Doug Robinson: Ethics and accountability is a must from Laconia leaders

To The Daily Sun,

The recent events surrounding the Planning Board appointment process should concern every resident who expects fairness, transparency, and respect for the law in Laconia’s government. Two public letters — one from applicant Doreen Richards and another from Mayor Mike Bordes — describe a troubling pattern: a unanimous Appointments Subcommittee recommendation was quietly reversed, without public deliberation, without notice to all committee members, and without any explanation grounded in policy or procedure.

According to Richards, the City Manager’s Office informed her on March 23 that she would be recommended as a regular Planning Board member. Yet on March 31, Councilor Jon Hildreth privately informed her that the decision had been changed, elevating another applicant based on personal considerations and past service. As Bordes noted, this kind of backroom decision‑making undermines public trust and raises legitimate questions about whether the council followed its own rules or complied with New Hampshire’s Right‑to‑Know Law (RSA 91‑A), which requires governmental decisions to be made openly, not through private conversations.

The mayor deserves credit for publicly acknowledging the seriousness of this issue and committing to address it directly. His response reflects the level of accountability residents expect from their elected leadership.

But acknowledgment is only the first step. Laconia now needs a full, public review of how this decision was altered, why it occurred outside the public process, and whether any city procedures, ethical standards, or state laws were violated. Residents deserve confidence that appointments are based on merit and conducted in the open.

Bruce Cheney and his wife must remove themselves from consideration.

Laconia can and must hold itself to a higher standard.

We the people of Laconia look forward to the next step in addressing this issue.

Doug Robinson

Laconia