A DELIBERATE AMBUSH OF SUPERINTENDENT GREEN

It is very difficult to choose which violation of the Council Working Rules to address first.  However, I chose the most blatant and obvious one to report first.  At last night’s meeting Mr. Edward Karass performed a character assassination of Superintendent Richard Green.  This type of behavior is a direct violation of paragraph 7b, Decorum, of the Council Working Rules.

Mr. Karass apparently had conducted a review of several years of the School Department’s financial situation.  All during Mr. Karass’s presentation, he blamed everything on Mr. Green and at one point made it very personal by referring to who likes who and he didn’t care.

The funny part of this entire attack is that Mr. Green was blamed for everything.  Not once did Mr. Karass address that the School Department had received guidance from the former Town Manager, Stephen G. Eldridge, former Finance Director, Jessica Malloy, former Councilors.  Keep in mind, the previous Councils approved the School Department budget every year except this year. 

 If this information that Mr. Karass brought out has gone on for years without being addressed, why is this restricted to Mr. Green?   

Last years’ budget was approved by the previous Interim Town Manager Dale Olmstead, Finance Director Jessica Malloy, Councilors Dillion Pesce, Eric Metivier, Roger Bickford, and Chris Brunelle.  Why weren’t any of these people mentioned?  No one was mentioned except Mr. Green.

You can tell this was a deliberate character assassination because Chairman Pesce would not put a stop to this even after I called for “Point of order” twice and was ignored.  A point of order stops all action until the point of order is resolved.  The Town Manager, Diane Barnes, Town Attorney, Dan Stafford, sat there like bumps on a log and did nothing to stop this or advise Chairman Pesce of what action needs to be taken on a point of order.   

All during this attack, Mr. Karass never mentioned anyone else’s name.  Mr. Karass made it sound like everything was Mr. Green’s fault.  It was easy to tell this was a setup by the Town Manager and Chairman Pesce.  This type of action is covered in their own Council Working Rules but unfortunately Chairman Pesce has ignored both their own Council Working Rules and the Town Charter on numerous occasions. 

I fail to understand why this type of conduct continues to go on.  Chairman Pesce has violated their own rules just to suit his purpose.

Councilors are supposed to put their personal feelings aside and try to do what is best for the community.  Chairman Pesce, Councilors Bickford and Metivier are on a vendetta against the School Department.

Mr. Green provided a presentation which showed that the School Department has met the Town Council’s directive for cutting $600,000.00.  According to the figures Mr. Green has cut over $618,000.00 plus. 

 Why are they still playing games?

Larry Fillmore