My voting record as M'borough selectman speaks for itself

To The Daily Sun,

Moultonborough voters, I truly do want to continue being your selectman, but I don’t want it bad enough to compromise my integrity or values to make my wish come true. Unlike my competition, I am not going to write letters with misleading inflammatory statements and half-truths to create public dissension in order to gain your vote. I am not going to misrepresent my thoughts and tell you what I think you want to hear in order to gain your vote. I also have no intention of getting involved in back and forth, tit for tat, letters to the editor.

I can’t, however, stand idly by while my competitor flings insult after insult towards good, decent people with complete disregard for reality and common courtesy, merely because those people have thoughts different than his. In his most recent letter, Mr. McGee resorted to taking cheap shots at the town moderator and local PTA president. What kind of person does that? His true colors really do show in every venomous letter he writes. To even suggest that the “meet the candidates night” was purposely held during bad weather to keep older people away is lunacy. Perhaps what Mr. McGee really didn’t enjoy about that evening was the fact that well-informed voters were “calling him out” because his actions and words rarely align.

In order to pander to the younger voters that evening, he repeatedly complimented the schools, but in reality, as a Budget Committee member, he voted against funding the teacher’s contract. My favorite part of the evening was when he emphatically told those in attendance that I have a key to the Moultonborough Academy gym, which I open every Sunday for my friends to play basketball — another bald-faced lie. In his recent letter, he implied that my vision for the Lions Club property includes “condos or apartment buildings,” which is completely false. I never said that. I have said however that in accordance with the Village District Overlay which Moultonborough voters supported, that the property could be used for a medical facility, a pharmacy, or a neighborhood of affordable single-family residences, not “government subsidized housing,” as another McGee supporter wrote.

For clarification, to me, an affordable home is one that a couple who works 80 hours a week collectively can afford. At the meet the candidates’ night, Mr. McGee stated there were numerous homes for under $300,000 available in Moultonborough. This may come as a shock to Mr. McGee, but that is too expensive for most young working-class families. Here are some additional facts, despite what Mr. McGee and others have written:

Nothing is being forced upon Moultonborough voters. The FACT is that I and OTHER selectman voted to give Moultonborough voters the opportunity to CHOOSE whether or not they want a community center. If two-thirds of the voters decide they want a community center, WE supported giving them the opportunity to CHOOSE where they want it built, and yes, it is again a FACT that many people would like it built at the Taylor/school property. Apparently, Mr. McGee’s form of democracy doesn’t allow for choices, at least not choices that don’t align with his personal ideals. I personally think petitioned warrant article 25, which he signed, is short-sighted and doesn’t meet the needs of our entire community, but voters have the right to bring that article to the floor of Town Meeting. Why is it okay for Mr. McGee to advocate for what he believes in, but he does not give others the same common courtesy?

Mr. McGee has repeatedly tried to convince voters that I don’t care about the senior citizens in our community, when my consistent voting record says otherwise. I advocated for a commercial kitchen in the proposed community center solely with the senior meals program in mind. I guess because I think the Taylor/school property is a better location for a community center it is a foregone conclusion in Mr. McGee’s mind that I must be against seniors. Of course, Mr. McGee would never mention that I have repeatedly stated that no matter where the community center is built that accessibility and parking need to be top priorities.

Mr. McGee’s writing provides so much misinformation that I could never hope to address it all and stay within the length requirements of this letter, so let me sum things up. My voting record speaks for itself and is representative of reality. Mr. McGee’s false depiction of me is not reality. I have ALWAYS considered the needs of every member of our community while making decisions with the goal of doing the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. I trust that Moultonborough voters are smart enough to separate fact from fiction and I also trust that they won’t tolerate arrogant, disrespectful behavior towards the good citizens of our town. Merely disagreeing with someone is not being disrespectful, but sarcastically berating and maliciously attacking those you disagree with certainly is. I would respectfully ask for the opportunity to continue serving you and I would deeply appreciate your vote on March 12.

Christopher P. Shipp

Moultonborough