Comparing Selectmen Candidates Griffin and Woolsey

February 10, 2013

With the announcement that Mary Louise Woolsey would run against Rick Griffin we asked both candidates to write to us about their backgrounds, what they have accomplished during their years in public service and what they expect to accomplish going forward. We have not edited their responses and are presenting information for the public to judge. Rational Taxpayers of Hampton has not yet endorsed a candidate but will do so prior to the elections. We plan on asking the same information from the candidates for the three year terms on the budget committee and school board as those will be contested races. We hope this information is helpful to the public. For more information about Rational Taxpayers of Hampton please visit our web site at rationaltaxpayersofhampton.org.

From Richard “Rick” Griffin-

Hi Norman,

This is my fiftyth year living in Hampton. I attended Broward Jr. College in Ft. Lauderdale,Florida. I have attended some of the best and foremost cosmetology venues around the world specializing in clinical and business.My business is in its thirty ninth year, I was appointed by then Govenor Judd Gregg to the state board of cosmetology. I have  enjoyed many years of success with my business with multiple locations(five).

I worked hard to keep the tax  rate low and since I have served the town this has been the reality.

I will continue to keep the tax rate low and work with the tax payers with their direction.

Also I have served all of the Hampton boards most mulltible times. I am on the Hampton Area Commission and have served twice as chairmen.

Thanks,

Rick Griffin

 From Mary-Louise Woolsey-

Mary-Louise Woolsey

148 Little River Rd 

49 year resident of Hampton

Native of Lowell MA, graduate of Notre Dame Academy, Tyngsboro MA ; Chelmsford High School in Chelmsford MA; and Sweet Briar College, Sweet Briar VA – BA in English and History

Retired Property & Casualty insurance producer licensed by the State of NH

Parent of four children raised in Hampton and educated in the Hampton school system

Starting from the time my oldest son entered first grade (with children entering the system at 2 year intervals!) I served on Marston and HAJH PTAs, as well as room mother, lunchroom monitor, field trip monitor, and President of Marston PTA when we installed the original wooden playground equipment.

Served as Deputy Town Clerk under Town Clerk Jane Kelley; served as 3 term selectman  (1978-’81, 1989-’92, 1994-’97) and chaired BOS 3 of the 9 years. Served as Selectman Representative to the Municipal Budget Committee 8 of those 9 years. Now completing seventh term as member-at-large on Hampton Municipal Budget Committee. Chairman of HMBC 6 years, Vice Chairman past 2 years. Elected to serve on two Charter Commissions. Served on BOS Waste & Recycling Committee overseen by Selectman Wm. Lally. Serving currently on BOS Recycling Committee overseen by Selectman Michael Pierce.

While serving as Chairman of the HMBC in 1988, sponsored a petition to Board of Tax & Land Appeal regarding illegal 1987 tax warrant issued by BOS. Petition accepted by the Board as “Class Action”. Hearing before that court May, 1988.  Decision in favor of petitioners, entire 1987 tax warrant overturned, corrected tax bills issued, refunds issued to those who were overtaxed.  As a result, a  local attorney was reimbursed $8,000 by the town and a local business was reimbursed $15,000 all others overtaxed compensated as well.  Failure to issue correct tax warrants amounts to theft by a municipality.

After illegal tax warrant suit was completed, sponsored two warrant articles with the support of the Budget Committee to better protect the public interest: one to allow for the Tax Collector to accept payment in anticipation of taxes, and one to change the manner of tax billing to twice a year. Both articles passed.

In 1989, as incoming selectman, I moved at Annual Meeting to remove $725,000 from operating budget, with the goal of bringing the Treasurer’s borrowing practices under control. Town Meeting approved. At that time we were spending $811,000 per year in tax anticipation bond interest.  Currently the TAN borrowing is under $10,000/yr.

Advocated for the enforcement of the legal ability of the Budget Committee to call any relevant parties, including Department Heads, for purposes of information.

Voted against the Beach Infrastructure bond due to lack of prior planning and information in town presentations to the Budget Committee. The project was “design build”, and even today there are still parts of the beach infrastructure that have not been addressed.

Voted for the original 7.8 million sewer bond, and advocated ever since for additional bonds to continue sewer construction and reconstruction projects. Ask the residents of the west side of town how much they love their septic tanks and leach fields.

Goals for BOS

1)      Always follow the law: budgets, Right to Know, union contracts etc.

2)       Watch the money – on BOS or BudCom it all comes down to PUBLIC MONEY

3)       Keep annual warrants concise with clearly drafted articles

4)       Work through the year – town business doesn’t take a vacation in summer

5)       PLAN, plan, plan:  Clean up the waste ordinance – (it should be the Waste & Recycling Ordinance) - make the $2,000,000 we have invested in “in house” recycling pickup work more efficiently and revamp waste & recycling collection schedules. While it is a worthy project this was never fully planned out with all potential costs clear to the public, with DPW rolling stock, staffing and collection abilities not addressed PRIOR to implementation

6)       Get waste & recycling to single processing facility like EcoMaine to save on tipping and transportation fees, and try to recover as much income as possible selling recyclables which means increase the volume

7)       Make recycling truly mandatory by setting up enforcement procedures that will work, and use them

8)      Stop town vehicles from going onto private property to collect waste. This is a huge liability issue

9)       Improve and modernize Channel 22 – keep notices current and readable. Keep technology up to date so viewers can actually hear what is going on. Set up school/educational channel ASAP

10)    Advocate for better distribution of NH Rooms & Meals revenue

11)    Advocate for Municipal IMPACT fees to be assessed by the Planning Board

12)    Continue to revitalize our long neglected DPW, and plan for eventual WWTP replacement. Update sewer fees. If we cannot control the volume of septage coming in it will cost millions to replace the plant

13)    Get the State of NH beach raking waste out of our DPW facility

14)   Keep the offices in the Town Office open from 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for the benefit of the public. There are sufficient personnel on hand to cover for lunch hours.

15)    Always respect the mission of our watchdog Budget Committee. It is the single most effective tool for balancing the needs of the community with taxpayers’ ability to pay.

16)   Be polite and listen to taxpayers under “Public Comment” or get rid of it