I do not believe word 'gadfly' properly applies to me

To The Daily Sun,

Over the past several years I have publicly accused the Alton Board of Selectmen of violating numerous provisions of Right-to-Know laws, incompetence in their job performance, misappropriation of public funds, and covering up misdeeds of the Alton, Police Dept., among other issues.

During the same time period, I have also, on several occasions, filed complaints against Alton’s selectmen and Police Dept. with state and county officials, to include the N.H. Attorney Generals Office, Department of Revenue Administration and the Belknap County prosecutor and Sheriff’s Offices.

In response to my actions described above, Alton’s officials have been on a seek and destroy in order to silence my criticism and to discredit me. The weapons employed by Alton's officials to accomplish this mission have included police harassment, intimidation, false arrest, and malicious prosecution.

The successful implementation of these weapons against me, however, would require a total lack of honesty and integrity on their part, requiring deception, misleading statements and outright untruthful in court proceedings. Alton’s Selectboard Chairperson, Cydney Shapleigh, and Alton Police Sgt., Billy Tolios, eagerly rose to meet these most unethical and unconscionable challenges head-on.

On February 22, 2017, Shapleigh ordered me removed from the public meeting of the selectmen alleging I violated the procedural rule of public input which requires speakers to identify the agenda item they wish to be heard on prior to speaking.

This, decision by Shapleigh, of course, was a red-herring. Regardless, I was quickly arrested by Tollios and charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of resisting detention.

At my trial, Shapleigh testified that my alleged failure to identify the agenda violated the rules of the board and disrupted the meeting, necessitated my removal by Tolios. And Tolios testified that he made the “independent” determination that I was violating the rules of public participation, and that this violation of the public participation policy, provided him with probable cause to detain me for the crime of disorderly conduct. The testimonies of Shapleigh and Tolios were complete rubbish.

Just prior to my removal and arrest there was a public hearing on ambulance billing. The rules of the hearing limited public participation to three minutes, subject matter only.

Several individuals speaking at the hearing violated both the time and content restrictions imposed by the selectmen, yet, there were no disruptions of the meeting; no admonishments by Shapleigh; and no arrests by Tolios.

Many people consider me to be a “gadfly.” A “gadfly is defined as “an annoying person, especially one who provokes others into action by criticism.” I dislike being considered a “gadfly,” as I do not believe it applies to me. I am simply a citizen who wants his public officials to obey the laws of our state and to act with honesty and integrity in all things. Currently, Alton’s public officials are failing in these areas.

Our state Constitution specifically states, “All power residing originally in, and being derived from, the people, all the magistrates and officers of government are their substitutes and agents, and at all times accountable to them.” Part I, article 8. However, nowhere in our Constitution does it provide that public officials have the right to retaliate and bear false witness against citizens who demonstrate the temerity to exercise the right of accountability.

Citizens must serve as the checks and balances of every local government, and they must be free to speak out whenever their government acts inappropriately, without fear of reprisal by that government. Today, this is not the case in Alton.

My case is currently under appeal at the N.H. Supreme Court where I hope to be vindicated. Time will tell.

Jeffrey Clay

Alton