This week in Manch Talk, we discuss economic incentives, private vs. public approaches, and how the whole of Manchester would be better off if a handful of elites weren’t trying to control everything down to the pool hours.
Carla Gericke
The next meeting is scheduled for 8/16 at Parkside Middle 5-7PM.
Join our mailing list where you can stay up to date on developments at ParksidePark.org.
Here’s some media coverage:
Proposal for West Side community center clears first hurdle…
WHAT DEFINES a community? Is it a location, a value system, a bit of both? Should something be called a “community center” when the people who live there don’t want it? Can you claim to be building “community” when you don’t inform abutters, the residents who would be most impacted?
The Manchester Board of Alderman and Mayor Joyce Craig voted to sell 4.2 acres of public parkland next to Parkside Middle in West Manchester for $600,000 to a private entity called the “Mark Stebbins Community Center.”
Fourteen individuals spoke against the center at this location. Eight spoke in favor, all affiliated with the city or project. The week before, the project facilitator, Jeanine Tousignant, shut down an informational session when it became clear the approximately hundred attendees were aggrieved.
Abutters were not informed until after the letter of intent for the sale had been signed; i.e., neighborhood homeowners were not told about the plans until the “deal was done.”
Joe Kelly Levasseaur voted against the “surplus” recommendation without abutter consent. Ed Sapienza stated that an RFP process should have been followed. At Tousignant’s abridged meeting, we were told, “We aren’t legally required to inform abutters.” My neighbor responded, “We all know what’s ‘legal,’ isn’t always what’s ‘right.’”
Do you think the government should change the nature of your neighborhood without your consent? Do you think it is right for one group of special interests (the Mayor’s friends pushing this, Group A) to “help” another group of special interests (the beneficiaries of the largess, Group B) without telling the people who bear the brunt of these actions (Group C)?
Is this good governance? No; it is exactly what’s wrong with the government– everyone thinks it’s OK to bleed Group C, the taxpaying property owners. We are tired of this.
The park is next to Parkside Middle, situated on five dead-end streets. The speed limit is 10 mph. A robust community garden exists called Manchester Grows. Forty percent of the property is on a steep hillside, not suitable for building. They are proposing a 40,000 sf building plus parking.
To declare the site “surplus,” Parks and Rec must demonstrate the land is not being used for any purpose and that the sale is in the “public interest.” Based on my Right-to-Know requests, the boilerplate letters submitted simply state the land is “surplus” and that taking it will be in the “public interest” without explaining why. One might even ask, who is “the public”? Apparently no-one in Group C.
What about our community garden and green space where children play? Only the president of Manchester Grows supports relocating. Other gardeners do not. One asked why the notices weren’t put on the fence to inform them? Good question. Perhaps the claimed efforts to involve the community is not the whole truth?
What about other sites? West High, Second Street, and the Housing Authority plot near Rock Rimmon that seems more suitable? Erin George Kelly (Ward 12) cited a conflict of interest during the surplus vote; what was it?
Everyone is committed to doing good for the children of the West Side, but let me be clear. We cannot start with objectionable, unethical behavior and expect good to follow. The city and the Mayor’s friends need to apologize for the railroading, and let’s regroup together.
If this is such a good idea, they should be able to persuade the majority of abutters. Or do they realize as I do, that this rushed decision will depress our property values by 10 to 30%, downshift to us the costs of services provided to this “tax free” property, and invite increased crime and homelessness into our safe neighborhood.
Perhaps the reason they failed to inform us is because they know exactly what they are doing and don’t want to confront our rightful outrage.
We can debate the best solutions to solve society’s problems, but I know when you harm one group to benefit another you are not doing good, despite what you tell yourself. Deciding who must make sacrifices for “the greater good” should be done with the advice and consent of the people doing the sacrificing.
I hope we can figure something out, not only for the connected and the people who will receive services, but also those of us who live next to the park, grow our vegetables there, and pay our property taxes for our still safe streets.
The next MSCC meeting is scheduled for August 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Parkside Middle School. Learn more at ParksidePark.org.
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Carla Gericke lives in West Manchester. She is the Republican candidate for the House of Representatives in Ward 11.
A friend recently shared the following public post, in which she lamented how “society” treats you differently depending on certain factors. Here was my response…
May I suggest that there is no “how society perceives X” but only how YOU perceive X in relation to YOU.
Hear me out: I was half-watching a YouTube and heard this guru say, “There are no irritating ppl.” I threw down my dish towel, well, irritated. I rewound and listened again. “There are no irritating people because irritation is something you do to yourself.”
Hmmm.
It was a huge “aha!” moment for me, which is why I am sharing.
I doubt “society” or anyone you are coming into contact is actually thinking about you or your appearance in any meaningful way.
But it is something that is bothering YOU. You are generating these feelings, understandably, and then projecting them externally.
What would happen if you flipped how YOU feel, which I understand is hard but it sounds like you are already doing that. More self-acceptance and self-love, less “other people are making me feel X”?
Idk if my observation is valuable to you but if I’ve irritated you with my response, whose “fault” is that?
When People Claim One Atrocity Prevented Worse Future Ones… Should You Believe Them?
War is awful, and I have been antiwar since I was young after I read Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen.
On Aug. 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima — becoming the only country to ever use nuclear weapons during wartime.
One commenter said: “Japan never would of surrendered if we did not . Millions more would of died fighting as the war dragged on for months , even years longer.”
I find this type of rationalization troubling.
People who defend atrocious behavior often justify it with “but this worse thing woulda happened in the future if we didn’t.”
How do we know? Are you a time traveler? A soothsayer? Or, are you repeating a line you were fed?
This is the tactic of evil people (using government as collective cover): justifying despicable actions by saying it’s “good because otherwise this worse thing would happen, or more suffering would occur, or, or, or…”
How do I know? You must judge THE ACTION THEY’RE DEFENDING. Like murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent people with an atomic bomb.
A helpful mindfulness trick to apply is the following: If we stopped the “film of life” right now, would this ACTION (a choice to behave in a certain fashion) be good or bad in this very moment? That’s it.
The president has Covid again. The song “Killing me softly” springs to mind.
I am also struck by how we now seem to live in different realities.
[Group A] Natural immunity peeps: Yeah, I had it way back. Like a medium flu, felt fine a few days later. No thanks to vax. No recurring infections bc not immuno-compromised with spike <—Person thinks Group C is being manipulated by evil doers, and the mounting evidence makes it seem that something fishy is going on with ppl getting boosted; relieved about choice to reject [Group B] Vaxxed but refused boosters: Ppl who had some kind of negative reaction personally or of someone they know; rejecting any additional ones <— relieved they stopped, good idea! [Group C] Vaxxed and boosted: C19 is so lethal and dangerous, it keeps infecting me! Grateful I have been jabbed bc my symptoms are mild, and otherwise I’d probably be dead bc it must, must be super dangerous if I keep getting reinfected. <—-Person thinks everything Big Gov & Big Pharma is doing is right plan; relieved about choice (? <—are they? Or starting to question?)What Is “un-American” About Secession? (Psst: It’s Literally How America Was Made)
In response to Chris Sununu saying: “They wanted to secede from the United States of America, completely un-American. They don’t believe in democracy.”
Leaving aside the fact that Sununu is trying to divert attention away from his cover-up of a blatantly illegal political election campaign contribution, and one must assume there’s still other financial malfeasance that’s going to be coming out given how hard they’re all trying to avoid this audit being finalized… Let’s deal with the facts of his”secession and democracy” quote for people following along:
FOR THE RECORD, CACR 32 was THE MOST DEMOCRATIC BILL ever introduced at the state house bc ALL it did was put the question of independence TO GRANITE STATE VOTERS.
SOURCE: https://legiscan.com/NH/text/CACR32/id/2462068
The Establishment lies and lies and lies to suit their needs while suppressing our freedoms & refusing to let our fellow Granite Staters and neighbors decide for themselves if they want to continue under the yoke of DC.
Of course, politicians like Sununu receive benefits from DC, but the average “NONESSENTIAL” voter is only being made poorer–just look at your energy and gas bills!
Also, don’t forget YOUR GOVERNOR CALLED YOU “NONESSENTIAL,” and shut down YOUR business while not furloughing ONE government employee… But, please, continue to trust him why dont’cha!
A Constitutional amendment has an incredibly high bar to pass–again, REAL DEMOCRACY–so it’s interesting to me to see the misinformation being spread.
Then again, a recent USA Survey poll said 53% of registered Republicans in NH support secession NOW, so perhaps that’s why Sununu is so afraid of true representative democracy?
SOURCE: https://libertyblock.com/survey-finds-strong-support-for…/
Socialism, not secession, is “un-American,” especially considering this country was, in fact, borne from secession and is A REPUBLIC.
Let’s stick to the FACTS and stop with the lies, please.
SOURCE for Sununu quote: https://nhjournal.com/sylvia-accuses-sununu-of-unethical…/
Right-to-Know Request Regarding Sweetheart Backroom Property Deal Slated to Close at Alderman Meeting Tonight–We Deserve to Know More!
This RTK request was sent to the following email addresses and submitted via the Mayor’s online form this morning: “Jeanine@jeanineandcompany.com, smacleod@manchesternh.gov, mayor@manchesternh.gov, PCD-ARPA@manchesternh.gov”
July 19, 2022
Dear Mayor Joyce Craig, et al (also submitted via the online form for the Mayor’s office):
RE: Right to Know Request per RSA-91A for West Side “Mark Stebbins Community Center” Project
Pursuant to the Right to Know Law (RSA. 91-A), I am requesting public access, within 5 business days, to the governmental records reasonably described as follows:
All records, no matter what form, including but not limited to, printed documents, electronic documents, e-mails, or any other form of records regarding the “Mark Stebbins Community Center” Project for the period from the initiation of the project or 07/01/21, whichever first occurred, up to and including 07/19/2022, the date of today’s Board of Alderman meeting.
In your record disclosures, please include all information relating to this project, even if it was known as something else prior to being designated the “Mark Stebbins Community Center,” including all the partners involved.
Please also include all information about alternative West Side properties considered and rejected.
Please also include any relevant federal or local grant applications submitted regarding this project.
Please also include any environmental impact studies done.
Please include information provided to abutters of the proposed “Mark Stebbins Community Center” property, including when they were informed and the opportunities, including length of time, provided to the abutting tax-paying property owners to discuss the proposal.
Please include a proposed budget and tax assessment for the services to be provided at this site.
Please also include the committee report from Lands & Buildings regarding Lot 318-3, including the criteria used to deem a property as “surplus” to City needs.
Per RSA 91-A:4 IV(c) If you deny any portion of this request, please cite the specific exemption used to justify the denial to make each record, or part thereof, available for inspection along with a brief explanation of how the exemption applies to the information withheld.
Please let me know when these records are available for inspection or you may email the records to me at: carla@carlagericke.com.
Thank you for your lawful attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Carla Gericke
XX Durette Court
Manchester, NH 03102
Cell: 917-607-4X5X
Email: carla@carlagericke.com
Per RSA 91-A, governmental records means “any information created, accepted, or obtained by, or on behalf of, any public body, or a quorum or majority thereof, or any public agency in furtherance of its official function. Without limiting the foregoing, the term “governmental records” includes any written communication or other information, whether in paper, electronic, or other physical form, received by a quorum or majority of a public body in furtherance of its official function, whether at a meeting or outside a meeting of the body. The term “governmental records” shall also include the term “public records.””