City of Keene Parks and Rec. Department

[Kat Kanning]

bmattson@ci.keene.nh.us

[AlanM]

Sent this to Mr. Watson:

Mr. Watson,
  Mr Russell Kanning, and others are planning a protest of the UN at Robin Hood Park. They will be burning the UN flag as part of their protest. Please advise me as to whether you intend to prevent residents of Keene from excercising their Free Speech rights, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Alan Milner
Keene Free Press
Columnist

[president]

The guy doesn't seem to understand that you are allowed to burn for the fun of it. People can sit around a fire drink and laugh. That is not a criminal act.

Depends where you do it.

[president]

bmattson@ci.keene.nh.us

You can also call the City of Keene Parks and Rec. Department if you are not ascared.
603-357-9829

[Lloyd Danforth]

Mr. Watson,
? Please advise me as to whether you intend to prevent residents of Keene from excercising their Free Speech rights, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Alan Milner
Keene Free Press
Columnist

Try sending this to him.?

But, get his name correct.

[AlanM]

Mr. Watson,
? Please advise me as to whether you intend to prevent residents of Keene from excercising their Free Speech rights, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Alan Milner
Keene Free Press
Columnist

Try sending this to him.?

But, get his name correct.

Oops.  Elementary my dear Mattson.

[AlanM]

I just received this from Mr. Mattson. He thinks I am Russell using an assumed name I suppose.  And I don't know how to shamble! 

Mr. Kanning,
   You need a burn permit.  This is considered an open burn.  I don't feel it is appropriate in a park picnic area and won't sign a burn permit for this if presented with one.
                                                                Brian Mattson

[AlanM]

My reply to Mr. Mattson:

Mr. Mattson,
Apparently you think I am Mr. Kanning. I am not. So I am lead to believe, (by your response), that you are actively participating in denying Mr. Kanning, et al, from excercising their Free Speech rights. Do you feel, in your position as head of the Recreation and Parks division, that you have the power to deny Free Speech? If so, please indicate the RSA giving you this power.

Alan Milner
Keene Free Press
Columnist

[Lloyd Danforth]

Mr. Watson,
? Please advise me as to whether you intend to prevent residents of Keene from excercising their Free Speech rights, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Alan Milner
Keene Free Press
Columnist

Try sending this to him.?

But, get his name correct.

Oops.? Elementary my dear Mattson.

Getting his name right carries more gravitas, especially for a columnist

[president]

My reply to Mr. Mattson:

Mr. Mattson,
Apparently you think I am Mr. Kanning. I am not. So I am lead to believe, (by your response), that you are actively participating in denying Mr. Kanning, et al, from excercising their Free Speech rights. Do you feel, in your position as head of the Recreation and Parks division, that you have the power to deny Free Speech? If so, please indicate the RSA giving you this power.

Alan Milner
Keene Free Press
Columnist

He said he wasn't going to sign off on a burn permit. Here is the RSA, in case you haven't been following:

http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XIX-A/227-L/227-L-17.htm

    227-L:17 Permits; Damages; Penalties. ?
    I. It shall be unlawful for any person to kindle or cause to be kindled a fire upon the land of another without first obtaining permission from the landowner or the landowner's agent, or upon public land without the written permission from the official caretaker, excepting that upon a public recreational area where fireplaces and a supervisor are provided, presence of an official supervisor or caretaker upon such land shall constitute permission.

[JonM]

What is the law that governs the caretaker on what he should and should not give a permit for?

[Russell Kanning]

Open Burn Open burn open burn open burn

So what happens if you want to roast winnies on the 4th of July in a park? It is an unsupervised open burn.

[president]

Did you check the link I provided?
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XIX-A/227-L/227-L-17.htm

IV. Camp or cooking fires may be kindled only with written permission of the landowner or the landowner's agent and written permission of the forest fire warden of the town in which the fire is to be kindled and only at suitable times and in suitable places when the fire will not endanger woodlands; except in such towns as have adopted bylaws or regulations equally as stringent as provided in this paragraph. Camp or cooking fires may be built without written permission on public camp or picnic grounds when such areas are open for public use or private camp and picnic places where suitable fireplaces approved by the forest fire warden are provided for such fires. As used in this paragraph, a camp or cooking fire shall be a small fire suitable for cooking purposes used in connection with camp, picnic or lunch purposes and does not include the burning of household rubbish, or large amounts of brush or other flammable material. Whoever shall kindle or cause to be kindled any such fire or use an abandoned fire in or near woodlands shall totally extinguish the same before leaving it and, upon failure to do so, such person or persons shall be subject to the same liabilities and penalties as prescribed in this section.

I think the UN flag counts as "household rubbish".

If you don't like that, you can check the whole section:
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XIX-A/227-L

[Russell Kanning]

Ignoring the president is as fun as government officials.

[president]

Ignoring the president is as fun as government officials.

You better try to ignore me harder, cus post are still being deleted. Or do we have multiple forum Nazis?

I guess I can just repost them when that happens.