Post by Admin on Oct 4, 2021 22:31:06 GMT
Outreach:
- The town's perception of the free town project is "free loaders." That is what they call us. It may be because we don't want to pay taxes.
- Counter strategies are:
- To have free staters offer volunteer services to help the people if the town, such as stacking wood for the elderly, or car pooling.
- To be good neighbors and get to know people.
- To create and attend programs together. Many of our initiatives complement that, like educational classes.
- Fliers to hand out explaining who we are and what we want to accomplish, highlighting common goals with locals.
- Other publications, such as the website, or possible print publication. Rich noted there once was a Grafton Gazette published by the free town project. It had opinion pieces, marriages, births, deaths, used humor, and had advertising. They were placed at the Grafton and Danbury stores and were taken. Free advertising can be given to the host store in the paper which would give them incentive for it to be taken. Franz suggested we start small.
- Having a booth at events like the 4th of July event
- Event in the rec field
- community center
- the Facebook page Friends of Grafton is the popular local social media, but political posts are not well received. We need to find a way to reach the local population with our political messages as well. Another Facebook group was suggested for this as most of the general population has Facebook.
Taxes:
How do we separate the town from the school district? Croyden did this. Their 10 year contract came up and they did not renew. They allowed parents to choose which school to send their children, and prices in near by schools dropped repeatedly. Jody and Ian have offered to strategize with us. Dylan believes we are in a cooperative with our school district. He believes we can follow the state school choice model. Allie notes that the state options has strings as to what the money can apply to and children have to pass government tests.
Local reporter:
(Conversation prior to the meeting)
Counters to the book A Libertarian Walks into a Bear:
- NH dumps nuisance animals in the Grafton area
- Bears were protected by the state. Their population swelled, then there was a drought or something that compelled them to enter populated areas. This happened to be around the time when the free town project started.
- The town clerk says they misused her words
- Comments on the Friends of Grafton Facebook page on the topic dispute the book. (Screenshots?)
- Neighbor of the woman who fed the bears, as well as others, say she is not a free stater. Is he a good source?
(End of conversation before meeting)
- I brought up stories that need to be covered such as properties being seized for unpaid taxes, and a selectman voting against a business competitor. It was suggested that there is a lot of corruption going on. No one volunteered to take on these stories. We still have a need for someone to do so. However, those with information, ideas, and good sources can compile those now for when someone is able to start working on those stories.
Elections
- Most are in spring. Town clerc would have that information and the applications. One person said they may run for town clerc.
- Elected offices in Grafton are "Selectmen; Planning; Trust Funds; Library; Budget; Treasurer; Tax Collector; Town Clerk; Police Chief; Checklist; Road Agent; Cemetery; Moderator." -https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/grafton.htm
-What are the voting demographics? 1000 voting age people. Around 300 vote.
-February has the deliberative session where warrant articles and budget will be voted on.
- We need to report in issues to be voted for.
- I proposed that part of our end goal should be to turn the segments of government into companies, whose shares would be given to the town tax payers in proportion to the proportion of taxes they have payed throughout their lives. This is the most just, and is feasible, and not very disruptive. As far as revenue, the insurance model makes sense for things like fire and ambulance.
Subdivision Regulations
- What freedom oriented regulations have passed in other towns?
- 6.35.5 posts an exception, in part for subdivisions not using town utilities or turning over roads to government ownership. My question is, why should any subdivision have to comply with these regulations if they aren't using town utilities or turning their roads over?
- Ryan cautioned we might make it easier for big government types to move here. I suggested the high percentage if free staters and gun owners could deter them, and developments could have a right of refusal in the property deeds.
- Franz suggested 99 year leases as an alternative to subdividing. It would also keep property taxes lower.
Website
- I introduced the different sections.
- For the education section, it was suggested that we develop a list of potential teachers to reach out to.
- For the housing section, we discussed that this is the year when the 20,000 should have moved. However the housing market makes that very difficult if not impossible. I encouraged the property owners to rent. Each one should be able to invite 9 trailers or tiny houses without registering as a camp ground. Given the large number of people who want to move, property owners may choose out of a large pool their preferred tenant. These people can bring in income, help us accomplish our projects, and add to our numbers.
- It was suggested we come up with questions for potential tenants, such as what source of income do they have, and what work or expertise are they able to contribute.
Communications
- Dylan's server is being moved soon to a place with a more reliable internet connection.
- Apps of interest: element, briar, sessions
- Radio, such as marine band and ham
- Perhaps local experts could train others
- There are designated radio channels for free staters. That is in a spreadsheet.
- Many people could potentially work on the server. Jeremy Olsen? I haven't been able to reach him. James, Chan, Brian, Steve, Adam...
- A crowd funding campaign could be set up for the server.
- The town's perception of the free town project is "free loaders." That is what they call us. It may be because we don't want to pay taxes.
- Counter strategies are:
- To have free staters offer volunteer services to help the people if the town, such as stacking wood for the elderly, or car pooling.
- To be good neighbors and get to know people.
- To create and attend programs together. Many of our initiatives complement that, like educational classes.
- Fliers to hand out explaining who we are and what we want to accomplish, highlighting common goals with locals.
- Other publications, such as the website, or possible print publication. Rich noted there once was a Grafton Gazette published by the free town project. It had opinion pieces, marriages, births, deaths, used humor, and had advertising. They were placed at the Grafton and Danbury stores and were taken. Free advertising can be given to the host store in the paper which would give them incentive for it to be taken. Franz suggested we start small.
- Having a booth at events like the 4th of July event
- Event in the rec field
- community center
- the Facebook page Friends of Grafton is the popular local social media, but political posts are not well received. We need to find a way to reach the local population with our political messages as well. Another Facebook group was suggested for this as most of the general population has Facebook.
Taxes:
How do we separate the town from the school district? Croyden did this. Their 10 year contract came up and they did not renew. They allowed parents to choose which school to send their children, and prices in near by schools dropped repeatedly. Jody and Ian have offered to strategize with us. Dylan believes we are in a cooperative with our school district. He believes we can follow the state school choice model. Allie notes that the state options has strings as to what the money can apply to and children have to pass government tests.
Local reporter:
(Conversation prior to the meeting)
Counters to the book A Libertarian Walks into a Bear:
- NH dumps nuisance animals in the Grafton area
- Bears were protected by the state. Their population swelled, then there was a drought or something that compelled them to enter populated areas. This happened to be around the time when the free town project started.
- The town clerk says they misused her words
- Comments on the Friends of Grafton Facebook page on the topic dispute the book. (Screenshots?)
- Neighbor of the woman who fed the bears, as well as others, say she is not a free stater. Is he a good source?
(End of conversation before meeting)
- I brought up stories that need to be covered such as properties being seized for unpaid taxes, and a selectman voting against a business competitor. It was suggested that there is a lot of corruption going on. No one volunteered to take on these stories. We still have a need for someone to do so. However, those with information, ideas, and good sources can compile those now for when someone is able to start working on those stories.
Elections
- Most are in spring. Town clerc would have that information and the applications. One person said they may run for town clerc.
- Elected offices in Grafton are "Selectmen; Planning; Trust Funds; Library; Budget; Treasurer; Tax Collector; Town Clerk; Police Chief; Checklist; Road Agent; Cemetery; Moderator." -https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/grafton.htm
-What are the voting demographics? 1000 voting age people. Around 300 vote.
-February has the deliberative session where warrant articles and budget will be voted on.
- We need to report in issues to be voted for.
- I proposed that part of our end goal should be to turn the segments of government into companies, whose shares would be given to the town tax payers in proportion to the proportion of taxes they have payed throughout their lives. This is the most just, and is feasible, and not very disruptive. As far as revenue, the insurance model makes sense for things like fire and ambulance.
Subdivision Regulations
- What freedom oriented regulations have passed in other towns?
- 6.35.5 posts an exception, in part for subdivisions not using town utilities or turning over roads to government ownership. My question is, why should any subdivision have to comply with these regulations if they aren't using town utilities or turning their roads over?
- Ryan cautioned we might make it easier for big government types to move here. I suggested the high percentage if free staters and gun owners could deter them, and developments could have a right of refusal in the property deeds.
- Franz suggested 99 year leases as an alternative to subdividing. It would also keep property taxes lower.
Website
- I introduced the different sections.
- For the education section, it was suggested that we develop a list of potential teachers to reach out to.
- For the housing section, we discussed that this is the year when the 20,000 should have moved. However the housing market makes that very difficult if not impossible. I encouraged the property owners to rent. Each one should be able to invite 9 trailers or tiny houses without registering as a camp ground. Given the large number of people who want to move, property owners may choose out of a large pool their preferred tenant. These people can bring in income, help us accomplish our projects, and add to our numbers.
- It was suggested we come up with questions for potential tenants, such as what source of income do they have, and what work or expertise are they able to contribute.
Communications
- Dylan's server is being moved soon to a place with a more reliable internet connection.
- Apps of interest: element, briar, sessions
- Radio, such as marine band and ham
- Perhaps local experts could train others
- There are designated radio channels for free staters. That is in a spreadsheet.
- Many people could potentially work on the server. Jeremy Olsen? I haven't been able to reach him. James, Chan, Brian, Steve, Adam...
- A crowd funding campaign could be set up for the server.