Last week I made a case for why Nashua School Board President Heather Raymond should step aside. New information only reinforces that argument.
You can read my initial thoughts here, but this sums it up.
You have as much obligation to the process as you do to the business of the board or that business is illegitimate. That responsibility lies with you and you alone. You either subverted that process deliberately or were encouraged to do so by other board members.
Neither circumstance qualifies you to lead.
She violated the law in her pursuit of a vendetta and is incapable of the sort of leadership the role demands. So, what, if possible, could make matters worse?
Heather Raymond’s initial justification for the “official” press release demanding the resignation of a fellow board member followed conversations between herself, Susan Porter, Bill Mosher, and Dotty Oden.
That’s four and even an illegal action needs five for a “quorum.” And depending on which of Heather’s remarks you believe there were five or more or less.
Board member Ray Guarino has defended Raymond. Likely because he started the process and encouraged the result. Guarino ignited the dispute on April 30th in a “prophetic” email expressing his concern, directed to Hohensee, Raymond, and Timmons” so as not to include a quorum to violate the state’s RTK law.”
Guarino now knows nothing. Raymond agrees.
Timmons, who is reported as “out of town” when the press release went public, thinks that means something in the context of an illegal meeting that never happened in the age of smartphones, text, and email. Timmons knew nothing and Raymond agrees.
So, other than Raymond, no one in this original email thread had any idea about the press release until Raymond issued it. But somewhere along the way, Raymond communicated with three other members of the Board to arrive at four. Or was it five? Or Maybe six?
In an email dated May 10th, Heather Raymond states that “a majority of the board members each individually contacted me to express outrage and concern over Doris’s behavior. I would not have acted otherwise.”
Assuming the President of the Nashua Board of Education can do basic math, that means a number larger than four.
What does ‘Individually Contacted” Mean?
On May 15th, Nashua BOE President Raymond admits to driving over to Bill Mosher’s house to notify him of her concerns. So, the daisy-chain of emails out of the President’s control now means driving to another board members home. Did Heather Raymond drive to anyone else’s home? Was it a majority of board members homes or less? Was she in control when she did it?
Should we believe any answer she provides?
Why the John Le Carre spy novel theatrics? Why not just call a meeting as required by law? Perhaps BOE president Raymond feels as if the Law would constrain her from attaining the desired outcome?
Should the people of Nashua assume this is the first time?
The President of the Nashua Board of Education issued an official public statement “from the board” to the press calling for a fellow board member to resign. Without a majority of the board’s knowledge (depending on the story you believe). Without ever notifying the accused or providing them a public forum for their defense before issuing demands. And, potentially, with a quorum (depending on the story you believe) making a majority of that board in violation.
There are multiple versions of this story but all of them violate the State’s open meeting rule.
However it happened, Heather Raymond subverted that process deliberately or was encouraged to do so by other board members. What hope do citizens have of any fair hearing on any issue before this board given these circumstances?
None.
