To the Editor:
I was amazed by your story on the Bremen Budget Committee meeting. (“Bremen Budget Committee calls for stricter rules on selectmen,” LCN, Page 10, 1/27/11)
Yes, I was taking care of my special needs grandson, Cedric. The selectmen had gone over budget figures the week before their meeting. We had our “ducks in a row,” so as to speak.
Attending the meeting of an advisory board appointed by the selectmen was never a requirement previously. We appoint the board. We are not subject to their demands.
In point of fact, I did not “cost the Town of Bremen $35,000.”
No money has been spent, to date, much less $35,000. Applying for a federal grant is no guarantee of getting that grant. (On a side note, the town has money in the bank waiting for such contingencies, while the federal government is essentially broke. Let’s borrow from China, rather than spend the money already appropriated and in the bank.)
At the same time, the Budget Committee did “cost” the residents of the Town of Bremen $20,000 in the form of an item that they recommended, and approved by the town residents, asking for $20,000 for the Fire Truck Reserve Fund, in addition to the payment on the truck we are already paying on.
My recollection is that the money that had been going to the truck fund was going to be used to pay for the truck we bought three years ago. By recommending adding to the reserve fund, as well as paying for the truck, residents were charged an additional $20,000,unnecessarily, in my opinion.
A bit of history, for your readers. Four years ago, I was asked to be a write in candidate for the position of selectman in the Town of Bremen…. because no one else was willing to do the job. I was elected as a write-in candidate. Last year, I was re-elected.
In the last four years, I have attended 99 of the 100 selectman’s meetings, more than either of the other two selectmen. I have also received, and acted upon numerous calls to my cell phone, and my home, as the General Assistance administrator for the town, as well as many calls concerning other subjects. No one else was willing to do the job that I was doing, out of my love for the town. I have spent literally hundreds of hours, in various capacities, for Bremen.
Now, the needs of my family have expanded, at the same time as the number of concerned citizens in Bremen have grown, and I have decided that in order to meet the needs of my family, I need to re-prioritize so I am stepping down as Selectman.
The person who described it to me as a “thankless job” was not exaggerating.
Thank you for the opportunity to clarify the issues raised in your story.
Patrick Ginnaty, Bremen
