Boy! You Should Have Been There!

Paris Selectmen's regularly scheduled meeting Monday, 7-13-09
The scene was alive, wired, and reactionary. Ever been to a kids' basketball game? How about a Little League game? One focused audience, and a selectboard with mixed agendas.
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(Review this site's posting Thursday 7-9-09, "So, Now What?")

Near the very beginning of the meeting…Selectman Herrick, "Mr. Chairman, have we reviewed any of the legalities of taking…of approving the minutes of June 22nd in view of what has been realized took place in '99? Have you checked any legality on this? On the things…on the actions in the minutes of June 22?"
Chairman Ivey, "Not at this time."

After Manager's Update in agenda…Ch. Ivey, "We'll enter into Citizens' Comments here. I just have a little…. On June 22nd, this board of selectmen voted to exercise the termination conditions and pay schedule for the previous town manager's contract and this is the official position of the board. So, I'll open the meeting up to allow for questions and comments."
Selectman Glover, [also a citizen of Paris] Mr. Chairman?
Ch. Ivey, "Nope. Only after Manager's Update [which this was]. I'm not going to allow circumvention of the rules here. This board's going to go by the policy and procedures that have been set up. So [addressing audience], anybody out here?"
Forrie Everett, [chair, Budget Committee] ". …Where's the money coming from, the extra money to pay the interim manager, to pay the office workers who are working 40 hours and should have been cut back to 36 as of July 1st? Right now we're 13 days in the hole. There should be an audit made on the tax money that's been collected since you three decided to do what you wanted to do. Where's the money coming from for that? The budget's been set, written in stone for this year; I don't know [turning to face audience] if they're going to...start robbing Peter to pay Paul - or [turning back to board] are you going to do what you're supposed to do and have a town meeting and approve the moneys that are being foolishly spent? Do you have an answer for that?" [Audience has become restless, is murmuring and exclaiming…]
Ch. Ivey, "Well, most of your questions are personnel matters that we can't discuss…"
F.E.,"What personnel questions?" [Audience is approaching unruly…]
Ch. Ivey, [Admonishing audience] "Uh-uh-uh-uh!"
F.E., "What personnel? What do you mean you can't discuss?
Ch. Ivey, "What we're going to pay an interim town manager and what we're going…"
F.E., "I didn't ask you what you were paying him; I asked you where the money was going to come from."
Ch. Ivey, "We haven't discussed that."
F.E., "You haven't given it a thought, have you? [Audience is about to become really unruly]
Ch. Ivey, "That wasn't my answer…."
[Audience has passed unruly and is clearly into loud and boisterous; the 2 speakers shouting at each other]
Ch. Ivey, "Forrie, I'll have you removed…" [Audience is just about on its feet with aggravation]
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Editor's note: F.E. is right: Where IS the money going to come from?