Here I am!!!

You invited me and here I am. Let's clear up the misconceptions. For the first time ever last night I read almost everyone of your postings about TRR and me. And, I must say, you guys are very funny. I laughed so hard at the cute personalities on this site. But, I must say that there is a lot of misconceptions and just a lack of understanding of the issues here. So, I decided to join so that you could get to know me better. You ask away and I will clear things up for you. Remember, I am a conservative who believes in lowering property taxes, investing in infrastructure, supporting small and large businesses, and putting government back on the side of the people, hence the reason I love Sarah Palin. I am also very open to all points of view which is one of the first misconceptions I would like to clear up. I have friends who are Republican, Independent, Democrat, etc. We don't always agree on the issues, especially the war in Iraq, but I appreciate and respect their perspectives just as I will appreciate and respect your perspectives. I do not allow comments on TRR because they were very mean and I didn't feel like dealing with it. If it wasn't for those people, who I don't believe are you now after reading this forum, I would allow comments.

I assumed you guys were involved with the hacking and the hate comments because I was getting my information from Jason Thompson. He was the only one I knew that read your site. He would send me e-mails of the things that were kind of mean and I assumed you all had something to do with it. I'm sorry. I apologize for making that assumption. I should have come onto this site and read all of your posts before I made that assumption. But, I'm so busy with my own full-time job, the site, my married life, and just life in general, I haven't had time. I made the time last night. And, you guys aren't so bad.

Now, ask me anything you want and I will give you my understanding, perception, thoughts, and feelings on the matter. I don't have anything to hide but I do have my right as an American to have my views. Heck, I fight for your rights to have your views.

Welcome Jennifer, it will be nice to have you here to debate the issues. Many times in the past it would have been nice to have clarification on "where you were coming from" regarding TRR postings. I'm sure you will have alot of intelligent ideas and opinions to add to our debates.

Thank you. I want you guys to get to know me better and see where my heart is at. You guys seem like a pretty intelligent crew.

I for one am pleasantly shocked. First of all, you sound a lot smarter in your postings here than you do on TRR. Maybe it was just bad editing? (although, I don't think ANYONE has ever accused you of being stupid). I have been guilty of dissing you, yes, but it wasn't personal, but simply in frustrated repsonse to postings on TRR that no one was able to discuss openly with you. There were many times when you actually made sense, but then there were other postings that looked like attacks, and which could not be defended by another point of view. Those seemed to demand some sort of answerback and a critical comment (or two... or three).

You've said some pretty negative things (as have many of us here). I always thought that your heart was in the right place, but that your methods needed improvement, and that kindness and an attempt at mutual understanding should come into play.

If you thought our comments were funny, than that's even better, since a lot of it is just our warped senses of humor, not personal vindictiveness.

I think it will be so cool to have you as an open member of this forum.

I agree. Thank you. I am very open to other perspectives. I have watched things go awry for so many years that when I finally got on TRR, I just unleashed. I'm learning to be a better writer and journalist and I am trying hard not to let the emotional part get involved. I just love this beautiful town and community so much that I want to do everything in my power to ensure that we succeed. Again, I apologize and thank you for such a kind response. I don't take anything personally and understand how it feels to be frustrated. But, we can change that. I think a lot of people on this forum have some valid points about the issues.

Jennifer, I too am a conservative ( as my friends here will attest), so in one respect I am pleased to have someone here who shares my viewpoints. That being said, I have also been monitoring your website for some time now, and on occasion, I have been put off by some of your op-ed type articles. Now, I cannot comment with any surety about the goings-on at town board and committee meetings or even the traits and personalities of the members (with the possible exception of Frank DiConzo who I remember from high school). I have not lived in Rumford for more than 40 years, but it IS my hometown and I still care about what happens there. I also know that you are not from there and may not know the historical details of issues, e.g. the fire trucks parking on the apron. You will find that people here on this forum will give you an honest opinion, and they will expect one in return. So, please feel welcome here; provide your input; and accept the agreement or disagreement of others. They are a very sharp group, and we tend to self-police our comments. So if you get too far off course, they will set you straight...and how!! LOL!!! Welcome

Sounds good Steve. If it makes you feel any better, I have researched every bit of the historical perspective of Rumford that I can including speaking with countless community members who have grown up here in Rumford. I am also a member of the Rumford Historical Society. I love history and the history of Rumford is fascinating to me hence the reason I wish we still had Hugh Chisholms around to bail us out of this mess. But, times have changed and my bottom line is the community. I care about the needs of the community. I just want to see our community members treated with respect by our town government. I also want them to have the information so that they can make informed decisions. I haven't been perfect but I am open to feedback and I look forward to working with you guys on that level. You will help me make my efforts even better. I can tell that you are all very intelligent. Again, thank you for the warm welcome.

Welcome Jennifer...here's to good discussion!

I disagree with the lovefest going on here. Ms. Norris - you have been just plain nasty over the past year. When you posted info on As Maine Goes, I attempted to disagree, and all I got was a pile of crap back from you. Wanna see the messages I got? You have constantly chastized former town officials, and promoted a holier than thou attitude both on the Rumford Reporter, and on the Lisbon Reporter. I just see this communication as some way of you trying to make good on past misactions in order to look good for some type of appointment in Rumford. You want to discuss issues? Let's discuss them. Let's not start a petty "members only" farce.

Lots of people have advanced degrees. I'm one of them. Whoopie! It doesn't make you qualified. I grew up in the River Valley. How about you? Your assault of Ms. Bradley, who was excellent in her role at the River Valley Growth Council, and your attacks on Mr. Elridge and Mr. Doar are reprehensible. Furthermore, your continued assault on petty issues like the firetrucks on Congress Street is ridiculous. I'd never hire you.

I see your post as nothing more than pandering. To think that I'm going to take you seriously after one smarmy post is ill-conceived.

Lol, sorry, couldn't help myself. Well said Dave, I do agree to some extent. I think we are all trying to welcome Ms. Norris here to encourage her to share or in some cases defend her views. She must understand that she has sowed much hostility and may likely feel the consequence of that here. In this forum we've all earned (or not) the respect of other members strictly by our contributions here. Ms. Norris will have to do the same, only she starts at a disadvantage given her notoriety with TRR and the character assassination of previous and current town officials. Try to think of it no differently than if she had used a pseudonym, which would have been much easier for her I'm sure.

So be it. I'm open to change, if she sticks around for six months or so and can coherently debate issues without resorting to personal attacks on her web site.

How about opening up the Rumford Reporter to comments? To another opinion? In my opinion, it's just a destructive force in the River Valley community right now. (even though few people look at it) If she isn't willing to do that, how about adding the Rumford Free Press to the links portion of her page? What do you say? You want to discuss issues. Let's discuss issues.

Welcome Jennifer,
I too believe your involvement in discussions on this forum has the potential to have a positive effect on our community. You are a very intelligent woman with a wide spectrum of knowledge. If your intentions are as you state, we may actually be able to close the book on the stormy period in our town's history. As you know, group process is influenced by every aspect of every member's interaction. That being said, any disagreements that arise will also be affected by the reaction of others. In my past discussions with you, it has become apparent that you hold strong views. At times it has appeared that your views ar so strong that you aren't willing to consider those of others. I would hope that everyone here can remain humble enough to acknowledge they are not always right on every issue.

As for past statement, I believe there comes a time when we put things behind us. What you or I believe regarding past town managers is of little importance now. As you know, but others may not, I actually agree with you on many past issues. It is easy to respond aggressively when you believe that a person you respect is being unfairly attacked.

I am pleased to see that you, like Jason, have been welcomed into the group with little friction. I hope that we all can sustain the peace in this joyousw seasion and into the future.

Thank you to everyone for being so warm and welcoming. We have all made some mistakes. And, Dave, if you want to continue to hate me for my opinion and my viewpoints, then that is your right as an American. I will respect your views and hopefully you can respect mine. As for the rest of you, I really appreciate your willingness to listen to my perspective and I welcome any and all questions regarding my opinions, perspectives, and the like. There is a lot that people don't know about that has happened behind the scenes in the Town of Rumford and the Town of Lisbon. As a matter of fact, the Town of Lisbon is being investigated by the Attorney General's office for fraud and unethical usage of funds. I didn't get run out of there. I quit because there were people involved that I had to work with and it was a very uncomfortable situation. We'll deal with the Town of Rumford one issue at a time.

I don't hate you for your opinion. I dislike you because you are unwillingly to listen to other opinions. You think you know it all.

You don't.

Oh one other thing Dave. This forum is made up of about 10 people that post regularly. There are upwards of 6000 in Rumford. They do not all share your viewpoints. As a matter of fact, I have a lot of support for what I'm doing on TRR and on As Maine Goes. Although I haven't posted there for quite some time, I have had numerous people contact me because of my dogged pursuit for the truth. And, I wouldn't have kept going for this long had I not been encouraged by all of my supporters. So, don't forget that.

Dave, we ALL think we know it all at one time or another. Give her a break!

Sure Jennifer. I'm not going to change your mind. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

For the record, I am willing to listen to other people's perspectives but I don't have to agree with yours. I don't always think that I am right but I do a lot of research in a lot of areas before I pursue a new article/story. Due to time constraints, I may not research all of them to the fullest extent but I do regularly talk and meet with people to get their perspectives on matters. My biggest beef was with the Sun Journal that always presented one side of the story. My news site was a way to provide the other side of the story. If you read both of them, then you would get a better understanding of what really was going on. I can't count how many times I went to a meeting, read about it in the newspaper the next day, and didn't even recognize the meeting. My perspective swung the pendulum the other way. If you want to look at it like that. But, I don't expect everyone on this forum to like me and that is okay. For those of you who want to know where I am coming from, I will be more than happy to give you an honest, truthful answer. I don't have anything to hide and I do want what is best for Rumford.

Thank you, Dave, for the only recent post that I can support. I, too, am not willing to join the "lovefest".

JNS, you will have to prove yourself here. I don't believe you never read this site. I think you are a liar. And to blame poor Jason.....
I don't think you have good intentions here. In a few short (but fun-filled) hours, you have grabbed center stage (starting with "Here I Am!!!!") and managed to slam several members of this forum. I don't think you know how to disagree without resorting to nastiness.

What are your true reasons for joining this forum? What is all the nicey-nice (we seem like good guys and all...) pandering about? Where do you hope all this will get you?

I, for one, don't trust much of what you say. I think you're here for yourself. You want something. What?

I have a request: You lifted a post of mine from this site and posted it on TRR. That was unethical and, I believe, illegal. As a gesture of good faith, I'd like you to remove it from your site. I really don't want any of my words posted there, thank you. That seems like a good place for you to start making amends. If you do that, I'll consider extending a welcome to you.

OK, some of us are rush limbaugh's and some of us are stephen colbert's. both types are bringing perspectives that the other doesn't naturally perceive (ok, well, stephen does...). However, if an idea is presented well-thought out , it deserves attention and consideration. I give Jennifer a lot of credit for braving this " wolve's den".

And some of us are Keith Olbermans

Bug, I will remove that for you. I thought you were Jolene Lovejoy who has done some pretty mean things to me before I even got totally immersed in town politics. And, sorry but I only looked at the things that Jason sent to me because I couldn't believe the things people were saying. It hurt me too much to come to the site. But, after reading all of the posts last night, I realized that Jason has said some of the meanest things. And, I'm not quite sure why. It hurt me.

What happend to mu post?

So what if I AM Jolene Lovejoy? You had no right to steal my post.

And do I believe your sob story? Not for a minute.