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Volume 26 Number 35 March 6, 2015 16 Pages

Pat Jewett is the Heart and Soul of Litcheldby Laurie Jasper

“Even if you’re on the right track,you’ll get run over if you just sitthere,” Pat Jewett quipped in herspeech as she was lauded at thefirst annual Pat Jewett VolunteerAppreciation Day on Sunday,March 1 at Campbell HighSchool auditorium inLitchfield. Followingthe awards ceremony,a dinner in Pat’shonor was held inthe cafeteria, withproceeds to helpfund future Pat

Jewett VolunteerAppreciation Dayprograms.

In 2014, Pat Jewettofficially tenderedher resignation fromthe Litchfield Boardof Selectmen due tohealth issues, and Pat’smany years of servicewere recognized at theannual town meeting.Then, during Litchfield’sMemorial Day program lastyear, the town proclaimedMarch 1 (Pat Jewett’s birthday)would be known annuallyas Pat Jewett VolunteerAppreciation Day and that each year the community wouldrecognize those who continue Pat’s legacy of service.

For more than 50 years, Pat served Litchfield in many capacities,

in addition to working as an elementary special education teacherin Nashua for over 30 years. The long list includes: ConservationCommittee: 1952-1954; School Board: 1957-67, 2004-10;Recreation Committee: 1956-1963; Board of Selectmen: 1979-2011, 2012-2014; Zoning Board of Adjustment: 1985-1986;Welfare Director: 1985-2010; N.P.P.C. treasurer: 1987-1995; TownClean-up Day chairman: 1995-2010; Memorial Day, Pearl HarborDay and Veterans Day chairman: 1980-2010; Town Hall and SchoolBuilding Committee: 1985-2000. It should be noted that she wasthe first female member on the board of selectmen.

Among her other affiliations: 4-H Club leader, 1944-54; CubScout den mother, 1971-75 and 1952-55; Community Church,1958-present; Sunday school teacher, Youth Group leader, assistedat Strawberry Festivals, Yard Sales and Holiday Fairs; Extension Clubofficer, 1955-58; Hudson Grange, 1953-present; P.T.O. Litchfield andNashua, 1952-1995; coached softball and volleyball, 1950s-60s;Alvirne Booster Club, 1962-65; Director of SHARE food pantry,

Candidates Explore Hot Topicsof Town Growth, Trimming the School Budget

by Tom TollefsonOnce again it’s time for Hudson to “rock the vote.” Many

dedicated citizens will make their way to the polls at theHudson Community Center to be a voice for the town andcast their ballots toward decisions that will shape theircommunity. Here are the candidates that will give residentstheir voice.

Selectman (six candidates running for two three-yearterms as selectmen):

Randy Brownrigg is a 20-year Hudson resident whohas raised three children in this community. Brownrigghas served on the budget committee and conservationcommission and was a state representative from 2010-2012.He also served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years. During histime in the navy, he took on many challenges on differentships and posts that would call for his attention to detail andleadership. His focus for improvement in Hudson is “betterlistening to what people have to say and what their concernsare in town.”

Richard Kahn is running in his fourth campaign forselectman and states that the only difference this time aroundis his age. He still has five campaign goals and objectivesas follows: accountability, transparency, fiscal restraint, civilliberties, and creation of a business-friendly climate. Kahnhas served on the Friends of Benson Park and Old Home

Days committees and owns Kahn Landscaping.Ted Luszey has been a resident for 30 years. Luszey

has been on the Hudson Board of Selectmen, as well asthe budget, recycling, conservation, facilities, and solidwaste committees. He wants to improve the infrastructurein Hudson when the opportunities arise in a cost-effectivemanner.

Normand Martin, who has lived in Hudson for the past 13years has served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment for thepast 10 years and on the budget committee. He believes inchange that will improve the way the town runs.

Lifelong resident Marilyn McGrath, currently an alternateon the Zoning Board of Adjustment, served on the formertown council (participated in contract negotiations with

the unions), and has been on the planning board (servedas chairman in the 1980s). She also worked as a financialanalyst for BAE Systems for over 20 years and is recentlyretired. She describes herself as being “fiscally conservative”and not afraid to make big decisions that will help benefit thetown. One of her biggest concerns is the congested traffic onLowell and Derry roads. She stated that a solution will take a“concerted effort on the town and state level depending uponfunding because any corrections to those roadways will becostly.”

Voting in Hudson: What Happens if the Counting

Machine doesn’t Work ?

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1967-72; Board of Directors Community Council,2006-present; Learning Disabilities Specialists, 1974-90; Friends of C.H.S., 2000-02; Organized SeniorCitizens, 2010-present; organized various events forveterans – care packages, socks for seniors; collectedbackpacks and supplies for children of Litchfield.

In fact, it took event host Laura Gandia over fiveminutes to list all of Pat’s accomplishments,

and even then, “I believe I’m probablystill missing some of her

volunteerism,” said Laura.Among the manyaccolades were those

from her son-in-law, John Morey, who said,“Pat epitomizes everypart of the phrase

‘would give you theshirt off her back.’”

John recounted themany Christmas in Julyevents Pat and her latehusband, Will, hostedin their backyard for senior citizens,complete with a full turkey dinnerand plenty of homemade desserts,keeping the town reader board

updated, picking up litter on the sideof the road and driving cancer patients to

appointments. “The acknowledgement ofher service and love of this town is an honor

and she and herfamily will be forever

grateful,” said John.“I have to admit, I laughed at

a $30 per person dinner in Pat’shonor,” said Pat’s longtime friendDiane Jerry to shared laughter.“We’ve served on manycommittees together, spending aslittle as possible to do it,” Dianecontinued. The crowd chuckledas Diane told of Pat’s means of taking minutes at meetings, usingany scrap of paper she could find, and of taking home Styrofoamcups to wash them for the next gathering.

Litchfield’s Police Chief Joseph O’Brion has known Pat for over20 years. “Pat’s values and willingness to make Litchfield a betterplace haven’t changed,” said Chief O’Brion. He recounted whentown administrator Jason Hoch first came to Litchfield, his goalwas to teach Pat to use a computer. Hoch was very confident inhis ability to teach Pat in no time, so O’Brion and Hoch made afriendly wager of a submarine sandwich. “Anyone who knows Patknows she uses the phone or writes a note. Thank you, Pat, thatsub was delicious,” O’Brion said.

Pat received flowers,certificates, letters from Litchfieldgathered from citizens, andproclamations from both theNew Hampshire House ofRepresentatives and Senate.

House Speaker Shawn Jaspersaid he has known Pat his entirelife. “If you had to say who isthe heart and soul of Litchfield, ittruly is Pat Jewett,” said Jasper.

Senator Donna Soucy said, “Patwalks the walk and talks the talk.Pat is a role model.”

A portion of the program wasdevoted to reading the names ofall the members of the many town

boards and committees, whowill each receive a certificate ofappreciation. Town AdministratorHoch said, “Governments relyon a lot of volunteers, elected orappointed. Volunteerism is the

engine that drives this community. We recognize those who servethis community now and encourage this in the future.” Recallingwhat Pat said to him last year about saving the money by using apiece of cardboard from the dump when he presented her with aplaque honoring her service, Hoch obliged this year, giving Pat apiece of cardboardinscribed withthanks.

After receivinga standing ovationfrom the crowd,Pat shared some ofher memories. “My biggest surprise was the day I won selectman.I made my signs up out of cardboard from the dump, and peoplethought I wouldn’t win with handmade signs, but I did,” said Pat.“The saddest thing I ever did was writing my letter of resignation,”recalled Pat. “My motto in teaching and life is firm, fair and fun. Ireally appreciate all the volunteers who helped me; we had a lot offun, and it was well worth all the time. Thank you so much. I amdelighted,” she concluded.

”

“ My biggest surprise was the dayI won selectman. I made my signs upout of cardboard from the dump, and people thought I wouldn’t win withhandmade signs, but I did.

-Pat Jewett

Caught by surprise, the ‘birthday girl’had her cake delivered by her son, Keith.

Pat shares memories with Shawn Jasper, NH speaker of theHouse of Representatives, before the program began.

e Jewetts and Jaspers were longtime friends, back to whenPat’s daughter, Nancy, would walk little Shawn

through the Jasper chicken coops.

at wonderful smile that everyone loves

Staff photos by Len Lathrop

HUDSON

7am to 8pm

Community Center

LITCHFIELD

7am to 7pm

Campbell High School

Moderator Paul Inderbitzen compares the machine’s tabulation with the data he put on the sample ballots for the test.

BOS candidates are seated at the Hudson Meet the Candidates’ night (from left): Randy Brownrigg, Richard Kahn, Ted Luszey, Normand Martin,and Marilyn McGrath. Missing from photo: candidate Jared Stevens.

continued to page 10- Hudson Candidatescontinued to page 7-

Counting Machine

by Len LathropOf course, we all know that answer. If necessary, the moderator, town clerk,

selectmen and ballot clerks will count all the votes by hand, one ballot at a time.No results are calculated by the “rock, paper, scissors” method.

Hopefully, it will not come to ballot-by-ballot hand counting on March the10th. Let’s look at what happens before the polls can open on that day at 7 a.m.Everyone can guess the ballots have been printed, and we won’t even go into theabsentee operations, except to say if you haven’t asked for one by now, you bestshow up at the polls for your choices to be counted.

On Monday morning, eight days before the election, Hudson Town Clerk PattiBarry and Hudson Moderator Paul Inderbitzen are busy testing the countingmachines. Prior to this and before each election, another firm has checkedeach machine to be sure there is no data from the prior election in the machineand that they have programmed the “card” with the names of the candidates

for each office and the warrant questions that were finalized at the deliberativesession about a month ago. Hudson has five of these machines and --for therecord-- they are kept in the safe in the town clerk’s office. Now who would youwant to tamper with a machine for a job you do for free: “a volunteer” or a paid$8-a-day Hudson selectman?

But, back to the process, the test ballots that Inderbitzen has marked --two fortown questions (the white ones) and one for the school district (the yellow one)--are fed into each machine four times. So let’s do the math: three ballots eachwith two sides each four times. Let’s not go there. Paul has been the moderatorfor seven years and has spent over a week setting up this test. But somehow

S t a f f p h o t o

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2 - March 6, 2015 | Hudson - Litchfield News

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Emerson College student Christina Guessferd of Hudson has beennamed to the Dean’s List for the fall semester. Guessferd is majoring in Journalism.

Evan Manning of Hudson has been accepted to Ashland University forthe fall semester of 2015. Manning is a senior at Alvirne High School.

Molly Glasheen of Hudson and Ted Allen of Litchfield have beennamed to the Dean’s List at Merrimack College.

The College of Saint Rose has announced that Kathryn Kierstead ofLitchfield is one of 814 students named to the Dean’s List for the fallsemester.

Boston University awarded academic degrees to 1,664 in January.Receiving degrees were Hudson residents Nicole M. Gable, Master ofBusiness Administration in Business Administration and Management,High Honors; and Trent W. Merrell, Master of Engineering in ComputerEngineering.

Four Hudson residents have recently been named to the Dean’s Listat Boston University for the fall semester. Students recognized for thishonor include: Kayla E. Duval, Luke D. Mertins, Jacob G. Nazarian,and Holly J. Roberts.

Jessica M. McNeill, a resident of Litchfield, has recently been namedto the Dean’s List at Boston University for the fall semester.

Congratulations to Joshua Rand of Litchfield for recognition of hisoutstanding academic achievements by being named to the President’sList at Daniel Webster College. Joshua is a sophomore majoring inGame Programming with a minor in Game Design and Development.

Send your Accolades to [email protected] with a photo

submitted by Ruth Parker After Hudson adopted a unified school district in 1896, a number of local schoolhouses were purchased and converted into private

dwellings. Such was the case with the house shown in this 1956 photo.The No. 6 (Farms District) schoolhouse was built in 1852 on what is now the vacant lot just north of 107 Derry St. and almost opposite

Hudson Hardware. By 1898 the schoolhouse was converted into a dwelling by Menzell French. It remained in the French family until

destroyed by fire in January 1980. For years this was the home of Harold and Maude French and family. Harold began the FrenchInsurance Agency in the front room of this home; notice the sign along Derry Street. Maude is fondly remembered for her work with the4-H club’s Fortnightly Club, and her prominent role in securing funds for the beginning of Alvirne High School. The insurance agencywas continued by their son, Gordon, and now by grandson Rick and family at 12 Derry St. Photo compliments of the French family andnow a part of the Historical Society Collection.

Remember Hudson When ...The French Home on Derry Street, 1956

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Hudson Police, Fire & Town Supervisors Association

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YESON Article

Vote Tuesday,

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Community Center

Litcheld Police LogWednesday, February 18: 2:53 p.m. Motorvehicle complaint, Pondview Drive. 6:15 p.m.Paperwork served, Perry Court.Thursday, February 19: 10:50 a.m. Disabledmotor vehicle, Route 3A. 11:42 a.m. Civil

standby, Pondview Drive. 4:19 p.m. Paperworkserved, Liberty Way. 5:49 p.m. Alarm activation,Woodhawk Way.Friday, February 20: 12:19 p.m. Road hazard,Page Road. 12:34 p.m. Medical emergency, HighPlain Avenue. 4:53 p.m. Theft, Gibson Drive.

10:28 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Woodhawk Way.Saturday, February 21: 2:57 p.m. Disabled motorvehicle, Albuquerque Avenue. 10:58 p.m. OHRVcomplaint, Pilgrim Drive.Sunday, February 22: 5:26 a.m. Two car motor

vehicle accident, Route 3A. 3:42 p.m. Suspiciousvehicle, Route 3A. 4:41 p.m. Wire down, PageRoad.Monday, February 23: 8:58 a.m. House fire,Martin Lane. 3:00 p.m. Suspicious vehicle,Fernwood Drive.


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submitted by Jill Deleault Over the February school vacation week, nearly 30 Campbell High School band and choir students

took part in a fun and educational trip to Nashville, Tenn. The outing to “Music City USA” was inthe works for months, with fundraisers and rehearsals galore. During the trip, students performed invery rewarding music clinics with Dr. Dwayne Sagen and Dr. Tucker Biddlecombe, both of VanderbiltUniversity. In addition, students toured the Country Music Hall of Fame, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage,RCA Studio B, and many other Tennessee points of interest. Accompanying the students on the trip wereCHS music teacher Jill Deleault, CHS school nurse Rachel Baker, and two volunteer chaperones.

submitted by Tianna Begonis,Hudson Sustainability Committee

Hello folks! Excited for spring? We definitelyare, and what better time to be thinking aboutwarmer weather than now! March is finally hereand with that, we would like to cordially inviteyou to several significantly spring-like events:Vote. Vote. Vote.

On Tuesday, March 10, Town and SchoolDistrict Elections will be held at the HudsonCommunity Center, 12 Lions Ave., Hudson. Thepolls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. TheSustainability Committee would love to see youthere.Warrant Article 14

The Sustainability Committee asks for yoursupport regarding Warrant Article 14 on thetown ballot. Article 14 supports the installationof solar energy systems on residential propertyby requesting a property tax exemption for thesystem. While the Town of Hudson currentlydoes not tax solar energy systems, the committeebelieves that the town should make a commitmentto encourage property owners to explorealternative energy sources, suchas solar power! The adoptionof Warrant Article 14 willreduce the current concern thatsolar systems could be taxed in

the future. Such a tax wouldlikely discourage home ownersfrom thinking about such aninstallation. In reality, bothindividual home owners andthe community would benefitin the long run by reducing theload on the electric grid. Thewarrant article doesn’t increasean individual’s property tax or

decrease the town’s property tax revenues.The real ‘winner’ is the environment.Earth Day: Save the Dates

In honor of Earth Day 2015, our annualRoadside Cleanup is scheduled to take placeon April 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All therecyclables we pick up get recycled. Do youknow of a particular road that has many bottles,

cans, and other recyclables along its sides? Ifso, e-mail us at [email protected] or post on our Facebook page @ HudsonSustainability. Roads will be voted on andposted by April. Thank you for all your ideas andsupport!

New this year the Sustainability Committee andthe Hudson Boy Scouts are joining forces to bringan Earth Day Celebration to the community onApril 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. There will be severalactivities including growing plants, recycling andre-using home items to make cat and dog toys,a bounce house, and fun games. Put it on yourfamily calendar so you don’t miss it. Details to bereleased in future articles.

CHS Music Department Takesa Trip to Nashville

C o u r t e s y p h o t o s

CHS band students had a clinic with Vanderbilt University Director of Bands Dr. Dwayne Sagen.

CHS choral students with Vanderbilt University Director of ChoirsDr. Tucker Biddlecombe and CHS music teacher Jill Deleault

Hudson Sustainability Committee Asks Voters to Support Article 14

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Urging a ‘Yes’ Vote on Article 6

I am writing this letter to express to the voters of Hudsonhow important Hudson Warrant Article #6 is to the peopleof Hudson. Warrant article 6 asks for the people of Hudsonto approve a contract for the Hudson Police, Fire and Townsupervisor’s Association. is association is made up ofsupervisors from various town departments. e majorityof this association is Police and Fire supervisors. ese areexperienced, professional and educated town employees, withsome having 30 years of service to the people of Hudson.

e association has not asked for above average wages, theyhave agreed to an average compensation in an effort to keepthe tax impact as low as possible.

A yes vote on Article 6 will allow you to pay our publicsafety supervisors an average wage for their continuedoutstanding dedication to you.

e members of the Town of Hudson Police, Fire andTown Supervisors Association thank you in advance for yourconsideration on this issue. We join together with the HudsonBoard of Selectman and urge you to vote yes on Article 6.

John P. Beike, President, Hudson Police, Fire, TownSupervisors Association

Litchfield’s Pat Jewett is a Marvel

On behalf of t he Litchfield Women’s Club, we wo uld liketo offer our congratulations and gratitude to Pat Jewett onher many achievements and contributions to the community

of Litchfield. In attending this past weekend’s Pat JewettVolunteer Appreciation Day ceremony, one couldn’t help butmarvel at the significant difference one caring individual canmake in the course of a lifetime. Pat certainly has touched thelives of countless individuals with her dedicated efforts to helpothers.

For the past quarter-century, Pat has been a staunchsupporter of every activity that the Litchfield Women’s Clubhas been involved in. At the end of each community breakfast,Pat could be counted on to gather up packaged breakfast fareto personally deliver to families throughout town. She hasalways been the club’s first line of contact to see how we mighthelp others in Litchfield, and the first in line as well to supportfundraising efforts, vying for raffle prizes and silent auctionitems, each of which she’d donate to others if she won.

Each year, the Litchfield Women’s Club awards scholarshipsto deserving graduates and have awarded well over $50,000thus far. In 2014, the club created a new annual scholarshipin Pat Jewett’s honor. is scholarship is awarded to theindividual who most exemplifies the very trait that Pat holdsmost dear -- service to others.

We are so grateful for Pat’s many, many contributions toour community. She is an integral part of what Litchfield is all

about and for that we are thankful.Pamme Boutselis and Charlotte Williams, Co-presidents,

Litchfield

BOS Supports Litchfield’s TownOperating Budget

e Litchfield Budget Committee has sent to the voterson the March 10 ballot for the town an appropriation of$5,232,478 representing a 4.5% increase over the 2014 defaultbudget approved by the voters. Notable areas of increase arespending of $119,376 for the voter approved Police Unioncontract as well as the purchase of two, new Police cruisersreplacing worn out, high mileage vehicles. is will move theTown back to the successful system of purchasing cruisers inplace several years ago. Additional appropriations were alsoin the area of the Information Technology budget by $69,325providing for the upkeep and maintenance of the town’scomputer systems, $25,391 for employee benefits (healthinsurance, Social Security, etc.) and an increase of $15,696 forthe Highway Department for maintenance and additional saltpurchases. e Budget Committee also took decreases in the

Selectmen’s draft budget for the purchase of gasoline, propane,oil, welfare and consulting services. e Budget Committeeafter much deliberation and discussion approved the 2015budget unanimously.

e Board of Selectmen considers the Budget Committee’s

budget as presented to the voters to be a reasonable basis forthe running of our town. It is our belief that it will allow theSelectmen the flexibility in addressing the expenses that weexpect to encounter in 2015 while ensuring that the taxes toour citizens are maintained a low as possible. We supportthe Budget Committee’s budget and have also unanimously

recommended their budget for adoption of the voters. We areencouraging all voters to follow both the Budget Committeeand the Board of Selectmen and approve the budget warrant atthe March election.

John Brunelle, Litchfield Board of Selectmen

Bring a ‘Rational’ Salary System to Town

On March 10, the citizens of Litchfield will have a decisionto make on Warrant Article 14 as to whether they will providetheir Town non-bargaining employees the opportunity tobegin moving to a wage plan that makes sense. In the past, theTown’s wage structure was composed of a system of grades witheight steps in each grade. is system required that employeesonly had to spend time in their grade before automaticallybeing “ promoted “ to the next step. It didn’t matter onperformance, ability at their job or the knowledge theypossessed the promotion was simply tied to their time in grade.e Selectmen would then ask for a cost of living increase(COLA) that would be added to all non-bargaining employees’salary irrespective of their grade, step or merit performance. It

was the belief of the Selectmen that this process was inefficient,unfair to both the employees and Litchfield’s citizens.

In 2013, the Selectmen voted to institute a system thatrewarding performance of employees for their work, knowledgeand effort; a merit performance based system. e Selectmenundertook a study of the town’s jobs for our non-bargainingemployees in order to arrange them into a rational system ofgrades based upon duties and responsibilities. Unfortunately,to get to this system, the many of our employees must bemoved in terms of salary. Warrant Article 14 commencesthat process by starting the movement of employees whosepositional duties and responsibilities are grossly out of line withtheir current salaries. is process will continue over severalyears.

is system has been approved by the Selectmenand presented to the Budget Committee who has votedunanimously to support this effort. e Selectmen ask you toalso support this effort at bringing a rational salary system toLitchfield.

John Brunelle, Litchfield Board of Selectmen

Do your Due Diligence and Vote

On Tuesday, the 10th, your will have the opportunity to

be heard regarding the direction of our elected bodies. Likeyou, I will get to choose amongst good people that have verydifferent ideas on what that entrusted position entails. Whenyou vote, do you expect that person to perform to the highestof standards? Or do you simply assume they will? Do youassume that because they are nice people, good friends, orgood neighbors that they believe what you do? Do you havepolitical conversations with them? Or do you subscribeto the “no talk of religion or politics” philosophy as it is sopersonal and possible divisive? Here is my point. is is apolitical election. Although our local elections do not haveus identify ourselves by political party, you can be certain weall have leanings toward one ideology or another across thecontinuum, do we not? When you elect someone to representyou, are you not looking for someone that shares your ideals?

Your understanding of the role of government? ere is littledoubt in a small community like ours it is very likely we allknow each other to some level and we are all cordial, courteousand overall like each other. How then are we to decide ifthose that are running for a political office in a system thatdoes not require affiliation shares our own belief systems?Unfortunately, you can’t unless you have had those politi calconversations or paid very close attention to the voting recordsof those running. Please do your due diligence. Don’t simply

take for granted someone else’s opinion or perhaps your ownbelieving that your friend, neighbor or acquaintance hasyour political belief system. I am Jason Guerrette, and amasking for your vote. I am a traditional conservative running

against a self proclaimed Moderate anda self proclaimed Liberal. Web address:

Jasonguerrette.info; LitchfieldVotes.com.

Jason Guerrette, Litchfield

ere is so Much at Stake in Hudson

As you head to the polls on March 10, please rememberthis.

I am the number 1 conservative choice for school board! Ihave studied the budget and the underlying laws that controlit, for the past three years.

I have a balanced education and experience as a CertifiedPublic Accountant, as well as a significant education in thefield of Psychology.

I have what it takes to work with the school departmentto reduce and hopefully eliminate the gap in the standard testscores, while keeping the budget at a reasonable level.

Personally, I successfully changed my score on the CPAexam from 60s to 90s and feel what I have learned can help theschool district bring up the test scores of the students! I haveused what I learned about test taking and memorization tohelp my own son learn and memorize.

I have the confidence and ability to suggest and implementsome well needed changes to make Hudson number1 ineducation!

Please vote Peggy Huard for School Board on March 10.e polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election is held atthe Hudson Community Center on 12 Lions Avenue.

Remind your friends and neighbors to vote. We have hadrecord low turnout over the past few years. ere is too muchat stake to let such a small majority of this town come out andvote and make the decisions for the rest of the town!

Peggy Huard, Hudson

Article 19 will Make a Positive Impact

My name is John Latsha and I am the petitioner of Warrant Article 19 cable coordinator for Litchfield. First I would liketo thank all the residents who signed my petition as I walkeddown the streets of Litchfield and knocked on your front door,it was a pleasure meeting all of you, next time I will rememberto fill all my pockets with dog biscuits so that I can make someextra friends. is warrant article will completely changethe local cable channels in Litchfield in a positive way, likebringing new programming, government meetings, recordingfootball, basketball, soccer games to be played on TV evenhaving your own TV show with no impact on your propertytaxes! is is a key opportunity for you the voters of Litchfieldto make a positive impact on our town, please considerLitchfield petition Warrant Article 19 cable coordinator.

John Latsha, Litchfield

Article 11 Ensures our Public Safety

It is not often that I feel compelled to write an editorial.

However, your informed vote to this article is critical to avital tool that is used 24 hours a day everyday of the year. Asa voter, you are a stakeholder in the business of the Town ofHudson. is warrant article is critical for the town’s PublicSafety Departments; Police and Fire.

e Technology for this system was developed in 1999.Our current communication system was put into service in2004. e system has reached its end of life. In 2009, thecompany stopped making repair parts. ink about it, howmany people have a car or a computer that was made in 1999.ese systems have to run 24 hours a day 365 days a year.How much confidence would you have in your car if you left itrunning since 2004?

e Fire Chief, IT Director, Board of Selectmen, and I havespent the last three to four years studying this situation andhave determined that this is something we, as a community,need to get behind and support.

e equipment that needs to be replaced is the equipmentthat is utilized by both Police and Fire so that when you callto use our services the information can be relayed to the policeofficers or fire fighters in the field. is is the equipmentfound inside each departments dispatch center. It is notthe radio towers, it is not the transmitters, and it is not thereceivers located around the town. is is just the equipmentin the dispatch centers.

e equipment is what the dispatcher uses to log the callsfor service as well as allows for two-way communication withthe emergency personnel in the field.

is is critical infrastructure needed to conduct the day-to-day operations of each department.

e total amount needed for the entire project isapproximately $350,000. Currently, we have a Capital Reserve

Fund that puts $10,000 a year into an account so that someday we will have money to purchase a new system. at fund onlyhas $20,000 in it. e vendor cannot repair breakdowns. is

warrant article would put $200,000 in this fund. It is a start toresolving a serious problem. Please vote Yes in support of thisarticle to make sure our public safety people have the ability

to communicate and respond to your needs. Please vote insupport of Warrant Article 11.

Jason Lavoie, Chief, Hudson Police Department

Striving to Serve the People of Hudson

My name is Ted Luszey and I am announcing my candidacyfor Selectman. As a resident for more than 35 years, I havebeen actively involved in our Town on many levels. My serviceto Hudson began as a member of the Solid Waste Committee,

which has evolved into today’s Sustainability Committee as well as a six-year member of the Conservation Committee. Inaddition, I was a member of the Budget Committee for morethan 16 years and am a past Selectman.

As a member of the Budget Committee I was instrumentalin implementing the vehicle replacement program currentlybeing used by the Town. I worked with the IT Department inimplementing the mobile communication equipment rotationplan used by the Police Department to manage vehicle laptopupgrades.

While serving as a Selectman, I worked with the TownDepartment Heads and the Board of Selectman to implementan automated Policy Document System for all policies and

procedures. Furthermore, I was appointed the liaison for ourseniors. In this role, I was chartered to work with our seniorsto design and build a Senior Center. I accomplished this

within the budget approved by the Board of Selectman and within the timeframe committed.

Relative to current issues, like the proposed upgrade tothe Central Fire Station and building a replacement for theBurns Hill Station, I don’t think they are ready for p rimetime.ere are many questions that still need to be answered.Like, for many years the Board of Selectman have agreed thata significant cost saving can be realized by combining Fireand Police Dispatch function. Space and non-compatibleequipment has been the reason for not proceeding with thisstrategy. With the upgrade to the Central Station and a newfacility, no mention has been made if the strategy to combinethese two functions is part of the plan. If not, I wouldquestion why not. And, why the Lowell Road location? eTown owns land on Musquash Road where a new station couldbe built. Was this investigated? And, should we go forward

with these two proposals as presented, what’s next? Will webe looking at a major renovation for the Robinson Roadstation? e Town Hall? I hope I have demonstrated why

we need someone on the Board that will ask these questions

and work with the Department Heads and the Board to fullyvet proposals before the go to warrant. e taxpayer andresidents deserve that level of engagement from their electedofficials. And, for the record, I am in favor of fixing our agingemergency response infrastructure in a responsible and costeffect manner.

I hope this brief outline of my accomplishments whileserving the People of Hudson and my understanding of currentissues facing our Town demonstrates my commitment tostrive to improve the level of service for all our residents whilekeeping our spending down.

I ask for your support and vote on March 10.

Ted Luszey, Hudson

Fix the Fire Stations in the ‘Hudson Way’

To the voters of Hudson, I am writing to ask for yoursupport for the two fire station warrant articles (Articles 2and 9). During my time on the Board of Selectmen I haveasked many questions, squeezed every nickel, and hopefullyshown my willingness to say no when I thought no was the

way to vote. When a plan to build a new central fire stationcame before the board several years ago, with a $6.4 million

price tag, I voted no. Articles 2 and 9, in my opinion, fixthe problem in the “Hudson way.” We will renovate, notreplace, the Lenny Smith Central Station and put a provendesign on Lowell Road for less than half of the $6.4 millionplan. I know there is no good time to raise taxes, I do not

want my taxes to go up either, but I/we need to put moneyinto our infrastructure. ese two projects will increase the


5/16

Hudson - Litchfield News | March 6, 2015 - 5

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Obituaries

Every lifetime has a story

Gerard BelangerGerard Belanger, 83, passed

away peacefully on Feb. 28,2015, at the NH Veteran’sHome in Tilton. He was bornin Wallagrass, ME, on Jan.20, 1932, to Ivon and Alice

(Michaud) Belanger.Gerry spent his early life working on the family

farm alongside his three younger brothers, Roderick“Dick,” Richard and Reynold Belanger.

He served in the United States Army for 25 yearsand retired as a Chief Warrant Officer in 1977.During his career in the armed services he traveledthe world, servicing and operating radar and missilefacilities. After his retirement from the service, hefollowed the high tech movement to New England,working several jobs and settling in Hudson. After

his second retirement, he worked at Lull Farm inHollis. He loved adventures and new challenges.He strived to contribute to his community. Manyin Hudson knew Gerry because of his deliveriesof fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers to local

residents and organizations. He volunteered at theVA Medical Center in Manchester and served asthe commander of the Hudson American LegionPost 48, and for many years Gerry made sure theflags on veterans’ graves in the Hudson area weremaintained and changed.

He would visit his family in Maine several timesa year and his nieces and nephews remember himas a jovial and generous man whose visits wereeagerly anticipated.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, ViolaBelanger; his son and daughter-in-law, Ed andPenny Belanger; and his grandchildren, Stevenand Marina Belanger, all of Hudson. He is alsosurvived by his brother, Richard Belanger ofSanford, ME; his sisters-in-law, Gloria Belanger ofPortage, ME, and Madeline Belanger of Biddeford,

ME; as well as many nieces and nephews, familyand friends. He was loved and will be missed.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that

donations be made in Gerry’s name to the NHVeteran’s Home, 139 Winter St., Tilton, NH 03276.

Thursdays thru April 9AARP Tax-Aide now has a site at the

new Hudson Senior Center located at19 Kimball Hill Rd. in Hudson. Free tax

assistance and preparation for taxpayers

with low- and middle-income, with specialattention to those age 60 and older, is nowavailable. IRS certified counselors are availablefrom 9 a.m. until noon. You do not need to be amember of AARP or a retiree to use this service.Remember to bring your Social Security cardand other official documentation for yourselfand all dependents as they are required. For anappointment, call 211.

Now thru April 13Free Tax Help. Volunteers from the AARP will

be at the Rodgers Memorial Library on Mondaysand Saturdays. Appointments are available 9:30a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (no appointments Mar. 14or Apr. 11) to help senior citizens and low tomoderate income taxpayers with their tax returns.Tax assistance volunteers do not, however, helpprepare Schedule C over $10,000 in expenses,Schedule E, complicated/lengthy ScheduleD forms without proper paperwork, or other

specialized forms. Taxpayers with complex taxforms are advised to seek paid tax help. Go tormlnh.org/events or call the library at 886-6030 tomake an appointment, walk-ins welcome.

At Campbell High School, complimentarychild care offered for all voters. Any parent,who is bringing their child with them to vote, iswelcome to drop their child/children off in theHome Economics classroom (Rm. 150) while theyvote. This babysitting service is run and organizedby the Campbell High School National HonorSociety. This child care service is offered from 7a.m. to 7 p.m. at CHS on voting day. Don’t worryabout finding a babysitter; there will be plenty ofgames, books, and activities to keep your childentertained and happy while you vote.

Tuesday, March 10Interested in Community Service?

The Litchfield Lions Club offers a varietyof volunteer opportunities serving the

Litchfield community. The LitchfieldLions Club will be holding its monthly [secondTuesday of the month] meeting on at 7 p.m. atthe Litchfield Presbyterian Church, 259 CharlesBancroft Highway, Litchfield. For more info visit:http://litchfield.nhlions.org/ or Facebook: FB:Litchfield NH Lions Club.

Wednesday, March 11There will be a Pipeline Neighbors

Meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m., at theLitchfield Town Hall, 2 Liberty Way.

Neighbors of the proposed pipeline andinterested residents will have an opportunityto meet one another and discuss interests andconcerns to prepare for future meetings withSelectmen, Kinder Morgan, and FERC.

Friday, March 13Starting Your Genealogy Research.

Are you interested in Genealogy butdon’t know where to start? Today’s

Genealogy Club meeting at 1:30 p.m.

in the Rodgers Memorial Library will introduceyou to the tools you need to start finding yourroots. Learn the basic steps for gathering familystories, finding and using key resources, andorganizing your research. You will also learnabout the many genealogy resources available atthe library. Laptop computers will be availablefor use at the meeting. For those who are alreadyfamiliar with family research, there will be a tableavailable for you to share your stories and brickwalls with other veteran researchers, or you arewelcome to help our new people! No registrationrequired. Check the website, rodgerslibrary.org,for information about future topics and guestspeakers.

Friday, March 13 & Saturday, March 14The Hudson Memorial School will present the

musical “Beauty and the Beast” at 7 p.m. in theHMS Gymnasium. Ticket forms can be foundon the school website, picked up in the school’s

office.Saturday, March 14

The Campbell High School AthleticBooster Club will be hosting its annualComedy Night at Talent Hall. Doors

open at 7 p.m. Show begins at 9 p.m.There will be raffles, items to be auctioned, and50/50 raffle. Tickets are $15. You can purchasetickets at Town Hall, or send your request [email protected]. Reserve atable early ... they go fast! Bring your friends andcome support the CHS athletes and their programsand have tons of laughs at the same time.

Tuesday, March 17 The Friends of the Library will hold a

meeting from 7-9 p.m. in the CommunityRoom at the Library. Plans will be

made for National Library Week and newmembers and ideas are always welcome.

Wednesday, March 18The Litchfield Senior Citizen group willbe meeting at 12 p.m. at the CommunityChurch on Charles Bancroft Highway.

There will be a hot dog and beans lunchserved after which a singer will entertain thegroup. All senior citizens are invited to attend.

Thursday, March 19Litter Box Success. Speaker will be

Rhonda Voss, KPA-CTP, Always PositivePet Training, LLC, at 6 p.m., Ann Seabury

Community Room, Hudson PoliceDepartment. Limited attendance. Contact ACO

Jana McMillan at 889-7387 to reserve a seat.

The Hudson and Pelham Democratic TownCommittees invite you to their joint committee

meeting. The main purpose of this meeting isto elect officers and delegates at large for thenext two year period for the town of Hudson.All registered Democrats in the towns ofHudson are automatic members, so please

come out and meet others who are workingtogether to uphold the values we hold dear. Themeeting will be held at the current Chair’s (KateMessner’s) home: 10 Third Street, Hudson, at 7p.m. RSVP Kate Messner 881-3282.

Saturday, March 21Alvirne will be the first high school in

New England to host a Dance Marathonfor Boston Children’s. Jana Elsayed

herself is a Boston Children’s survivorand is very excited to be giving back. The eventbegins 6 p.m. on and goes till midnight. It’s acelebration and all “FTK” or For the Kids. One-hundred percent of the proceeds go directly to thehospital. There are two rules: no sitting and nocaffeine! There will be a DJ, live music, gamesand prizes. We are asking that students raise $50and adults $100. We have options for teams orsingles. We are very excited for the event andwant the entire community there! More info can

be found on the Facebook page “Alvirne DanceMarathon” or Alvirne page.

Sunday, March 22Legendary Locals of Hudson Book

Event. When John T. Benson purchasedland in Hudson in 1924, little did he

know that Bensons Wild Animal Farmwould make Hudson famous. For 60 years, theStrangest Farm on Earth became legendary. Theformer attraction is now a beautiful town park.These pages are filled with stories of many whogave of their time, talent, and treasure. LeonardSmith designed and helped build Central FireStation. Shirley Nadeau is always ready tolend a hand. Leon Hammond cooked forcountless bean suppers. Dr. Alfred Kimball Hills,Kimball Webster, G. Philip Rodgers and AlvinRodgers have been generous benefactors. TheH in Hudson stands for heart. At 2 p.m., localauthors Shawn and Laurie Jasper will give a talk

introducing this new book about some of ouroutstanding citizens at the Rodgers MemorialLibrary. Books will be available for sale andsigning and proceeds from the sale of books willbenefit the Hudson Historical Society.

Tuesday, March 25 The Hudson Police Department

will host its 53rd Semi-Annual BloodDrive from 12 to 7 p.m. at the Hudson

Community Center on Lions Avenue.

Monday, March 30Pelham Pipeline Awareness is hosting

an Informational Session to outline theproposed Kinder Morgan Northeast Energy

Direct project. This is an opportunity forlocal and area residents to come together to

gather facts and hold discussions regarding theproposed pipeline and its impacts to SouthernNew Hampshire. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.in Sherburne Hall, 6 Village Green, Pelham,presentation to begin at 7 p.m. followed by OpenForum Discussion until 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 4

The 4H New Hampshire Cluckers willpresent a free program title “BackyardChickens” at 10 a.m. in the Ann Seabury

Community Room, Hudson PoliceDepartment. Registration required, contact ACO

Jana McMillan at 889-7387 or e-mail [email protected].

Saturday, April 11The Litchfield Firefighters Association

will hold its 35th Annual Ham & BeanSupper from 4 to 7 p.m. at Campbell

High School Cafeteria. Tickets will besold at the door: $7 - 12 and older, $6 - seniors,$5 - children 4-12, free under 4 years old. Note:This is not a school sponsored event. For moreinformation e-mail [email protected].

Saturday, April 18If you want to do something proactive,

amp up your resume, or are simplyseeking volunteer hours, the Hudson

Sustainability Committee will be hostingits Fifth Roadside Cleanup in celebration of thisupcoming Earth Day in April. The committeeinvites you to come enjoy the fresh air,complimentary t-shirts, and free snacks as we putHudson’s recyclables back into the cycle, oneroad at a time. Anyone interested in volunteeringwith us, mark your calendars for Apr. 18 from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. Individuals as well as groups arewelcome! Any length of time you can contributeis greatly appreciated. We are currentlywelcoming road suggestions. Please e-mail us [email protected] with your ideasand/or if you’d like to RSVP to our Fifth RoadsideCleanup event.

10th

11th

13th

14th

17th

18th

19th

21st

25th

22nd

4th

30th

Now

11th

18th

Alvirne Counseling Offers CollegeFair, SAT/ACT Reminders

submitted by Alvirne High School The National Association for College Admission Counseling is sponsoring the Boston National

College Fair in April. This event is free to students and parents and is a good chance for juniors totalk to representatives from colleges across the country. The fair will be held Thursday, April 9, from9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and on Friday, April 10, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the BostonConvention and Exhibition Center.

You should register at www.nacacnet.org/ncfstudent. When you register, you will receive a barcode that the admissions representatives will scan so they can follow up with you after the fair. Youwill save time by not having to fill out information cards at the booths of the schools you are interestedin. Along with talking with representatives there will also be a workshop about the College FinancialAid Process.

The spring testing dates are coming up soon, so if you want to take the SAT on May 2 theregistration deadline is April 6. For the SAT on June 6, the deadline is May 8. Register online at sat.org/register. The ACT dates are April 18 with a registration deadline of March 13 and June 13 witha deadline of May 8. Register online at www.actstudent.org/start. The June SAT and both ACTs areoffered at Alvirne High School. We will also be offering the practice ACT to our college bound juniorson April 18. Students can register for that right in the Counseling Office. The cost is $30 and studentscan bring cash or a check made out to Alvirne High School.

We are currently scheduling appointments with incoming freshmen students and their parentsto meet their counselor and talk about their schedules for freshman year. If you haven’t alreadyscheduled an appointment please call 886-1260 ext. 2507.

Seniors, don’t forget to check out the scholarship newsletter on edline. There are many scholarshipopportunities available to you, so stop into Counseling to learn more about all the scholarships. Thedeadlines will be coming up soon!

Talk to

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

S coo p! S coo p! Send yourstoriesand

photos to


6/16


Piece of the Pie

Maintaining Your

Maintaining Your

Maintaining Your

The Tax Return-Itemized DeductionsW.F.Boutin EA - Total Tax Solutions LLC

Taxpayers itemize their deductions in the hope of exceeding thestandard deduction allowed by the tax code for their particular filingstatus. For every dollar that exceeds the standard deduction, the savingsrealized is proportionate to the tax bracket they are in for their filingstatus. Categories found on the SCH A, itemized deductions include:Medical Expenses that exceed 7.5% of the AGI for taxpayers 65 orolder, all other taxpayers 10% of the AGI starting in 2013; certain Taxespaid, such as state or local income taxes, foreign income taxes, generalsales tax (only if not claiming state and local taxes); real estate tax andpersonal property tax which must be based upon the value of propertyand charged on a yearly basis; qualified home mortgage Interestincluding certain points paid, investment interest (limited to investmentincome) and qualified mortgage insurance premiums; CharitableContributions by cash or check and contributions other than cash orcheck.

(NOTE: The deduction of cash must have a bank record or writtencommunication from the charity. Contributions of property such asclothing and household items must be in good used condition orbetter.);

Non-Business Casualty and Theft Losses (subject to a $100 deductibleand 10% of the AGI); various Miscellaneous Deductions which fall intotwo categories: those that are subject to 2% of the AGI before the firstdollar is realized such as employee/employment business expenses, taxpreparation fees, investment expenses, safe deposit boxes etc., anddeductions not subject to the 2% cap such as gambling losses (up to theamount of winnings), impairment r elated work expenses and unrecov-

ered investments in an annuity etc. There are many more alloweddeductions that fall into this miscellaneous category.Most individuals do not succeed in itemizing deductions unless they

have the cost of home mortgage interest and real estate taxes.Unless a taxpayer does not have medical insurance, or has a medical

catastrophe, most out of pocket expenses for medical do not exceed the7.5% or 10% of AGI. (Pre-tax health insurance purchased through youremployer is not deductible since no taxes were paid on these premi-ums. We will discuss this further when we talk about employerprovided fringe benefit plans.)

The most understated deduction for taxpayers who do itemize is forthe donation of personal property such as clothing and home furnish-ings. Most taxpayers fill up trash bags of clothing and drop them off atthe nearest collection box when they go food shopping or visit theirtown recycle center. We recommend that you prepare a detaileddescription of the goods being donated. Then, drop these bags off at thelocal thrift store; there you can receive a signed receipt for thedonation. When you return home, you can calculate the value of whatwas donated. Many of these organizations have a donation valuationguide attached to your signed receipt, listing the high and low endvalue that they receive for this merchandise. (We have links at ourwebsite that list various donation value guides)

Example: Children’s jeans have a value of $4.20 to $14.40 each. Ifyou included 3 pairs of jeans in your donation, which were in verygood condition, the deduction value is $27.90, $9.30 a pair which isthe average of the high to low end for that item.

We provide each of our clients who itemize a donation value guideeach tax season. A couple of bags donated throughout the year can addup to $600 in additional deductions.

Next week: The Value of Fringe Benefits!

Have a tax question? E-mail [email protected]

About Total Tax Solutions: W.F. Boutin EA registered Total TaxSolutions in the State of NH as a LLC in the summer of 2006 after 10years experience working for a major tax preparation company and8 years of teaching various tax courses. The company mission is todeliver an excellent customer service experience year around, tooffer knowledgeable advice so that clients can make informeddecisions regarding their financial future, and to provide this servicewith integrity, confidence and professionalism.

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Derek Barka Asks forRe-election to School Board

My name is Derek Barka and I am runningfor re-election to the Litchfield SchoolBoard. My wife, Becky, and I have lived intown with our two children for 10 years. I’dlike to thank the community for your supportas well as your feedback and engagementover my three year term.

We are very fortunate to have greatschools in Litchfield. Over 80 percent ofour graduates go on to two or four year

colleges. I am continuously inspired by thethings I see our students doing - whether it’sa first grader presenting to an audience usingthe SmartBoard, a fourth grader filibusteringat the State House, an eighth grader giving a poised graduation speech, astudent explaining the code for his FIRST robot, a remarkable rendition of“The Wedding Singer,” or students working on U.S. Senatorial campaigns.The list goes on. It’s clear that the Litchfield School District is a wonderfulplace and the academic achievement and experiences born here aresetting our students up for success.

Over the last three years, the district has continued to move in a positivedirection. After our math scores raised concerns, we’ve revamped theK-12 curriculum, added remedial and advancement programs at LitchfieldMiddle School, added support programs at Campbell High School, addedAP level courses, and added geometry as a graduation requirement toincrease the expectations of our students. These changes are a work inprogress, but the work being done by the district’s administration and staffis showing promise.

As the Director of Engineering at a Manchester technology company,I know firsthand the importance of preparing our students in the STEMfields. I was a strong advocate for building the Griffin Memorial Schoolcomputer lab and adding technology instruction at GMS. As a district,we need stronger STEM courses and introducing technology at GMSsets the stage for creating stronger programs at LMS and CHS. Thispast fall, Superintendent Cochrane and I toured West High School andlearned about the STEAM Ahead program and the exciting opportunitiesit’s presenting West students. The program is in early stages, but it’s myvision that we can leverage proven, successful programs like this to createsimilar programs in Litchfield.

I believe that our Schools are on the right path, but there is opportunityfor improvement. I look forward to continuing to serve and helping moveeducation ahead in Litchfield. I ask for your support on March 10.

Norman MartinRunning for BOS

Hello Hudson voters it isthat time of year again wherewe go out and pick ourSelectman and town officersfor the next three years formost offices. My Name isNorman Martin and I amrunning for one of the twoopen seats for Selectman in theTown of Hudson. I am writing

this announcement to ask foryour support at the polls on March 10, 2015 starting at 7a.m.The time has come where I feel that change needs to be madeon the board of selectman. Change in the way the selectmanspeak to the department heads that are presenting to theboard, change in the way certain members of the board speakto other selectman and how they treat them as well. Whendepartment heads are presenting information to the boardthey need to be heard and listened too because they are theprofessionals that the town has hired to get the informationto the BOS and for the BOS to make an informed decision,I do not mean that you need to give them everything thatthey are asking for you just need to listen to the informationand make an informed decision and not belittle them for youshort comings. I feel that if you command respect, then youneed to give the respect when talking to others, not only toselectman but to the people who put you in that office. Thereare some selectman that think that people do not watch themeetings that are televised live but you can bet your bottomdollar that we do and we pay attention when these meetingsare taking place. I also feel that there needs to be moretransparency when making money transfers in the budget.The people would like to know why we are transferring fromone line item to the next so that we can be on notice for thenext budget season when we are at the deliberative session. Ithink the transfers of any amount of money need to be madepublic but not given a public hearing. No good deed goesunpunished.

I look forward to seeing all voters on election day March10, 2015 at 7a.m. Remember to come out and vote andsupport me on the Ballot my name is Norman Martin I am the5th name down on the list. Kind regards to all.

Be Prepared when You Get to the Pollssubmitted by Paul Inderbitzen, Town and School District Moderator

First of all, I would like to thank those of you who participated inor watched the town and school deliberative sessions in January andFebruary. If you have not had a chance to view the re-broadcasts,there is still time to catch them on Hudson Cable TV or stream them

to your computer. The discussions will help you to understand theissues that you are being asked to vote on at next Tuesday’s election.Also, you should watch the Junior Women’s Club Candidate Night tohear from those candidates who are asking for your vote.

For voting on March 10, don’t forget to bring a photo ID tocheck in and get a ballot. Verifying who we are with a photo ID isbecoming routine for so many things we do in our daily lives.

Be assured, no eligible voter will be denied the right to cast aballot at the polls. If you do not have an acceptable photo ID, youwill need to sign a Challenged Voter Affidavit that will be witnessedby an election official. For those registered voters without photo IDwho need to fill out an affidavit, please stop at the Supervisors of the

Check List before you go to the check-in tables.After the election, you will be contacted by the secretary of state

with a verification letter to confirm that you voted in the election.Local elections and warrant articles are the means for you to

have a say in how the town and school district are run. By your

participation in voting, you have a direct impact on how your taxdollars are spent. Please come out to vote on March 10 between 7a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Hudson Community Center on Lions Avenue.

As election officials, we do our best to make the voting process asefficient and easy as possible. We appreciate the voters’ patience atthe check-in as we follow the State required process. Please showyour ID and state your name clearly to the ballot clerks so they canfind it on the checklist and verify your name, ID, and address.

We look forward to seeing as many voters as possible to selectour local officials and decide what services we want the town andschool district to provide.


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Pastor Heath Hits the Big 30 at New Lifeby Tom Tollefson

The environment at New Life Christian Church was alive withfood, laughter, and fellowship as the Hudson church celebratedPastor Ken Heath’s 30 years of service to them. About 150 ofthe 200 members gathered at a luncheon to honor their churchshepherd.

“One of the remarkable things about being here is the unity of thepeople, genuine friendliness, the desire to grow spiritually in theirfaith, and the willingness to let me lead them to stretch their faithfurther,” said Heath.

Words of love and positive attributes flowed from everyone’s lipswhen talking about their pastor.

“He is determined to teach the truth of God’s word,” saidChildren’s Director Sandy Birr in a speech about Heath. “Hiscommitment to speaking the truth in love is unwavering andunapologetic. He preaches clearly, compassionately, and boldly.He has shown us what it means to stand strong,”

New Life Church’s Secretary Karen Prescott gave a speech about

her seven years of working with Pastor Heath. She admitted herprior perception of a pastor had been someone who was alwaysserious and held themselves higher than others. She soon learnedthat Heath was quite different, possessing a great sense of humor anda down-to-earth compassion to listen and serve others.

“Throughout the past seven years I have seen the compassionhe has shown to so many people, the long hours he works, both inand outside the church, never on a schedule,” Prescott said. “If it’s

his day off and you need him he is always just a text or phone callaway. His office door is always open and the traffic coming in andout of it never stops. I have come to know him as a shepherd thattruly loves and protects his flock. There are so many roles that heplays that none of us will ever know of; his dedication to New Life isincredible.”

Heath was commonly described as a gifted teacher, caring,creative, genuine, good counselor, outreach minded while balancingit all out with a good sense of humor.

There were plenty of stories to go around to support these positiveattributes.

“Our son wanted to get married in Florida, and he flew to Floridato perform the wedding on his own time,” said longtime parishionerLaurie Bonn.

Mariann Heath, the pastor’s wife of 37 years, helps her husbandwith the church ministry behind the scenes. She helps with nurseryduty during church, leads Bible studies, serves food, and assists withchurch administration duties.

Longtime parishioner and elder Bob Barry described Heath as“certainly dedicated to the mission of outreach and taking the gospelto the community and the world.” Every year in the spring or earlysummer, Heath leads a group of 25-35 people from New Life andother sister churches on a mission trip to the Dominican Republicand Haiti. Their mission is to assist in the construction of churchbuildings.

Heath also started a daughter church in Manchester in 2000and has begun planning another church in Lowell, Mass. “Startingnew churches when you’re already the pastor of one is always a

challenge, but it’s so much fun and I love doing it,” he said.Heath’s resume, as well as his words and his actions, bleeds for

the mission of outreach in the community and throughout the world,which originated in the great commission in the New Testament ofthe Holy Bible.

“I give the glory to God on that one,” Heath said about his passionfor outreach and its origins. “Introducing people to a personalrelationship with God through Jesus Christ is the most importantthing that any Christian can do, so I love doing

hudson~litchfield news 3-6-2015

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