I am a reasonable person and will gladly suspend this interchange, which I have thought of fondly as "Hodge" ball. ;o) I only wish you had accepted when I had suggested as much earlier. (Sep 9, 2008 | post #25)
Teacher supply lists should be stopped
You are correct, people who have the means should not be petty about it and step up to aide those who don't. But, there are very costly supplies that could seriously compromise a very limited budget, such as a graphing calculator. If you are fortunate enough to have a child gifted enough to be in advanced classes there are often extra costs associated with them. These items don't qualify as petty in the way you described and the school should be supplying these necessities that are imperative with these high level math classes. We aren't talking a few dollars here. (Sep 8, 2008 | post #29)
Teacher supply lists should be stopped
For that particular scenario, I agree completely. (Sep 8, 2008 | post #28)
Teacher supply lists should be stopped
PS. These extra items (Kleenex, Clorox wipes) might be the best holiday and end of the year gifts for teachers. If they want things for their classroom that the school doesn't supply they could be given as gifts, which is a truly optional gesture. Wish lists posted in the classrooms would be the best way to communicate without putting pressure on anyone for the things you want or "need". (Sep 8, 2008 | post #25)
Teacher supply lists should be stopped
The only people who ever call others "cheapskate " are the ones who have money. Forget that this is a worthy topic on principle alone, there are many people who struggle! Before anyone jumps in to say that some of the items included on these lists are optional, tell that to your kid who is watching everyone bring in the items. Hard working people have pride and don't want their children to be seen as different. There is so much more to this than being cheap. The extras that the parents are asked to supply should be provided by the school. Paper, crayons, markers pens, pencils, and erasers are all that should be the responsibility of the student. Several of the items described here are the whim and preference of the teacher and if so, should be their's to fund. (Sep 8, 2008 | post #24)
John and Ron being the only two people who always agree with John, it has to be one of them, but the typing style is notably similar to John's. If you insist on me citing examples of John's double standard, here goes... Let's start with the settlement he just claimed as his own. Consider, please, that while BOF chair, John slammed the checkbook shut on any further legal expenses, including currently outstanding bills. How, may I ask, could Peggy have pursued a lawsuit against the oil tank installer with no funds to pay the attorney? While serving as 1st Selectman, John has asked the BOF to make multiple transfers to the legal line to compensate for spending outside the budget. After all, he is "taking care of town business"! How about the fact that John was originally opposed to the streetscape project and yet he is photographed proudly watering the flowers that grace his new domain. And then, let's remember that he fought both Shaw's and the water system that now serves the downtown so efficiently. He also wanted to move the seniors out of their current location to the CO A Fire House, and yet to win an election he sang a completely different tune. Also, let's think about how long this whole senior center project has gone on and add up the related costs that have been accruing, not the least of which is another year or two of rent. And, don't forget the bridge, the bridge rent, the installation, the purchase price and now the cost of removing it all. One thing you can say about the previous administration is that they operated within the law. John indiscriminately violates local ordinance to deliver the outcome he seeks. Violation 1, FOI, 2, firing the sr. center architect, 3, disbanding the PBC, 4, assembling a new PBC for one project only, and 5, subverting the due process of the town by personally recommending the circulation of petitions to circumvent the authority of the BOF. While BOF chair he eliminated the minimal stipends of the two underselectmen and then reinstated them in time for the election that put him in office. He couldn't very well ask Ron to be his running mate and suggest his contribution wasn't worthy of some compensation, however meager, now could he? Now he wants to stick his nose into the plight of the residents of Dunham Pond! Sorry but, it is their responsibility to pursue the resolution to their problems with the developer and that includes an insufficient water system. If in fact, the water system is not large enough to address a fire, it would seem that the town building inspector, health inspector or fire marshal, should have to answer for having approved it. I will close by saying, for the last time, that John (you!) has done some good things for NF but in no way does it absolve him for using people, ignoring the law and taking tax payer money to fund special interests. (Sep 7, 2008 | post #20)
Let's clear something up, I come on here, anonymously, and I can say anything I want to with no repercussions. I have nothing to gain from lying and doing so defies logic. Now, I am not taking your bait, here's why. I have noted two very significant traits when reading your contributions to any Hodge related threads. The first is, without fail, you have never conceded to a single point I have raised. No matter how valid or reasoned, not a single instance of deference. This is familiar, very closely resembling Hodge himself. The second trait is related to your writing style, I have been fortunate enough to unearth an email that was written by Mr. Hodge and alas, he too places a space before a comma and does not use a space following the comma, a consistent (and improper) use of punctuation. This is a very distinctive and unique quirk, too much so to be considered a coincidence. It seems more than a little likely that I am conversing with "the" John Hodge about himself and his behavior, which makes all future discussion with you moot in my estimation. Say good night John-boy. ;o) (Sep 6, 2008 | post #17)
To what end, so we can disagree about our perception of the specifics? Nothing to be gained by that, it's history. If you care to discuss anything in the present, I may accomodate you, first I'll have to decide if you are just yanking me around for your amusement. As yet you haven't acknowledged the legitimacy of any of my concerns about Hodge's ethics. If you continue to think that the bottom line is all the matters we have nothing to talk about. (Sep 6, 2008 | post #15)
Good evening, you are judging me too harshly and consistently refusing to take my legitimate comments into consideration. First, give me some credit, I am not whining about an election from 3 years ago, I am simply protesting what I believe to be some unethical behavior by our current first selectman (men). Hodge pats his own back enough to put his rotator cuff as serious risk. Whatever he does or has done, he did tie the hands of the previous administration making it difficult to impossible for them to bring several issues to a successful conclusion, that is a fact. Read my last post again, I did give credit to Hodge for things he has done that are beneficial. My problem is with his methods related to a wide variety of issues from the "historic houses", and the senior center to the PBC. I have only ever used two names here, the first was Reader but when I registered as a regular contributor on the site I was forced to choose another name as that one was taken. I don't see the logic in changing ones name repeatedly, they are all anonymous anyway, why not be one generic name? As I said, it is apparent you are who you are despite what you call yourself, at least to me. Regarding the Dunham issue, for now I will withdraw my protest as I am not well enough acquainted with the facts and was possibly misinformed. I reserve the right to revisit the topic again in the future, based on real information. (Sep 5, 2008 | post #13)
Good morning Blah, Just and now Sour, what will you be next time? You are so recognizable you may as well stick to one name. It is clear that you are so vehement in your support of Hodge that you have either no ethics or no mind of your own. It is true that Hodge has had successes that have benefited the town but several of them were achieved by unethical means. You can't just look at the bottom line as if nothing else is of any consequence. It would be easier to take you seriously if you weren't so thoroughly critical of the former administration, who were not all bad as this one is not all good. If you are honest with your recollections you will have to admit that it was Hodge who tied the hands of Katkocin and prevented her from resolving issues that he has subsequently used as examples of his superiority. Even your pal Jane has seen the light, somehow she has gained the objectivity that has allowed her to see things as they are and it is good to know there is hope for some to see the whole picture if they take the blinders off. Now, do you really think it is good for the taxpayers to fund the lawsuit in behalf of the Dunham Pond residents? If you agree with that decision, I'll have to suspect that you are one of Jeff Dunham's (odd coincidence) puppets (or Ron!) because a real thinking person couldn't possibly believe that is an appropriate use of our money. (Sep 5, 2008 | post #11)
Breaking: Galante sentenced to over 7 years in federal prison
Funny, I thought the same thing but in the opposite way, as in why so little time? You can't seriously consider time served in one of the most palatial homes in the area as legitimate punishment. And to those of you who are getting their amusement at the expense of Roseanne, please ask yourselves how responsible you are for your spouse's behavior. We don't know why she stayed with him, it could be any number of reasons including fear! Confine your comments to things of relevance and not petty, small minded criticisms of Roseanne or her appearance. Jim was tried and convicted, not his family. (Sep 3, 2008 | post #38)
New Fairfield transplants history
I did nothing of the sort, I merely left out the word "if", which I thought was a given. Once again, you go your way and I will go mine, and there is little to be gained from trying to belittle me. Tell you what, I'll be grown up enough not to respond to any further comments you may have on this topic. Have a nice weekend. (Aug 30, 2008 | post #25)
New Fairfield transplants history
So true! Neither would it have been "rocket" science to tear up and reinstall a portion of a sidewalk, it's done all the time. (Aug 29, 2008 | post #23)
New Fairfield transplants history
Ah, my friend Blah is back, I have been waiting for you or your alter ego Just the facts to weigh in. Good questions all. If the water system has not been designed, how could Hodge have predicted the sidewalks would be torn up, as he did to justify using the grant money for the houses. Can you guarantee that they would be torn up? I think not. Sadly I was unable to be at the town meeting you mentioned, but contrary to your statement, as a taxpayer I actually do have a "right" to express my objection. I know I can't change it but I don't have to like it. You on the other hand got what you wanted so why are you so unhappy all the time? We will simply have to respectfully disagree with each other because neither of us will change the other's perspective and time will tell which of us was right. (Aug 26, 2008 | post #20)
New Fairfield transplants history
Moot point though it may be, this time it worked in your favor, how about the times it doesn't, then is it ok for you to be unhappy about it? I am not arguing that it wasn't legal, I am arguing that the vote was made under false pretenses. I am just silly enough to want honest information so any vote we make can be above reproach, this was not the case with this issue. Take a walk over there, sorry there are no sidewalks you can use, but walk around the houses, peek in the windows and tell me how oohhh/aahhh they look, are you going to pay to walk through them? If so, good for you, you found a way to spend 10 minutes of your life. (Aug 26, 2008 | post #15)
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