YourNeighborhoodNews.com: The Hooksett Banner

Here we go again – another Hooksett official is being investigated. For what? No one will speak on the record. But from the information contained in a letter from a former officer, printed to the right of this editorial, it seems pretty clear that Chief Stephen Agrafiotis has earned the contempt of many current and former police officers.

With the investigation barely a week old, we’re not ready at this point to make any judgments about the complaints against Agrafiotis. We need to hear just what the official complaints say. We look forward to a an explanation by the investigating parties as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we have to wonder why it is that Hooksett again has to investigate a town official. Fire Chief Michael Howard left Hooksett when he was being investigated for overspending and allegedly degrading a female employee. He left, the investigation was never completed and no one on the town council ever told us if any final report came from that investigation.

Apparently his leaving was enough to make the town council happy, never mind what happened on his watch.

Hooksett citizens need to have trust in their police and fire chiefs – in all the town’s leaders. That fact that five years have passed since the first accusation against Agrafiotis is testimony either to Agrafiotis’ability to convince investigators he’s doing his job as they want him to, or his ability to intimidate his employees into submission. We hate to believe the worst about him, but now that former employees are speaking up, it’s hard to not to.

-Ginger Kozlowski, Editor

To the Editor:
Epsom residents:
As you have been made aware by several letters over the past few weeks, Epsom Central School is in dire need of an addition and renovation project. The mechanical systems in the school are completely outdated with controls dating back to the 1950s and held together with Band-Aids. The two boilers are old and inefficient. They have been patched and repaired to the point that they can’t be patched anymore.

The cast iron plumbing drainage system has holes in the pipes. Water pipes have begun to leak as the soldered joints are weakening; there are faucets in the bathrooms that are hot only and cold only. There is no warm water for washing hands.

The older classrooms have outdated faucets that we can no longer attain the parts to fix them. They also have combination sink and drinking fountains, which means the same sink our children wash their hands and paint brushes in, is the same sink they drink from.

The ventilation system is inadequate, as it will not produce the now required air exchanges for a healthy environment. This lack of proper air exchange is one of the leading causes to mold growth within buildings and aids in the spreading of illness such as the flu or common cold.

With all this information in mind, I urge you, the voters, to vote yes to the Epsom Central School building and renovation project and create a healthier environment for our children to learn.

To the Editor:
I have read about the recent goings-on at the Hooksett Police Department. I know how those officers are feeling right about now. We went through a similar occurrence back in 2000. We took a vote of no confidence against the new chief because of pretty much the same abusive behavior that the “new” officers have complained about.

Back then, the commission did nothing except believe the chief when he told them that we were a bunch of bad apples and complainers and that we needed to go. It was said then that we weren’t used to discipline and that we just wanted a frat house atmosphere.

Seventeen people have left since that vote. Most went to a different police department. I was one of them. In December of ’03, I retired K9 Bosco early, left my friends and hometown and packed in 15 years of employment with Hooksett. I decided that enough was enough. I wasn’t going to let one person continue to have the ability to arbitrarily ruin my career, health and family life.

So, before my name came to the top of the “Wheel of Misfortune,” I too left and joined two other former Hooksett officers in the healthier climate of a neighboring town. It wasn’t an easy decision.

Hooksett should be a great town to work in. The citizens have always treated the police officers well, the money and benefits are very good and there’s plenty of activity for a police officer. But, I decided the $20,000 a year cut in pay might be worth it just to get away intact.

I was right! I took a while to adjust to the new department. After 15 years in Hooksett, it’s odd to work in a department where my efforts are appreciated, and the chief brags about how he has the best department in the state because of his people.

Various people in last week’s Banner commented on how respected the chief is, but not one positive comment from any of them about the police officers. It was one-sided, so I’m writing to say that those employees should be commended for their courage and principles. They have risked their careers and financial security to do what they thought was right for our police department and town. I know it wasn’t an easy decision for those people to bring forward their complaints, knowing that many other good people felt that they had to leave because of the commission’s disregard back then. (Not all of the current commissioners were on the board back then.)

At the time, the police commission was told that it was “normal” to have that kind of turnover. If you’re curious, call the police departments in Goffstown, B e d f o r d , Londonderry or maybe even Manchester (they’re represented fairly well by former Hooksett officers) and see what their turnover was in five years. The International Association of Chiefs of Police says that a turnover rate as high as Hooksett’s should be of concern. Someone with a clue needs to figure out that the problem doesn’t lie with the employees.

Employees should not have to endure a work environment where people are berated, insulted and threatened. The new attitude was that if you were in Hooksett for over 10 years, something was wrong with you and that if you were in uniform you were basically a “retarded monkey.” We received so many insults, threats and lies through e-mail and the computer bulletin board that we just started calling it the “threat board.”

An unfortunate analogy has been made between the Hooksett Police Department and domestic violence. In this case an abuser has been publicly praised, and the victim has only been described as a complainer and unaccustomed to discipline.

A fish rots from the head down. I hope that for the good of the town, the department and themselves, the process that those people started doesn’t go unfinished like it did in 2000. It gets pretty expensive outfitting and training 17 new people. If nothing comes of this, I hope that a few attorney bills and sleepless nights wondering about the future at least serve as a reality check. After all, what goes around comes around.

I hope that former employees join me in supporting the current batch of “bad apples,” and I for one am willing to talk to anyone associated with the investigation.

To the Editor:
In response to Ginger’s (editorial), I beg to differ. Years ago, the postmaster used to send fliers to everyone in Candia about the town business! Why did they stop?

For each resident, and there are 1,722, using the town’s bulk mail permit, it would cost each resident 12 cents to mail, the cost of paper about $20 and a good printer – the town has one. Why would it be so absurd to inform the public?

The town of Candia should be informed and able to decide what’s right for the town. I never said I wanted to force off-icals to meet on a certain day, and I knew we would have to use the gym.

Imagine this scenario: The townspeople gathering in the gym to vote, for breakfast, lunch at a small price. And time to fill out your ballot.

Right now, there are probably about 10 people who go to these meetings. If we did it as more of a social event, I’m sure people would come in, vote, grab something to eat, and socialize – especially the elderly, who probably think the week-long meetings are cumbersome. Heck, I would volunteer to cook once in a while. Yes, money could be raised for the moderator, etc. Right now, a small group of people gather at the businessmen’s meeting to talk about what’s going on in the town. This would be the right forum for that because they would have their say counted. How about potluck dinners to raise money on Saturday, while we vote?

To the Editor:
If you have not seen the Hooksett Master Plan 2004 Executive Summary, I would like to tell you about some proposals that could affect our town.

One proposal is to bridge the river. It is estimated that this bridge would land approximately 30,000 cars per day onto Route 3A. This road is already at capacity. Ask yourself, do you want another Route 3? How will this benefit our town? What will this cost?

They are also proposing several new economic development zones throughout Hooksett. It is very possible that one of these zones could be located in your neighborhood.

Another area of concern is the proposed rezoning of around 800 acres of land west of I-93 from “low-density residential” to an industrial zone. An industrial zone would allow anything from factories to incinerators.

If any of these proposals con-ern you, if you feel the town would suffer and your property values would decline, of if you don’t want your home to be surrounded by industry and/or retail establishments, I urge you to write to our town officials. They are accepting written commentary until Feb. 2.

Please address your concerns to: Hooksett Town Hall, Community Development Department, 16 Main St., Hooksett.

If you would like more information on the Hooksett Master Plan, log onto www.hooksett.org, or pick up a copy of the Master Plan 2004 Executive Summary flier at Town Hall.

To the Editor:
During the late summer or early fall of 2003, at the very first public meeting, it was determined that a second exit should be established out of the project and not using Notre Dame Avenue.

At our next meeting with the builders, all the articles that had to be met were established. Allenstown pays a person from the state CNHRPC-Consulting to evaluate all projects, and one of the stipulations set down was that for safety concerns they had to have a second exit out of McNamara’s Landing project. The zoning board stated that all articles for their variance had to be met to achieve the approval for the project. Aunanimous vote was cast by all members of the board on approving the articles.

At the end of another meeting it was stipulated by one of the members that the builders needed to come up with a second exit, even if it was through someone’s driveway. Ayes vote was made by all members of the zoning board.

A meeting took place about this project on Tuesday, Jan. 11, and in my estimation, it was a big farce and an insult to the intelligence of the people who are involved in attending these meetings.

A person sitting at the zoning board table, who has never attended one single meeting on this project, was asked to be an alternate on the board. He accepted.

At this meeting, the project attorney stated that the builders were willing to spend some of their own money to widen Notre Dame Avenue for emergency vehicles and all the extra traffic that the project will generate. Also, they (the builders) would finish the Bailey-Lincoln Street entrance and install what they called a “locked box.” Allenstown would have to pick up the rest of the cost to finish the road. The questions asked were not in favor of Allenstown spending highway funds on any part of this project.

The board went into deliberations on article three. The alternate made a motion that they change article three. It was then changed to, “The widening of Notre Dame and the upgrade of Lincoln Street at Bailey.” It was put to a vote and all members voted in favor of the change.

I believe, as well as other residents of the neighborhood, that this was all a planned meeting. The alternate should not have been the one to change the article. The spokesperson or the chairman of the board should have been responsible for changing the article.

At the end of the December 2004 meeting, it was overheard that the project attorney stated to someone that if they were turned down again they would bring the members to court. This could have gotten back to the zoning board members and they knew ahead of time about the builder’s new suggestion and this was the board’s way out of a tight situation.

To the Editor:
I was saddened to read the letter to the editor in The Hooksett Banner today with regards to the accusations being made against our town planner, Charles Watson.

While I encourage everyone to participate in planning for our town’s future, I do not think it is fair to accuse Charles of having a personal agenda in the economic development suggestions for the master plan update.

For those of us that know Charles, we are aware of his deep caring for our community. We know of his volunteerism, his strong work ethic, and his ability to analyze data to determine the impact of all types of development.

He would not be a resident of Concord if he could find a home in Hooksett that he and his family could afford to live in. He would not volunteer his time to work with Hooksett community groups if he just wanted “a job.” Charles is highly underappreciated in our town. It’s about time that people dig beneath the surface and get a true sense of how thoughtful, caring and intelligent he is.

I know there are many people that are concerned about the future of our town. We need to work together with our town leaders as allies and effectively communicate amongst each other in order to provide a sense of community. Rapid growth places a strain on our town already, but what will a lack of an updated master plan result in?

I hope that future discussions will focus on facts and issues -not personal accusations or agendas.