Selectmen Double down on Corruption

Once again the Selectmen choose corruption over integrity.

A short background:

Late last year the Conflict of Interest Committee(COI) received three complaints. The first alleging that all three selectmen had conflicts in appointing Sapia to the school board, both from the close association with him and their joint service on the BOS, and their conflicts with the other candidates, necessitated recusal. The second, alleged that Consentino, once again violated the ordinance by voting on pay raises for PD personnel which could affect his wife. The third, was for illegally going into a non- public meeting to discuss the Sapia Appointment.

The COI ruled the three selectmen in violation in the two regarding their behavior and Consentino in violation again, in the complaint against him. Also given Consentino's serial violations both of the ordinance and Court Orders regarding his violations of the ordinance, they recommended removal from office.

Here is where honesty, and integrity was given the shaft, by our Corruptocrats on the BOS, INCLUDING the new member, Groski, who as an attorney SHOULD have been schooled in ethics.

Once the COI sent their recommendation to the BOS, the BOS repeatedly put the chairman of COI off from announcing their findings at the towns Monday night business meeting, until AFTER THE ELECTION!, Claiming they did not want to affect the vote. Then they placed him on the agenda for the Mar. 23rd meeting, then bumped him off, and printed in bright red letter on the agenda THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC COMMENT ALLOWED AT THIS MEETING.

The BOS ALSO decided to appoint a selectman liason to the COI, something not allowed in the ordinance, as the BOS has absolutely ZERO authority over the COI. They tried to get Sumner to represent them in this matter but even Sumner had the integrity to recuse himself due to his conflicts in representation.

At this weeks meeting, once again forbidding public comment, the selectmen VOTED UPON THEIR OWN PUNISHMENT!! They also decided, referring to an apparent prior meeting(where and when did this meeting take place, and where are the minutes?) not to punish Consentino. They further decided to hire outside legal consultants to represent them.

The LEGAL AND PROPER thing for them to do would have been to send this to Rockingham Superior Court, to determine their, and Consentino's punishment to avoid any further conflicts, but they couldn't take THAT option as Rockingham Superior Court has already issued Court Orders AGAINST Consentino for violating the ordinance, and subsequently found him in Contempt of Court for violating those Orders.

Oh, what a tangled web they weave, when first they set out to deceive.