THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2011
VOL. 20 NO. 149
BERLIN, N.H.
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Few department heads meet five percent target BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
GORHAM — Budget season is well underway in Gorham with the selectmen reviewing preliminary department head budgets in three sessions over the last two weeks. With taxes up and revenues down, the selectmen looked to curtail spending by asking for five percent budget cuts from each department head. Just two of the six department heads the board met with hit that threshold. In the public work sessions held on Nov. 17, 21, and 22, each department head presented their budget proposal under scrutiny from the board. Members of the public were present but not able to participate
in the session. Selectmen subjected to department heads to numerous questions about possible cost cutting measures, and at one point during the regular selectmen’s meeting on Nov. 21, board chairman Terry Oliver addressed the budgets that had been presented so far. “We’re not happy,” he told a group of citizens who were in attendance. Oliver added that right now the budgets were being presented and the selectmen were listening. Later in the same meeting, Oliver asked Town Manager Robin Frost for a list of all town employees and what they make. The selectmen then have the power to adjust the budgets further before sending them on to the budget committee for review, public hearing and finalization.
Fire Chief Rick Eichler and Police Chief PJ Cyr were the only two presenters who offered up budgets with the requested five percent decrease. Eichler eliminated $9,899 from his 2011 budgets to propose a combined $163,503 in spending for the Fire Department and Building Inspection segments of the town’s operating budget — a 5.71 percent decrease. Likewise, Cyr cut $32,989 from the combined Police and Dispatch budgets for a 2012 proposal of $604,740 — a drop of 5.17 percent. Eichler explained that he had been able to cut some training expenses due to grant funding for a Fire Fighter Level I course, additionally $4,300 was see TARGET page 3
Local author to hold book signing at SaVoir Flare Dec. 3
BERLIN -- On Saturday, December 3, Lancaster author, Susan J. Ackerman, will have a book signing at Savoir Flare in Berlin from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Speaking of her newest book, “Ella’s Journey Part 2: An Amazing Tale of Love, Loss and Hope”, she said, “It is a true story of miracles, angels, true love, and devastating loss. But the journey doesn’t end there. It moves on to find the hope, joy and peace that awaits each one of us. ‘Ella’s Journey’ speaks of what happens to every soul as it prepares to leaves this world. It is the story of how love triumphs over every difficulty, how struggles between parents and children turned to peace and how our pets become our angels. My story has been a most amazing one, but it is also all of our journeys as we search for the meaning and beauty of life.” “Everyone has a fascinating story to tell,” Ackerman said. “Mine begins 32 years ago when I died, left this Earth, and was given a chance to return. Then, 30 years ago, I found my true soul mate and despite any difficulties life presented us, every day was the magic I had always dreamed life should be. Then, in 2009, it all came crashing down. I lost my husband and my entire family in 12 months. Suddenly I found myself completely alone. All our friends had moved away. There you are, all alone, and you have to go on. Your ques-
tions become ... How do you begin again? Can you still find joy in life when you are all alone? Are our loved ones still alive somewhere else? Can they still communicate with us and help us from the other side? These are some of the themes I dealt with in my book. In the current stage of my journey, I have been blessed to receive communications from my husband and soul mate, who is now on “the other side of the veil”. He encouraged me to tell our story, knowing that it will help so many people. Last autumn, as I was falling asleep, he sent me this song to let me know he is still with me. “I will always be with you, through whatever may come. When life closes its curtain, we will always be one.” I knew that I had never heard that song before and suddenly realized that he, who had been a composer, was sending me that message.” Ackerman is also the author of “Ella’s Journey from Sadness to Hope, Part 1”, “Beginnings and Endings”, “The Gift of Time”, and “Comforting Thoughts, the Spiritual Collection.” She is co-author of “Christmas is in the Air”, “All About New Hampshire”, and “New Hampshuh Tales”. In addition to being a writer, Susan is also a professional Astrologer and a language teacher. She teaches classes in Astrology and French at the Weeks Memorial
Susan J. Ackerman
see BOOK SIGNING page 12
Coos delegation votes 9-2 against right-to-work BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
COOS COUNTY -- By an overwhelming majority, the Coos County delegation yesterday voted to sustain Gov. John Lynch’s veto of the so-called rightto-work bill. The 11 Coos state representatives voted 9-2 in
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opposition to the bill which fell 12 votes short of the two thirds majority required to pass it in the House. The total vote in the House was 240-139 - the measure needed 252 votes to pass. Representatives Duffy Daugherty, R-Colebrook, and Laurence Rappaport, R-Colebrook were the only Coos representatives to vote in favor of the bill.
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Voting against it were Reps. Gary Coulombe, D-Berlin, Marc Tremblay, R-Berlin, Yvonne Thomas, D-Berlin, Robert Theberge, D-Berlin, William Hatch, D-Gorham, Evalyn Merrick, D-Lancaster, William Remick, R-Lancaster, Herb Richardson, R-Lancaster, and John Tholl, R-Whitefield.
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