Selectmen working to improve Newport for their community

To the Editor:

When Newport had contested elections for a board seat, we use to expect to see a debate between the candidates, moderated by one of our civic organizations, on the issues before the town. But it is hard to hold a realistic debate when only one candidate for the current seat on the Newport Board of Selectmen wants to debate.

I have served on the Newport Board of Selectmen for several years and if I was at a debate between candidates, I would want answers to several questions.

How is Newport floundering? What are the “unreasonable expensive proposals” being brought forward in this budget? Why didn’t anyone come forward with questions during the board’s budget discussions, the budget hearing, or at the deliberative session?

Is one of unreasonable expensive proposals Article 12 for funding the community center study? There was overwhelming support for the community center study at the deliberative session. What are the other unreasonable expenses?

What are the fewer and fewer services the citizens are receiving each year? Is it the switch to LED streetlights that is saving us thousands of dollars each year? Is it the new sidewalks on Beech and School Streets? Or the plan to fix the sidewalk on Cheney Street this summer? Or is it the fewer services we provide because our ambulance crews are not responding to calls from other communities but are here for Newport citizens when we need an ambulance?

The Board of Selectmen is planning on changing how service is delivered from, not only, the Town Office of Planning and Zoning but also from Buildings and Grounds, and from Welfare. This is “right sizing” the services to fit our actual needs. And if we are wrong, we will admit it and move to correct the service.

Every member of the Board of Selectmen is a strong supporter of transparency and of open dialogue with the public during our meetings. All members of the board have readily recused themselves whenever a potential conflict, business or personal, has occurred.

Construction projects are done by sealed bid, which means the contractor delivers their bid to the Town Manager at the designated time, he opens the sealed envelopes in a public setting with the contractors watching, announcing the bids as he goes along. This is standard practice and very transparent.

As for the relationship between the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager, looking at the “Powers and Duties in Particular” per NH RSA 37.6, “the Town Manager shall have the power and it shall be his duty to appoint, upon merit and fitness alone, and to remove, all subordinate officers and employees under his control, and to fix their compensation.”

But it also says, “the Town Manager shall have the power and it shall be his duty to organize, continue, or discontinue, from time to time, such departments as the selectmen may from time to time determine.” RSA 37.6 also requires the Town manager to present a budget to the Board of Selectmen for each year, which usually includes salaries.

And, there is section VII. (d) of that RSA, “To have charge, control, and supervision, subject to the direction of the selectmen and to the bylaws of the town, if any, of the following matters: (d) The police and fire departments of the town, if any.” In short, there is no solid separation between the duties a selectmen performs and the duties of the Town Manager. In pointing us to this RSA, one of the candidates has shown that serious conflicts of interest exist that restricts their ability to perform as a selectmen.

I serve on the Newport Board of Selectmen with four other dedicated citizens. While we do not always agree with each other, we are all working to improve Newport for our community. We are constantly weighing the cost of town services, so that the citizens receive what is in the best interest for Newport.

I take exception to vague statements about Newport floundering and unreasonable expensive proposals and receiving fewer and fewer services for our taxes.

I encourage everybody to vote on Tuesday, May 8, and I hope everybody will take the time to learn about the issues before us this year.

Jeff Kessler

Newport