Dedicated to Restoring & Maintaining Integrity in Goffstown Government

 

 

 

Articles and editorials by local and state newspapers continue
December 15, 2006 

GOFFSTOWN -
 
Ten days ago, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) rejected a simple request by a Goffstown resident to augment their meeting minutes to reflect individual member votes on motions brought before them. That rejection, and the board's subsequent failure to reconsider it at their next meeting, has led to a public outrage unprecedented since last year's police/fire merger fiasco.  

The motion to include names in the minutes, brought by board member Nick Campasano on behalf of resident Guy Caron, and seconded by John Caprio, failed by a 2-3 vote.  Selectmen Phil D'Avaza, Barbara Griffin and Bruce Hunter voted against.

Interestingly, D'Avaza, Griffin and Hunter are also the only three remaining members of that same BOS who attempted to consolidate the town's fire and police departments without voter approval last year.

Fortunately for Goffstown voters, two of them (Griffin and Hunter) are up for re-election in March...

Since the GRA's first article on the subject appeared on December 5th, both the Manchester Union Leader/New Hampshire Sunday News and the Goffstown News have published several articles and editorials chastising the dissenting members of the BOS for their failure to acknowledge their accountability to voters when taking positions on issues brought before them.

The BOS meets again on December 18th.  We urge all residents to attend this meeting and insist that the board reconsider their position and approve openness and accountability to the very voters who put them in office.

Please support selectmen Campasano and Caprio in this effort.  

Make your position known

Regardless of the outcome of this coming Monday's BOS meeting, the Goffstown Residents Association will be continuing its effort to work with our representatives in the state legislature to amend New Hampshire's Right-To-Know law so as to mandate the recording of individual member votes in all local government entities such as our own board of selectmen. 

You can - and do - make a difference!  Contact D'Avanza, Griffin and Hunter directly and make your position known:

Philip D'Avanza: Term expires in 2008
     7 Orchard Street, Manchester, NH 03102 
     Phone: (603) 668-2256
 
Barbara J. GriffinChairperson, up for re-election in March 2007
     84 Merrill Road, Goffstown, NH 03045
     Phone: (603) 497-8286    
     Email:  bgriffinlo@aol.com
 
Bruce F. HunterVice-chairperson, Up for re-election in March 2007
     23 Channel Lane, Goffstown, NH 03045-5265
     Phone: (603) 622-7123  
     Email:  zippobfh27@verizon.net


Further, we urge you to contact all of your elected representatives in this matter.  Help us work towards amending New Hampshire's Right-To-Know law to mandate the recording of individual member votes in all local government entities.  Click here for contact information on elected officials representing YOU

 

RELATED INFORMATION:

RELATED INFORMATION:

December 15, 2006 - Manchester Union Leader Editorial
Dark in Goffstown: Selectmen hide from public >> 

December 14, 2006 - Goffstown News Article
Selectmen want no vote record >> 

December 14, 2006 - Goffstown News Editorial
We have a right to know how selectmen vote >>

December 12, 2006 - GRA Article
Selectmen ignore outrage over right-to-know issue

December 10, 2006 - New Hampshire Sunday New Article
Right to know concerns raised in Goffstown >> 

December 5, 2006 - GRA Article

Griffin, D'Avanza and Hunter vote against public's right-to-know

New Hampshire RSA 91-A:2

 

 

 

 


Copyright© 2006, Goffstown Residents Association.  All Rights Reserved.