The Walpole Grange and co-sponsors The Walpole Foundation and the Walpole American Legion are recruiting the 2008/2009 class of the Walpole Leadership Academy.
The Academy’s purposes are to identify leaders in our town, to introduce them to the people, groups, and institutions that make Walpole tick, and to pass along the skills, knowledge and approaches needed in successful civic leadership. It also provides a fun opportunity to meet more people in the town.
The Grange and its co-sponsors hope their Academy participants will become interested in taking new leadership roles in Walpole, maybe even in running for office in the future, and in being better prepared to perform in office as a result of our program.
Members of the first class—2006/2007—are now serving on the SAU60 School Board, the Walpole Town Library board and the Walpole Zoning Board.
The Academy opens with a reception for participants and faculty Monday evening, September 22, at Burdick’s Restaurant and continues with two or three sessions each month through April with time-out for the holidays. Many of the sessions meet “on location” at the Walpole firehouse, the Walpole Police Headquarters, the North Walpole Commissioners’ office, and at Town Hall meetings of the Selectmen, the Zoning Board, and the Planning Board. Each session is designed to help you learn exactly what these town officers do, what problems they work on, and what leadership opportunities they present. The Grange hopes that participants will find the Academy experience a valuable insight into what makes Walpole such a healthy and enjoyable place to live.
Because of the backing of sponsors, the Grange can organize and present The Walpole Leadership Academy for a tuition fee of only $79 apiece. That covers everything including the opening reception, program expenses, thank you gifts for our volunteer faculty members, and our closing dinner for faculty, participants and their spouses or significant others. It even covers a one-year membership in the Walpole Grange.
The Grange is seeking 15 participants in the 2008-2009 Leadership class. It asks that class members commit to missing no more than 4 sessions in order to maintain continuity and to gain the maximum amount from the curriculum. A schedule for the year’s program follows.
If you would like to join us, please make your registration check to The Walpole Grange/WLA and mail it to Walpole Grange, 361 Valley Road, Walpole NH 03608. If you would like to raise questions or otherwise discuss The Walpole Leadership Academy with us before committing, please call Sue or Chuck Bingaman, Co-Directors, at 756-9268.
September
Monday, September 22, 2008 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Opening Reception at Burdick’s for Class of 2008-2009 and WLA Faculty. Hosted by the Walpole Grange, the Walpole Foundation, and Burdick’s. Introductions, welcomes, etc. by Kathy Yardley for the Walpole Grange, Raynie Laware for the Walpole Foundation, and Chuck and Sue Bingaman.
Saturday, September 27, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at Walpole Congregational Church Public Leadership Skills and Outlooks. Faculty: Chuck Bingaman and Jack Pratt.
October
Thursday, October 2, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m Roles of the Selectmen Seminar preceding regular selectmen’s meeting; 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. selectmen’s meeting observation; 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. group discussion, all at Town Hall. Faculty: Selectmen Sheldon Sawyer, Whitney Aldrich, and Jamie Teague.
Tuesday, October 14, 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. Roles of the Town Clerk. 8:15 to 9:00 p.m. discussion at Town Hall. Faculty: Town Clerk Sandy Smith and the assistant clerk. Moderator: M.T. Lester
Tuesday, October 28, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Organization, Operation, Current Issues and Financing of SAU60; 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. discussion at Walpole Congregational Church. Faculty: School Board Chair Chuck Shaw and School Board member Chas Street. Moderator: Lil DeCoste
November
Tuesday, November 11, 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Roles of the Planning Board Seminar followed by attendance at the regular November meeting of the Planning Board from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. and discussion from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Town Hall. Faculty: Planning Board Chair Jeff Miller and Planning Board Secretary Pam Aslinger.
Wednesday, November 19, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Roles of the Zoning Board of Adjustment Seminar followed by attendance at the regular zoning board meeting from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and discussion from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Faculty: Zoning Board Chair Myra Mansouri, board members Bill Webb and David Calhoun.
December
Wednesday, December 2, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Organization and Operation of the Walpole Fire/EMS Service and Review of Facilities and Equipment at the Walpole Fire/EMS Station on Main Street; 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. tour of facilities and discussion. Faculty: Fire Chief Richard Hurlburt and Mark Houghton.
*** Holiday Break ***
January
Saturday, January 10, 2009 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Organization and Operation of the Walpole Police Department; 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. discussion at Walpole Police Headquarters in North Walpole. Faculty: Police Chief David Hewes and Officer Michael Paquette.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009, Seminar on Organization, Financing and Operation of Walpole Town Library followed by regular monthly meeting of the library board at the Walpole Town Library 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.; 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. discussion. Faculty: Library Director Frankie Knibb and Library Board Chair Joe Beer. Moderator: Jana Sellarole
Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Walpole Congregational Church. Discussion of Walpole Leadership Lessons, Roles, and Possibilities Led by Past WLA Academy Graduates M.T. Lester, David Calhoun, and Lil DeCoste. Moderators: Sue and Chuck Bingaman
February
Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Organization and Operation of North Walpole Village Government and the North Walpole Commissioner’s Office; 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. discussion. Faculty: North Walpole Commissioners Barbara O’Brien, and Patrick Kiniry. Moderator: Ann Weil
Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Town Hall. Organizing and Managing Elections in New Hampshire and Walpole in Particular. Faculty: Walpole Town Moderator Ernie Vose, Supervisor of the Checklist Cindy Westover. Moderator: Sue Bingaman
March
Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Walpole Congregational Church Review of Town Meeting Warrant Items. Faculty: Chuck Bingaman and Walpole State Representative Tara Sad.
Saturday, March 28, 2009 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Activities of the TriVillage Energy Committee at Walpole Congregational Church; 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. discussion. Faculty: Jill Robinson, Ben Daviss, Fritze Till, and Kim Lewis. Moderator: David Mayes
April
Tuesday, April 11, 2009 Roles of the Walpole Conservation Commission Seminar from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; discussion 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Hooper Institute. Faculty: Marcia Galloway
Tuesday, April 18, 2009 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Closing Dinner for Academy Participants and Significant Others.