McWhinnie & I agreed we wouldn't be puppets for town's 'best'

To The Daily Sun,

Three years, and 22 days ago, Steve McWhinnie, Michael Jean and myself became selectmen for the Town of Gilmanton, together. Michael Jean had two years left on his term, I had only a one-year term and Steve had a three-year term. Together we had decided to make a difference in how the town was run.

Then, without delay, "Gilmanton’s best" (I say that sarcastically) came out and showed themselves. There is never a dull moment at Town Hall! Since our second month in office, this board has been called baby molesters, liars, many other things, and it’s always the same group. The meetings, as I said before, are never dull. The town should not be run by a group of bully taxpayers who want to run the town for themselves. This so called "best" has cost the town more than $180,000 dollars in taxpayer’s money in legal fees. I could break it down, but the truth is documented at Town Hall. The truth will set you free, not the gossip!

It was during that time that I decided we needed a stronger leader to keep us on target and to stand our ground. Even though I made a motion to relieve Michael Jean as the Selectboard chair, he still has been a great influence on both Steve and I. His knowledge in municipal government has been a great help to the town. I will always hold great respect for him and continue to support him on the town’s boards. At the present time Michael Jean is the Planning Board chair and, as always, the board gains knowledge through him.

Leaders are not born, they are formed, educated through time, and many times they fail. It is through this process that they become leaders. Steve McWhinnie has been just that person. With his leadership, his desire to move forward, and his love for this town, Steve McWhinnie has proven, in the face of criticism, meanness and diversity, that he is able to move forward and continue to fight for what has always been right.

Here are some of the board’s accomplishments through Steve McWhinnie’s leadership:

— 2016 - Established town hall priorities, assessed town policies, met with department heads regularly to ensure they have what they need to succeed

— 2017 - Started re-organizing and upgrading the town recycle and transfer station, re-evaluated town personnel, set pay scale for all town personnel, stablished COLA and merit raises, created job descriptions.

2018 -  Appointed new Planning Board members, established the boards priority (to serve the people), hired new personnel with education that matches their position and an attitude to serve the people (positions filled: land-use inspector, accessing/planning clerk and town administrator), repairs to Academy Building (painted and replaced siding as needed, repaired front steps, designed, established and implemented security upgrades for town hall offices, installed a generator for emergencies and to run the fire support system which needed replacing years ago (system was so old you could not get parts for it).

As with a lot of talk and rhetoric, some taxpayers seem to have forgotten why they elected their candidate in the first place. It’s a slap in the face to hear friends say, “we need a change,” "we’re tired of hearing all of the negative gossip, and, "we want peace.” Steve and I took this challenge three years ago and agreed we would not be puppets. With his leadership we have moved forward despite the personal attacks on us and despite what the other side thinks.

If you do not think it has not been personal, think again. So-called "Gilmanton’s Best" will stop at nothing to get their way. Your vote for Steve McWhinnie is a vote to continue our forward movement. In my opinion, if you don’t vote for Steve, the momentum will be stalled and the "best" will continue their harassment, gossip, and outright lies. If you care about this town, get the facts, and stand behind the candidate you elected to do a job that nobody else wanted, to make this town great again.

Steve McWhinnie, through his leadership, will continue to seek the truth and stop the wasteful spending. 

Selectman Marshall Bishop

Gilmanton