Town elections this comming Monday, June 8
Please make the time to vote, for the first time the elections will take place at the Community Center by the cemetery.It is important that those who don't really care get out there because the selfserving individuals who profit from corruption for sure will make the effort.
A special message to Kristin LaPlante; your notion that informatative election fliers based on facts are hate mail is missconceived and shows an utter disrespect of the democratic process on your part. This is the reason why you and those close to you are a danger in any position you are holding in our community.
We go back a long time; not many remember town clerk Robert Ford which you replaced in 2004. I remember Kristin Grant, your maiden name, as an innocent single women with a strong need to belong. You do belong now and there is not much we still have in common.
As always, I make up my own mind about a newcomer. Sharon Ashleigh was a newcomer. However, lately I was forced to realize that she already belongs too... she belongs to the point where she is unable to do her job. If the town clerk refuses to comply with Public Information Requests and witholds the information for more than 40 days when the law mandates her to comply with such a request within 10 days, she becomes a danger to our community as well. The information I requested will be useless by then.. The right to file Public Information Requests is one of the strong pillars a free society is based on. Public Information Requests are enabeling and ensuring public involvement and participation by providing a mechanism for holding governmental actors accountable for their decisions and actions.
Kristin, you obviously are a strong leader and mentor and had a chance to intorduce Sharon into the many responsibilities a town clerk has. Unfortunatelly that strong lead was pointing in the wrong direction!
Experience in the hands of a person with a strong moral compass is a good thing; in the wrong hands, it will spell disaster (unnecessary costly lawsuits.) Sharon Ashleigh seems to have that experience already (pushing the limits to see with what she can get away with, and in this town it seems to be endless), at least that is what she is claiming on her campaign signs.
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Comments:
Posted on 6 Jun 2015, 14:18 by Hope for ChangeBetter Holland
The last thing this town needs is a town clerk who does not comply with public I formation requests. Isn't that illegal? It has to be illegal!!
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Posted on 6 Jun 2015, 15:44 by expected more honesty
Kowalski's pants on fire
What I gathered so far is that Kowalski never had a concern to fund the Board of Health and failed to submit a budget to the finance committee. He told a friend of mine at the pancake breakfast which the Lake Association organized that he did not attend any meeting the second half of last year because he was not paid any longer when in fact he did get paid anyway and the real reason for his absence was the fact that he was booted from the chair position. Kowalski counted on the other two members not to be able to do without his "experience." Kowalski was wrong!
Not writing any annual reports, having a mess in the office and so forth does round up the picture. Mr. Kowalski, the town is better of without you, my firm believe!
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Posted on 6 Jun 2015, 16:21 by Better Holland
Misinformation campaign
Kowalski should have spent more time running the Board if Health for the past 15 years rather than running it into the ground. After this latest bashing Kowalsi dished out, about a fellow board member who is not even up for election, he won't get my vote!!!! Kowalski admitted in an affidavit, I think it's on his website, that he promised curving outside of public meeting time to give him a septic system. That's outside the law Dave. You are a disgrace to any Board of Health. Stop sending us YOUR hate mail!!!!
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Posted on 6 Jun 2015, 17:15 by Over the Top Rd Resident
Mr. Kowalski, why not tell the whole story?
First, thanks to the all board clerk Janine Drake, she eventually got it right and was able to re-post the BOH minutes on the town's website which were upside down so we can read them now; nobody is perfect, right?
Mr. Kowalski, Doug Curving's septic plan requires several variances, right?? Every well is inside the 100 foot distance required by title V, correct? Three wells in total, is that right? Curving does not like the decision made by the BOH because the decision by the BOH requires him to install a tight tank, right? Neighbors don't understand why they have to live with a tight tank while Curving, if you get your way Mr. Kowalski, would be able to install a leach field just about halve the distance required by title V, right? As I understand, Curving does not mind having his own leach field to close to his own well, right? Curving will not drink that water anyway, right? He owns other properties, right? He does not care as he is going to flip that house anyway, right?
If I would be a neighbor of Curving with a tight tank and would see him installing a leachfield, I think I would not be too happy either. Someone is doing the right thing here and I'm pretty sure it is not you, Mr. Kowalski.
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Posted on 6 Jun 2015, 22:51 by Peter Frei
Kristin LaPlante & Sharon Ashleigh
Interesting that you, Kristin LaPlante are compelled to hide your posts and comments on facebook from the general public! I think I do know the reason why you are doing this.
Your claim that Sharon Ashleigh complied with all Public Information Requests is a lie, not the truth, you have to hide it because with your statement, you violate the Election Laws, M.G.L., c.56, s.42.
Section 42 provides in part:
No person shall make or publish, or cause to be made or published, any false statement in relation to any candidate for nomination or election to public office, which is designed or tends to aid or to injure or defeat such candidate.
No person shall publish or cause to be published in any letter, circular, advertisement, poster or in any other writing any false statement in relation to any question submitted to the voters, which statement is designed to affect the vote on said question.
Whoever knowingly violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months.
My claim on my flier that Sharon Ashleigh failed or refused to comply three times within the last two month is a fact, that is why I printed and mailed this information as a FACT to every household in town, period! This fact is not refutable and I do repeat it here! People may not like me but they know that I'm telling the truth...
Dave Kowalski also violated the election laws by stating Dana Manning committed "fraud" in his campaign flier... DAna Manning did not commit fraud!
No, potential lawsuits will not cost any money to the taxpayer. The complaint is criminal and filed in Palmer District Court. James Wettlaufer is gone and I do not think that Larry Mandel will repeat the blunder of paying for a defense lawyer to represent Kowalski as Wettlaufer did with Brian Johnson.
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Posted on 7 Jun 2015, 14:38 by TheBroom
Who backs who
Wnt to clean town hall vote as follows
Board of health=Martone
Clerk = Hermanson
Selectman Lynn Arnold.
I say Arnold over the other guy because Wettlauger has a Gileen sign next to his mailbox..
That alone keeps him from consideration.
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Posted on 7 Jun 2015, 16:12 by Get Smart
To who backs who
I agree 100%...Gillen has already made friends with the "toxic group" and their doers of bad deeds, working at Town Hall. He is not wise enough to stay clear and has already been sucked in. He will learn if not elected this round. Let him run in special election, see if he can suck himself out by then. They are twisting him up, it's all over his face. Turn away Eli, your better then that.
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Posted on 7 Jun 2015, 17:16 by Stephanie DeMartino
Re: Kristin Laplante and Sharon Ashleigh
Hello Peter Frei,
"My claim on my flier that Sharon Ashleigh failed or refused to comply three times within the last two month is a fact, that is why I printed and mailed this information as a FACT to every household in town, period! This fact is not refutable and I do repeat it here! People may not like me but they know that I'm telling the truth... "
Where is your proof? Now you've involved a long time Holland Resident who has lived in this town longer than you. Unless you can provide hard copy proof from the statement above, I would strongly recommend you cease and desist all accusations going forward. Also "last two month" is actually "last two months" but I'm sure in your haste to type out your statement, you forgot to spell check.
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Posted on 7 Jun 2015, 18:10 by Oh
KL&SA
Is Kristin crying? She sure can dish it out but are can't take it.
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Posted on 7 Jun 2015, 18:25 by KL&SA
Oh
In my haste I typed "are" instead of "sure" can't take it.
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Posted on 7 Jun 2015, 18:48 by Hope for Change
I agree with The Broom
Martone, Hermanson and Arnold! Everyone else is team Wettlauffer. And apparently Jum doesn't know it, but he got voted out at the last election. Despite this he still RAN the town meeting!!! He ran it from the floor.... And the people of Holand LET HIM. We need some new blood (BOH and Town Clerk) and let's keep the EXPERIENCE we have (Arnold) in place.
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Posted on 7 Jun 2015, 22:59 by Peter Frei
Here is the Proof...
Stephanie DeMartino, Here is a copy of my Public Information Request (PIR),
click here! to read it.
Here is Sharon Ashleigh´s (town clerk) answer letter,
click here! to read Sharon Ashley´s letter!
The date of my PIR is May 20, 2015. Sharon Ashleigh was mandated to produce the (at time available) copies no later than May 30. She clearly did not!
M.G.L. c.66, s.10(b), clearly creates a mandate to any custodian of a public record to ”comply‘ with a PIR within 10 days. M.G.L. c.66, s.10(b) provides in part:
”A custodian of a public record shall, within ten days following receipt of a request for inspection or copy of a public record, comply with such request.”Anybody who is in doubt that Sharon Ashleigh is operating outside the law needs to read, Globe Newspaper Co. v. Commissioner of Eduction, 439 Mass. 124 (2003).
If you do not have the time to read the entire opinion of the Supreme Judicial Court, scroll down and read what is written on page 132. You can just click on the link to get there (everything typed in bold-italic on this blog is a link!) The copies I requested should have been at the town clerk´s office as required pursuant to G.L. c.40A, s.11. Applicants (Brian Johnson in this case) are mandated to file variance or special permit applications with the town clerk. In other words, a PIR should not have even be necessary under normal circumstances. However, the sought information was needed to figure out whether the ZBA took action on Brian Johnson´s second application for a variance or special permit. The ZBA´s normal mode of operandi is not to take any action if their decision would not be what the applicant wanted if the applicant is one of the good o´l boys. Since I was watching, they had to do it differently. The time during which an appeal under c.40A, s.17 for a constructive approval due to innaction by the ZBA could be filed is 21 days. The 30 day waiting period forced on me by Sharon Ashleigh to get the requested documents make it impossible to be informed to act in time and appeal the constructive approvel...
Johson does know that you need to be an abutter to file a s.17 appeal. I´m not an abutter. There is an exception to this rule; any municipal officer can file a section 17 appeal. Dana Manning informed the ZBA of the fact that the Johnson parcel is non-conforming and not grandfathered. Hence, he ganged up and started the re-call of Dana Manning so she could not file an appeal! This is the kind of sinister games these guys and gals play at the town hall!
Sharon Ashleigh is not the only one practicing this scheme of “illegally” witholding information till it is of no use anylonger. I filed a PIR with the tax collector Steven Anderstrom. I was requesting the record history for the last 15 years of property tax delinquencies of Dave Kowalski as I had knowledge that Kowalski was unable to pay his property taxes at times. The fact that Kowalski refused to hand over the flash-drive to the other two members of the board with all the records, including who paid for installer´s permits, septic hauler´s permits and many other financial records, raised the question what Kowalski has to hide. I filed the PIR on March 30, 2015, Steven Anderstrom finally produced a single printout of the current taxes owed and none of the requested history on April 22 2015, after 23 days instead of within 10 days mandated by law. Interestingly, April 28 was Kowalski´ deadline to collect signatures for his libelous re-call of Dana Manning and Kenneth Ference. Anderstrom waited with mailing his letter a couple of days and by the time I did get his non responsive letter, I was not able to use the information to create an inference that Kowalski had financial troubles and that his financial situation could have something to do with his reluctance to hand over his private flash-drive to the other BOH members as he is leagally obligated. Instead of the 50 cents he was allowed to charge for a computer print-out, he charged me an arbitrary $22.00. Anderstrom not only failed to comply in a timely fashion and overcharged me 4,400%, he was 13 days late. He also failed to produce the requested documents. The incident is under investigation by the State Public Records Division. Anderstrom stated once that “Wettlaufer would be the voice of reason...” I do count Steven Anderstrom to the toxic group surrounding James Wettlaufer, Brian Johnson, Kristin LaPlante, Dave Kowalski, Joanne Higgins, Sharen Ashleigh, and Brian Haughey.
Stephanie DeMartino, you claim that now, ‘you´ve [Peter Frei] involved a long time Holland Resident who has lived in this town longer than you [Peter Frei].” It looks like you assumed a name to give your comment more credibility; there is no such person in the book ‘PERSONS LISTED 17 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER 2014” issued by the Board of Registrars. Your name also never appears on the list of Annual Town Meeting attendees, your name also never appears on the voter cross-off lists....
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Posted on 8 Jun 2015, 1:21 by LOL
Gillen couldn't wait
Just read your comments Mr. Gillen, your comments on Kristin LaPlante's facebook page. Is it not a little bit juvenile? Can you agree with me that your comments ares plain Hypocrisy? Mr. Gillen, did you just pretended at candidates night to have leadership qualities? You promised to build bridges? Be a selectman who would unite and bring together, reconcile the community? Is this how you are going about it?? Glad you did not wait till after the election to show your true face. I hope as many as possible have a chance to read your inflammatory, dividing comments. I'm disappointed.
I think I will stay home tomorrow.
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Posted on 8 Jun 2015, 7:50 by why not
respond to lol
Because people "stay home" (on voting day and every day of the year) Town Hall , with a few exceptions is a mess. Don't stay home- The least we can all do is vote
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Posted on 8 Jun 2015, 9:51 by Better Holland
To: Over The Top Resisent
The situation is worse than you describe. The original plan requested 4 variances from 4 different wells! The variance distances were 55', 65', and 70' from neighboring wells but also a mere 55' from the properties own well. You are entirely correct though that Dougie do Wrong doesn't care about being 55' from his own well because he is not going to live there. He plans to flip the property..... Sell it to a family with two kids and force our taxes to go up because now a once summer home (pays taxes no kids in school) pays taxes, but not ENOUGH taxes to pay for the kids in school. We the taxpayers will pay for this. Dougie do Wrong REFUSED to do water testing to the four wells. His buddy Kowalski told him it wasn't necessary so Dougie do wrong refused. Despite Kowolski being outvoted on water testing an outside consultant still had to be brought in. Only then did the proper water testing get done to the four wells Dougie wanted to contaminate. There are three other variances being requested. One is to within one foot of a property line. The two BOH members being recalled APPROPRIATELY DON'T WANT TO GRANT THAT. Pork the town Kowalski DOES want to grant it, without even a land survey for his fellow businessman Dougie do Wrong. Even the tax assessor Jo- Anne Higgins is in on this dirty deal. She assesses it as one bedroom..... The septic plan is for three. I'd like to pay taxes on one bedroom when I really have three.... Jo-Anne where do I sign up? Consider this: all the surrounding homes on Collette Drive HAVE TIGHT TANKS. And there is a reason for this. If Curving gets anything other that a tight tank, which affords all of us neighbors the best protection, then IWANT A LEACH FIELD TOO!!! Let's get rid of Dave Kowalski today, he doesn't protect the public health!
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Posted on 8 Jun 2015, 13:51 by Do you ant to go back to another Wettlaufer?
Gillen = Wettlaufer
I have no access to Laplante's facebook page, there must be a reason why she must hide her face(book).
Don't be fouled, vote for what you know. Vote Arnold!
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Posted on 8 Jun 2015, 13:59 by Vote
Vote vote vote vote
It will be a challenge to vote today. By the time you get out of your car and going to the Townhall you may or may not see the itsy-bitsy sign on the door that directs you to the Community Center to vote. I hear Sharon Ashleigh wants to keep the people who don't usually vote from coming to vote. For sure all her corrupt friends (Wettlaufers Johnsons, Kowalski's and Lsplants know where to go vote.
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Posted on 8 Jun 2015, 17:00 by Election Observer
Gillen & Kowalski don't play by the rules
Gillen and Kowalski's signs are about four time the size of the by the bylaws allowed two square foot size! Sharon Ashleigh who is in charge has not done anything yet!
As usual, dfferent rules for different people.
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Posted on 1 Sep 2015, 10:03 by The Frog catcher
Guy the farmer
It is a sad day when you witnessed illegal activities in the town of Holland due to mismanagement in town office. We just happend to take a leisurely stroll down to the end of over the top road today and happend to see Guy Langervin installing what would you appear to most to be an illegal septic system all 4 gain of profit.. I guess septic systems placed too close to drinking water supplies don't hurt anybody especially the "Farmer" Doing the illegal deed For profit, Somehow Douglas Curving the real estate/ home flipper was able to finagle his way to shit in his neighbors wells also for profit. Glad I don't know live next door, theirs a Board of Health for a reason.. To enforce health code! The pulic that alow these ongoings truly make me sick, Enjoy your water!
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Posted on 9 Aug 2020, 15:51 by Truthful
Source
Where can I sign up to be assaulted by Brian Johnson and lil’ Scotty? I heard he’s now giving out beatings to the elderly..
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