A smallish crowd - 35, plus 4 selectmen, one town manager, one town clerk taking minutes, and the NPC-TV camera person. The business of the town of Paris was transacted by the book, with decorum and dignity, and absolutely no hint of disorder. To the letter. Absolutely, no exception. At all. None. Every point covered. Completely.
The next to last item was to accept the resignation of Forrie Everett from the budget committee. Forrie has been a vital part of this community and this town's government, and his resignation was accepted, but with regret. He and his wife Pammie will be moving to Florida for the cold weather months, hopefully returning here in the summers. Forrie has made a difference in Paris. We are sorry to lose him.
The final item brought the following resolution by newly elected selectperson, Jean Smart:
"We will meet with our attorney at 6:30 pm, [and] go into executive session at our next meeting [ed. note: March 22]. If the attorney is not available [at that time], then there will be a special meeting scheduled."
Question to Mgr. Tarr, from our also newly elected selectperson, Ted Kurtz: "Can I come in tomorrow and look at the [lawsuit] file?" This is good. Gathering information, coming with questions ready; looking for answers to the questions.
There is still time. Gather information, ask questions, get accurate deadlines and procedures. No one wants this lawsuit. Few even really understand what it is about; and fewer still know how to stop it. We do not have to do this.
If you are one of the 600+ who signed the open letter to selectmen last June saying you were not consulted about the decision to fire; or one of the 1500+ who voted in November for a recall ordinance; or one of the 339 or the 279 to petition for a recall question on the ballot in December; or one of the 487 who turned out at the town meeting on Jan.7 and, after approving the fire truck purchase, defeated every single special agenda item; or one of the over 600+ voters in February who voted 2 selectmen out and another 2 back in - this message is for you:
CONTACT YOUR SELECTMEN. Tell them Paris does not need to go to court. Insist that they investigate, negotiate, and then come to some kind of decision that all parties in this lawsuit can live with. Tell them to find a way.
