Strong NH: Files lawusit
The American Center for Law & Justice filed a federal lawsuit yesterday against the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of Citizens for a Strong New Hampshire claiming the I R S is unlawfully delaying the release of records between the itself and Senator Jeann Shaheen, Health Care Queen, who demanded the I R S investigate conservative organizations for engaging in quote unquote “political activities.” Citizens for a Strong New Hampshire filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act demanding the I R S release the correspondence between itself and Sen. Shaheen as well as Democratic Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter. The lawsuit was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court in Concord. The lawsuit contends the I R S is unlawfully delaying the release of information until after next week’s mid-term elections – a move that the complaint argues “has deprived Strong N H of the opportunity to obtain and effectively convey to the voting public vital information about those seeking re-election.” Of course, neither Shaheen or Shea Porter has provided the group with any information regarding them matter.
This from our partners at the Nutfield News: The Derry Town Council will look more closely at ethics, including conflict of interest and nepotism, in the near future. At the Oct. 21 meeting, members discussed tightening up their rules and standards on ethical issues, in order to better serve the citizens of Derry.
Osborne: “We can do better.”
Town Council Chairman Mark Osborne brought the issue up as an agenda item and said it should apply to both the Council and other boards and committees. In particular, Osborne called for a formal definition of “conflict of interest.” “Councilor A might think one thing, Councilor B another,” he said. The Council rules provide some clarification, Osborne said, adding, “But we can do better.” The town of Londonderry adopted a nepotism policy Sept. 8 on a 3 to zero vote. The amendment to the Municipal Code, called the Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest Ordinance, prohibits any town employee or official from hiring a family member. It also requires employees and officials to recuse themselves from decisions by which they would see direct or indirect financial profit. We’ve linked to the complete story for your convenience. Who knows, maybe Manchester will do something similar so elected officials can’t vote on the contracts that cover their spouses or kids.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Lyscars: Files complaints against board over policy
Hooksett School Board Member John Lyscars has filed a complaint with Board Chair Joanne McHugh over the board’s alleged violation of the policy which requires public input at public meetings. Lyscars says the policy isn’t being followed at subcommittee meetings and it should be. Lyscars cites policy B E D H which reads, in part, quote “The Board shall set aside two public input sessions; one at the beginning of the meeting and one at the end of the meeting and will be noted on the agenda. Speakers will be allotted three minutes per person” as the basis for his complaint. While the board itself does provide the comment sessions as required, he believes it also applies to subcommittees, which he called extensions of the board in his complaint to McHugh. We’ll let you know what happens with that.
Laberge: Status of MSD investigation unknown
Lyscars has also filed a Right to Know request with the Manchester School District over his complaint against Central Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Chris Laberge. Lyscars filed a formal complaint with the district and Manchester police charging that Laberge had verbally assaulted him and other parents at a J V Boys game between Central and Londonderry. The M P D closed its investigation saying there was no criminal activity. However, Lyscars has yet to receive any sort of formal disposition of the distric’ts investigation into the complaint against Laberge, therefore he’s filed the request. Girard at Large asked Central Principal John Vaccarezza about the status of the investigation and was given the typical “no comment” as it involved a personnel matter. Our follow up asking whether or not the investigation was ongoing or closed, noting that is something he can comment on, has yet to be responded to.
Hampstead Superintendent Earl Metzler behind school board threat to citizen?
First the Timberlane Regional School Board, now the Hampstead School Board. In a rather peculiar display of arrogance, the chairman of the Hampstead School Board, Greg Hoppa, has barred resident and Budget Committee Chairman Jorge Mesa-Tejada from addressing meeting agenda items without a vote of the board. Yes, you heard that right. After reading a letter from Mesa-Tejada at its last meeting, Hoppa declared him a bully and said he would not allow himself or the board to be bullied. The bullying offense, you ask? Well, it appears as if Mesa-Tejada was soooo unimpressed with Timberlane’s decision to hire a person to deal with its P R problems, he wrote the board condemning Timberlane’s actions and declaring that if the Hampstead board even thought of doing something similar, he would campaign against them at election time to replace them with responsible representatives. So, there it is. Express your opinion, threaten to campaign against them and be banished as a bully. We’ll play the clip of the fracas during this morning’s show.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next.
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