By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
CLAREMONT, N.H. — The Claremont City Council voted 7-2 to appoint Mark Limoges to the open police commission seat on Wednesday, opting against a former commissioner as some councilors voiced concerns about him being the city’s current chief building official and health officer, thus creating a potential conflict of interest.
The two applicants were Limoges and Joel Tremblay, who were both given the chance to speak to the councilors at their last meeting. Before they spoke, Mayor Dale Girard told the public that he recently reached out to the N.H. Municipal Association because there was question of whether Tremblay was eligible to be on the commission.
The association responded that there could be a “degree of tension in the working relationship between the health building inspector, who also serves as a police commissioner, and the police chief.” However, the association also said they can’t say that the city health building inspector would be unequivocally precluded from serving on the commission.
It was also pointed out that many municipal police commissions came into existence through private legislative acts and it “may be necessary to examine the legislative origins of Claremont Police Commission to ascertain if there are other legislatively imposed requirements that might address whether the city health building inspector can serve on the police commission.”
“I want everyone to know I did ask, because I know it was definitely a concern,” Girard said.
Limoges told the council that he was born and raised in the city and is heavily invested in Claremont with businesses and properties.
“I wanted to throw my name in and try to help out, try to move the city forward,” Limoges said. “I think this a position where my management experience and everything, I could do some good.”
Tremblay said that he has lived in Claremont for 19 years, has served three terms on the police commission, and has previous management roles in his career.
“The reason I am applying for the position is because I was on the police commission before. I enjoyed my time working closely with the police department,” Tremblay said. “It’s a great department. It’s a great organization. I’m really hoping to get involved in doing that again.”
He said he can’t think of any reason why there would be any animosity between him and the chief. He did not foresee a conflict and said he would be “fair and impartial.”
Councilor William Greenrose asked if he was a city employee during his time on the commission, to which Tremblay said he was not. Councilor Andrew O’Hearne followed by asking if there were any city employees on the commission, and Tremblay said he did not think so.
“I have no knowledge during my time of a city employee being on the police commission,” said O’Hearne. “It has always been someone from the public, and I consider that a past practice, and I would not change from that.”
Councilor Nick Koloski thanked Tremblay for his terms, said he was an excellent building inspector, but also could not support having a city employee as a police commissioner.
Assistant Mayor Deb Matteau said it is her understanding that the function of the commission is to oversee the police department and its employees. She said this could get “sticky” to have another city employee oversee department heads, like the chief, when they work hand in hand with their jobs.
“I really think it should be someone that has no attachment to us,” she said.
Tremblay received votes from Councilors Brian Zutter and Jonathan Hayden, but Limoges was voted into the seat with a 7-2 decision.
