Pittsfield

[FTL_Ian]

Thoughts?

[Kat Kanning]

What's a pittsfield?

[Russell Kanning]

Better than Rochester.
I would guess that is a nice quiet spot. I am sure Scott could be more helpful.

[Pat McCotter]

Pittsfield has a curfew since last year's town meeting.

Curfew won't target the right kids, some say
Children 16 and younger subject to 9 p.m. rule 

By REBECCA T. DICKSON
Monitor staff
April 11. 2005 8:00AM

PITTSFIELD - Kids younger than 16 are predictably not pleased by the town's new 9 p.m. curfew. Many of them, and a few parents, said they don't expect the sound of the fire horn will signal an end to the vandalism, loitering and drug use it was aimed at.

"You know, it's one of those things we all looked at it like it's not really punishing the right kids," said Wendy Cheney, a manager at Rite-Aid and the parent of two teenage boys. "It's the 16- and 17-year-olds that are causing most of the trouble."

The curfew, in place for a trial year, prohibits anyone younger than 16 from being in a public place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. A fire horn that can be heard across town is sounded at 9, signaling kids to go home.

The first time a child is caught violating the curfew, he or she is taken home by the police. For a subsequent offense, the police charge the parent or guardian with a misdemeanor. Those under 16 are still able to appear in public at night when accompanied by a parent or guardian, or when heading to or from a job or other lawful activity, like a sporting event or school function.

Police Chief Robert Wharem said officers have scooped up and escorted home just one kid, a 15-year-old, since the curfew was implemented March 29. The teen told officers he was on his way home when the police found him last weekend at 9:20 p.m., Wharem said. "We brought him home to make sure he got there safely," he said. "Other than that, it's been really quiet. We don't expect a whole lot of problems until the summer."

He agreed that many of the kids causing problems are 16 and older, but he said getting the younger kids indoors early will help eliminate a portion of the problem. "That's half the battle," he said. "Then we can concentrate on the others."
In the not so distant past, kids have vandalized the boat ramp and ripped street signs out of the ground at Drakes Field. Others have been caught on videotape atop downtown roofs in the early morning hours. Last summer, gravestones were knocked over in the Old Meetinghouse Cemetery. Cheney said she arrived at work a few months ago to an x-rated message arranged on the store's marquee.

Her 14- and 16-year-old sons haven't complained much so far, she said. "But they're going to hate it more in the summer because it's not dark," Cheney said. "Right now, they're in school, so it doesn't really affect them."

On a typical night - whether school is in session or otherwise -Damien Marden, 10, said he and his friends have water fights, roller blade, play dodge ball and generally goof off. Sometimes they stay out until 10 p.m.

Earlier this week, he and a dozen or so pre-teens hung out on Park Street, riding bikes.

"I think it bites," he said of the curfew. And it's not likely to target the vandals, he said, mainly because those kids are older than 16. Jazmyn Conway, Alex Rayno and Troy Maler, all 9, nodded in agreement.

On Thursday afternoon, clusters of older teens gathered at parked cars across from Yeti and Ayla's on Depot Street. Others skateboarded across intersections and dashed in front of passing cars on their bikes, doing wheelies.

At town meeting last month, several residents opposed the curfew because they felt it violated parents'rights to determine when their children should be home. Some asked if the curfew could be extended to 10 p.m. in the summer, but town officials said that state law specifies that curfews must start at 9 p.m.

Cheney anticipates that when the warm weather comes, kids will simply take their trouble to daylight hours.

"I don't know if it'll work, but I highly doubt it," said Cheney's younger son, Patrick.

[Kat Kanning]

Uh oh, would that keep Ian from going out at night?    

[FTL_Ian]

I'm young, but not that young.  I feel sorry for those kids.  Maybe we can help liberate them from this oppression if we end up there.

[KBCraig]

Uh oh, would that keep Ian from going out at night?    

Maybe not Ian. But JP better watch out!

[FTL_Ian]

Maybe we could run Manwich as selectman on the campaign of abolishing the curfew.   

[FTL_Ian]

TOWN OF PITTSFIELD
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Town Hall, 85 Main Street
PITTSFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE

CURFEW ORDINANCE

Section 1. Purpose
This ordinance is adopted under the provisions of RSA 31:43.

Section 2. Curfew
1. It shall be unlawful for any minor under the age of 16 years to be upon any public street, or in any public place, after the hour of 9 o'clock in the evening (9PM) until the hour of 6 o?clock in the morning (6AM).
2. The minor shall not be in violation if they are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other suitable person or are participating in, going to, or returning from lawful employment, a lawful athletic, education, entertainment, religious or social event, or interstate travel.
3. Whistles which can be heard in every part of the Town shall be blown, or bells shall be sounded, at 9 o?clock in the evening (9PM), and shall be called the curfew signal, after which all children under 16 years of age shall be required to be off the street, except that they exempted under Section 2:2 above.

Section 3. Penalties
1. Any parent, guardian, or person having the control of any minor under the age of 16 years who shall permit any such minor to be upon any public street or in any public place in any such city or town, in violation of this subdivision, shall be responsible for the penalties under this ordinance.
2. For the first violation of this subdivision by any child, the child shall be taken to its home by the officers, and the parents or guardian shall be notified of the penalty for any subsequent violation.
3. Upon any subsequent violation by any child said parents or guardians shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
This ordinance shall take effect on March 29, 2005, having been adopted by a vote of Town Meeting on March 12, 2005 and shall expire on March 12, 2006 unless extended at the 2006 Town Meeting.

Board of Selectmen
__________________________________
Arthur E. Morse
__________________________________ __________________________________
Thomas E. Marston Donna M. Keeley

[FTL_Ian]

Guilty with no trial?  No judge, jury?  Who are these people?

[KBCraig]

Guilty with no trial?  No judge, jury?  Who are these people?

I believe local ordinances can only be "violations", and not misdemeanors. Don't quote me on that, though.

Kevin

[Pat McCotter]

TOWN OF PITTSFIELD
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Town Hall, 85 Main Street
PITTSFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE

CURFEW ORDINANCE

...

This ordinance shall take effect on March 29, 2005, having been adopted by a vote of Town Meeting on March 12, 2005 and shall expire on March 12, 2006 unless extended at the 2006 Town Meeting.

I see there is a sunset clause. Will it be extended? Hmmm...

[Russell Kanning]

This is great .... you guys should move there and liberate "the Children". Manwich the pied piper.

Pittsfield is also kinda central, which might be nice for radio listeners in NH. Besides our tax rebellion will start in the backwoods areas ..... not Manchester or Portsmouth.

[Dreepa]

I see there is a sunset clause. Will it be extended? Hmmm...

It is going up to a vote:
Article in today's CM
http://concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060218/REPOSITORY/602180336/1001/NEWS01

[burnthebeautiful]

2. The minor shall not be in violation if they are participating in, going to, or returning from, a lawful athletic, entertainment, or social event

Who's to say what an athletic, entertainment or social event is? Isn't it a social event for kids to be hanging out in the park? Isn't it an athletic event for kids to skateboard? Isn't it an entertainment event for the kids to be sitting around playing songs on a guitar and drinking a few beers?