 

Just a Note

I strongly suggest that everyone attend the joint meeting on Wednesday July 31 at 6:30pm in the NMS auditorium. Hopefully we can get answers and move forward to solve this dilemma.  I do ask for everybody to be respectful of each other. we are all allowed to have our own opinions. This blog was created for information, questions, concerns, and opinions, but please play nice. My opinion is that it was not the school committee's job to say where the funding was to come from. It was the BOS and yes there was only two choices - an  override or vote to amend the town dept budgets and take it from there. As I have stated before you can only raise what can be raised - more than that you need an override. Unfortunately with no override it will have to come from the town side. And where did I get my opinion - from the Mass Dept of Revenue Division of Finance Law.  So Selectmen Bennett, Farrell, Robinson and Morrison what do you all suggest?? end of story.
Thanks for reading my opinions - Pauly

JOINT MEETING

There will be a joint meeting of the NRSD school Committee and the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday July 31st 6:30 PM in the NMS Auditorium the posting is here and Agenda is here

Selectmens meeting

There is a Selectmen's meeting tonight the agenda is here

Also a reminder that Rep. Denise Andrews will be at 690 Patriots Rd today 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Templeton Light Debt

Here is information that Dave S received from the Light Dept  regarding their nuclear debt. 

Gansett budget still up in air after Special Town Meeting Date for Joint Town Meeting yet to be scheduled

TGN file photo Moschetti Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — Voters again rejected Narragansett Regional School District’s budget at a Special Town Meeting, Friday, which was held solely to present the voters with the district’s requested fiscal year 2014 budget. “You can’t just keep asking, hoping for a yes,” said voter Terri Langlois. “The money just isn’t available.” Slightly more than 400 voters voted on the latest request in additional funding for the district, amounting to $561,371, with it failing by a 239-164 count, which would have been in addition to the $4.4 million that had been approved at the May 15 Annual Town Meeting.

about time.....

State Ethics Commission fines former selectman Conflict of interest law violation assessed on O'Brien, Templeton's board chair as recently as May 2011

TGN file photo The State Ethics  Commission handed down a $1,000 fine to former Templeton Board of Selectmen chairman Dennis O’Brien for a conflict of interest law violation. Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — Former Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Dennis O’Brien recently paid a $1,000 fine from the State Ethics Commission after admitting to violating the conflict of interest law in regards to his involvement in the evaluation of 252 Baldwinville Road for use as a town building. “At the time I was in violation I didn’t realize it was a violation,” Mr. O’Brien said. “My interest was to get a building for the town. Everyone knew I lived across the street.” In a press release issued Wednesday, Communications Division Deputy Chief Marisa Donelan explains that according to the disposition agreement approved by the ethics commission, Mr. O’Brien is an abutter to 252 Baldwinville Road, and therefore had a financial interest in the town’s purchase of the building.

Sorry missed this - Thursday LTE

Cuts to all areas in education will have major impact on children To the Editor: 7/25/2013

Diane Haley Brooks Mike Gary and members of 'Gansett Greatness Templeton To the Editor: We talk about budget cuts that will have the least impact on children, but how do we know this? Who knows if a child will grow up to be an NBA star or the CEO to Nike’s branch in Shanghai? What if that one theater competition helps inspire a child to pursue the dream of being an actor or actress? What about a child that is bullied and scared to come to school, but develops a relationship with their assistant principal and in doing so feels safe and finds success because they know someone is watching out for them. What happens when children that need extra help in math, science or English yet can’t stay after school because the only way home would have been a late bus? This causes them to fall farther behind which only adds to their frustration level.  Then the work isn’t completed at home because the understanding isn’t there and they need more one on one time outside the classroom.

TOWN MEETING TONIGHT

SPECIAL TOWN MEETING TONIGHT

FRIDAY JULY 26

7PM

NMS AUDITORIUM

PLEASE ATTEND - A "NO" VOTE WILL SHOW THAT YOU SUPPORT YOUR TOWN AND THAT THE TOWN AND SCHOOL SHOULD NEGOTIATE AND WORK THIS OUT TOGETHER.  

CDBG grant phrase VI

From: "Town Coordinator" <towncoordinator@templeton1.org>
Date: July 26, 2013 12:05:00 AM GMT+02:00
To: "'Michael Pingpank'" <mpingpank@cogincorp.com>
Cc: <jpb01468@comcast.net>, "'Kenn Robinson'" <kcrobinson7@gmail.com>, <dougmorrisonma@gmail.com>, "'Julie Farrell'" <jfarrell59@gmail.com>
Subject: FW: CDBG Awards

Mike:

Good Work!! Our hunch paid off and there WILL be a phase VI Back Bay project. I am already excited that we will actually FINISH something here in Templeton. Even if it took eleven years…

We’ll talk on Monday, for sure.

Jeff

PS Selectboard: An announcement on Monday at the meeting is clearly in order.

From: Kelly, Meghan (SEN) [mailto:Meghan.Kelly@masenate.gov]
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2013 5:13 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: CDBG Awards

Good Afternoon,

I wanted to contact you to let you know that tomorrow, Governor Patrick will formally announce the 2013 CDBG awards.  Templeton will be awarded a grant in the amount of $473,549 for the Memorial Street roadway, sidewalk, drainage and water improvements.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions.

Take Care,

Meghan

Meghan Kelly

Communications Director

Senate Committee on Ways and Means
Senator Stephen M. Brewer, Chair
State House, Room 212
Boston, MA 02133-1053
(617) 722-1540 ext. 1595 (t)
(617) 722-1078 (f)

www.SteveBrewer.org

Welcome home Selectman Sgt Bennett

Selectman, Sgt. Bennett welcomed home

Board of Selectmen Chairman Sgt. Jeffrey Bennett sits at the table during Monday’s meeting, his first after returning from serving nine months in Afghanistan. Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — After serving nine months in Afghanistan, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Sgt. Jeffrey Bennett of the Massachusetts Army National Guard returned home to Templeton last week. “I was overseas doing something I volunteered to do — no one forced me to do it,” Sgt. Bennett said. “I think the town of Templeton is very special group for supporting me.” A native and resident of town for decades, Sgt. Bennett — a retired Marine sergeant — was put on active service in September, in the midst of his three-year term on the selectmen which began in May 2011.

NRSD INFO FROM THE 2012 ANNUAL REPORT

I've had some requests to publish the info from the 2012 Annual Report on the NRSD
So here's the link

Here is the link to the full annual report for fy12

and in TGN today Thursday

Support elusive for proposed 'Gansett budget Advisory Board agrees with selectmen on 'no' vote, cites serious issues if district's full budget approved Narragansett Regional High School — the location for Friday’s Special Town Meeting. Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — Evaluating the possible ramifications to the town’s budget and the possible processes moving forward, the Advisory Board unanimously voted Wednesday to recommend a “no” vote on the Narragansett Regional School District’s budget at Special Town Meeting on Friday, but said they want the meeting to allow the issue to be debated. “If the voters are going to go one way, all the discussion in the world isn’t going to change it,” said advisory board member Mary Lang. “But I think there should be a good amount of discussion, if people take the time to come they may allow at least 30 minutes of debate.”

and from todays TGN

Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — With voters being asked to vote on the school district’s budget for a fourth time on Friday at 7 p.m. at Narragansett Regional Middle School, town officials said they fear a “yes” vote could result in drastic cuts to town services, and urged residents to vote “no,” so that work toward a compromise, whereby reducing the district’s override request, can continue. “I think the prudent thing to do is on Friday is to vote down the budget,” selectman Doug Morrison said. “It’s a pass-fail vote; there is no option to make changes. If we vote it down Friday, we have the joint town meeting to make adjustments.” Selectman Kenn Robinson stated that the school district and town officials have begun discussion on proposing a reduced override.

from Mondays Letter to the Editor TGN

Letter to the editor

  I once again feel compelled to write you a letter. Once again we see the Templeton voter’s rights voted away by a stacked auditorium of a special interest group. The fact is the way the town does its business is not a true want of the overall voter’s opinion. The latest round and the next one later this month prove to me things are afoul in Templeton now more than ever. The highest water rates and loosing the right to vote is one sure way to keep the status as it is or worse. The school budget like in many other towns is not sustainable without a prop.2 1/2 override and Templeton voters have had the chance to vote that down 2 times. However the ability to do what the school committee has done is within the law. Your opinion of whether it’s the correct way is yours and meaningless to the process. I can only say like I’ve said previously it’s up to the voters that show up to decide again. The time will come again and this time you will have to be seen as the way you vote. Stand up to the special interests and keep your right to vote. This tactic of stacking the auditorium will be with us for a long time but not as successful if we “show up” to protect our rights. You voted on this before and now need to vote again for the same thing. Please show up and vote again to protect what your right was to begin with. The cuts to our town’s budget we voted in will need to be devastated to cover the amount needed to fund the NRSD budget we will be voting on. It will require a 1/5 reduction in an already bare bones town operating budget. Police, Fire, Highway and other cuts will have a safety effect on all of the town’s people and surely be a problem for the future of Templeton. As you saw fit to exercise your right to vote the last time and the time before that it stands to reason it’s been a waste of your time, if you don’t do it again. I can understand if the voters are busy and sick of the process, but if we give up our rights we also lose the process we need to fix for the future of Templeton. Please attend this Special town meeting on July 26^th and keep your right to vote this time. As so many service members give their lives and others put theirs on the line to protect our rights it’s up to voters to do our part and protect the process. I would like to thank all service members for their service and welcome them home after their deployments.          Special thanks and welcome home to Sgt. Jeff Bennett, Chairman of the Templeton Board of Selectmen.

Thank you Templeton voters

Dave Smart

Special Town meeting

Again I want to remind everyone that there is a

SPECIAL TOWN MEETING

FRIDAY JULY 26TH 7:00PM 

NARRAGANSETT MIDDLE SCHOOL  AUDITORIUM

THE WARRANT IS HERE 

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THE ONLY VOTE THAT WILL TAKEN FOR THE SCHOOL TO GET THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF THEIR BUDGET THAT WAS CERTIFIED BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL $691,000.00 THAT WAS VOTED DOWN BY THE VOTERS AS AN OVERRIDE IN APRIL AND JUNE. IF THIS PASSES AT THIS TOWN MEETING THERE WILL NOT BE A VOTE AT THE POLLS. THE TOWN WILL THEN HAVE TWO CHOICES - 1) GO BACK TO ANOTHER TOWN MEETING AND CUT $691,000.00 OUT OF THE TOWN BUDGETS - THIS MEANS POLICE, HIGHWAY, FIRE ETC. OR 2) GO FOR A TOWN OVERRIDE FOR THE AMOUNT THAT THE SCHOOL IS TAKING FROM THE TOWN. $691,000.00 AGAIN I SAY WHAT WAS ALREADY VOTED DOWN BY THE VOTERS - TWICE GET IT TWICE!  

If this does not pass (a No vote) we can go back to the drawing board and work with the school to try to cut some from the school and some from the town. A NO vote will enable us to work with the school and save essential town services. Because let's face it  there is no way an override for the town will pass - if it didn't pass for the school what makes you people think it will pass for the town. Way too many people are broke!!!! 

So spread the work - get out an attend the Special  Town Meeting - Friday July 26th 7pm NMS Auditorium. This is a very very very important issue!!!! 

Layman's language

Okay people I'm going to put this in layman's language for all. How many of you have a child in the school system. It cost about $6000.00 - $7000.00 per year to educate that child. How many of you are paying $6000.00 to $7000.00 a year in real estate taxes. Do you have more than one child? Are you paying $12,000.00 per year. So you moved here because of the low taxes. Well you can't have it both ways, if you want a good school system and good town services don't move to a town where you not even paying enough per year to educate one child. 

To pay $6000.00 per year you house assessment would have to be over $425,000.  If you look at the assessments by address or assessments by owners from the towns website you will see that there are very few people who pay over $6000.00/per year in taxes. and just a note the town and churches don't pay taxes and the city of Gardner pays a very small amount per Mass. General Law.

Even with an override you won't be paying what it cost to educate you child. 

My point is if you want a top  notch school district do not move to a town that has a low tax rate! Move to a town where you are paying over $6000.00 a year in taxes.

Thanks for reading my opinions- Pauly

send to me by a blog reader

Opinion from the internet by Rafe Esquith
Everybody agrees: a great teacher is the difference between success and failure, for a school, a class, and a student.  But right now, great teachers are leaving the profession faster than Dodger fans exiting the stadium during the 7^th inning.
The Internet is awash in videos and blogs from outstanding teachers who have had enough. Usually, they are the ones who tried going the distance, bucking the system, sometimes requiring almost superhuman efforts, and they’re the ones who for the most part made a difference in the lives of countless young people. They are the kind of teachers you might remember, and that you want your own child to have.
And yet, often after years of dedicated service, these people are giving up. What pushed them over the edge?

HERE'S AN INTERESTING LINK ON WATER DEPARTMENTS.

levy limit etc

Here is a letter from DLS regarding levy limits for FY14. As the school dept has to answer to the Dept of Education, the town must answer to the Bureau of Local Assessment/ Division of Local services. Unlike when you send in your tax return in April and you have a small chance of being audited, the Recap Sheet is first sent to the town's DOR rep Deb Wagner in the Springfield office, once she scrutinizes it, it is then sent to Boston to Joanne Graziano, Bureau Chief of the Div. of Local Services. All this info can be found at www.mass.gov/dls    The tax rate cannot be set and January (actual) bills cannot go out until the recap sheet is approved.
Here is the link for a power point presentation on financial forum for  Local Officials  - I think all residents should view it - the whole thing and view it several times.
Thanks for reading, Pauly

Recap

Here's the link to the FY2013 Recap Sheet read it and read it again and again. You will see how we only have so much money to work with here. Pay attention to page 4 where what is voted at town meeting is reported.
Now look at the preliminary FY2014 levy limit (yes there is a limit to what can be raised though taxation) The amount on line IIIA will be $7,226,777 We did not vote for any debt exclusions, the override did not pass, and we did not vote for any capital items, therefore nothing gets added to this number.  Now go back to the annual town meeting (May) and add up all that was voted for the town budget sheets add in the school budget that was voted, add the amount for the 2 firefighters/emts, and the other thing that got voted for. If you look at the fy2013 recap sheet - the town raises so much from other receipts (excise taxes, licenses, fees etc.) and the $150,000. from the L&W dept. Now subtract all the other receipts (and lets hope that the town "other receipts" don't go down) from the amount that we voted that we needed and the amount to be raised from taxation cannot be more than $7,226,777.00 Get it??? and to Mr John Columbus - if you wanted the school to get all the money that they wanted why did you vote for all the town departments to get their money? Stop blaming the selectmen and the moderator, and the advisory board because you do not get town finances. We cannot raise more than the levy limit. If all the money is voted for the school then it has to be taken from somewhere else, get it people? if the moderator had allowed the school budget article to be moved ahead of the town budget and the whole amount had been voted (including the $691,000.00) then the other  money articles - emts, town budgets amount would have to have been changed to find the $691,000. get it? No Ms Miller to answer your question - we cannot just raise the tax rate - that is ILLEGAL!!!!   end of story.
Thanks for reading my opinions. Pauly

Gansett Greatness or Gansett Gluttony ?

Gansett Greatness

We call ourselves Community Advocates for 'Gansett Greatness. It is our desire to support all that is great about our schools, advocate change and improvement where appropriate, and work tirelessly to ensure that each and every student has the opportunity to reach his or her own greatness. It is for these reasons that we ask you to support and vote YES for the school budget next Friday, July 26th at 7:00pm at the Templeton Special Town Meeting.

AGENDA FOR MONDAY'S BOS MEETING


Templeton Board of Selectmen

690 Patriots Road

Monday, July 22, 2013

6:30 p.m.

Agenda

6:30 P.M. Call to Order

Pledge
6:30 P.M. Discuss select board/town position regarding certified NRSD budget
Adjourn

Gansett Greatness is Saying…


Here are some entries from the Gansett Greatness FB page…


Let's talk tax rates. How does Templeton compare to area towns? The dollar amounts below are what residents pay in property taxes per $1,000 of their home valuation.

today's Gardner News

District among 9 in state without approved budget

Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — With the Narragansett Regional School District’s budget still not approved by the town and an additional funding request set to go before Templeton voters for the fourth time at a Special Town Meeting on July 26, town officials say there will be discussion of proposing a reduced Proposition 2 1/2 override — although the School Committee has no plans to make further cuts. “I don’t think any cut is good for the school district,” said committee member Dan Sanden, “so I don’t think we should be making any.” Since the town and school have not agreed upon a budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, the state Department of Education has instituted a monthly budget level with last year’s funding. Narragansett’s proposed fiscal year 2014 budget reflects a 1.89 percent increase. During a school committee meeting Tuesday, Superin-tendent Ruth Miller proposed cuts totaling roughly $290,776 per month to meet the school district’s budget of $1,513,816 per month, as mandated by the state.

more on the new school/TGN

TGN file photo Last month, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill to authorize sale of 26 acres to the town for use to build a new school. Kerry O'Brien News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — With a parcel of land secured for the planned construction of an elementary school, Narragansett Regional School District officials met with the Massachusetts School Building Authority earlier this week and stated that the project is back in the pipeline. “They’ve restarted the project,” said Narragansett Regional School District Superintendent Ruth Miller. “The MSBA people are genuinely really excited about getting us back on board and excited to work with us to get a school for our kids  — (our meeting) was really uplifting.”

from Dave S

To:

david smart

Sent

To:

Subject:\

Thursday, July 18, 20135:08 PM 

david smart

Re: Hi David,

Hi Dave, Good to hear from you. I believe I know Erin Kelly, I think she is the daughter of a former selectman
here in Brimfield. He lost in the last election -thank goodness.

I was in Boston today to attend an environmental bond hearing and they postponed it without proper notice.
There were a lot of angry people at the Gardner auditorium.

I went outside on the steps to check my cell phone and Emails and along comes the Governor. So I thanked him
for supporting Sarah Peake's Health Impacts from Wind Turbines Bill H 2048. he said he supported it on
WGBH call in show last week. He said "get it to me -I will sign it!!"

Then I went to a meeting at the MassDEP of a select committee to reconsider the ways to measure sound from
wind turbines. The fix is in. They are going to attempt to lower the current MassDEP policy -the policy that
made Falmouth and Fairhaven shut down their turbines at night!

I am going to rally some people from Brimfield to lobby Brewer on supporting Peake's bill. I will let you know
when we are going into Boston -we will try to set up a meeting with Erin.

I knew some background on Templeton's turbine and about the teacher. What a shame.

If you have a meeting with the Fern St people let Joanne and I know, there are people from Wind Wise who
knocked on doors down there over a year ago and reported that people were being impacted.

Have you ever spoken with anyone from Princeton. Somehow Templeton and Princeton are tied together in
WWMEC? We have been looking for fmancial data, especially now that Brian Allen, the Princeton manager
has been so open on their financial disaster.

Thanks again for making contact and I look forward to meeting you.
Best regards

Virginia

Sent from my iPad

On Jul18, 2013, at 4:09 PM, "david smart" <smart@nii.net> wrote:

Hey Virginia; I thank you and Joanne for the info! It is comforting to have people willing to get involved
and put time into issues that sometimes go against the grain ,so to speak. I would start first by telling
you Templeton has been run by the former retired municipal light and water plant manager and his wife
"coordinator" for years he was the chairman of the board of selectmen and did what they wanted ,when
they wanted to. That being said the people he featherbedded are now beholden to them and can stack
the town meetings and squash any efforts from the do right crowd, that's our team. The new BOS are
on board with my efforts and are up to speed with our efforts and are frustrated with the way the

L +W departments are run. A loss of the forensic audit was a low spot for us as it would have shown the
issues I bring to the people about the wind turbine. A cost certification audit is ”over due“ by 12 months
and is always another excuse every meeting I sit at. The commissioners  for the l+w are arrogant and have a
its none of your business way about them. I will send you more about our efforts and yes I would like to
have a combined effort. I've learned the hard way about having strength in numbers.

1

SELECTMEN MEETING

There will be a selectmen meeting at 690 Patriots Rd, Monday July 22 at 6:30pm.  We are supposed to hear what cuts the school board made to their budget.  This will be the only item on the agenda.  One more note of interest Jeff Bennett will be there in person to chair the meeting.  Hooray!!!!!!!

$177 Million Local Aid Cut

Electronic Correspondence with Sen. Brewer's Office

From: david smart 
Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2013 8:24 AM
To: Brewer, Stephen (Senator)
Subject: 177 million local aid cut



Senator Brewer:  I would like to start by thanking you for all your efforts in the town of Templeton and other work you have done. I was reading a local blog my uncle started and see the cuts the governor has made to the local cities and towns. It was disheartening to see a state level cut made and without any regard for its action to the towns that rely on it so much. The change in the lottery aid money also has me not buying any tickets as well.

BOS Meeting July 15, 2013

BOS Meeting July 15, 2013

Last night’s BOS meeting was fairly well attended. The minutes from the Emergency meeting on July 1, 2013 were approved.

Cemetery Superintendent Alan Mayo presented information on the fence for the Gilman Waite Playground. The BOS awarded the fence contract to Johnson Fence for $11,800. The Build Out for the playground will be July 19, 20, and 21^st from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. If you can, please help out!

TESBC Meeting July 15, 2013

Templeton Elementary School Building Meeting  July 15, 2013

The Templeton Elementary School Building Committee(TESBC) met last night to reorganize and give an update on the project.

Kirk Moschetti was reinstated as chairman of the committee, Hank mason the vice chair and Supt. Ruth Miller is the clerk.

SELECTMENS MEETING

THERE IS A SELECTMEN'S MEETING TONIGHT JULY 15TH 6:30PM

CAN'T WAIT TIL THE NEW WEBSITE IS UP AND RUNNING

AGENDA

Meetings in Templeton July 15-19

 Meetings in Templeton for July 15-19…and Beyond!

July 15, 2013

Sewer Commission Meeting  33 Reservoir St  4:30 p.m.

Elementary School Building Meeting  690 Patriots Rd 5:30 p.m.

BOS Meeting 690 Patriots Rd  6:30 p.m.

Conservation Commission 690 Patriots Rd 7:00

drugs

Templeton doesn't need a police dept. with all the drugs floating around town. Come and ask me, i'll put it on paper.
Just my thoughts for today.
Paul Sr

July 26, 2013 STM Warrant

July 26, 2013 STM Warrant

The STM warrant for July 26, 2013 has been posted.

The full text is below:

Banking Bill - Senator Warren

-->

Banking Bill

From Senator Warren

           

When I learned last winter that I would have a seat on the Senate Banking Committee, I was very happy because I knew it would give me the opportunity to ask tough questions and push for some accountability from Wall Street and its regulators.  In the last six months, that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do.

Again and again, I’ve been making a simple point to anyone who will listen: we need to learn from the financial crisis of 2008 and, moving forward, to prevent the kinds of high-risk activities that made a few people rich but nearly destroyed our economy.

American Library Association regarding privacy

ALA and Privacy

As a card-carrying member of the American Library Association (ALA), I am aware of the many privacy concerns and our first and fourth amendment rights which have been violated by the Patriot Act. Below is a is notice sent to all members of ALA By the current ALA president Barbara Stripling:

Will You Stand for Privacy?

A Message to ALA Members from ALA President Barbara Stripling

 

In early June, reports of the National Security Agency’s secret practices rang loudly around the world. News reports detailed PRISM, the U.S. government surveillance program that obtains the Internet records from ten U.S. companies: Verizon, Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, and Apple. It appears that phone records, emails, photos, and social networking activities have been collected and catalogued by the FBI and the NSA over the last seven years.