text:
Parents arrested over 15-stone child
July 8, 2014 alisonsgypt
Categories: Social Services System abuse Tags: Social Services system abuse
Just another WordPress.com weblog
Any abusive comments made regarding myself personally will not be taken lightly and reported accordingly.
Yes we all have freedom of speech,and negative comments is acceptable, but remember you get payed for spamming this site, so please no personal attacks.
Kind regards.
Welcome to Parents Against Injustice (PAIN).
We are a voluntary organisation, run and funded by volunteers who are here to provide help and support to families caught in the care system.
We try and assist where possible and make no judgments to your situation.
All contact is totally confidential and kept within the organisation.
Our website has been designed to give pointers on places to go for information and help. Following recent coverage in the media, we also highlight the appalling treatment families are subjected to by Civil Servants. Remember, these are people employed in the public sector and funded by tax payers revenue.
We can be contacted on our contact page from the link to the left of this page.
PAIN cannot be responsible for the content and accuracy of information contained from websites that can be accessed from the links of this site.
The original organisation was set up by Sue Amphlett in 1985 and disbanded in 2000. Unfortunately this was due to the fact that sources of funding to keep the organisation alive had been withdrawn. However, to keep the hopes alive, Alison Stevens who was part of the original group, was still active in Leicestershire. She was later joined by Chris Smith in Essex and Trevor Jones in Islington, London.
During the period that PAIN was in operation the group had dealt with nearly 13000 cases . Therefore, it seemed a shame that this organisation was to die when there are so many parents and carers who are caught in child care proceedings and do not have anybody to turn to and help with their case.
One has to question the motives of funding withdrawal when clearly 13000 families needed help and support. Is it really just money or is it a huge cover up to hide the truth behind social services and child care proceedings in the UK?
The group is here to campaign, lobby, give advice and support to parents and carers who feel they have been wrongly accused of child abuse, make parents aware of their legal rights, assist them in getting lawyers and help them recover after being pulled through a system which often leaves them feeling abused themselves.
Alison Stevens is our Chairperson and was part of the original PAIN organisation. During the late 1980s Alison faced the loss of her own children after wrongly being accused of harming her son. It had transpired that her son was suffering from brittle bones disease and that she had not caused injuries to her son. Luckily Alison managed to keep her children. Alison, felt that without the help and support given to her from PAIN that she would not be with us today. Since then Alison has campaigned tirelessly on behalf of families and lobbying MPs. She has done radio and TV interviews.
Chris Smith
Chris Smith is the Secretary of our group. Chris became involved when he too was caught in care proceedings. He sadly lost his sons through adoption. Chris became so incensed by his treatment from professionals, both social workers and medical practitioners, including family assessment centres that he became involved with the group. Chris spent much of his own personal money trying to establish our website and lifting the group. He has campaigned tirelessly since joining us in 2003 and as a result has increased much media attention including several major articles written in the Daily Telegraph. This has resulted in one county having a full investigation into their procedures.
Trevor Jones
Trevor Jones became involved as the result of a personal friend losing her children to permanent care with no direct access to the children. In this particular case one professional wrote "the house is cluttered with too many books". You could argue better than none at all!!!! Trevor became so appalled by this horrendous treatment of his friend and her family that he embarked on investigating the methods used by social services. He has committed immeasurable man hours in highlighting many deficiencies and asking difficult questions of Social Services with many of his letters published in both local and national Press. He is currently involved on the campaign side of PAIN highlighting the problems within the present child protection system with letters published in The Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Observer, Sunday Telegraph and many local and regional papers. He has written PAIN submissions to recent government consultations and was instrumental in co-ordinating a multi organisational response to the Child Care Proceedings Review in November 2005.
Richard Roper
Richard Roper is very experienced in advising parents and carers and has attended court with PAIN clients over a number of years. He has in-depth knowledge of the procedures involved in public law proceedings from child protection case conferences through to adoption appeals.
Yvonne Stewart-Taylor
Yvonne Stewart Taylor although our newest volunteer has been active for a number of years in the north of England campaigning against the injustice of the system and helping families along the way.
AT PAIN we have a wealth of experiance with Private and Public law cases, but we are there to offer advice and support, we urge you all to seek proper legal advice.
We have quite a large list of childrens panel Solicitors that have excellent credibility, please fee free to get in touch FOR OUR SOLICITORS LIST.
Kind regards Alison Stevens.
Members of the team will assist with attending child protection case conferences,and the family court arena, we do not charge, but under the present financial crisis, we may ask you to pay our travel expenses.
CONTACT US FOR ADVICE AND SUPPORT PAIN ADVISERS Alison Stevens. email@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com. Telephone number 01162602855. CONTACT FOR ADVICE Richard Roper. firstname.lastname@example.com CONTACT FOR ADVICE Yvonne Stewart-Taylor. email@example.com CONTACT FOR ADVICE Trevor Jones email@example.com.
Jacqui Cameron para legal at William Bache and co.
Morgans solicitors Cardiff Family specialist - Lyn Howell 31 Wilson Rd Ely 02920 59155, firm in pemrokshire 01646 697039 as well as Swansea 01792 479150, Pembrokeshire 01646 697039 www.morgans-sols.co.uk Was recommended to FASO as criminal solicitor but covers family as well
Haines and West 2, Victoria Place Penbrokeshire SA61 2LP 0845 4080125 Vick Haines www.hainesandlewis.co.uk
also Nicole Denver and Purnell 798 Newport Rd Cardiff CF10 1DX 02920 796311
Who is it this time (social services) and what type of allegation? we have quite a busy time down in this neck of the woods, and one recent nasty one in west wales to do with capacity of adult teenager. If any more solicitors needed we have some in cardiff.
Has won cases, PAIN have just started to use this team of Solicitors.
Trevor is the parliamentarian of the group, and has tirelessly campaigned within UK Parliament for many years.
Trevor is the only gentleman pictured here.
Joy Levi Russell-Cooke Solicitors 0208 546 6111 direct line 0208 541 2005.
Trevor Jones the only Gentleman in the picture.
Trevor is the Parliamentarian of the group and has campaigned tirelessly for the rights of Parents for many years.
Children & Care Proceedings
Children & Care Proceedings
Contact: Manjit Obhi, Holly Cross
Members of the Children Panel
Manjit has over 15 years experience in representing the interests of Children and Parents in Child Care Proceedings.
Since 1999 Holly has specialised in Children Law and has experience in dealing with parents and children in both public and private law proceedings.
Manjit and Holly are members of the Law Society's Children Panel.
Nigel Priestley, Solicitor of the year 2010 has been successful with reference to representing PAIN clients, check out Nigel's profile.
Good family team Public and Private Law.
nspirational women of the year: Alison's son was snatched away after she was wrongly branded a child abuser...now she fights for justice for other mothers
By Laura Topham
Last updated at 8:29 AM on 16th April 2009
* Comments (0)
* Add to My Stories
The months Alison Stevens spent apart from her son still haunt her.
Twenty four years on, she cannot forget the pain she felt when social services took away her three-year-old without warning - or just cause.
Doctors should have diagnosed brittle bone disease when Alison took Scott to A&E with a broken leg. Instead, they decided he was being abused by his parents and put him in care immediately.
It took 12 long, tormented weeks for Alison and her husband, Andy, an electrician, to clear their names and win their son's return. The joy and relief they felt at having their family reunited was immeasurable. Alison was left so affected by the experience that she was determined to help other people fight similar injustices.
alison stevens
Wrongly accused: Alison Stevens
Since then, she has helped thousands of parents as the head of the national organisation Parents Against Injustice (PAIN).
'I will always remember the hurt and confusion I felt back then,' says Alison. 'It was horrendous finding Scott's hospital bed empty, then being told by nurses they thought we were to blame for his injuries. For months we had to visit him in a foster home when we desperately wanted to have him home.
'I am compelled to help other people because I understand what they are going through and how badly the system can work. This can happen to anyone and, when it does, you feel powerless.
'The toll it takes on you is indescribable - parents call me on the brink of suicide. But through PAIN I am able to help them get their children back.' While the agony still feels fresh to Alison, it was back in 1985 that her son Scott was put in care. He had been having a bath with his brother Lee, then five, when he tried to get out and slipped awkwardly, hurting his leg.
'Leaving him was like having my heart ripped out'
When Alison and Andy took Scott to hospital, doctors insisted he stay in for observation.
'Returning to the hospital that evening to visit Scott, I never suspected anything was amiss,' says Alison.
'But when we reached his bed it was empty.
'A nurse took us into a room and explained that social services had taken him away because his fracture wasn't consistent with an accident. The doctor said that we must have twisted his leg. I was distraught.'
Alison and Andy returned home, scared and confused, not knowing where Scott was and having no idea how they could get him back.
Through Yellow Pages, they discovered PAIN, a national organisation offering advice to parents wrongly accused of child abuse.
'I called them and cried down the phone,' she says.
'They were very comforting, and put me in touch with a solicitor, who specialised in child protection cases, and a doctor for a second opinion.'
The doctor asked whether Scott was small for his size and if his eyes had a blue tinge - both of which were accurate - then explained his symptoms sounded like brittle bone disease. Social services continued to refuse to let the couple know how the case was proceeding.
Then, two days later, police arrested Andy for grievous bodily harm. He was released 12 hours later due to lack of evidence. Yet it was two weeks before the family was finally told where Scott was and allowed to visit him.
An interim order granted them two hours' access, three times each week. 'His foster home was with a one parent family in a scruffy council house. It was a really rough, messy environment,' says Alison.
'When we said goodbye, Scott started screaming. He was asking why we'd sent him away and telling us he hadn't been naughty.
'Leaving him was like having my heart ripped out - I just wanted to take him home.' Alison was put in touch with a brittle bone specialist by PAIN as well as another family whose sons had been taken away in similar circumstances.
Then, three months after Scott had been removed, their solicitor called and said social services had admitted it could have been accidental. The following day, Scott was returned to his parents. 'It was wonderful having Scott back, but he was a changed child,' says Alison.
'In the past month, I've had three families reunited. That's the best news you can ever hear.'
'He was constantly angry, used terrible language and wanted everything straightaway.
'He had clearly grown used to having no discipline, and it took three years before he returned to the little boy we had known. And he still thought he'd been naughty, which was heart-breaking.'
But it wasn't only Scott who was left affected - Alison developed the inflammatory disorder Crohn's disease six weeks after Scott was taken, which she puts down to the stress she suffered as a result of losing her little boy. 'The worry was so bad it left me with health problems,' says Alison.
'Since then, I've had depression, a hiatus hernia and inflammatory bowel disease.'
The family waited a year for an appointment with the brittle bone specialist, who swiftly diagnosed the disease.
Yet Alison's experience left her wanting to help other parents, so she set up a support group in Leicester and started working with PAIN, looking after the Midlands and Yorkshire.
In 2002, the Department of Health - which had paid for three full-time paid workers - stopped funding PAIN and the organisation was forced to close.
But Alison was determined to reopen it and took over running it on a voluntary basis, in addition to her full-time work as a hospital nurse. She is now helped by two other people. Alison's achievements have been remarkable.
It was PAIN that pushed for the Parents Allowed in Case Conference Bill in the Nineties. This month, her three-year campaign with John Hemming MP to open up family courts will pay off, as journalists and charity representatives such as herself are finally allowed to attend case conferences, enabling greater public scrutiny of procedures.
She is trying to change the situation for enhanced CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks because any allegation remains on a person's file, even if social services take no action - 17,000 people are affected by this. But while Alison is proud of these campaigns, it is her day-to-day work with parents - 'Just being there to listen' - that remains most important to her.
'Just looking at my little granddaughter spurs me on.'
'When someone is in that situation, they want to talk to someone who can empathise,' she says.
'Last week, one woman who called was incredibly upset and, after speaking to me, said she had been thinking of suicide.
'In the past month, I've had three families reunited. That's the best news you can ever hear.'
Alison takes ten phone calls a day and responds to countless emails and messages asking for advice and guidance.
She regularly attends case conferences and court with parents. Fitting in this huge workload around full-time nursing is difficult.
Even on holiday in Egypt two months ago, Alison found an internet cafe and dealt with inquiries - though she still had 300 emails when she returned home. She feels indebted to the group.
'Without it, I might not have won back my son,' she says.
'Today, Scott is 27 and has his own baby daughter, Holly. Just looking at my little granddaughter spurs me on.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1170370/Inspirational-women-Alison-wrongly-branded-child-abuser-fights-justice-others.html#ixzz1HML7mja9
EMERGENCY/OUT OF HOURS NUMBERS Police Station/crime - 07999 484648 Family matters - 07592 685 574, William Bache and co out of hours numbers.
Meet the team at Brendan Fleming, Brendan is pictured in the middle of the photo.
Check out their excellent credibility, i am so proud to have the team working along with us.
James Cooke has represented PAIN clients for at least four years now,
Check out his profile.
PAIN now have a Barrister that is happy to take Public Law cases in Northern Ireland.
Kind regards Alison Stevens.
If anybody needs any help please feel free to e mail me email@example.com, i would be happy to advise regarding documentation for appeal and reconsideration, also to assist pro bono, with reference to tribunal representation, and LIP high court tribunal.
This makes me so angry, CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER AT ITS WORST.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL THIS LADY'S FAMILY, SHE CAN NOW REST FREE FROM PAIN, what a terrible price she has had to pay? MAY THE UK GOVERNMENT, DWP AND ATOS HEALTHCARE HANG THEIR HEADS IN SHAME.
My ill wife had to fight for benefits up until she died
faso is a voluntary organisation dedicated to supporting
anyone affected by a false allegation of abuse
faso offers clear information, practical advice, and emotional support to anyone affected by false accusation
The national faso Helpline
0844 335 1992
is available to anyone affected by false allegations of abuse
Monday to Friday, 6pm to 10pm
FASO website on our links page.
Good family team of Solicitors in Cardiff/
Yvonnes Story - UK Social Services Tried to Take my Granddaughter - A Families Hell
Yvonne Stewart-Taylors Granddaughter was born in the U.S.A. on 26th May 2002 after her Mother went into premature labour 3.5 months early on a beach in Mexico. Her parents were transported by Air ambulance to University of San Diego hospital where the labour could not be halted. The little one was born by emergency ceaserian section weighing in at just 2lb 6oz. The baby stayed in intensive care for 10 weeks during which time I visited the new family and tried to help support them.
She had only a 50% chance of survival. It cost Barclays travel insurance over $1 million for her intensive care. In August 2002 she was flown by Air Ambulance from San Diego to Newcastle Upon Tyne where we were told we would have a problem getting her into the British system because she came into the U.K. without a passport and holds an American Birth certificate only.
We were at a loss as to how, at a time of heightened national security, S.A.G.A, working on behalf of Barclays insurance could have managed to bring her into the UK illegally. From
Newcastle she was brought by ambulance to Lancaster Royal Infirmary and later discharged. Finally we had her home. As a caring family we all cared for her and loved her, she was and still is the centre of our Universe.
On Jan 03, 2003 she was admitted to hospital with a severe chest infection, remaining there for a few days and then sent home with a broken femur. I asked for a full inquiry into how this could have occurred. A locum pedeatrician at Lancaster diagnosed "Non-accidental Injuries" and Social Services took out an interim care order; accusing the family of child abuse.
We asked them to wait until doctors in San Diego could be consulted. We were refused. We endured 8 months of child care proceedings and had to fight the system. When San Diego Doctors finally sent e-mails to her Mother stating she had been born with significant OOP (osteopenia of prematurity); a bone condition which effects premature infants.
We had been told that if one of six family members did not admit to hurting her she would be placed for adoption.
We were all questioned by police regarding child abuse, including her great grandfather who had lost his wife (my Mother) a few months previously to terminal cancer. Police asked him why he came to visit us so regularly?
After 8 months the family court dispersed the child protection case to Australia, where after a few weeks it was disposed of as a waste of their time and resources. We had seen her for only 2 hours per week for 8 months, under social services supervision. Some weeks we didn't see her at all because social services didn't have enough staff.
We went through hell.
Had it not have been for the arrival into the UK, from Australia of her maternal grandmother, social services would have removed her from her birth family -she was still being breast fed at the time, and social services had no mother and child foster provision to place her in. Her Australian granny oversaw her care 24/7 without respite for 8 months; preventing them from being able to take our granddaughter away.
We were made to prove our innocence and treated like criminals. The social workers were so set on an agenda of 'baby for adoption' that one even changed the wording of the Australian social worker's report to try and mislead the Court. Pergery of a document admitted to court. Social services went to great length to protect her from the mixed-race paternal family.
Later, when we complained, they admitted partially discriminating against us on racial grounds. They were not compliant with The Amended Race Relations Act, and had inadequate policies in place.
Our suffering and sense of loss was immense. We had all endured 8 months of hell.
We celebrated when the Family Court judge said we could bring her home and her parents could then take her to be with her Australian family. We were sad to see them go but relieved that social services had to let go. She had been neglected by the NHS, we had been falsely accused, and yet she did not become another of the thousands of children who have been wrongly removed from their birth families and illegally adopted in the UK. Our one saving grace was American Doctors' e-mails and the fact that she is an American Citizen with no claim to British Citizenship until her parents are married, which to date they are not.
Had social services placed her for adoption to a UK couple they would have contravened international law.
We have exhausted all the complaints procedures only to either be ignored or fobbed off. The NHS were presented with our formal complaint along with the police in December 06 and to date the NHS has not answered our complaint. Social services have refused to answer the Australian complaint and the police have not addressed our concerns either.
My Husband who works for Cumbria Constabulary has, twice in the last two years, faced disciplinary action directly associated with this case and could lose his job after 6 months of investigation into his alleged misconduct at work. The authorities are now hell bent on making us criminals.
Not one family member has ever been prosecuted or charged with any offense yet we are listed on a secret police intelligence computer as 'prospective child abusers'.
We have requested the removal of our names and been refused. My Son, his daughter and her Mother do not feel safe to return to the UK, as the social worker has said he will get her next time. It has cost us approx £25,000 and the Australian family the loss of their home, business and caused the family unit of 30 years to almost breakdown. We fear that due to the stress of it all her parents relationship will not endure much longer. The good name and character of our families has been tarnished and I can no longer function normally day to day. I lost my jobs, and fear my husband will soon lose his. We will be forced to sell our home and leave the UK in the near future. Institutionally racist Cumbrian Authorities have done us and our granddaughter nothing but harm and they are not even going to be dealt with, for this huge miscarriage of justice.
People aware of this case.
Tony Blair Prime Minister, Margaret Hodge Minister for Children, John Hemming MP, Beverly Hughes Minister for Children, Tim Collins MP, Tim Farron MP, Chief Constable Baxter (Cumbria Constabulary), Joan Stocker, County Council.
Non can intervene in individual cases or right the wrongs of the flawed family courts. The only chance we have of justice, is to go to the European Courts with others who have had their families torn apart.
We are fortunate we still have our granddaughter. The sad reality is that the UK child protection racket is nothing more than a liscence for the Family Law Franchises to make money, at tax payers expense and rip innocent families apart for financial gain. Sadly while vital recourses are wasted on innocent families, children who really need protection are being abused. Many thousands of pounds of tax payers money have been wasted on this case to protect what was essentially an illegal immigrant.
US congress are also aware of this case involving one of their citizens and we intend to tell this story as widely as we can in three countries in the hope of naming and shaming those who have
deliberately abused us as a family. We want to raise awareness of this case in the hope that it will highlight the abuse of innocent families in the UK by Government Agencies who appear to be a law unto themselves and answerable to none. We believe that this case sets a president as American Dr's as well as UK Dr's were involved. If we had relied on UK Doctors we would have certainly lost her to the system.
The fact remains that she is not even British.
The current system is flawed, open to abuse and damaging or destroying families. How much longer can this continue?
Why do social workers have and abuse, so much power?
Note. I am not bound by the Court's gagging orders to be silent as I was never a party to Proceedings. The parents do not have the same freedom I have to speak about this, as they are bound by the courts not to speak about it. I have deliberately concealed names to protect the innocent. I do feel strongly that this case should be made public, especially if it raises the profile enough to force changes to occur in the future and prevent others from enduring what we have been through. No, family should have to suffer as we have done.
Incidentally, our family were interviewed re-child abuse by my husbands work colleagues, is it any wonder we are still being looked at and treated like criminals by local police? Policies
and procedures have not been followed by Social Services or the Police.
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
PAIN Trevor Jones Margaret Gardener FASO
CRB Campaign.
For assistance in private law proceedings, parental disputes and children's rights
Natasha takes on some of our Private Law cases when we are snowed under.
We couldn't do it without you Natasha, what a star.
Find PAIN on Facebook.
Mike Mackey,possibly one of the best criminal Solicitors in the UK.
Represented the late Sally Clark,deals with the allegations of where parents have been accused, sometimes wrongly of injuring their children.
The William Bache team of Solicitors on facebook.
Margaret Gardener FASO Trevor Jones PAIN
FACT Conference 28th May 2011.
Journalist Florence Bellone wins a prestigious award for her Journalism with reference to exposing FORCED ADOPTION IN THE UK
PAIN Adviser Richard Roper a Gentleman with much knowledge on family law.
Nigel Priestley Solicitor Ridley and Hall.
The team of Solicitors at William Bache and co.
Alison Stevens BBC RADIO LEICESTER INTERVIEW
Rachel Carter Solicitor,


text:
Matt15 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 296 designs submitted by 100 freelance designers.
Protected Method
We are a new web development firm that has just closed on our first contract. We specialize in, but aren't married to, Ruby on Rails development. We aim to be very open with our clients and help them bring their ideas to the web. We're not trying to be the next Microsoft, we're just programmers who love the craft, want to help others, and make some money in our travels. We contribute to Open Source frequently.
Our website is http://www.protectedmethod.com
We target smaller businesses that need a web application, or someone looking to develop a more standard website. They'd likely be between 30 and 60 years of age. We're located in Ohio and Ohioans might tend to be more traditional than other folks.
"Protected Method" is a programming term; we aren't a security company. We're not looking for shields, castles, etc in the logo. We'd like a nice "web 2.0" style logo. Something slick with casual gradients; something refined, but not like a funeral home logo if you know what I mean. This logo will be for the web, business cards, etc.
I tend to prefer black and blue as base colors, but feel free to wow me.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
No. 95,214
In the Matter of the Marriage of
1. Appellate courts have plenary review when interpreting a statute.
2. A divorce decree may make future maintenance payments modifiable or terminable, and the trial court may modify maintenance retroactive to a date at least 1 month after the date that the motion to modify was filed.
3. Under K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2) and (3), the trial court may modify maintenance payments which have been ordered by the trial court where there has been no settlement agreement between the parties. An attempt to make the maintenance payments nonmodifiable is contrary to statute and case law.
4. K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2) allows the trial court to award maintenance in a lump sum. When a maintenance payment becomes due and unpaid, it is a final judgment. There is no meaningful distinction between court-ordered monthly maintenance payments and a lump sum maintenance award payable in monthly installments.
5. Under K.S.A. 60-1610(b), the trial court exceeded its authority when it ruled that it could never modify a maintenance obligation that was originally ordered after a trial to the court.
Appeal from Montgomery District Court; JACK L. LIVELY, judge. Opinion filed May 18, 2007. Reversed and remanded with directions.
Jennifer A. Wagle, of Floodman, Wagle & West, of Wichita, for appellant.
Bruce E. Borders, of Independence, for appellee.
Before HILL, P.J., MARQUARDT, J., and KNUDSON, S.J.
MARQUARDT, J.: John W. Evans appeals the trial court's denial of his motion to modify spousal maintenance. We reverse and remand with directions.
Cheryl and John married in June 1979. The parties agreed that Cheryl would work until John received his college degree, then she could cease working outside the home. The couple became foster parents and eventually adopted three children who have special needs. The daughter has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, asthma, and vision problems, and will require in-depth care for her entire life. Cheryl has always been the children's primary caregiver.
The divorce was tried to the court and a decree was filed in October 2002. The parties were granted joint custody of the children, with Cheryl designated as the primary residential parent. The trial court ordered John to pay Cheryl a lump sum maintenance award of $143,264, payable at $1,184 per month until the sum has been paid in full. The journal entry states: "The lump sum spousal maintenance is not subject to modification."
In February 2004, John filed a pro se motion to modify child support and spousal maintenance because he was unemployed. At the hearing on John's motion, the trial court denied modification of the maintenance because it is "not subject to modification."
In February 2005, John obtained counsel and filed motions to set aside the judgment and modify maintenance, arguing that only in cases where the parties entered into a separation agreement does the trial court not have jurisdiction to modify maintenance. He argued that since the case was tried to the court, the trial court's refusal to modify maintenance was erroneous.
It does not appear that there was a hearing on these new motions. Without elaboration, the trial court denied John's motions and again ruled that it did not have the authority to modify a lump sum award that is payable in installments. The trial court held that it would "honor the previous judge's decision" regarding a lump sum maintenance award. John timely appeals.
John notes that the initial divorce was tried to the court; therefore, he argues that the trial court had statutory authority to modify the maintenance award.
When reviewing a motion to modify maintenance, this court examines the record to determine if there is substantial competent evidence to support the ruling of the trial court and whether the trial court abused its discretion. Discretion is abused if no reasonable person would take the view adopted by the trial court. In re Marriage of Bowers, 23 Kan. App. 2d 641, 643, 933 P.2d 176 (1997).
This court has plenary review when interpreting a statute. See Foster v. Kansas Dept. of Revenue, 281 Kan. 368, 374, 130 P.3d 560 (2006). K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2) states, inter alia:
"The decree may award to either party an allowance for future support denominated as maintenance, in an amount the court finds to be fair, just and equitable under all of the circumstances. The decree may make the future payments modifiable or terminable under circumstances prescribed in the decree. . . . Maintenance may be in a lump sum, in periodic payments, on a percentage of earnings or on any other basis. At any time, on a hearing with reasonable notice to the party affected, the court may modify the amounts or other conditions for the payment of any portion of the maintenance originally awarded that has not already become due, but no modification shall be made without the consent of the party liable for the maintenance, if it has the effect of increasing or accelerating the liability for the unpaid maintenance beyond what was prescribed in the original decree."
When K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2) states that the trial court "may make a modification," it means exactly what it says. A trial court retains the power to modify court-ordered maintenance at any time, even if the right to modify is not specifically stated in its order establishing maintenance. In re Marriage of Ehinger, 34 Kan. App. 2d 583, Syl. ¶ 8, 121 P.3d 467 (2005). Pursuant to K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2), the trial court may modify maintenance retroactive to a date at least 1 month after the date that the motion to modify was filed.
Under K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2) and (3), the trial court may modify maintenance payments which have been ordered by the trial court where there has been no separation agreement between the parties. In the instant case, Cheryl and John did not have a separation agreement and the trial court's attempt to make the maintenance payment nonmodifiable was contrary to statute and case law. The question then is whether the fact that the payment was ordered as a lump sum makes any difference. K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2) clearly allows maintenance to be awarded in a lump sum.
When a maintenance payment becomes due and unpaid, it is a final judgment. Saroff v. Haun, 28 Kan. App. 2d 471, 474, 17 P.3d 943 (2001). We are unable to find any case law which directly addresses the issue of a trial court ordering a lump sum maintenance award and then ordering it to be paid monthly. In Ehinger, this court held that the "at any time" language used in K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2) must be broadly construed. 34 Kan. App. 2d at 588. We do not believe there is a meaningful distinction between court-ordered monthly maintenance payments and a lump sum maintenance award payable in monthly installments. The trial court erred when it made the maintenance award nonmodifiable, as that order is contrary to K.S.A. 2006 Supp. 60-1610(b)(2).
Under K. S. A. 60-1610(b), the trial court exceeded its authority when it ordered that maintenance originally ordered after a trial to the court could never be modified. This case is remanded to a trial judge who has not previously handled this case to determine if maintenance is merited and, if so, what amount should be ordered.
Reversed and remanded with directions.


text:
(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.
This editorial cartoon was published in the Greenfield Recorder on October 21, 1967. In it, the majority of young men who cooperate with the military draft are contrasted to the minority of those who, during the Vietnam War, refused to comply. The soldier, monumental in appearance and dignified in attitude, represents "THE MILLIONS WHO'LL SERVE THEIR COUNTRY." So large is this figure that his helmet and feet extend beyond the parameters of the picture frame. Above his head appears the title of the image, "COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS." By way of contrast, the draft protesters, "THE HUNDREDS WHO REFUSE," are of a much smaller scale. As a result of their unkempt appearance and agitated poses, they seem to lack the self control of the soldier in whose presence they are dwarfed. In reality, thousands of middle and upper-middle class young men avoided the draft, not by protest, but by applying for deferments due to educational or parental responsibilities, or by serving in National Guard units.
top of page
Send an e-Postcard of this object
See Also...
"Police, Protesters Clash" article from The Greenfield Recorder newspaper
"Hippies and the War" editorial from The Greenfield Recorder newspaper
"Violence Seen Probable in D.C. Demonstration" article from The Greenfield Recorder newspaper
Home | Online Collection | Things
To Do | Turns
Exhibit | Classroom | Chronologies | My
About This Site | Site Index | Site Search | Feedback


text:
:Meridell Achievement Center is a nationally recognized 134-bed private residential treatment facility that specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents who have emotional, behavioral and neurobehavioral problems. Meridell has been providing exceptional care for our patients for over 50 years. Meridell is a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) is one of the nation's largest and most respected health care management companies, operating through its subsidiaries acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities and ambulatory centers nationwide. Founded in 1978, UHS subsidiaries now have more than 65,000 employees. Our success comes from a responsive management style and a service philosophy based on integrity, competence and compassion.
Meridell is currently seeking an experienced Charge Nurse to assist Meridell in continuing a tradition of excellence in the health care field. This position would be over an adolescent girl's unit.
Meridell offers an excellent time off plan, medical, dental, vision, employee assistance program, life insurances, long and short term disability benefits and a 401(k) plan.
If you are looking for an opportunity with growth then we would like to hear from you. Come join our team of dedicated professionals.


text:
Yeah, it's quite easy to do, you just need to re-interpret it to the means you've got.
So I'll suggest something along these lines: reverse the sample You wish to use with your sampler (it surely have that option). Put it trough some heavy, lush reverb and record the output back to your sampler. It may require some rerouting if You're going to use an external reverb. After you record it back, reverse that new, reverberated sample again. And You should have what you asked for. It's that simple


text:
Discover Your Purpose
What are you doing here? Possibly the hardest question to answer, but we can help. You will have to answer the question for yourself, but through our leadership development programs, we can help you discover your purpose. Leadership is about people, voice, learning, and action. It's about connecting with your heart to understand your ability to change the world. It's constantly evolving, but staying true to itself. The Holden Center is going to take everything you think you know about leadership, stretch it, challenge it, push it, and build you into the leader you've always wanted to be.
Tomorrow's Leaders, Today
What are the biggest issues of our time? How are you going to fix them? It's time to find out. LeaderShape® Institute will challenge you to dig down to the deepest parts of yourself and find what you value most. During a dynamic, challenging, and exciting week, you will find out what it means to lead with integrity, and return with a breakthrough vision for changing our world and the skills to make it happen.
It's a daunting proposition, we know. But grab a friend and we'll see you at the Institute!
Ignite Your Vision
Catalyst: noun—a person or thing that precipitates an event or change. That's you. Maybe you just don't know it yet. Catalyst is the first step to discovering what kind of leader you are and how to build communities. Everyone leads a little differently and you are the only one that can choose the authentic path that is right for you. Get ready to explore your skills and start something extraordinary in this one-day workshop.
Start with Your Strengths
Your journey to becoming a leader has brought you to this point, but what have you already picked up along the way? All leaders are not created the same and each brings their own style and strengths. You know what your strengths are—you use them every day. But how do your strengths combine with another person's strengths? What strengths complement yours to form the most versatile and effective team? The strength of a team is in the individual and the strength of the individual is in a team. You can use your strengths to make a lot of change, but imagine what you can do with the strengths of a team. Learn how your strengths stand out and will make your team that much stronger.


text:
Sign in
Tag cloud
Shopping Cart
Don't Miss Our Special Email-Only Offers!
Copyright © 2009 Health Products Online Pty Ltd | www.selfhypnosiscds.com.au. All rights reserved. All the self-hypnosis sessions on this site are copyrighted. Permission is given for personal use only. They may not be distributed in any way or sold by anyone other than the copyright owner.
Disclaimer. While hypnosis has many beneficial effects, hypnosis is not a substitute for appropriate medical attention. Statements and products offered on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. When dealing with physical and/or mental illness or disease, always consult a qualified physician or therapist. Hypnosis recordings are not recommended for people suffering from mental disorders or illness.
Never listen to hypnosis recordings while driving a car or operating machinery. When listening to hypnosis recordings, choose an environment that is quiet & safe.
Payment Options That We Accept include:


text:
View from the Corner: Floresville to host pro card May 17
Floresville to host pro card May 17
Bantamweight Javier Rodriguez of San Antonio headlines a pro card May 17 at the Floresville Convention Center.
Rodriguez (5-0-1) will square off against an opponent to be named in the six-round main event.
The Triple A Promotions show will feature at least six other San Antonio fighters, including Benjamin Whitaker, Emily Villaseñor, Jesse Anguiano and Eddie Tigs.
Two more San Antonians, Armando Cardenas and Rodney Ledesma, are scheduled to make their pro debuts.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and first bell is at 7:30. Tickets, $20 for general admission and $50 for VIP, are available at Angel's Boxing Club, Team Morones Club and San Fernando Gym.
Sixteen pre-matched bouts are scheduled.
Doors open at 2 p.m., and first bell is 3. Tickets are $10.
The 39-year-old Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KOs) is coming off a stunning sixth-round knockout victory over Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 8 in Las Vegas.
Bradley (30-0, 12 KOs) beat Pacquiao in a controversial 12-round decision a year ago.
Vladimir Hryunov shocked observers with the winning bid this past week. K2 Promotions, Klitschko's company, bid $7.13 million and Sauerland Event, which promotes Povetkin, bid just over $6 million at the WBA headquarters in Panama City, Fla.


text:
CDC Releases Demographic Analysis of HIV Treatment Cascade at AIDS 2012
August 7, 2012
At the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) last week, CDC released important information that helps us look more closely at the HIV treatment cascade. Their national analysis is the first to examine the proportion of persons engaged in the stages of HIV care by race/ethnicity, gender, age, and risk factor. This information helps us determine where and how to focus our efforts to make necessary improvements at each stage of the cascade. (Last month, we shared a blog post about the HIV treatment cascade describing what it is and why it is important an important tool to support our work to achieve the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.)
According to the new CDC data (PDF 930KB), presented at the conference by CDC epidemiologist Irene Hall, Ph.D., we know that only 25 percent (down from an earlier estimate of 28 percent) of the more than 1 million individuals in the U.S. who are living with HIV/AIDS are making it all the way through the HIV treatment cascade and achieving viral suppression, which means that the virus is under control at a level that keeps people healthy and reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to others. The new analysis also indicates that African Americans and younger people are the least likely to be in ongoing care and have their virus under control.
I recently had the opportunity to discuss this important new analysis with Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director of CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. We also discussed CDC's new Let's Stop AIDS Together campaign which raises awareness about HIV and its impact on the lives of all Americans, and fights stigma by showing that persons with HIV are real peoplemothers, fathers, friends, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, partners, wives, husbands, and co-workers. Watch our brief conversation below:
The following resources provide additional information on this analysis:
Ronald Valdiserri, M.D., M.P.H. is deputy assistant secretary for health, infectious diseases, and director of the Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This article was provided by HIV.gov.
Add Your Comment:
(Please note: Your name and comment will be public, and may even show up in
Internet search results. Be careful when providing personal information! Before
adding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.)
The content on this page is free of advertiser influence and was produced by our editorial team. See our content and advertising policies.


text:
Jets at Titans
Sunday, November 23
The NFL schedule lists Sunday's kickoff time at LP Field in Tennessee as 1:00pm EST.
Though for the Jets, that might as well be MST -- as in Measuring Stick Time -- which continues for the sudden AFC East leaders who will be tested in a huge AFC road contest for the second straight week.
The Jets answered the call with first place on the line in the AFC East last Thursday night, surviving an overtime thriller, 34-31, at New England. Depending on the eventual outcome of the 2008 Jets' season, that could later be viewed in hindsight as a watershed moment for the Jets' franchise.
Having seen their division rival rack up several AFC East and Super Bowl titles which they have coveted themselves, the Jets and their fans view last week's victory as being a statement that (despite the absence of Tom Brady) this might finally be the season that the AFC East torch is passed from the Patriots to the Jets, especially now that it's the 6-4 Patriots who are in the unfamiliar circumstance of chasing the 7-3 Jets.
However, as much as the Jets' first goal would be a division title, their much loftier aspirations –- and the real reasons they spent so much money on improving their roster in the offseason, including the blockbuster acquisition of Brett Favre -– are to return to and win a Super Bowl for the first time in 40 years.
To that end, the Jets will get a chance to see how they stack up against the best there currently is to offer in the AFC (and perhaps in the NFL) when they visit the Tennessee Titans and former Giants Super Bowl quarterback Kerry Collins on Sunday.
Winners of four straight and six of their past seven, Gang Green will be trying to upset the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL this season. Tennessee, which enters Sunday's showdown as the 11th team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to start a season 10-0, is in the midst of a 13-game regular season winning streak dating back to last season.
Something will likely give to decide the outcome. The Jets, averaging 28.9 points per game (tied with Arizona for second in the league only to the Giants' league-leading 29.2 points per game) will square off against the NFL's stingiest defense. The Titans have allowed a league low 13.1 points per game while forcing 25 turnovers.
Injuries could also be a factor. The Jets' two leading receivers should play, but they're both banged up. Laveranues Coles (thigh) and Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder) are both listed as questionable for New York. Meanwhile, Suffern, NY native linebacker Keith Bulluck, who leads the Titans with 64 tackles, is listed as questionable with a chest injury.
Boston Univ./FDU winner at St. John's
(2008 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship
Tuesday, November 25
The Red Storm will begin its quest for its first-ever national championship with a first-round bye before hosting the winner of the Boston University/Fairleigh Dickinson game in a second-round matchup at 5pm on Tuesday, November 25th at Belson Stadium, on the St. John's campus, in Queens.
After winning its sixth Big East regular season title, the St. John's men's soccer team was rewarded with the No. 3 overall seed in the 48-team 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship.
As the top seed, the Red Storm was expected to win the 2008 Big East tournament but fell just shy, losing to conference rival South Florida 1-0, in overtime, on November 16th in Tampa.
A national title however, remains a very real possibility for St. John's (16-2-3), which will be making its 16th appearance in the NCAA Championship, after playing in the national tournament for 15 consecutive seasons prior to 2007.


text:
December 8, 2011
A deep playoff run, NCAC Championship, third straight Bell victory, and one of the most dramatic comebacks in Wabash history arms Wabash Coach Erik Raeburn and his staff with plenty of good news to share with recruits.
While other schools have been hitting high schools, Raeburn's staff was busy with NCAA D3 playoff games.
"We're whining that we're so far behind in recruiting and how we're going to get all of our high school visits in," Raeburn said "We lost three weeks where we're normally out on the road. Ultimately, it's better for you to have success.
"Most of the coaches at other schools have been into high schools to see players and we haven't. I think they understand we've been busy and they're totally fine with that. Certainly, when we beat Witt to clinch NCAC title I was hearing from recruits. We played really good in the Bell game, I'm heard more. We win the playoff game, I got more. I got a million responses after that game against North Central. The high schools guys were like 'man, that's an unbelievable win' and that doesn't hurt you in recruiting, for sure."
Raeburn's staff is always looking for bigger, stronger, and faster but there is one other quality that's more important than those three football standards.
"We're looking for guys who are hard workers," the coach said. "I just don't think there is any substitute for that. Obviously, we have very rigorous academic demands. You have to be a pretty hard working guy to be successful here period. But if you want to be successful in football here you have to have an unbelievable work ethic. I think that's first and foremost, we have to find a guy who isn't afraid of a little hard work and actually enjoys it. Those are the guys who don't pack it in when they're down 21-0 at halftime."
The other characteristic Raeburn wants is team oriented. "We want guys who want to win a championship. There are a lot of guys who want to be All-American, a lot of guys want to be the starter, there are guys who want to score a lot of touchdowns and guys who want to lead the conference in interceptions or something. We have to find guys who want to win a championship. Those guys, if they have that work ethic we mentioned, are the guys who make your program better.
"Obviously, most of them have those individual goals too and I hope they do. But first and foremost they have to want our team to win the championship."
Raeburn makes it clear in D3 recruiting you're never looking at just one position or one area for improvement. While defensive speed has improved over the last two years, a team can never have enough speed or depth.
"I think we have improved defensively the last couple of years because we have gotten faster," Raeburn said. "But we want to get faster at every position. When you play programs like Mount Union or North Central you learn pretty quick our depth has to improve. Late in the year we were very banged up in playoffs. But how can you not be banged up when you play 13 games? How can you not have guys hurt?
"For us to be able to knock a team off like the Mount Unions of the world, we have to improve our depth. Those schools they have better depth than we do. If so and so gets injured, it hurts them but they have another guy but there is a drop off even at those schools. Their drop off is smaller than ours at some positions."
Through the injuries, big wins, and deep playoff run, Raeburn said the 2011 season was one marked by resiliency.
"I guess the thing that will stick out to me is the whole Wabash Always Fights deal. There were a lot of moments during season, and it wasn't just the two-point conversion in the North Central game, where our guys showed some real resiliency or mental toughness. I'd say that would be the thing that I'll remember most about this season. No matter what happened during the season, our guys kept battling."
Raeburn used his experience as a player and coach at Mount Union to talk about his Little Giants' toughness. "I've been there and seen a lot of teams look beat when they get off the bus. And I've seen the ones that weren't beat when they got off the bus but when they fell behind or bad things happened early on that was usually enough to break them. Our guys didn't do that. We made too many mistakes to beat a good team but we didn't lie down. We kept playing hard the whole time."
So Raeburn and staff will hit the road looking for bigger, stronger and faster athletes who are near the top academically in their high school. He wants young men who want to play more than 10 games a season.
It all starts again for the Little Giants Sept. 8, 2012 at Hanover College. See full 2012 schedule here.


text:
Grace United Methodist Church
Monday, March 25, 2019
To serve and unite those we touch with the Grace of God
God's Kids
Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Time: 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Grace UMC Sanctuary
God's Kids: For students in Kindergarten through grade 4, this choir will rehearse on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM Our mission is to learn to sing joyfully together and share our songs with the congregation. Director: Paige Macklin
Wednesday Night Programming7:00 p.m. —Adult Choir Practice
5:30-6:45 p.m. — Supper, $5.00 a person or $10 for a family.
6:00 p.m. — Youth Choir (grades 4-8) and Pathway for K-3
6:30 p.m. — God's Kids choir (grades K-3) and The Journey for grades 4-8
6:00 p.m. — Adult studies with Pastor Jen
Previous Page
Grace United Methodist Church
15309 Maple Island Road, Burnsville, MN 55306
Phone: 952-435-5696


text:
Martie needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 154 designs submitted by 57 freelance designers.
My logo is looking old and stale - it needs a major makeover.
The Ad Studio Inc.
I'm looking for a logo that's cool & creative and really makes people say "Wow - cool logo!" I have a successful ad agency but an old tired logo so get your creative juices flowing! I left the corporate world 4 years ago to run this successful company on my own and from the comfort of my own home and sometimes my pajamas! It should be creative and fun, but professional at the same time. My business targets are multi-million dollar companies, not small businesses. I want a logo that will reflect creativity, but nothing so overly creative that it's just plain silly. I get clients based on my professional abilities and reputation, but I've kept them for over a decade based on my "keep it real" personality. If you can design something that fits my needs, maybe you can help me figure out a tattoo sometime down the road - just kidding....sort of.
About my business:
I write copy and place print ads & web ads for my clients promoting employment opportunities within their organizations. My largest clients are healthcare focused, but I have many other clients in the information technology, manufacturing and education fields. My contacts are all human resources managers that call on me to place their ads in appropriate media sources - newspapers, magazines, internet, etc.
My current logo is just a feminine font with the words "Ad Studio" in purple. I don't think people get the connection when they see the logo basically because there isn't one. The positions I assist my clients with are very difficult to fill "niche" positions. If I pursue new business, I'd like my contact to look at my logo and perceive my business to be forward-thinking and problem-solving...if you can do that with a logo. I want them to look at it and have it make an impact on them so they would be open to allowing me to manage their creative needs in print as well.
My largest competitors are huge corporate ad agencies and they often ask me how I manage to land such great accounts. I need a logo that reflects the status of they types of clients I have and focuses less on the fact that I'm doing it from the comfort of my own home.
- Must have the entire business name: The Ad Studio Inc.
- No specific color - just make it look modern, clean, fresh and creative
- I'm also sort of leaning towards utilizing a little tagline underneath that says: Recruitment Advertising & Marketing - but I'm not completely married to that if it makes the logo look too "busy"
- I'm open to using the letters so that they might look like an object in the design - as long as it's not too busy or corny.
- If you're the winner - I'm going to request eps, jpg & pdf versions of the artwork.
- Nothing juvenile or overly cartoon-ish.
- Nothing so creative you don't know what the hell it is or you have to stare at it for five minutes to figure it out.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Friday, August 27, 2010
Oracle Apps User Survey now live
Our new survey for users of Oracle Applications is now online.
If your organization is a user of ANY of Oracle's applications systems--whether E-Business Suite, JDE, PeopleSoft, Siebel, or others--please help by taking this easy 10-minute survey.
The survey is to solicit the views of Oracle customers on several "hot topics," such as Oracle's maintenance and support programs, Fusion Apps, and the Sun acquisition.
Take the Oracle Applications User Survey Now >>
What's in it for you?
A free copy of the final report, which will otherwise only be available to Computer Economics subscribers or to those who purchase the report.
Only IT professionals directly involved with Oracle Applications should participate in this study. If you are a software vendor, VAR, reseller, or consulting firm, please feel free to forward this request to any Oracle customers you know.
If there is someone within your organization more qualified to take this survey, please feel free to forward this request to them.
Thank you in advance!by Frank Scavo, 8/27/2010 12:20:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Read/post comments! (0)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Calling all Oracle Apps customers
I'm getting ready to launch a short survey for Oracle Applications customers. If your organization is a user of ANY of Oracle applications systems--whether E-Business Suite, JDE, PeopleSoft, Siebel, or others--please let me know if you'd like to respond to the survey. It should take less than 10 minutes. My email address is in the right-hand column.
What it's about. We are interested in the views of Oracle Apps customers relative to several "hot topics," such as Fusion Apps, Oracle's maintenance and support, and the Sun acquisition. We will use this information to prepare a special report to be published by Computer Economics.
What's in it for you? A free copy of the final report, which will otherwise only be available to Computer Economics subscribers or to those who purchase the report.
Only IT professionals directly involved with Oracle Applications within their organizations should participate in this study. If you are a software vendor, VAR, reseller, or consulting firm, please feel free to forward this request to any Oracle customers you know.
If there is someone within your organization more qualified to take this survey, please feel free to forward this request to them.by Frank Scavo, 8/24/2010 01:39:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Read/post comments! (0)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Factors that affect ERP implementation cost
The CEO of a small software vendor contacted me last week with a simple question. Did I know of any recent research that provided typical ratios for Tier II ERP implementation cost to software license cost? He didn't say why he was asking, but I assume it was in order to position his own customers' experience against some sort of industry benchmark.
My reply was simple. I wrote:
Dear XXX, Unfortunately, I do not have current stats on implementation to license fee revenue. It is something we should survey, as we do get asked this a lot. I usually quote a range from about 75% to 200%, typically. But as you can imagine, discounts on the software license fees affect that, and also the extent of data conversion and interfaces/integrations and modifications. Also the amount of business change being introduced.A few moments later, I tweeted a short status update, "Chatting with a vendor about implementation cost to software license cost ratios." That triggered an interesting three-way discussion between Dennis Howlett, Martijn Linssen, and myself on the subject.
Martijn has already followed up in a blog post. In short, Martijn's position is that "there is a clear, direct and fairly linear relation between the initial cost of a product, and the additional cost(s) involved servicing it" [emphasis mine]
Not a direct relationship
I agree with Martijn that there is a relationship between the cost of the software and the cost of implementation. But I do not agree that it is a direct relationship. For example, if Company A pays more for SAP than Company B does, you can expect Company A will pay more for implementation. This might be because Company A has more users or is installing more modules. These factors will cause the software cost as well as the implementation cost to be greater for Company A. But what if SAP greatly discounts the software cost for Company A? Will that bring the implementation cost down for Company A? Of course not.
What drives implementation cost?
In fact, I have been in deals where software vendors have basically offered to sell the software at little or no cost. Does that mean the vendor or systems integrator will be willing to support the implementation for little or no cost? Of course not.
This thought experiment essentially proves that the relationship between software cost and implementation cost is not a direct relationship. There is no cause and effect. Rather, based on our ERP selection and ERP implementation project management experience at Strativa, we find that total ERP cost is affected by a number of factors.
First, there are two factors that affect both the cost of the software and the cost of implementation:
In addition, there are several other factors that affect implementation cost but do not generally affect software license cost. These include the following:
- Number of users. Software is often priced by the number of users. The number of users is also a factor in implementation cost, as more users generally means more user functions affected, more business processes affected, and more training required.
- Number of modules/amount of functionality. Similarly, software is often priced by the scope of functionality included. Software with more functionality is generally more expensive than software with less functionality. Likewise, implementing software that supports a broader set of business functions will cost more.
There are other factors as well, such as the degree of standardization of business processes among multiple facilities and the organization's track record in managing cross-functional business change projects.
- Amount of data conversion or interfaces required. An organization that can implement the new system cleanly, without a lot of data conversion from the old system and without building interfaces to legacy or third-party systems, will get by with a lot less implementation budget than an organization that requires much data conversion or integration.
- Amount of business change required. An organization with well-defined business processes that conform to the business processes defined in the software will generally pay less for implementation than an organization that needs a lot of business process change.
- Skills and availability of the internal project team. An organization that has a well-formed internal project team with skilled resources will generally pay less for implementation than an organization that depends mostly on outside contractors to undertake implementation activities. (The organization with the well-formed team is also at less risk of project failure.)
- Choice of the implementation consulting partner. An organization that engages the help of a qualified systems integrator (or the vendor's own consulting arm, if so qualified) will generally spend less on implementation than an organization that chooses an SI with lesser skills or a poor track record in delivering services within budget.
"Complexity" of the software may be a factor
Finally, there is one other factor that is a wild-card, in my opinion. That is, the complexity of the software itself. This may or may not affect software license cost, but it often affects implementation cost.
This may be easiest to define with an example. SAP and Oracle are two well-know, so-called "Tier I" ERP systems. It is generally understood that these systems can support the largest, most complex, most geographically-dispersed organizations. They can support the widest number of industry sectors. They do this by incorporating a great deal of functionality for various industries, business processes, and local regulatory requirements. They are highly configurable. In other words, they are big pieces of software, or as I like to put it, they have a "big footprint."
This complexity comes with a price. It means that to make use of the system in a specific organization, many decisions have to be made during the implementation. These decisions cost time and money to configure the software and test it specifically for the organization's needs. This drives up the cost of the implementation.
SAP and Oracle are well-aware of this issue and have worked hard over the past decade to pre-configure their systems for specific industries and use cases. If a customer fits well into the vendor's pre-configured templates ("accelerators" in Oracle-speak, or "best practices" as SAP calls them), much of the complexity of the software can be hidden from view. Customers that fall neatly into the vendor's template can sometimes achieve very rapid and cost-effective implementations. Both vendors will gladly share references of such with prospects.
But don't the higher-end software packages still cost more than software targeted for small and mid-size businesses? This is not always the case. I have seen situations where SAP and/or Oracle were actually the low-cost bidders. In cases where a software vendor wants the deal, it is not safe to assume that the higher-end package will cost more. For this reason, I don't believe software "complexity" in itself is a consistent factor in either software license cost or implementation cost. As we consultants like to say, "it depends."
Popularity of implementation-to-license cost ratio
So, why do software vendors, customers, or systems integrators continue to use the implementation-to-license cost ratio? Because, as flawed as the ratio is, it does serve to set expectations as to implementation cost. To me, the ratio best works in hindsight. If a system implementation, on average, requires 1.5 times the software cost, a customer better not be assuming that it can do it for half the license cost.
But to really judge the prospective cost of an ERP implementation project, nothing beats doing a detailed estimate based on a realistic work-breakdown structure, with realistic estimates that take into consideration the factors outlined in this post.
Related posts
ERP implementation: plan for the worst
Epicor's Shared Benefits program: watch for unintended consequences
Revisting Epicor's Shared Benefits program
Oracle claiming ultra-fast installs in SMB marketby Frank Scavo, 8/23/2010 09:36:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
Read/post comments! (5)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
ERP implementation: plan for the worst
Chris Kanaracus, always on the lookout for lawsuits and regulatory filings related to enterprise software, spotted this case study today: a company that was forced to delay reporting of quarterly results due to problems with a newly installed ERP system.VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA -- August 11, 2010 -- Superior Industries International, Inc. (NYSE:SUP) today announced that it is postponing the release of its financial results for the second quarter and year-to-date periods ended June 30, 2010, and its earnings conference call originally scheduled for today, Wednesday, August 11, 2010. The postponement is the result of delays in finalizing the quarter financial close due, in part, to the recent implementation of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Superior is working diligently to finalize its second quarter results and will provide new dates and times for the earnings release and earnings conference call in a forthcoming news release.Chris provides further details:The problems were primarily due to closing a quarter for the first time with the ERP system, along with changes to Superior's legal structure in Mexico, it added.Fortunately, according to Chris, it appears that only a five day extension will be necessary. And it pales in comparison to some of the catastrophic ERP failures reported over the past decade.
The company recently implemented a product from QAD, CIO Ross Perian said in an e-mail. He did not respond to requests for further details on the project, which went live on March 29, according to another SEC filing.
My take
There are several unanswered questions, and several take-aways from this mini-case study.
- According to Chris's digging, the new system went live on March 29. That's over four months ago, more than one quarter. How did the firm manage to close the previous quarter? Or, was it running the old system in parallel for purposes of financial reporting?
- The firm had four months since it went live on the new system to test the quarter-end close routines. Did it do so? If so, what were the results? Did it have any forewarning that there were problems? I have personally witnessed QAD implementations that took less than three months. Four months in QAD-land is a long time. What was the project team doing during this time period?
- Was there a contingency plan? Did anyone ask and answer the question, what will we do if the new system can't close the quarter?
- QAD's MFG/PRO is a mature product. The financial close routines should simply work. Did the firm modify the vendor's source code or make other non-standard configuration changes to the system?
I don't mean to pick on Superior or QAD in particular. The fact that only a five day extension appears to be required is a good sign that the project team was not far off from success. Still, this is a publicly-held company, which doesn't need these sort of SEC filings.
- Finally, if I were the top executive, I'd be asking some tough questions about the new system's readiness to close out the fiscal year.
Our latest Technology Trends study at Computer Economics this year shows that, among 19 technology investments, ERP is among the most risky IT initiatives. Yet, we've had 20+ years to learn how to do it right.
Unfortunately, it seems we keep learning the same lessons over and over again.
Related posts
Philly pulls plug on failed Oracle project
What went wrong with HP's SAP migration?
Four problems with ERP
Solving the four problems with ERPby Frank Scavo, 8/12/2010 01:40:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Read/post comments! (1)


text:
Titania/Hippolyta played by Michelle Terry
A Midsummer Night's Dream (2013)
Written by: William Shakespeare
Michelle Terry played Titania and Hippolyta in the 2013 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Michelle won the 2011 Olivier Award for her portrayal of Sylvia in Tribes (Royal Court). Michelle returns to the Globe having previously played the Princess of France in Love's Labours Lost (2007).
latest updates
"I guess disturbing or disrupting preconceived notions [of the play] is the enjoyment I'm getting from it."
In her final interview, Michelle talks about the different types of audiences and how seeing them is a joy, and watching Pearce Quigley waiting to go on stage.
"It's an incredibly rich, dense tapestry of images and ideas and mythical references."
It's tech week, and Michelle talks about taking the opportunity to speak to the whole audience, overcoming tricky moments in the play, and the joy of seeing what she is a part of.
"Who are we in this world, in this company? What is the story that we are all collectively trying to tell?"
As rehearsals are about to advance into tech week, Michelle discusses piecing the parts of the play together, similarities with Queen Elizabeth and exploring around the relationships of her characters.
"This Nightingale singing, trying to recapture his voice, that's who they asked to sing in the lullaby in this song. And behind every word there's this dense mythic stuff."
Michelle in her second interview talks about how rich the play is, working on 'expressive movement', and the relationships between her characters.
"Even going back to plays you always discover something new - With A Midsummer Night's Dream you think you know it, and then suddenly what the word love meant to me 15 years ago means something completely different now". In her first interview Michelle discusses her initial thoughts on the play, and how she finds performing Shakespeare life affirming.


text:
Page content
The Two Williamsburgs
Over half of the population of Williamsburg in the eighteenth century were enslaved African Americans. They provided labor as servants in households, as field hands on farms and plantations, and as skilled help in the trades. They also provided services for the general public and the town as a whole. Their efforts were essential to the operation of homes, businesses, and farms of Williamsburg.
A Williamsburg Household provides students with a fictional but historically authentic glimpse into the lives of some people who lived and toiled in Williamsburg in the 1700's.
Time Required
This lesson can be covered in approximately four to six 45-minute sessions. This includes time for reading, completing the organizer, and writing an essay.
- One copy of the book A Williamsburg Household [Note: Currently unavailable from Colonial Williamsburg, but copies may be available elsewhere.]
- Graphic Organizer: The Two Williamsburgs
- Copy of Graphic Organizer on an interactive whiteboard, butcher paper, chalkboard or projector
- Sample of an Open-Ended Essay Prompt
As a result of this lesson, the student will be able to:
- contrast the lives of enslaved and free residents of Williamsburg in the eighteenth century
- write historical fiction based on facts
Setting the Stage
There were two main groups of people living in eighteenth-century Williamsburg: enslaved African Americans and European-American colonists. The contrasts in the lives of the two groups were striking. Preview the categories included on the graphic organizer to be sure students understand each one.
Read the story A Williamsburg Household to the class. Define any difficult words along the way.
Divide class into seven cooperative groups. Assign each group one of the seven categories listed in the Graphic Organizer: The Two Williamsburgs. Advise students to listen carefully and take notes on information about their particular category.
Reread A Williamsburg Household to the class, a page or two at a time. Stop to guide students in finding information on the topic for writing their individual papers. At the end of each re-reading session, give each cooperative group a few minutes to discuss among themselves and record any information about their assigned category that they heard in the story.
Reassemble the class. Using the large-scale graphic organizer, record the information as each group shares facts from the story that fit its category. Others may add thoughts and ideas. Students should fill in their own organizers along with the teacher.
Next, have each student write an essay on life in a Williamsburg household. Direct each student to use the quotation below from the end of the book A Williamsburg Household and their own historical knowledge from the Graphic Organizer: The Two Williamsburgs to answer the following question, Why does the book say life would be good "for a brief time?"
A few hours later, slaves from other households in town began to arrive for the gathering. Tonight they could leave behind the drudgery of their everyday lives. It was one of their few evenings of freedom -- a chance to rekindle their spirits.
Soon the singing and dancing and stories and sharing would begin and continue well into the night. For a brief time, life would be good in the slave quarters of one Williamsburg household.
Direct students to use facts and details from their knowledge as history students. Have them include in their answer the following:
- Differences in the everyday lives of the slaves and free people
- The reason the slaves' time for fun was brief
- Why they needed to "rekindle their spirits"
Students could also illustrate the differences they describe in their essays.
Grade essay on life in a Williamsburg household using a rubric. Provide the rubric to students before they begin their essays.
This lesson plan was developed by Martha Berner and Carol Brown of the Cajon Valley School District, San Diego County, California. If you have a lesson plan which you would like to share with teachers, please send to School & Group Services, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, P.O. Box 627, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23187.


text:
In 1933, a Polish-Jewish lawyer named Raphael Lemkin asked a question that would change history: "Why is the killing of a million a lesser crime than the killing of a single individual?" Based on his study of the Armenian massacres and other atrocities, he began work on a new international crime that would encompass the "systematic and organized destruction of the social order of a collectivity."
By 1944, while Winston Churchill and the Allies were facing "a crime without a name," Lemkin was working ceaselessly to name it, believing that a crime, once named, could be prevented and its perpetrators brought to justice. He formed the word genocide by combining geno-, from the Greek word for race or tribe, with -cide, from the Latin word for killing. In proposing this new word, Lemkin had in mind "a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves." The next year, the International Military Tribunal held at Nuremberg, Germany, charged top Nazi officials with "crimes against humanity." The word genocide was included in the indictment, but as a descriptive, not legal, term.
On Dec. 9, 1948, the new crime gained international recognition, and the word genocide was codified in the United Nations Declaration for the Prevention and Punishment for the Crime of Genocide.
According to Article II, "In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group as such:
The Convention entered into force in 1951, and more than 130 nations have ratified it since. The United States adopted this convention in 1988.
The definition of genocide is still controversial, and many scholars have sought to broaden the identification and recognition of groups that have experienced genocide. Dr. Gregory Stanton sought to illuminate the genocidal process by defining genocide in 10 stages:
1. CLASSIFICATION ("Us" vs. "Them")
2. SYMBOLIZATION (names or symbols)
3. Discrimination (denying target group's rights)
4. DEHUMANIZATION (denying targeted group's humanity)
5. ORGANIZATION (formal or informal plans)
6. POLARIZATION (remove middle: "with us or against us")
7. PREPARATION (identify or separate victims)
8. PERSECUTION (identify or separate target group)
9. EXTERMINATION (murder of victims)
10. DENIAL (cover up murders or blame the victims)
Further Reading
Web Sites:


text:
Husky kickoff
WHEN: Tonight, 8
WHERE: Rentschler Field, East Hartford (40,000)
LINE: Pitt by 3
RECORDS: UConn 3-6, 0-4 Big East; Pitt 4-5, 1-3 Big East
LAST WEEK: UConn lost to South Florida 13-6; Pitt lost to Notre Dame 29-26 in three OTs.
SERIES: Tied 4-4
LAST MEETING: Pitt defeated UConn 35-20 on October 26, 2011 at Heinz Field.
INJURIES: UConn: Defensive end E.J. Norris (shoulder) out for season; G Adam Masters (ankle) out for season; DE Jesse Joseph (Achilles) out for season; DT Ted Jennings (knee) out for season; LB Sio Moore (neck) probable.
When UConn has the ball ...
BROKEN RECORD: UConn head coach Paul Pasqualoni has been talking about this since Week 1 -- they have to establish the run game. The Huskies are averaging just 82.0 rushing yards a game and top tailback Lyle McCombs is averaging just 68.4 yards. He averaged 95.9 last season. If UConn can't run the football, they can't win. Period.
MAKE IT SPECIAL: UConn must get its special teams on track. Nick Williams hasn't had a punt return in the last two games. Might be time to forget the fair catch and start taking some chances.
SEEING RED: In 22 trips into the opponents' red zone this season, UConn has scored 10 touchdowns. That's a miserable 45 percent success rate. Ugh. If that doesn't improve ... 3-9 could be the Huskies final record.
When Pitt has the ball ...
SLOW SUNSERI: Another game, another solid quarterback challenge for the Huskies defense. This week it's Tino Sunseri, who's passed for 2,363 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Even better, he's thrown just two interceptions and none in the last six games. Last year, he passed for 419 yards against UConn, a career best.
GRAHAM CRACKER: Tailback Ray Graham is back running like he did a year ago before he tore his ACL against the Huskies last season. Graham has 794 yards and eight touchdowns, while averaging 88.2 yards a game. Last week against No. 4 Notre Dame (who surrender just 95.2 yards rushing a game), Graham had 172 yards.
CLOSE THE STREET: WR Devon Street is the Big East's most productive wideout. He leads the conference in yards per game (81.1) and receptions (5.9). The last Pitt receiver to finish as the league leader in those stats was Larry Fitzgerald. He's in the NFL now.


text:
Next: Horizontal rules, Previous: Paragraphs, Up: Markup [Contents][Index]
You can make words *bold*, /italic/, _underlined_,
~code~, and, if you must, '+strike-through+'. Text
in the code and verbatim string is not processed for Org mode specific
syntax, it is exported verbatim.
To turn off fontification for marked up text, you can set
org-fontify-emphasized-text to
nil. To narrow down the list of
available markup syntax, you can customize
org-emphasis-alist. To fine
tune what characters are allowed before and after the markup characters, you
can tweak
org-emphasis-regexp-components. Beware that changing one of
the above variables will not take effect until you reload Org, for which you
may need to restart Emacs.


text:
Driver in crash that killed father granted probation
Michael M. Savage, the driver in a 2011 fatal accident on Ponus Ridge that claimed the life of his father, pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor charge of negligent homicide with a motor vehicle.
Savage, of 119 Clearview Lane, New Canaan, was arrested Dec. 15, 2013, on a charge of misconduct with a motor vehicle, but the Class D felony charge was dropped Thursday and reduced to a misdemeanor.
Norwalk Superior Court Judge William Wenzel suspended the execution of a six-month sentence that comes with the misdemeanor charge and placed Savage on probation for two years.
Savage crashed his 2009 Maserati Quattroporte at Ponus Ridge and Lakewind Road at about 10:30 p.m., Dec. 22, 2011. His father, James Jackson Savage, 74, of Seattle, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses saw Savage leaving the crash scene on foot, and he was found the next morning at Stamford Hospital, with a laceration to one of his hands, police said.
A nearly two-year investigation showed that Savage called 9-1-1 before he fled the scene saying there had been accident with injuries, but the call went to Stamford first and cellphone reception in the area was poor.
The investigation took two years, in part, because police had to communicate with Maserati, an Italian car manufacturer, New Canaan Police Sgt. Carol Ogrinc said in December. Quattroporte is a high-speed luxury car.
Police said Savage was heading southbound on Ponus Ridge when his car veered into the northbound lane and onto the lawn of 1801 Ponus Ridge. On the property, the car hit a mailbox and a tree before it came to rest on top of a stonewall. Police said the car was totaled and unrecognizable.
An analysis of the crash damage to the passenger side of the vehicle showed that the car was traveling between 57 and 67 mph when it hit the tree, according to court documents. Such speed range, however, may be "significantly less than the speed at which the vehicle was travelling on the roadway," where the speed limit is 30 mph, according to the affidavit.
Under state law, the misdemeanor charge involves ordinary negligence, "which occurs when someone deviates from the standard of care or conduct a person should reasonably follow" while driving. The charge is "easier to prove than misconduct with a motor vehicle, which involves a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that should be followed," according to state law.
Savage's attorney, Robert S. Bello, did not return a call for comment.
email@example.com, 203-330-6582, @olivnelson


text:
In a new official portrait photo issued today, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum appears to have moved the part in her hair from the left to center-right. The Democrat also has added a House of Representatives pin on what appears to be a mauve Mao jacket, effectively jamming attempts at easy ideological interpretation.
Seriously? Come on, that's the best you can do today? The clothing and hair of politicians is NEVER news, but especially when it involves women. Of the four Minnesota politicians mentioned in the article, three are women (Betty McCollum, Amy Klobuchar, and Michele Bachmann vs. Tim Pawlenty) plus a fictional woman (Betty Crocker). And the only reason you mentioned Pawlenty is because you wanted to make fun of his mullet.
Let's spend more time talking about something else, even though I'm sure you're getting tired of reporting on the Franken/Coleman Senate race. I'm sure you can either a) find something else, or b) not post at all.
I don't know if you've heard this or not, but fashion and women's hairstyles are not political news. Parts one, two, three and four.


text:
On Aug. 10, the selectmen set Aug. 31 and Sept. 8 as the respective dates for opening and closing the warrant. The closing date of Sept. 8 gives the Advisory Committee approximately three weeks to hold hearings, according to Selectman Charlie Yon.
The Sherborn Board of Selectmen has voted for a date of Oct. 24 for the Fall Special Town Meeting, and the next step was to decide on the calendar and the list of potential warrant articles.
On Aug. 10, the selectmen set Aug. 31 and Sept. 8 as the respective dates for opening and closing the warrant. The closing date of Sept. 8 gives the Advisory Committee approximately three weeks to hold hearings, according to Selectman Charlie Yon.
Board of Health
On the current list of articles were two for the Board of Health.
The first one was for the expansion of the board from three to five members. There was a consensus to leave the article drafted by the selectmen in place, although there could possibly be a citizens' petition for it.
The second article would change the board from elected to appointed.
Vice Chairman Paul DeRensis believed it would be more effective coming from the citizens, and Chairman Michael Giaimo noted that keeping the article would be a way "to clear the air and try to get some resolution to the whole issue."
As the Board of Health members are already elected, Giaimo said, "We ought to have two articles on here. One would increase the members from three to five … and the other would say change elected to appointed.
Should "one, both or neither pass," he added that they would know what the town wanted.
Giaimo said, "This way the town does get to decide."
Selectman Sean Killeen understood DeRensis' point, but said the article would be out there as an option for the town and not as something the selectmen were endorsing.
Selectman Mark Brandon had "mixed thoughts" on the articles, but supported their placement on the warrant. Yon agreed with Brandon to "have it as a placeholder and have a debate."
There was also a third article option of combining into one article the expansion of the Board of Health and the conversion from elected to appointed, an option which was left on the list.
The creation of a Board of Health director via a bylaw was on the warrant list as well.
Town Administrator David Williams said they were going out to hire for a part-time health agent, so he recommended having an in-house director. He noted that he has spoken about it in Personnel Board meetings, but did not have the official support of the Board of Health.
It was left in for discussion, as noted by Giaimo.
Other possible articles
The working list of warrant articles also includes authorization of the selectmen to approve safety zones and an amendment to the bylaw to require a third-party review of fire and sprinkler plans, which would be paid for by the applicant.
Speaking to the safety zone article, Williams said if the Traffic Safety Committee recommended an area in question, the selectmen could authorize a safety zone.
In regard to the third-party review, DeRensis said he believed it should entail the authorization to do so, but not the requirement as it could "become a huge burden on everybody."
Killeen supported the article, but disagreed on whether a bylaw was needed. He asked why it could not be incorporated in the fee schedule.
DeRensis replied that under current statutes it may be a required step to set up the review.
Capital items
There were also two capital items on the list for the Police Department HVAC system and Town Hall generator.
Giaimo believed that the Advisory Committee might be open to having capital expenditures on the warrant and there would be funding for said expenditures.
He said, "My understanding is that Advisory thinks there will be some money, but on the other hand, it's not an emergency or something that can't really wait until Annual (Town Meeting)."
Without endorsing their inclusion on the Fall Special Town Meeting warrant, he suggested leaving the items on the list.
The board moved the article pertaining to changes to the Land Acquisition Committee from the Fall Town Meeting list to the Annual Town Meeting list.
Hiring process
The selectmen also discussed the hiring processes for a full-time fire chief and town accountant/finance director.
Williams reported that Killeen and Yon, Police Chief Richard Thompson, Personnel Board member Nick Anastasopoulos and acting Fire Chief Neil McPherson are slated to be included on the selection committee.
DeRensis said a separate transition team would be a good idea to "assist in the transition" into the job so they could identify any problems and fix them.
He said the concept would be to have the involvement of seasoned fire officers "inside and outside of the department" for a set period of time.
Giaimo said, "That's just consistent with what we heard when we asked people for their input … the last time. There was a gap between what we thought was happening."
DeRensis described it as a team who would help the new chief transition into the job. He believed it would be safer for Sherborn and noted a period of five to six months could work.
He added, "It would be better for the community, better for the department."
Williams suggested that the selection committee could identify members for a transition team, and DeRensis supported this.
Williams recommended following a similar process to hire a finance director. He gave the names of several potential members of the selection committee, like Fred Abdelahad, chairman of the Personnel Board.
Members of the finance department in Sherborn such as Town Collector Nancy Hess would also be a part of the selection process.
Town Treasurer Heather Peck said as she and the Town Accountant work "the closest together," she had a vested interest in the process.
She said, "I would be happy to take part."
Brandon, who was also a potential candidate for the committee, said it would be a good idea to involve the Town Treasurer.
Giaimo said the Advisory Committee would also designate a member.
In other business
— Yon reported on Beals and Thomas, the 40B consulting firm being considered for hire that has consulted for Milford and Concord. He called it "an extremely good fit" for Sherborn.
Of meeting with them, he said, "I was very impressed."
Williams added that "they were great to deal with."
The board supported having Williams send a letter to the firm.
In a related discussion, DeRensis raised the issue of better educating the general public about Title V and 40B developments, and Giaimo noted the well-attended informational session last year with Town Counsel Barbara St. Andre.
— Peck spoke about extending the useful life of capital items from the 2015 and 2016 Annual Town Meetings to provide information to bond counsel. Part of the information gathering process is to vote on the useful life of capital purchases approved at town meeting.
The items in question were Pine Hill School HVAC equipment and infrastructure items for $198,250, an ambulance for $305,850, an international dump truck for $190,000 and a frontend loader for $148,000.
The selectmen voted for a maximum useful life of 15 years, a span that Peck said was not a final number, but rather a flexible guideline.
She said she had the ability to pay down short-term debt every year for the balance of the assets.


text:
Brock Johnston needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 145 designs submitted by 27 freelance designers.
Wagga Wagga Evangelical Church
We are looking for a design based on the words : "Wagga Wagga Evangelical Church"
"Wagga Wagga Evangelical Church" is modern, up-to-date, technology-savvy church with a punchy relevant message to tell.
In terms of design, you need to think, contemporary, technology-savvy, sharp and classy. It needs to speak "cutting-edge" NOT traditional.
Our target audience have some or all of these characteristics:
- 18-35 years old
- 50/50 male to female ratio
- un-churched (never attended church 'seriously' before)
- people who think that the 'church' is out-dated
Be creative - you are free to provide something completely unlike any church logo you've ever seen!
- Please no cross or religious designs
- "Clean" designs only
- Must convey the following about our church: modern, technology-savvy, relevant and up-to-date
- Must provide reversible colour options for placing on light or dark backgrounds.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
by Joe Tressa
The 7th Annual Winston Block Party will take place this Saturday at Winston Park, Winston Road and Willow Grove Avenue. The 800 block of Winston Avenue will be blocked off during the party.
Organizers Bob Previdi and Rob Remus believe this year's party will be attended by at least 100 households, a big increase over last year's event when around 75 local households attended. Two moon bounces will be available for children this year, in expectation of higher attendance. There will also be grilled hot dogs and hamburgers with drinks available for everyone attending. Residents are also encouraged to bring any homemade food and desserts they'd like to share.
The set-up for the block party is expected to start around 12 p.m. The actual party will begin around 3 p.m. and run until 7 p.m. All residents from the east side of Germantown Avenue are welcome to attend.


text:
Britney Spears has arrived at a courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, where she will ask for overnight visits with her children.
We're told 15 (we counted!) L.A. County Sheriffs' deputies are waiting outside the elevator to escort Britney into the courtroom.
Mark Vincent Kaplan, K-Fed's attorney, has just walked into the courtroom.
CommentsClick To View
Hot Video


text:
Message Board
Boris Paternak Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Paternak has written!
Author Paternak's Book Reviews
I Remember
Beginning with his childhood, Boris Pasternak sketches some of the memorable events of his life and the people associated with them. He was born in 1890. His father was a painter, and through him he became acquainted with many of the notables of his time. Two key figures in his youth were the composer Scriabin, who lived near the Pasternaks in the summer, and Tolstoy, who sat for his portrait. Scriabin tried to develop an interest in music in the you...