The Welcoming Lebanon Ordinance Committee is pleased to accept the endorsement of the New Hampshire chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union for the “Welcoming Lebanon Ordinance.” After a review of the ordinance and the Lebanon Police Department’s Biased-Based Profiling policy, Gilles Bissonnette, ACLU-NH’s legal director, provided the following endorsement:
“The ACLU of New Hampshire strongly supports the proposed ordinance. The Constitution clearly bars local police from seizing, arresting, and prolonging the detention of individuals based on known or suspected civil immigration violations. However, a recent public records request has uncovered that the Lebanon Police Department has no policy memorializing this principle. … This makes the proposed ordinance all the more important.
“When a police department decides to not enact a policy that protects the constitutional rights of immigrants, then the burden falls on the voters to take appropriate action to ensure that the Department will and is acting lawfully. This public oversight is what is happening here through the proposed ordinance, and we encourage Lebanon voters to support it.”
The Welcoming Lebanon Ordinance Committee is also pleased to accept the offer the majority of current City Council members provided during the Jan. 22 public hearing. Council members agreed to work with concerned Lebanon residents to ensure that the language of the ordinance is clear and that the ordinance is enforceable if it is passed by the voters on Tuesday.
KATHLEEN BECKETT
Lebanon
The writer chaired the petitioners’ committee that brought the ordinance to the City Council.
Lebanon project would benefit all
As a ninth grade student, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to attend Lebanon High School. My brother, sister and I have loved living here since we moved from Iowa. There is so much to be proud of, but the changes we would see with a renovation would change the day for so many of our students.
Investing in our schools shows commitment to students, education and our community. Coming from the middle school, I loved the building’s look and all the windows that brightened the halls with natural lighting. A new student center for our high school would benefit all students.
For years, our Student Council has discussed the need for a space where students can get together, collaborate and enjoy their classmates. With natural lighting and a comfortable setting, it’s ideal and would create a positive work environment. It would benefit all future LHS students. Many students don’t always have a place to go before and after school, and a distinct area for students would solve that problem and alleviate the anxiety of feeling like they aren’t welcomed elsewhere.
A new music center would have practice rooms that would help every performing arts student. At the moment, our rapidly growing band is overflowing when all 82 students try to rehearse together. We had 35 students five years ago, and with this amount of growth, there is a need for a larger space. The new band space would also leave a dedicated space for our chorus and theater programs.
Having a new front entrance to our school will give students and staff a sense of pride in our school. It will also create a new reception area, which increases security and which is very important for our schools. An accessible entrance will be welcoming to students, parents and community members. Those with mobility needs should be accommodated with an easier way to enter our school, side by side with other classmates. The renovations proposed throughout the district really will benefit our community as a whole.
MARY RAINEY
Lebanon
Lebanon voters will be asked to vote on Article 2 regarding renovations to multiple schools within the Lebanon district. As a longtime resident of the city, I have seen our four children through the school system and now beyond college. Over time, our residents have made many decisions and changes regarding an infrastructure that was originally designed for a town of different demographics and needs of decades ago. We have closed some outdated or inefficient buildings, merging others, and have built a middle school as a process of progressive solutions.
I believe what exists are facilities that still have some good bones, but some of the elements are a hodgepodge of design as a result of the efforts to adapt to ever-changing times. The facilities were not designed to handle the special needs and associated services that are now required, nor were they designed for the required security that was not an issue but a few years ago.
For a number of years now, some staff have been obliged to work out of offices in storage spaces. While infrastructure alone does not dictate results, I believe the current recommendations reflect no extravagance, but rather fundamental needs to execute an effective and safe environment for the education of our children.
There have been thoughtful comments regarding the fiscal considerations, including to hold off on securing a new bond for these renovations while residents pay off other educational bonds and costs for city infrastructure. I believe that it is fiscally prudent to confront a need that has existed for some time now. Continued delay will substantially increase building costs, and lending rates that are low will likely increase. The result will be a substantially heavier tax burden.
Our culture has changed rapidly over the past few decades. More than ever, we need to invest in our children’s education to support the development of citizens who can discern fact from fiction, who can think critically and who have learned how to work cooperatively to solve problems. I will support the school renovation recommendation.
WILLIAM JOSEPH CIOFFREDI
Lebanon
Too many questions
Considering the history of having over $1.5 million unused Lebanon School District budget funds, it makes sense to me to vote no on the proposed district budget and reduce the budget by $500,000 directly.
The district’s building proposal came forward without any changes requested by residents concerned about the ability to afford it. Neither did the board consider the increasing cost of maintenance going forward, or the environmental impact.
Because of this lack of thorough consideration of the issues and my many questions about the details of the project, I can not support this project.
CHRIS HAIDARI
Lebanon
On Wednesday, candidates for the Croydon Selectboard and other offices had a “meet and greet” at Croydon Town Hall. Prior to the meeting, all candidates, including write-in candidates, were invited to attend. Ian Underwood and Russ Edwards accepted the invitation.
Brenda Williams and Pat Hayward were asked at least twice to attend and declined the invitation, but then they did come to the meeting. They were invited to speak by myself and other audience members multiple times but they refused.
Williams said that everyone in attendance was going to vote for Underwood and Edwards so there was no need to speak. Some audience members spoke up, saying they were undecided, but Williams and Hayward still refused to speak. Audience members clapped, encouraging them to speak, yet they still refused. What was the point of coming to a meet and greet if you won’t speak?
The town of Croydon needs Selectboard members who will be responsive to all community members. Please join me in voting for Ian Underwood and Russ Edwards for Croydon Selectboard. I encourage Croydon residents to come out and vote on Tuesday.
CATHY PESCHKE
Croydon