On February 26th, 2018 the town of Mason, New Hampshire invited State Senator Kevin Avard to participate in their 250th anniversary. The attached invitation, signed by Martha Ward, for the Town of Mason, indicates the event will be held on August 25th, 2018.
“We invite you to join us on August 25th for a day of celebrating the founding of our town.”
Sen. Avard accepted and confirmed his appearance and then again in June. But when his office called last week to finalize the details of his participation things got ugly.
Sen. Avard’s assistant Marie called and found herself talking to someone named Barbara DeVore.
By all accounts, Barbara was not kind. Nasty might be a good way to describe it. Marie was told there would be no politicians and that they should not be trying to insert themselves into the event at the last minute. Sen. Avard was abruptly uninvited.
But there is nothing last minute about an invitation from February for an event in August. DeVore the Barbararian must not agree.
So, how does she feel about people elected to public office from Mason? No selectman no town rep., nothing? Why does that seem unlikely? Are they permitted but must remain silent, especially if DeVore the Barbararian does not approve of their politics? If they are permitted then what’s with the selective exclusion of Mason’s sitting State Senator?
Would she feel better if it were former State Senator Democrat Peggy Gilmour? How about Congresswoman Ann Kuster or US Senator Jeanne Shaheen or her mini-me Maggie Hassan?
Would DeVore the Barbararian be giddy as a school girl if one of those politicians inserted themselves (literally) “at the last minute?”
I get the feeling she’d be pleased as punch to see them.
So, it sounds like Barbara is a bit wound up. As in, partisan political “wound up.” So much so that she has yet to apologize to the Senator or his assistant, whom she berated over the phone. That matters because any number of other individuals has apologized. Some in writing. And that’s nice. But at this point, the question of the Senator’s part in the event remains an open one.
Senator Avard was originally going to say a few words and present the town with a resolution from the State Senate commemorating the town’s anniversary. Now he’s not sure what the plan or expectation is. Can he stop by “to insert” the resolution into some other politicians hands to do with what they will?
The event is this Saturday in Mason, New Hampshire. I wonder if we’ll find out before them?
It is worth noting that in the original invitation Sen. Avard is thanked for his efforts to support the arts part of which makes this event possible. The Senator is also a musician and music and artisan crafts are an important focus of the day. It seems logical to invite your sitting State Senator when they are not only a supporter of the arts but an artist themselves whether they are bringing a frameable resolution from the entire State Senate commemorating the town’s 250th birthday or not.
Barbara DeVore had other ideas, I guess, none of which includes an apology.
Town of Mason Invite 2-26-18
