silver lining

Yesterday our town voted on whether to approve the funds necessary to build a new Junior/ Senior High School as the current one is lacking in many many aspects making it an eyesore for the town. However, once again Newmarket has shown its true face and did not approve the funds. There are people who still believe we can work with another town on a tuition agreement (maybe a town in Massachusetts will take us?) or that the project can be done for $20 million. I would hate to see the $20 million school being built as it would be as useless as our current facility and would need to be added on to in the near future.

After months of positive energy flowing from the Yes vote people, it was a let down last night when it was announced that the warrant article did not pass. Facebook was swarmed with unhappy people. Once the morning came we are still sad about the outcome, however we are bouncing back so to speak. We are picking ourselves up and are happy with all that we did accomplish for this election. 

There are three new board members on the budget committee who are not about doing business the way it has been done since Newmarket was established. The voter turnout was unbelievably amazing yesterday!! The polls had to stay open late because the line to get into the building was so long. Our Yes vote received almost 50%! That is the biggest amount we have had concerning a new school- ever! The Yes side ran a clean campaign and spread truth without resorting to misinformation. 

We also showed that we will put our names and faces out in the public for something we believe in. We did good Newmarket! Pat yourselves on the back for an election that had people meeting for the first time and now friendships have been created.

We got this! Next March will be different. Keep the momentum going.

VOTE YES!

Image created by Nicole Roy. She asked all of us to post words/ phrases we thought of when we looked back on this election. The larger the word, the more times it was mentioned. Looks like we have an amazing COMMUNITY!! I have to agree.

what the hell is going on in newmarket?

This seems to be the question lately. The new school article on the ballot this March 11th has done something awful to our town. It has split us into two camps. I am very concerned that on March 12th no matter the result, we will not be able to call ourselves a community that cares. Both sides- No voters and Yes voters are so far divided over what is the best for our town, I do not see that gap being bridged. 

I am sad to see life long residents being petty to the point they are telling parents to move to Durham if they want a better education for their children. The No voters are posting misinformation about the bond on the new school -$45.1 million will be the bond amount NOT $79 million. These same residents are bad mouthing other residents who chose to put themselves in the spotlight to fight for a cause they are passionate about. 

Once something is posted in cyber space- it cannot be taken back. Even if it is deleted by you at a later time someone has read it, copied it, and passed it along to others. Think before you post. Remember at the receiving end of your comment is another human being with rights, opinions, and feelings. You may not agree with that human being but belittling them for not thinking like you is plain cruel. 

The latest controversy to befall us? 

The use of the community BANDSTAND which houses our veterans war memorial. The No voters are shocked and dismayed that there are children climbing on the bandstand while the Yes voters (their parents) are trying to educate anyone who is not up to date on our small town issues. They think it is disrespectful of those children to be on the bandstand at all. And how dare the Yes voters choose that spot in the whole town to show their support. If the bandstand was not meant to be climbed on, why are there stairs bringing you to the top?

Let's remember that those men and women in the armed forces died for everyone to have the right to support whatever cause they choose to support. This is a free country with the right to gather. Just because the Yes vote is in direct conflict with your No vote does not make where or how they choose to support their cause disrespectful to those brave service people.

Facts- the Yes group has permission from the police chief to be there. This is a high traffic area in our town and one of the few spots where the sidewalk is actually wide enough to allow pedestrians to pass by while the group is gathered. Especially with the height of the snowbanks recently. The parents were keeping their children safe by having them on the bandstand and out of the flow of traffic. Nothing has been left behind by this group to cause a trash issue or vandalism to any part of the area. In fact, trash in the area has been picked up by the vote Yes supporters while they are there.

Question for those No voters who are so shocked over the use of the bandstand- how is the Yes vote using the bandstand different than bands playing there? Maybe the types of music being played is offensive to service people? Or did the Yes vote beat you to the punch of using the bandstand yourselves?

This is the latest incident of the pettiness that has befallen our town.

I am opting from this point forward to not engage the No voters that are overly vocal to the point of offensiveness. Flap your gums. Pass along your misinformation. I am going to continue to educate as many voters as I come in contact with to the truth of the situation.

The old school needs to go. It has been used to the point it is falling apart. It cannot be saved. And why would we want to save it? So we can remember how divided a community can become over an issue? To see our tax dollars that have been used to band aid the situation for way too many years? It is not a fine piece of architecture that needs to be preserved. It is a school that needs to be put out of its misery before it breaks and kills a student.

VOTE YES FOR A NEW SCHOOL!