Laurie Ortolano, Author at Granite Grok

Another Nashua Sandbagging

September 26, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

This past Saturday, property owners were taken aback by the unexpected arrival of letters announcing new 2024 statistical citywide assessments. The suddenness of this news, even catching our elected Alderman off guard, sparked a wave of surprise and concern that reverberated across social media for two days, with nearly 1000 posts. Why is this so … Read more

Donchess performing arts center money bag

Mr. Mayor, Return our Stolen Property

September 19, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

We had property stolen from us in Nashua. It was a property we paid for with our tax dollars, which belonged to us. It was public property, where the money going in and out of it was to be accountable to citizens. We purchased the property in 2018 for just over $2 million. The Mayor … Read more

Nashua’s Misuse of Bond Money

September 14, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

Many Nashua citizens have lost confidence in our city officials’ ability to handle FUNDING complex municipal projects transparently. One recent project even questioned whether the city has complied with NH State laws. This project was the Performing Arts Center (PAC). The result has been a loss of confidence in City Hall and a more costly new Arts … Read more

Nashua’s Performing Arts Center and the New Market Tax Credit Scheme

August 30, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

New Hampshire’s Mascoma Bank is the hub for distributing the Federal Government’s New Market Tax Credit money, designed to provide investor tax credits for projects developed in low-income neighborhoods that improve the economic conditions of those living in hardship. Typical project developments include food, health, and education businesses. Mascoma Bank allocated NMTC funding for Nashua’s … Read more

The Secrecy of Nashua’s Economic Development Office

August 28, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

In 2022, I filed the Right to Know Lawsuit in Nashua Superior Court with claims against Nashua’s Economic Development office. The lawsuit primarily concerned the lack of notice of public meetings and posting minutes and records involving economic development projects. Citizens (including myself) were frustrated by the inability to locate, access, and obtain records and … Read more

Aldermen Moran’s Motion to Kill Free Speech at Our Annual Budget Hearing

August 16, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

On June 17th, 2024, the Board of Alderman held its annual FY24-25 budget hearing. The hearing permits citizens to question spending in any City division or department on a $320,000,000 budget. Alderman Dowd has established ground rules but often changes them during the hearing. If he doesn’t like how citizens question the spending of taxpayer … Read more

Nashua’s Disregard for the Law

August 8, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

Nashua Attorneys take orders from the Mayor, but when those orders violate the constitution, state statutes, or City laws, shouldn’t the Attorneys make a hard stop and comply with the law? Not in Nashua. The Budget Review Committee (BRC) holds public meetings starting in May to review each department’s budget. In June, the Board of … Read more

City of Nashua seth-dewey-EOlo15oy8Ks-unsplash

Hampton Officials Acknowledge Wrongdoing; Nashua Officials Play The Blame Game

August 5, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

A news story ran recently about the Hampton Town Clerk being forced to resign after the AG’s office determined she mishandled election ballots, breaking the law. Town officials were quoted acknowledging the woman who identified the mishandling and the wrongdoing positively and vowed to take action to restore their citizens’ trust in fair and free … Read more

Struggling for Access: The City of Nashua’s Impenetrable Wall of Redactions

April 27, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

On Monday, April 22, 2024, I attended a status conference at the Nashua Superior Court for citizens petitioning the Court to review the City’s redactions on emails associated with the construction of the Art Center.

Taxpayers Left in the Dark on Performing Arts Funds

April 25, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

The urgency for transparency in using Nashua taxpayers’ hard-earned money is not just important; it’s paramount. As a state that prides itself on transparency, New Hampshire citizens should demand openness and accountability, particularly for publicly funded discretionary projects.

The Unethical Tactics of Attorney Hilliard and Attorney Bolton to Impede a Fair Trial

April 5, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

I recently filed two Attorney Discipline Office complaints, one against Attorney Hilliard and another against Attorney Bolton for failing to provide me with a properly and equitably marked exhibit book for a December 2023 Trial in which I am seeking records on the downtown barriers and the Nashua Performing Arts Center.

The War on Your Right to Know: Bias Against Pro Se Litigants

March 30, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

I have spent three years in the Nashua South civil court addressing records disputes with the City of Nashua. During this time, I’ve gained experience formulating an opinion on the impartiality of the Nashua judges in hearing cases brought against Cities.

Judges Should Conduct Themselves Impartially, but This Is Not Happening in Nashua

March 25, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

Nashua’s Superior Court civil judges appear to align with the Nashua City Attorneys on Right to Know (RTK) cases. Judges are required by their ethics rules and training to conduct themselves impartially, but this is not happening in Nashua. I’ve been before two judges for my cases: Judge Temple and Judge Colburn.

If You Want to Change the Right to Know Law, Give Citizens More Power, Not The Government

March 19, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

I have been in court for over three years, arguing for transparency in Nashua’s public records. The experience has been profoundly disappointing. The courts are overburdened and under-resourced and often appear aligned with the city.

Nashua Judges have to Stop Enabling Nashua’s Corporation Counsel Attorney Bolton

March 14, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

On February 28, 2024, Nashua Superior Court held a Motions hearing where a plaintiff was representing herself against the City of Nashua. Attorney Bolton appeared to represent the City.

Nashua’s Malicious Email Game

March 2, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

Late in the fall of 2023, the Supreme Court issued mandates that ordered the City of Nashua to follow the trial court’s order in two Right-to-Know (RTK) Petitions and produce emails stored on backup tape. The email records requested were for two months of specific records within Nashua’s assessing office.

HB1002 – Charging fees for Right-to-Know Requests

February 6, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

HB1002 recently passed the House by about a dozen votes and now heads to the Senate for deliberations. This Bill permits municipalities to establish a policy to charge up to $25 per hour for requests that take over 10 hours to fill.

Hizzoner and the AG Disagree

February 4, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

On January 11, 2024, the AG’s office issued a Cease and Desist Order to Mayor Donchess for electioneering during the 2021 campaign. Electioneering is a criminal misdemeanor under RSA 659. That year, against the vote of the Board of Alderman, the Mayor led a ballot initiative to change how the police commissioners would be appointed.

Musical Chairs

January 27, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

Remember how fun it was in grade school playing the game of musical chairs? You’d circle around the chairs to music and when the music stopped everyone had to grab a chair. But, they were one short. Out went the kid who didn’t get the seat. It was a frantic, fun game that honed kids’ … Read more

The Martyrs and Heroes of New Hampshire’s Right-to-Know Law

January 12, 2024 Laurie Ortolano

I have been involved with Right-to-Know litigation in the City of Nashua for four years now, and the experiences have left me with a story to tell. How does a citizen bring an RTK case to court? Realistically, you have to represent yourself and file pro se.