Sandi Guarino: Gilmanton needs to push reset button & get beyond Marshall Bishop

To The Daily Sun,

What happened to the small town feel of Gilmanton? Why do people move and stay in Gilmanton? These are questions our small town government should be asking — not the, "We know what is best for you." Last I knew the voters are the legislative body.

Big changes are being pushed on the voters! A proposal to drop the elected road agent for an appointed DPW director. You Loose your vote! Zoning changes that basically allow anything anywhere with Planning Board conditional approvals. Adding three full time employees.

Gilmanton voters are losing their right to make choices. The very people who should be listening, the Board of Selectmen, are not. Just ask the residents trying to save the Old TownHall!

I am a long-time resident who loves Gilmanton. I have never seen so many shenanigans in the last three years. Last year the night before the town election at least two employees signed three year contracts. I have researched the RSAs and do not believe that these contracts are even legal. Even in collective bargaining agreements the legislative body, the voters, are to be informed. Were you informed  You had one day.

This is language from one of the contracts, the BOS and any member of the Board of Selectmen shall not take action or make any motion or otherwise support either a lack of funding for the position or the dissolution of the position, if the BOS or a member of the BOS does so act, the employee shall be entitled to full severance pay." WOW!

Did you know your tax dollars were spent on this? I did not. Thank you Marshall Bishop.

According to Marshall Bishop's letter in the March Daily Sun," This past year we have seen a change in the actual Town Hall building, in the morale..." WOW , I can see why morale is better with these secret three-year contracts.

The 2020 operating budget includes $220,000 in lawyer fees. How about dropping the last eight police directives and paying the chief's lawyer fees, ending one lawsuit. In three years we have spent a half a million dollars on three lawsuits Marshall Bishop is involved in. The last TA was paid $57,000. The present administrator, with no municipal experience, was paid $70,000. Thank you Marshall Bishop. Now because he is "doing a good job," the BOS wants to give him a five thousand dollar raise.

Please vote no on all zoning articles 2-8 . Please also vote no on this bloated operating budget. We need to push the reset button and start over.

Sandi Guarino

Gilmanton