Board of Selectmen Work Session 12-20-11

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More spending proposed

Cracks in the "Blue Wall" Another fine mess in Winchester.

Sent in for publication on the blog ...

What was it that someone said about no press in your little town?  

Where is your Police Chief? Could he be on administrative leave? Was he suspended until Jan 6th 2012?
What did he do to have the Winchester BOS, particularly Sherm Tedford and Ken Gardner, warrant a suspension? Why was this hushed up and not relayed to the public? 

Did you all know Officer Parker filed a sexual harassment complaint against the Police Department and  ex-Sergeant Nate Jette who "showed his junk" to Parker last summer while they were in the Sergeant's office, shortly before she went to the academy, ... Yes, he deliberately unzipped his pants pulled out his junk and adjusted it (if you know what I mean ) while she was sitting in a chair opposite of him at the station. This came straight from Officer Parker. The town of Winchester has been given legal notice and has to respond to the complaint.

Also folks, Officer Ziegler is on administrative leave and is not happy with  Lieutenant Roberts who is messing with Ziegler's schedule. Could it be that Ziegler may be looking at transferring to the Keene PD or Swanzey PD as well ?

And Officer Cameron is on Swanzey's list to be hired and he also has a job offer from Hinsdale's PD. Hmmm.

Could it be that Roberts and officer Fisher have been funneling info to the BOS about Chief Phillips, going behind his back and undermining his command?

Go back a couple of years and do a chronology of the issues and you will find it all started when Chris Roberts was hired. You all have to look closely at Roberts.."where there is smoke...there is fire " and Roberts is holding the box of matches and a gallon of gasoline. Sounds like Hinsdale all over again.

Oh yeah, rumor has it that Kenny Smith isn't exactly a happy camper either. Wonder why?

Talk about a dysfunctional group .. who's watching the hen house ?

Group sues to block Winchester dollar store

Looks like our little town is getting a lot of press lately

By MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent

Published Dec 26, 2011 at 3:00 am (Updated Dec 25, 2011)

WINCHESTER — Zoning board approval of a Dollar General store on Main Street is being contested by a group of residents in a lawsuit filed in Cheshire County Superior Court last week.

In October the zoning board approved the demolition of the 200-year-old Wheaton-Alexander Home at 71 Main St. to make way for the construction of the 9,100-square-foot store.

Approval of the Dollar General flew in the face of a decision made by the Historic Commission during the summer that denied the applicant permission to demolish the home that sits in the town historic district. The 1810 home was once a residence for prominent doctors in the community.

The project was proposed by the Zaremba Group, a Lakewood, Ohio, company for the Tennessee-based Dollar General chain of stores.

The project required a special exception to town zoning regulations which forbids a 5,000-square-foot or greater footprint of commercial buildings, petitioners say in the lawsuit.

In its special exception decision, zoning board members agreed with property owners, Margaret Sharra, current town land use clerk, and her two brothers, James S. Shannon and Michael P. Shannon, that rehabilitation of the old home was cost-prohibitive.

This reasoning undermines the work of historic building preservation, the petition says. “The Wheaton-Alexander House is part of a cluster of Federalist houses that were part of the original Winchester Village. It is also on the border of the historic district. Tearing it down permanently impairs the historic and cultural value of the entire historic district. … Given that many of the structures in the historic district are dilapidated, this decision creates a precedent that undermines the integrity of the entire district.”

In its approval the zoning board also referred design plans for the new store to the Historic Commission for approval.

“The Zoning Board of Adjustment has no legal authority to partially remand the decision to the Historic District Commission, and erred in remanding the matter back to the Historic Commission,” the petition says.

Petitioners also said the zoning board violated the right-to-know law by holding a secret site walk of the property the day before it met to deliberate on the matter.

The petition asks the court to vacate the special exception approval. The lawsuit was filed by four residents and Kulick’s Inc., a market located about 2,100 feet from the proposed project on Warwick Road.

The court requires the town to file a plea by March 8.

Zaremba has proposed other Dollar General stores in the area recently. The Marlborough zoning board unanimously denied a special exception to Zaremba Group on Dec. 7 that would have permitted a Dollar General store on Main Street/Route 101.

The project had included the demolition of a 150-year-old farmhouse. And Zaremba recently made preliminary inquiries about building a Dollar General in Swanzey, said Sara Carbonneau, Swanzey town planner.

NO EXCUSES

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Board of Selectman's Minutes 12-07-11

 

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WINCHESTER: Group sues over store

Sent to us by a concerned citizen ....

Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2011 8:00 am | Updated: 8:04 am, Sat Dec 17, 2011.

By Abby Spegman Sentinel Staff 

WINCHESTER — A group of Winchester residents have filed a lawsuit against selectmen and the town’s zoning board over the decision to allow a discount store on Main Street.
The Zaremba Group of Cleveland won approval from the zoning board in October to demolish a 200-year-old home and build a Dollar General store in its place.

The board required the new building’s plans be approved by the town’s historic district commission, which earlier this year denied the company’s application.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, filed this week, are five residents and Kulicks, Inc., a market on nearby Warwick Road about 2,100 feet from the site of the proposed Dollar General.
The group previously asked the zoning board to reconsider its decision and was denied.
They are now suing to have the decision be deemed invalid and to have the case be sent back to the board for further review.
The home in question is at 71 Main St. within the town’s historic district. Known as the Wheaton-Alexander House, it was built in 1810 and was the residence for prominent doctors in the community.
In court document, the plaintiffs argue the plan is contrary to the stated purpose of the town’s historical district: “The destruction of a historical asset and its replacement with a box store will undermine the historical, cultural and architectural value of the Historic District.”
The lawsuit also states the zoning board held an unauthorized nonpublic meeting on the issue and it wrongly concluded the building could not be sold for a profit or rented as is.
“Based on the record, it is clear that there were several viable alternatives to demolition, and that the Zoning Board of Adjustment failed to inquire sufficiently to make a reasonable assessment of the alternatives to demolition on the record,” according to court documents.
The lawsuit also says the store is not a permitted use in the town’s Central Business District given its size — 9,100 square feet.
This is one of a handful of projects Zaremba has proposed for the area.
Its plan to build a Dollar General on Main Street in Marlborough was rejected by that town’s zoning board last week. It is also working to develop a Dollar General in Chester, Vt., and is under contract to buy 1.3 acres along Route 10 in Swanzey.
Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com

Unhealthy air pollution levels in NH

Thursday, December 15, 2011 CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services is expecting a second day of unhealthy air pollution levels in parts of the state, especially in Keene.

The DES says much of the pollution expected Thursday comes from heating devices, especially wood-burning stoves and boilers. It gets trapped and concentrated near the ground. Communities in valleys or other low-lying areas are more strongly affected.

The department advises that children, older adults, and anyone with heart or lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis may want to limit their time outside.

The warning was first issued for Wednesday.

Dollar store developer plans land buy in Swanzey

By Abbey Spegman,  Sentinel Staff
SWANZEY — The company that has proposed building two Dollar General stores in the area this year is planning to buy a third piece of land on Route 10.
The Zaremba Group of Cleveland is under contract to buy 1.3 acres of vacant land from Stephen and Joan Pappas of Swanzey Center, Stephen Pappas said in an interview Tuesday.

The land is part of 7 acres the couple owns across Route 10 from Gallery at Knotty Pine Auction Service, owned by their son John Pappas. Stephen Pappas said the company approached the couple several months ago and has already surveyed the land.
The town’s zoning board has not received an application from Zaremba, according to Town Planner Sara Carbonneau.
Last week, the Marlborough zoning board unanimously denied a waiver for Zaremba to build a Dollar General in place of a 150-year-old Main Street home. The board ruled the project would be inconsistent with the “essential character” of the neighborhood.
In Winchester, however, plans are moving forward for the company to tear down a 200-year-old house in the town’s historic district to build a Dollar General.
The zoning board decided unanimously in October that the building can be demolished, overturning the historic district commission’s decision, which denied the project.
A group of property owners asked the zoning board to reconsider its decision last month, but that request was denied.
A representative from Zaremba did not return calls for comment.

Abby Spegman can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409, or aspegman@keenesentinel.com

One Reason Why Our Taxes Are So High

All of the information below can be verified with a simple Right To Know request 

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Of the $3,555,051 allocated for the Town budget for the year 2010 - 2011 almost half,  $1,666,090 was spent on our town employees, who despite the economic situation continue to be rewarded with performance bonuses and cost of living raises. These totals will increase this year with more performance bonuses being handed out and an 11.8% increase in the costs for health insurance .
 ( Why didn't the Selectmen look elsewhere instead of voting to approved the extra costs? )

.. and I don't know about the rest of you but this really makes me wonder just how hard the Selectmen are working to keep costs down, or are they?

If you ask me, it's time we elected governing official that will act in the best interests of the town as a whole and not just the few employees they wish to keep happy to continue having their support.

Budget Committee Minutes 12-06-11

Town of Winchester, NH
Budget Committee Meeting

December 6, 2011

Members Present:  Jack Marsh, Ted Ryll, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Elisha Jackson, Bob Davis, Rick Horton, Kathy Hebert, Rikki Bolewski

Meeting called to order at 7pm

-Because nobody from the School Board is present to present their budget, Brian makes a motion to approve $8,000,000 today, then Brian will go to the School Budget Meeting immediately following the Budget Committee meeting to let them know this has happened and let them know if they want the board to consider anything above that, they need to get the board the documents and then they will consider it, Bob seconds
Kevan sent Brian an e-mail stating that the School Board was not ready tonight and will let the Budget Committee know when they are ready
-Motion carries 7-1 with 2 abstentions

-Harvey makes a motion to approve the minutes from the November 29th meeting with one correction – Elisha would like to add under Financial Administration that under the discussion about changing the auditors that Elisha mentioned that it is recommended that the auditors be changed every 3 years, Rikki will make the correction, Ted seconds
-Motion carries 9-1

-Brian will notify the board as soon as he gets an answer on when they want to talk to the board regarding the budget

-Jack requests a complete copy of all the budgets with all the changes and suggested cuts a week to 10 days before the Public Hearing, Ken will get that for anyone who would like it.

-Jack makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds
-Motion carries 10-0

-Meeting adjourns at 7:10pm

Budget Committee Minutes 12-01-11

Town of Winchester, NH
Budget Committee Meeting

December 1, 2011

Members Present:  Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Bob Davis, Ted Ryll, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Rick Horton, Elisha Jackson, Kathy Hebert, Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Rikki Bolewski

Others Present:  Joan Morel

Highway:
-    Rick makes a motion to level fund at $506,470, Elisha seconds
-    Discussion regarding budget
-    Motion carries 5-4

Welfare:
    Administration:
        -Ken makes a motion to approve $9,000, Elisha seconds
        -Discussion regarding budget
        -Motion carries 9-0

    Direct Assistance:
        -Ken makes a motion to approve $113,365, Rick seconds
        -Discussion regarding budget and how money is spent
         -Legally, if someone comes in and qualifies, the town has to assist them    
        -Differences in town comparisons may have to do with town’s interpretation of the law regarding welfare
        -Motion carries 5-4

Health Officer:
    -Ken makes a motion to approve $5,100 – level funding from last year, Rick seconds
    -Discussion regarding budget
    -Discussion regarding the Deputy Health Officer, who is currently John Gomarlo.  Question regarding John Gomarlo being paid out of more than one department.  Bob reads from previous minutes stating a discussion questioning whether John was paid out of more than one department where it was stated that John was only paid out of Landfill.  Ken states that he was wrong.  Leroy (Health Officer) explains that he was just been brought back in, he had resigned out of all positions and retired except for Landfill, John had been Leroy’s health officer in the past and the state required that he had a deputy, so he asked John to reapply.  He went to the Selectmen’s meeting and they appointed him back on as a deputy health officer for him.  This just happened in October.  Bob reads minutes from the Selectmen’s meeting where this took place (October 4th) and the Budget Committee minutes where it was stated that John was only paid out of the Landfill budget was dated November 10th, therefore that was stated incorrectly.
    -Continued discussion regarding the budget
    -Motion carries 6-3
Emergency Management:
    -Ken makes a motion to approve $9,750, Kathy seconds
    -Discussion regarding budget
    -Rick makes a Friendly Amendment to approve $8,750, Ken and Kathy accept
    -Motion carries 7-2

-Harvey makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds
-Meeting adjourns at 7:50pm

Marlborough board shoots down dollar store

MARLBOROUGH - The zoning board has denied a developer’s proposal to build a Dollar General store in place of a 150-year Main Street home.

At a public hearing Wednesday evening, residents blasted the plan and board members agreed that the store is inconsistent with the “essential character” of the neighborhood.

The Zaremba Group of Cleveland had proposed building a 9,100 square foot store near the intersection of Main and Canada streets at the entrance to downtown.

Representatives for the company had no comment after the decision.

Common sense prevails. Kinda makes you wonder what is really going on here with our ZBA and the  real reason for it's decision in favor of this store in our Historic District.

part two;

 Marlborough board says project doesn’t fit downtown

MARLBOROUGH — The zoning board has unanimously denied a waiver for the developer proposing to build a Dollar General store in place of a 150-year-old Main Street home.
At a public hearing Wednesday evening, residents blasted the plan and board members agreed that the store is inconsistent with the “essential character” of the neighborhood.
The Zaremba Group of Cleveland had proposed building a 9,100-square-foot store at 82 Main St. near the intersection of Main and Canada streets and the entrance to downtown.
Zaremba is the company behind a controversial plan in Winchester, also to build a Dollar General.
The Marlborough development would have included a parking lot, bringing the total project size to 31,680 square feet, according to the company’s application.
The zoning board requires a special exception for any project that exceeds 10,000 square feet total.
The store, with a barn-like facade, would be set back 100 feet from the road. Matt Casey of Zaremba said the company was willing to adjust the design if it reached the planning board. It would have deliveries during business hours only.
The proposed site is in a row with two- and three-story 19th-century homes.
“I can’t see that this has any harmony with that feeling,” said board member Jerry Germer.
Members of the zoning board and residents asked how the store would affect traffic on Main Street, which is also Route 101, and if a turning lane could be installed.
That would be up to the state Department of Transportation, said Silas Little 3rd of Peterborough, an attorney for Zaremba.
Little said the store would generate 160 trips per day from customers, which, compared to current traffic, is insignificant. He read from a transportation department survey from 2009 that said Route 101 in that area sees 12,000 vehicles per day.
Nicole Smalley lives across the road from the site. She has two small children and said she worried about getting out of her driveway with so much traffic turning into the store.
“I just don’t think it’s safe at all,” she said.
This area of Main Street has few sidewalks and no crosswalks, prompting some to question the safety of children walking home from school.
Residents also asked how the store would affect neighboring property values. Little said the area already has commercial buildings mixed in, but resident Jeffrey B. Miller argued the store would have a much larger footprint than any other business in town.
Deb Sylvain owns a pet grooming and care business up the road. “If you’re going to allow this, can my building turn into a McDonald’s?”
Added resident Mary Iselin, “Why would your company want to move into a community that doesn’t welcome it?”
The property owners, William and Theresa Thomas, did not speak, and no one who spoke at the hearing was in favor of the project.
In an interview last month, William Thomas said a company working with Zaremba approached him in the spring of 2010 about buying the property and has since done extensive surveying of the land.
Representatives for the company had no comment after the decision.
Meanwhile in Winchester, Zaremba has proposed tearing down a 200-year-old house in Winchester’s historic district to build a Dollar General.
The zoning board unanimously decided in October that the building can be demolished, but that plans for the new building must be approved by the town’s historic commission, which this summer denied Zaremba’s application.
It was later overturned by the zoning board.
A group of property owners asked the zoning board to reconsider its decision last month,but that request was denied.

Budget Committee Minutes 11-29-11

Town of Winchester, NH
Budget Committee Meeting

November 29, 2011

Members Present:  Jack Marsh, Hubie Crowell (Vice Chairman), Ted Ryll, Harvey Sieran, Brian Moser (Chairman), Rick Horton, Elisha Jackson, Bob Davis, Kevan Whippie (School Board Rep.), Ken Gardner (Selectmen Rep.), Kathy Hebert, Rikki Bolewski (Secretary)

Others Present:  Joan Morel
Discussion regarding the minutes from the November 22nd minutes.
·    Question regarding expending a zeroed out line items.  Local Government explained to Brian that zeroed out line items cannot be expended.  Ken states that the bottom line budget is considered to be the line item.  Still questions surrounding this subject, Brian will look into more to get a definition about what is considered a line item.
·    Bob questions the wording used regarding the discussion about the Land Use Assistant. Rikki agrees to change the wording to state that He initiated the discussion and it turned heated rather than he initiated a heated discussion – Bob agrees to that change.
- Jack makes a motion to approve the minutes with the change in wording, Hubie seconds
Motion carries 9-0 with 3 abstentions

Legal:
- Joan goes over budget
- Discussion regarding proposed budget
- Brian makes a motion to approve $24,001, Harvey seconds
·    Brian proposes to reduce Selectmen line by $10,000 and Land Use line by $5,000
·    Brian explains that part of his decision making process has to do with the fact that the attorney never replied to a request that the Budget Committee asked him to send.
·    Continued discussion regarding budget and costs
·    Rick wants it known that he thinks it’s irresponsible to cut a budget because we feel that an individual isn’t doing their job
Motion carries 6-5

Personnel Administration:
- Rick makes a motion to approve $445,818, Kevan seconds
·    Discussion regarding retirement funds for State and Police Department employees – rate is set by the state.
Motion fails 5-6
- Bob makes a motion to approve $413,256, Brian seconds
·    Bob proposes reducing Health and Dental by 10% each
Elisha questions which budget they are working with, Bob has one dated 11/29/11 and Elisha has one dated 9/26/11.  There was a new budget that was dated 11/29/11, with the new health rate, which was put in Brian’s box today. Brian asks if the board wants to look at the new budget.  Rick wants it noted that he feels it is irresponsible that Brian didn’t give the new documents to the board members before discussing the budget.
·    Discussion about the budget
Motion carries 7-4

Financial Administration:
- Ken makes a motion to approve $118,564, Rick seconds
·    Elisha questions how often the town changes auditors – they don’t, they did in the past and it didn’t work; they have different actual auditors, but stay with the same company
·    Discussion regarding budget
·    Kevan makes a Friendly Amendment to reduce the motion to $118,064 – reducing bank fees by $500 – Ken and Rick accept
- Motion carries 9-1 with 1 abstention – Ted abstains, as he is the Assistant Treasurer

Insurance:
- There is a correction in the proposed budget – after the board approved it, there was notification from the local government center that these rates will not increase, so changing figure back to $60,998 – level funding from current year.
- Rick makes a motion to approve $60,998, Kevan seconds
- Motion carries 11-0

Conservation:
- Before budget discussion began, Gus Ruth asks that Bob recuse himself due to perceived bias towards himself as well as the Conservation Committee.  In support of this position, Gus cited a number of statements Bob had made in the past including that Bob had stated that Gus was a hypocrite. For each statement that Bob was alleged to have made Gus offered information to refute the statement. Brian allowed Bob the floor to respond advising that the decision to recuse himself was Bob's decision alone. Bob stated that Gus's examples were accurate and he would not recuse himself as he feels the statements are true. Bob reiterated his statement that Gus was a Hypocrite. Kevan wanted it noted for the record that he felt this was slander and not the opinion of the board and that he has demonstrated why he should recuse himself due to the fact that he cannot divorce himself, personally from his emotions and the matter before the board.  Bob reiterates that he will not recuse himself
- Bob makes a motion to approve $1,252, Brian seconds
·    Bob recommends zeroing out the Exotic Plants line, supplies to $1, Building Grounds and Maintenance to $1
·    Discussion regarding the budget
- Motion carries 6-4 with 1 abstention

- Jack makes a motion to discuss the Highway Block Grant, Harvey seconds
- Motion carries 9-0 with 2 abstentions
- Kevan makes a motion to approve $142,000, Kathy seconds
- Motion carries 9-0 with 2 abstentions

- Rick makes a motion that all budgets and information relating to budgets be distributed before the first motion is made and that no information be held from the board at the Chairman’s discression, Kevan seconds
- Motion carries 11-0

- Rick makes a motion that requires all e-mail communication that the Chairman does on behalf of the committee have all members cc’d and kept informed on all committee business and communication.  Kevan inquires whether doing this might be construed as a meeting that was not duly posted and getting into a gray area.  Brian states that he will bring in copies of any e-mail correspondence to the meetings in case anyone would like to see it.

-    Bob wants to make a point of order. He wants to read into the minutes a note that has been he heard that Gus Ruth passed out to the public regarding the Transfer Station Closing, which has Budget Committee names and numbers. He has received numerous threatening phone calls regarding it.  The note reads as follows:

TRANSFER STATION CLOSING  ???
The Winchester Budget Committee, meeting on November
10, voted to zero the pay line for the Winchester employee
  who holds the license to run the transfer station.  As a result,
   If the budget passes as presented by the budget
Committee. The transfer station will close on July 2012.
Members voting to zero the personal payroll for the transfer
   station were:

Bob Davis, ph# 239-7299
Hubert Crowell, ph# 239-6197
Ted Ryll, ph # 239-4745
Harvey Sieran, ph# 239-6240
Brian Moser, ph# 239-8952

- Gus states that he gave that note to one person at the transfer station, he didn’t stand down at the transfer station passing them out. He further states that if there’s something wrong with that note to tell him and he will apologize.

- Kevan makes a motion to adjourn, Harvey seconds
- Motion carries 11-0

- Meeting adjourns at 8:42pm

         

Library officials make things better

Last week a letter written by Mrs. Carol Vogeley was published in the Keene Sentinel in regards to the Thayer Library and her feelings towards certain staff members and recent events. Below is a reply to her letter from the Chairman of the Thayer Library Committee.


I am saddened that Carol Vogeley from a nearby town has had to resort to misquoting members of the Thayer Library.  No one ever referred to the Ashuelot Christmas and holiday event as a “grab and go” except for Mrs. Vogeley herself.  The meeting tapes can prove that.  We were discussing bringing the event inside, into the meeting room at the library. It was also discussed that music did not happen at the one first event, even though a musician was there for the event, and that therefore it had potential to be even more of a community event, were the community engaged more.

We are all glad that this holiday event has been happening, and hope it becomes better and better.

Mrs. Vogeley, unfortunately also is misinformed about her details on expenditures of library finances regarding electricity.  We hope that in the future she is able to attend those meetings in person before writing letters that are pebbled with hearsay and criticism, when we are all working together for the good of the community.

I would like to thank the active, current Thayer Public Library Trustees, and especially Harriet Charland, for obtaining a Children’s Literacy Foundation grant, and bringing in $2,000 worth of books into the community and into our village library, to benefit our children.

Working for the positive, even if that means changes that are uncomfortable, is a goal that we aspire to, and you cannot please everyone, especially when it involves major change and renewal which the Library needed.

JULIA FERRARI
Chairman
Thayer Public Library
P.O. Box 111

Doesn't This Have A Familar Ring To It ?

A lawsuit says Marlborough's selectmen have violated right-to-know laws

 

MARLBOROUGH — Two residents have filed a lawsuit against the town’s board of selectmen, claiming town officials violated state right-to-know laws.
Robert Cameron and Loretta Simonds filed the suit in Cheshire County Superior Court on Nov. 23. In their brief, Cameron and Simonds allege that for months, selectmen have been holding nonpublic meetings without proper reasons and sealing the minutes, illegally altering minutes, and withholding public information.

“None of these six months of nonpublic meetings were legal,” Simonds said. “And the sealing of minutes that were nonpublic — that’s not legal. Our town government is trying to conduct business in secret.”
Cameron and Simonds, both longtime Marlborough residents, said they became concerned with the board’s actions last winter, when they felt that the board was using nonpublic meetings to harass Marlborough Police Chief Christopher J. Lyons.
State law says any meeting of selectmen must be announced at least two days before the meeting is held. Simonds claims that in Marlborough, this does not happen.
Simonds alleged that selectmen frequently discuss town business outside of meetings, communicating through emails and at unscheduled meetings.
“I saw them meeting at the cafe in town, and they were discussing town business,” Simonds said. “When I asked if the meeting had been posted, (Selectman) John Northcott replied, ‘Impromptu.’ ”
Simonds and Cameron are also claiming that the selectmen are abusing the ability to hold nonpublic meetings. They believe selectmen are frequently misinterpreting and over-citing the law to hold nonpublic sessions where they discuss business that should be discussed in public.
Simonds also said many of the minutes are inaccurate, when compared with her recordings of meetings, and in some instances, minutes have been altered without discussion at a meeting. Simonds said she started recording meetings over the summer when she began to suspect the board was violating the law.
“The minutes are supposed to be a summary, but no one can trust the accuracy of them anymore — and if we can’t trust that, then what else are they doing that we don’t even know about,” Simonds said.
Selectman John Northcott said the board is looking forward to straightening everything out.
“We feel that there are cases when it is not appropriate and when it is to have public meetings, and we believe we are following the spirit of the law,” he said. “We don’t believe that the case has much validity. We’re going to respond to those charges in court and we’re going to be correct.”

Winchester's Select Board has been sued before for just this type of violations and still they continue to violate the laws with their new policies and closed door sessions .. maybe Winchester residents should follow this suit closely and perhaps file their own.