Now, I don’t have any dog in this fight but the Daily Sun doesn’t go after most elected officials (the Gunstock Incident excepted and they did kinda pick sides). I read the article and I have no insight or expertise on Human Resource so I’m not going to comment on the thrust of what reporter Jon Decker covered on so many Belknap County Sheriff Department employees have left. Just not my deal.
That said, this did catch my eye as I’ve been covering the Belknap County Delegation in detail lately – mostly because it seems that Leadership doesn’t care about Following the Law or what the Public should know with respect to their meetings and yes, I have more Right To Know to post – and write (reformatted, emphasis mine):
…Grenier and Roberts said they were both dismissed from their positions within a week of Wright’s re-election.
“One of the things most sheriff’s departments strive to do is make it feel like the deputies do not feel like they are a political organization,” said Roberts, who initially supported Wright during his 2020 bid. “If there’s an overtone to this, it is that in the last two years since the new sheriff, this is a political organization at every step.”
…“One of the things most sheriff’s departments strive to do is make it feel like the deputies do not feel like they are a political organization,” said Roberts, who initially supported Wright during his 2020 bid. “If there’s an overtone to this, it is that in the last two years since the new sheriff, this is a political organization at every step.”
“We serve at the will of the sheriff. He doesn’t have to explain anything to us. We got discharge letters served to us by a deputy, which I guess is required, but he didn’t even speak to us,” Grenier said. Grenier also categorized the hiring of three of Wright’s political supporters, Rich Mann, Jim McIntyre and Rep. Doug Trottier (R-Belmont), as a political “quid pro-quo.”
Recently, McIntyre was promoted to chief deputy, and Trottier to sergeant. As a state representative, Trottier sits on the Belknap County Delegation, and recently brought HB 357, which would double the term of office for Belknap County attorney, register of deeds, treasurer and sheriff. Rep. Travis O’Hara (R-Belmont) recently applied for a position as a dispatcher, but did not get the job.
Belknap County Sheriff Bill Wright is here. And as far as going political – if someone is seeking a political office, then it has, by definition, political overtones and atmosphere.. However, those whom you surround yourself with matters (like with the new BCRC folks who seemingly had the Democrat PAC, Citizens for Belknap, lurking in the background).
There is absolutely NO need for Belknap County elected officials to be “special” with respect to having a length of term moved from two years to four years. Yes, Rockingham County politics got that “gimme” last session; IMHO, they shouldn’t have. They aren’t that special to be placed “above” everyone else. We have no recall mechanism here in NH and the response, when folks try to get it passed, is that folks everywhere only serve for two years – the “recall” is a quick turnaround.
Hmmm. I decided who else signed onto HB357 which was to ; I was not surprised (repeat the CoB reference from above):
- Rep. Doug Trottier (R) (Prime Sponsor) Belknap County
- Rep. Juliet Harvey-Bolia (R) Belknap County
- Rep. Mike Bordes (R) Belknap County
- Rep. Steven Bogert (R) (he with the MOST Excellent command of RSA 91-A / Right To Know),
- Senator Howard Pearl (R)
The first four were endorsed by the Democrat Political Action Committee Citizens for Belknap. So was Wright (running as both a Republican and a Democrat). The only connection between Pearl and Trottier / Bordes is that their campaigns received thousands of dollars from Brodie Deshaies’ Common Sense PAC which in turn, was almost totally funded by Union Money. Three peas in Union pod.
I have been told that Trottier also worked on Wright’s re-election campaign as well as Harvey-Bolia.
Really Bad Political Optics.
Quid Quo Pro.
