Town Moderator Race: A Good Close Look
Photos
Beginning this morning at 9:00 AM, a new "Tell It Like It Is" show will begin airing on BCTV Channel 16 that is titled "The Big Rematch" that I think you'll find pretty interesting. The show is divided into two segments taped back-to-back, one in which I interview Town Moderator Ryk Bullock, and the other in which I interview Brian Shaughnessy, who is again running against Bullock in this year's Town election.
During Bullock's segment, he described the improvements that he has made to the election process since being elected, and changes that he has made that have resulted in the elections now costing thousands of dollars less each year than they cost before he was elected Town Moderator. When I bluntly asked him about the well-publicized claims made against him that he owes thousands of dollars in taxes to the Town of Bedford, he was able to produce documents showing that his personal real estate taxes are paid, and that other properties for which he has been publicly ridiculed for overdue taxes are not owned by him, but are properties for which his family property management company has served as property managers and leasing agents. While some tax bills have been mailed in care of that company, the property taxes are obviously the responsibility of the property owners.
For the record, the tax accusations against Bullock have been most publicly made by Tax Collector Crystal Dionne (who is at the center of the Town's seizure of the Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary for taxes, interest, and penalties totaling $3881); by Town Council member Jim Scanlon (the subject of an investigation by the state's Attorney General for his antics at the Bedford polls during the January election); by longtime Bullock critic and detractor Bill Greiner (who proudly erects derogatory signs against Bullock on Bedford roads); and by former Council member Mike Scanlon (who co-hosts a television show with Bill Greiner that has devoted many shows to trying to publicly humiliate Bullock).
During Shaughnessy's segment of the show, he claimed that the Bullock tax accusations were of no interest to him, yet he didn't deny that in newspapers published on the same day as the show taping, he had indeed accused Bullock of using the town as "his bank", saying that he had made his comments only because the reporter brought up the subject. Several times during the interview, he praised Bullock's running of the elections over the past four years saying, "I give Mr. Bullock credit for running a top-notch election." However, he spent considerable time criticizing Bullock for receiving more money than the $100 stipend that he receives from the Town for election day work. Because he gave the impression that Bullock was somehow bilking the Town for a lot of money, I asked how much money that he was talking about, and the answer was that Bullock received $340 last year. (As it turns out, that was Bullock's pay for his pre-election and post-election work on behalf of the Town.) While many election day workers are unpaid high school student interns, Shaughnessy took great issue with Bedford residents who work at the polls receiving minimum-wage pay for their efforts, a practice that has been in place for years and years, and is common throughout the state. When I asked what he would do about that, he said that he'd have fewer workers, and that he didn't know that he'd pay them anything.
Shaughnessy also strongly criticized Bullock for the fact that Town Councilor Jim Scanlon was investigated by the state's Attorney General for his behavior at the January election, and despite my arguing that state statute required Bullock to report the offense to the A.G., Shaughnessy maintained that he would not have reported the incident. He also reported that the matter had been closed with the Attorney General. When I said that no ruling had yet been made, he dismissively told me, "You can check on that". (In fact, as of Thursday, March 1, a ruling still has not been issued.) At least twice during the show, Shaughnessy said that "he has done his homework". However, he incorrectly stated the number of election workers, he incorrectly claimed that the Town needs to spend money on providing workmen's compensation for election workers, and he stated that the Town budget is $3.2 million. When I said that it was more like $21 million, he pulled out some papers, and then said that the budget is $4.3 million with public works and fire department costs added. (editorial comment: We should be so lucky!)
Just as I asked Bullock an "elephant in the room" question about charges that he owes thousands of dollars in taxes to the town, I also asked Shaughnessy an "elephant in the room" question when I asked him to respond to the sentiment of many that his candidacy was part of the long-running attacks on Bullock orchestrated by Bill Greiner. He responded that he was very good friends with Greiner, and described their mutual sports activities and involvements with various Bedford organizations. I challenged that their ties went much deeper than that, and I named five companies in which they share an involvement.
All in all, the one-hour show is quite thought-provoking, and I suggest that you watch it. It will be aired on BCTV Channel 16 through to Thursday night, March 8 at the following times:
Friday/Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday - 9:00 AM, 11:00 PM
Saturday/ Monday/Wednesday - 12:00 PM, 8:00 PM
You can watch the show on your computer through live streaming during broadcast times by going to the BCTV website www.bedfordtv.com Click on Live Streaming, or you can watch the show at anytime on your computer by going to the website, clicking on Program Schedule in the Channed 16 box, and on the next page, look for the Search box in the upper left corner and type in tell it like it is. When the page comes up, just click on the word View that is shown beside the show's title.
Bill
12:00 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
For the facts about Bullock and his taxes you can go to www.bullocktaxes.org Find out what so many current and former elected officials have to say about this.
Bullock said 2 years ago he had no responsibility for any taxes on properties in Bedford; now he claims he has responsibility on some of the properties but not all. Why should anyone believe him now? Why is it that he cannot simply be honest with residents about his tax issues?
ObserverNH
3:57 pm on Saturday, March 10, 2012
Yeah you can go to that website and get a list of 'Greiner's Goons' aka as the 'Bedford Mafia'. These are guys who harass, stalk and threaten women, cut their cables, hack their websites, and steal from their mailboxes... one even tried to take over our private wells for the 'regional government' (M. Scanlon)
Anyone associated with that website is a one of 'Greiner's Gang' and doesn't deserve to be elected to anything.
This guy running against Bullock is a LAWYER who is also on Greiner's payroll.
REJECT HIM!
Paul Roy
12:40 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
This is really getting out of control! Go on the Vision Appraisal site and research for yourselves who the owners of those properties are. You will see that Bullock is not the only Trustee on some of those properties. They were mailed to his Meetinghouse Road address. Very similar to properties that Shaughnessy is the Principle on, ask him if he is responsible for ensuring that the taxes are paid on those properties or is it the owner.
I am getting so disgusted with the antics of the ANTI-BULLOCK Clan. I myself was also concerned about his pay and did some research on that as well, The budget that he submitted to the Town Council, the same budget that was approved 7-0. Everything was on the up and up if you do your own research. For whatever reason they continually try to discredit Bullock by distorting the facts. Let it also be known that the Tax Collector received notification from Attorney Gregory Michael advising that Mr. Bullock was no longer a trustee on the properties they claim he is behind on. She refused to accept that saying she can only reassign the billing upon a letter from the property owners. Who is that? Documentation by an Attorney who also happens to be a Judge apparently is not sufficient. To be Continued.
Paul Roy
12:41 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
Continued
What have these ANTI-BULLOCK supporters have to gain by trying to defame Bullock? Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that he is an Angle and has never done anything wrong, what I'm saying is that they are not being truthful or they are not doing their own research before jumping on the Hang Bullock Out To Dry campaign. There is obviously some personal vendettas goings on. I'm pretty sure that I'll be the Next "In Our Opinion" target after this response. Be it as it may I can look at myself in the mirror and know that I'm doing what is the right thing.
Watch the “Tell it Like It Is” Show, Shaughnessy sounds like one of Bullock’s BIGEST SUPPORTERS. The elections are run great, you can get in and out in short order. If it’s not broken why fix it?
Also ,my understanding is that, Mr. Greiner supported a Candidate for a Federal Elected Position who at the time was behind on his Property taxes. You didn't hear him come out about that. I guess if you can do something for him it can be over looked. JUST SAYING.
Do your own research.
Bill
12:58 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
Paul,
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and we can simply agree to disagree. The Federal Candiate you refer to has it exposed that he was behind on some taxes and I believe he paid them when it was brought to his attention. If your friend Ryk has nothing to hide, then he would have no problem showing the trust documents and corporate documents for the properties in question. Mr. Michael, who you reference, wrote a letter last year that stated Ryk was responsible for the taxes on all of the properties in question and that he owned them. Perhaps you didn't see that letter.
No grudge here at all; people running for office ought to pay property taxes as well as make sure that they report w-2 and 1099 compensation for people who work for them. They also ought to pay income taxes as well. I would hope you would share this thought, even though you are a Ryk supporter (he claims he helped you in your run for office and helped with your daughter's senior project so I can appreciate your loyalty to him).
Kathy Benuck
2:26 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
Just to be clear, is commentator Paul Roy actually Bedford Town Councilor Paul Roy?
As to "Bill", I'm reasonably sure that he is Bill Greiner, unless he is Bedford Town Council Chairman Bill Dermody. If it is either, I'm rather surprised that he is not fully identifying himself since both are very public with their personal feelings against Mr. Bullock. But, given the posted comments, I'm betting that it is Bill Greiner just looking for another avenue through which he can further attempt to spew discredit on Ryk Bullock. I guess that nobody is looking at the latest Shaughnessy campaign tool, i.e., your new website.
Paul Roy
3:19 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
Kathy,
You are correct, it is Paul Roy Soon To Be Former Town Councilor.
Bill,
I'm am simply basing my statements on the facts as I found them, and as I stated. If there are other documents available I would be happy to look at them. No one is happy to pay taxes, but yes we all need to, and if they are paid, which is what I found, then it is a non-issue.
Those are the facts as I know them.
Kathy Benuck
3:58 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
Oops, I forgot - - - there is a "Bill" triumvirate, and the third "Bill" in it is the irrepressible Bedford School Board member Bill Foote, who sued the Town of Bedford about three years ago after the Town Council did not reappoint him to the Parks & Recreation Commission. Oops again! There is a fourth "Bill" and that is Bill Jean, who is running for Bedford Town Council, and with no opposition, will assume his Council seat in March. In his non-political life, he is most known for serving as the project manager for several of Bill Greiner's construction projects.
With so many Bills using the same script, it's hard to keep them all straight.
Bill
9:50 pm on Friday, March 2, 2012
It is Bill Greiner; no need to hide behind anything.
To set the record straight, Bill Jean has never been a project manager on any of my projects and I would be VERY careful if I were you in terms of making misstatements and innuendo which are in fact incorrect. To coin a phrase from your friend Ryk; "That's why God invented lawyers".
Dave Michaels
2:18 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2012
Agreed, Bill. I think you should take a page out of your own playbook here - you, too, should be VERY CAREFUL about "making misstatements and innuendo which are in fact incorrect." Almost every utterance I've heard from you has qualified as one or the other! Here's an instance of the Pot calling the Kettle black, if I ever saw one!
Just my humble opinion, but I believe the voters of Bedford will see right through your puerile and sophomoric attempts to manipulate this election. Your direct intervention will likely put your self-serving agenda back years, just as it did in the "If and Only If" deliberative session years ago that single-handedly put the building of our high school back at least a year. Someday, you'll learn...
Kathy Benuck
8:27 am on Sunday, March 4, 2012
I certainly hope that Bill Jean has not suffered any undue trauma because he was labeled as a "project manager". His correct title is Director of Business Development for Fulcrum Associates, Construction Managers and Contractors. Fulcrum Associates has played a major role in several of Bill Greiner's development projects here in Bedford, and in fact features recent ones in their online advertising.
Bill, I am delighted that your comment indicates that you are concerned about "misstatement and innuendo". Can we all now anticipate that this concern will now carry over to your BCTV show and political campaigning???
Paul Roy Sr
9:22 pm on Monday, March 5, 2012
I stand corrected, Saturday night I was informed that in order for the Trustee to be changed on a Trust it must be accompanied by the official documents changing the Trustee. Although I thought that the letter from the Attorney was sufficient it does not change the Trust. I can presume that the proper paperwork is being filed, but until that is received by the Town they can not change it. I apologize for any confusion I may have caused. I was previously misinformed.
ObserverNH
4:48 pm on Saturday, March 10, 2012
There is nothing the town of Bedford would like more than seizing homes, wells, anything of value...from the hardworking taxpayers. And they will do anything to accomplish this! Including making our taxes skyrocket with bogus schools so that the elderly have to be forced to eat cat food or lose their homes... Dionne is a witch.
Dave Michaels
2:23 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2012
I tuned in to Kathy's "Tell It Like It Is" production last night with Ryk Bullock. Finally, I'm hearing Ryk's side of the story! I wonder why it took him so long to make his information public, but at least now I have the facts. Good for you, Ryk!
Kathy, a friendly observation - you kept interrupting Ryk ,stressing that there were time constraints, but you yourself talked far more than Ryk did, and had far less to say, in my opinion! Don't misunderstand, I think your work is eminently valuable in exposing for all of us to see the frauds out there in our town who would drag us all into their gutter, but, hey, Ryk was the one I wanted to hear, not you! May I gently but urgently suggest: How about asking a question and then Shutting Up! Don't cut him off while he is answering, unless the answer starts wandering. You kept harping on time, and then you wasted at least a minute, maybe more, of valuable air time waxing eloquent about how you didn't get a magnetic name tag! Compared to Ryk's information - the reason I tuned it, remember? - who cares about your name tag? Just a friendly suggestion...
Bill Greiner
6:55 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2012
Dave, I chuckled pretty hard when you refer to BHS as "our" high school. It certainly is a Community ASSET and belongs to all of us. You never supported it and would certainly have liked to see it delayed for many years (a 20 year contract comes to mind).
As long as I know we are on different sides of an issue I am comforable knowing that I am right.
Lastly, I do hope you are able to control your temper better now than a few years ago....