Just what kind of a job did members of the Manchester city solicitor’s office do in investigating the alleged breach of the charter by Alderman at-Large Joe Kelly Levasseur’s use of his office to obtain information from the Manchester Dog Park Association’s insurance agency? After watching a rerun of Tuesday’s meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen last night, this curious mind want’s to know. What caught my attention was Solicitor’s Office Staff Attorney Peter Chisea saying that the investigation could only determine there was current coverage, but couldn’t determine there’d been no lapse in coverage because neither the association nor its agency would provide proof of continuous coverage. Ignored in the conversation was Ward 10 Alderman Phil Greazzo’s statement that he’d provided that documentation to the Solicitor’s Office. He even read a letter from Assistant City Solicitor Tom Arnold to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, which we published here on Girard at Large, stating the documents provided by Greazzo on behalf of the association quote “document that the Manchester Dog Park Association had insurance meeting the requirements of its Agreement with the City.” End quote. Chisea also brushed past Greazzo’s question about whether or not the city had ever received a lapse notice from its insurance carrier, which they would as an additional insured. Chisea did say the city hadn’t received one, but that wasn’t proof there wasn’t a lapse. So, they have no letter of lapse and investigators who don’t seem to be on the same page on the documents that had been provided to the city and we’re supposed to applaud this report? Looks like we’ll have to do some digging on our own. In a related matter, having now seen the meeting, we have to correct a statement we made during yesterday’s news. While Police Chief David J. Mara was called before the board by Greazzo after the meeting reconvened subsequent to the recess called by Mayor Ted Gatsas who was verbally assaulted by Levasseur, he didn’t get a chance to speak. Greazzo said he wanted the chief to explain what the department’s standing order was regarding whether or not a police officer should be in a room alone with Levasseur. Levasseur shouted quote “are you kidding me?” and Alderman at-Large Dan O’Neil chimed in loudly “this has to stop” and moved to receive and file the communication from the solicitor before Mara could make it to the table. I guess Joey didn’t want the board to hear that the Chief requires two officers to be present whenever speaking to Levasseur to ensure there’s a witness to the conversation.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
The Goffstown High School Hall of Fame Committee is looking for nominations to this year’s Hall of Fame Class. The Hall of Fame honors students, staff and contributors whose outstanding efforts and achievements reflect well upon the school. The Hall serves as an inspiration for the school and community, organizers say. The group is also looking to fill vacancies on its board with caring, trustworthy community members. The vacancies include three at-Large representatives from Goffstown as well as a representative from Dunbarton and another from New Boston. Nominations to the Hall of Fame must be received no later than January thirty first. Those wishing either to submit a nominee for the Hall of Fame or serve on the committee should contact Steve Fountain either by phone or email. He’s Goffstown High’s Athletic Director and can be reached through the district’s offices.
One of the actions taken by the Hooksett School Board on Tuesday night was to adopt a Memorandum of Understanding with Pembroke Academy that quote “wasn’t substantially different than the one with Londonderry.” End quote. They had to do that, according to board member Phil Dumbo Denbow, because they didn’t actually have an agreement with Pembroke yet, but they wanted to get all the high school stuff done in one night so residents could have peace of mind over the high school issue during the holidays. Girard at Large has learned that lawyers for the two sides are busy negotiating an agreement that’s not substantially different from Londonderry’s. It’s looking like Pembroke will take up to twenty incoming freshmen. The tuition with Londonderry for incoming freshmen, by the way, is ten thousand seven hundred dollars per student, five hundred dollars more than Manchester. Wonder if Pembroke will be substantially different there.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is straight ahead!
