Never a town to avoid scandal, Atkinson is at it again.
They are holding a “candidates night” for the “public” to get to know the people running for office.
One such guy is the thug and former Atkinson part time police chief, Phil Consentino. He is a small time bully who has always abused his office and that landed him in the position of NOT being police chief after a sexual harassment settlement last year.
He is back running for selectman.
The Atkinson bullies used to depend on favorable rulings by former Superior Court Judge John Lewis (Columbia educated) to stay out of trouble. Thankfully, Lewis has retired and we hope never to see his kind again anywhere in New Hampshire .
When Consentino was shown the door last year from his part time position it left him in a bad way. Former police chiefs who abuse their position either have to get out of town or get back in some position of power.
Consentino has chosen to soil the selectman’s office with his presence.
And here we go, off to a pre-election start.
The clique that runs Atkinson is having a “candid night” event to meet the candidates.
The thug will be up front with real candidates but no questions of this sort will be allowed by the Moderator Jim Garrity – who should know better!
1. How do the candidates feel about the sexual harassment lawsuit brought against the town by the young lady at Dispatch?
2. Does any candidate know about the out of court settlement?
3. Should the Town of Atkinson release the recent MRI study of the Atkinson Police Department?
4. If the study is not released, how will taxpayers know how to improve the Department, if need be?
5. Since taxpayers paid for the study of the Atkinson Police Department, are they not entitled to know what is in it and whether it was worth the cost?
6. Did the MRI study have any suggestions or observations that can be released separately?
7. Will any candidate promise to recuse themselves from voting on any issue they were personally involved in?
8. Do any of the candidates feel it is fair and in the public’s best interest to refuse legitimate questions that might pertain to one candidate in a public forum based on gaining information about all the candidates?
9. How do the candidates feel about potential conflicts of interests such as a Selectman who’s wife is a dispatcher for the Police Department?
And we could go on and on about how many lawsuits have been brought against the Town of Atkinson due to the actions of each candidate.
That question should be left for last so Phil Consentino can stay overnight explaining.