Foxy!

Henry Minasian sent us this picture of five red fox kits up on Tuttle Hill. Henry says the Minasians see these babies every day, so the den must be near their house. Three years ago, a family of five gray foxes occupied the same territory. Keep the pictures coming!

The Select Board Walks Out of Its Own Meeting

Another chaotic Select Board meeting ended several minutes after it started, when Pat Mercer and George White hastily adjourned and walked out of the room. You can hear a recording of it here.

The meeting got out of control almost as soon as it began, when Sandi Pierson tried to object to minutes from the previous meeting. She said the minutes inaccurately blamed her for the failure of the Board to provide files of minutes, including to this website. "There is no discussion tonight," Pat said. 

Sandi pointed out that the no-discussion rule was the next agenda item, which the Board hadn't voted on yet (I've copied the agenda item exactly as written):

Motion to revise Select board rules of procedure. Rule #1 to state that RSA #91-A states the right to attend a selectman's meeting, but not to speak. Due to the abhorrent and disrespectful conduct of a faction of the Town, there will be NO ; comments ,questions or discussions during the meeting. Written submissions, left in the outside box or emailed, or by postal mail, will be read and addressed, as the board decides, at subsequent meetings. It is unfortunate, but when such conduct escalates to the point of a threat of bodily harm, it becomes necessary to control the problem. This is a business meeting and not a free-for-all.

Pat referred to a photocopy attached to the agenda. The photocopy did not contain the actual law; the text apparently comes from a handbook provided by the state to town officials. Voices were raised, and Pat and George walked out. 

"I've never seen this in the 42 years I've lived in town," Bob Proulx said.

I (Jay) recorded the session. 

Update on Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at 11:34AM by OrangeNH

I (Jay) asked Pat Mercer several questions about last night's meeting:

What was the "threat of bodily harm" referred to in the agenda?  She replied, "There is no comment, at this time."

Was the Board planning to hold a makeup meeting before the next scheduled one? "Meeting to be announced."

And I asked her once again to provide electronic minutes of the last three meetings. "Decisions being made about service of sending minutes."

Don't Forget June 9

The next scheduled Orange Select Board meeting is 7 pm Tuesday. The Town needs residents who care about our taxes and governance to attend.

In the past, we've been happy to post really boring minutes.  Now we're having trouble getting the Select Board to give us any minutes. And we're afraid that the last meeting was far too interesting. 

Last Night's Heated Board Meeting

Tempers flared last night as Orange residents asked questions of the two remaining Select Board members, Pat Mercer and George White.  Here's a brief summary of the concerns expressed:

Delay in appointing a new Board member: Since Bob Ells resigned, citing "continuous hostility" on the Board, the remaining members have delayed appointing a new member. Last night Pat Mercer pointed to a legal pad, saying residents were welcome to sign up. She and George White announced that they were attending a state training session this week. They promised to hold an open meeting before selecting a new member.

Clerical problems: Since Sandi Pierson resigned as Board secretary, citing "animosity and backbiting," a new secretary has not been found. Sandi used to send us minutes to post online. Jay Heinrichs requested an electronic copy of the last two meetings' minutes, and Pat said they were only available in paper form. The minutes of May 12 failed to record a crucial 2-0 vote by the board to allow former Treasurer Tessa Michetti to examine the town's books. When asked to explain the absence, George White said, "I can't keep track of everything." At the May 12 meeting, Pat Mercer promised that the position of secretary would be posted the following morning. As of today that still had not been done.

Financial concerns: The Town has not made any FICA payments since March 2014. Nor have the Town's required payments to the school district for April 1 and May 1 been made. Tessa Michetti offered to do that and to present her findings; that presentation was supposed to happen last night. However, Treasurer Cathy Bean must first appoint her as deputy treasurer. So far that has not happened. 

We were saddened that some residents--understandably upset--raised their voices more than they should have. Please try to attend Select Board meetings; we'll alert you before each one. The Town needs you.

Selectman Bob Ells' Resignation Letter

Bob Ells submitted his formal resignation from the Select Board last Friday, and we just got hold of it. While Bob doesn't name names, his letter speaks to "poor decisions" that have created problems for the town. More disturbingly, he lists "contiuous hostility on the Board" as a reason for resigning.

It's now up to the remaining Board members, Pat Mercer and George White, to appoint a replacement. Meanwhile, please try to show up for the meetings, 7 pm on the second and last Tuesday of the month.

Here's Bob's letter in full:

I have served in many capacities and for many years, the most recent as a Selectman. There are many problems that the town is presently dealing with, many brought on by poor decisions. Last year there was continuous hostility on the Board instead of working together. Unfortunately I have not seen a sincere effort to resolve these issues and still memers of the Board are determined to take actions and make decisions that most of the residents are opposed to. Because our job is to work for the people of Orange and not for our own agendas, I cannot follow along in this manner in good conscience; therefore I am resigning from the Board of Selectmen effective immediately.

Sincerely, Bob Ells