I attended my 2nd annual local candidates’ forum, which not all candidates attended, at the library. As Alderman Dowd’s opponent in 2023 and declining the League of Women Voters’ invitation to the Nashua library for such an event, I am not in a position to judge anyone for being absent. However, I will judge one of the absent candidates for her lunacy. More on that in a moment. Not all candidates had an opponent, so I will make endorsements for candidates in just 3 races: selectman, Budget Committee, and School Board.
Before I get started, I will note that last year’s event was standing room only, and I would say the attendance(of non-candidates) was perhaps half of that this time, but the McGuires were there. I made a point of telling them I was glad to see them because the attendees of last year’s event had viciously insulted them, to the point that I was disgusted with my new fellow townspeople. Great refreshments were served, and I give a 5-star review to those chocolate cookies with vanilla chunks.
Let’s start with selectman, but before doing so, I will note that I took advantage of the opportunity to write a question on an index card for the moderator to ask. It was for former Rep Klose, and I said, “Your opponent voted to recommend Warrant Article 15. If you were the incumbent, would you have done so also?” Readers might remember my earlier article against TIFs in Epsom. As luck would have it, my question turned out not to need to be asked because during the opening part, candidates were given 3 minutes apiece to introduce themselves, say why they’re running, and why they should be elected.
I arrived undecided, and I now thank Cheryl Gilpatrick for her service. I’ve met her a few times. She’s a nice lady, she made a good speech, I respect the merit of reason behind recommending allowing TIFs, and it’s not the end of the world if she gets reelected because I’m satisfied with her attention to detail in reviewing the budget. However, Rep Klose won my vote in his introductory statement. Yeah, I’ll admit that he stroked my ego by mentioning my article, which is in the Suncook Valley Taxpayer mailer in the form of a shortened version. The takeaway is that he passionately agrees to NOT invite the Trojan Horse(allowing TIFs) into town. In his mic time, he even mentioned some additional details of the RSA that I was unfamiliar with.
I don’t fancy myself a single-issue voter, but the words of Lily Tang Williams’ older campaign video come to mind. She said, “I fear that the country I love is becoming the country I left.” I do NOT want Epsom to set foot on a path to becoming Nashua. Consider the alarm sounded, and let’s move on to the Budget Committee.
There are 4 candidates running for 3 seats in the Budget Committee, 2 of whom were absent incumbents, for whom the moderator read a brief statement to the audience. One of the present candidates is the wife of a non-incumbent school candidate(more on him in a moment), and the other is an ANDRU VOLINSKY FAN! Danger, Will Robinson. Anyone who praises Comrade Volinsky needs to be kept as far away from any office(elected, appointed or hired) that involves making decisions about money as humanly possible. I will say it again. Do NOT vote for Miriam Cahill Yeaton(MCY). Furthermore, she is the author of duplicate warrant articles(one for the town and one for the school), which are essentially resolutions condemning EFAs. No matter how much concern or criticism you have for the institution of EFAs, this woman is unhinged. I should have asked her what her plans are for this Friday, the 13th, while all sound-minded Granite Staters celebrate the day Comrade Volinsky becomes ineligible to be a judge.
Saving the school board race for last, there are 3 candidates running for 2 seats, and I am going to “bullet vote” incumbent Gordon Ellis. Gordon is the voice of reason and votes correctly. Prior to this event, I wasn’t sure if I was going to vote for 2 or just Gordon, but I already knew I did NOT want Carol Zink Mailloux(CZM). There was a resignation last summer, and the 4 remaining members of the body appointed CZM to complete the former member’s term.
I attended a school budget hearing on October 22 at Pembroke Academy, so this was for all of the schools, not just Epsom Central School. Gordon Ellis made a plea to his peers to “take it easy on the spending” right after the meeting was called to order, but it fell on deaf ears for the most part, which included CZM and the 2 other Epsom members in attendance. CZM voted for increases, so I was already a big NO on her, but then it became clear that she wants to get rid of Gordon Ellis. For the urban reader, let’s just say that Gordon is the Epsom version of Paula Johnson, the lone dissenter who refuses to march to the beat of the NTU drum. CZM was absent, so the moderator read her statement to the audience. In it she said she wanted voters to elect Andrew Fisher with her. I’d like to tell CZM where to go and what to do to herself, but let’s talk about the new candidate, Andrew Fisher.
I did some internet research on Andrew Fisher prior to the event and was considering voting for him in addition to Gordon Ellis, but he complained about something that happened at the school deliberative session. Someone had moved to trim $100G from the special education line of the proposed budget. When the moderator asked if it was 2nded, I wasted no time raising my hand and saying “2nd” loud enough to be heard from the back of the gymnasium. Discussion and debate were had, and the motion ultimately and sadly failed. Andrew Fisher essentially condemned what happened, even though it was a good motion and proper procedure was followed each step of the way. It sounds to me like Andrew Fisher strives to prevent such a thing from happening in the future. In my opinion, the only thing that shouldn’t have happened was the failure itself, but it was par for the course when not enough good people show up for the deliberative session. I’m not a fan of his wife, either, who is a Budget Committee candidate, but she’s certainly better than that Volinsky fan(MCY), so I have to vote for Mrs Fisher as the lesser of two evils.
While I was there, I meant to ask who paid for the vast multitude of “No on open enrollment” yard signs seen all along my way to and home from the library. Whether or not you, I, or the next person supports open enrollment, I thought all political advertising had to say who paid for it. Maybe local elections are exempt. Maybe I’ll ask Scanlan. If you happen to know if disclosing who paid is required for warrant article advertising, please put the RSA in the comments. And lastly, if your local election is on Tuesday, don’t forget to vote.
