To add to Paris taxpayers' $125 K-plus cost (see previous posting) caused by politicians run amok, consider the following:
Would Paris voters have been angered enough to mount recalls for 2 elected officials if the vendetta firing hadn't taken place? While the judgment of the 2 recalled officials wasn't always outstanding, would there have been enough energy to mount the large, sustained citizen effort to recall both selectmen if there had not been a motivating factor? You be the judge.
*Cost of recall election 2-5-10 = $1632.48
*Cost of recall election 2-8-10 = $1482.48
*Cost of special election 3-9-10=$1460.84
=$4575.80
If the election costs are added to the $125,184.34 accounting (see previous posting), the total cost becomes $129,760.14
Rather a large lump to hide under any kind of rug, no matter which figures one chooses to include in the lump...
No one in Paris has such a lack of things to do that beating a dead horse is the activity of choice; however, it is ludicrous to think that intelligent citizens can't figure out things for themselves - that they would accept a watered down explanation given in order to make things look better and people feel better.
Same goes for trying to make it look like the settlement figure was a gift, *[see note below] rather than the exact amount owed - and requested - for back pay and severance pay figured at the higher rate of pay using the correct termination date of Oct. 09 vs. the invalid June 09 date. (see previous posting)
*[editor's note: heard from a member at the front table, last selectboard meeting 6-28-10: "She now has this sum of money, and she can do anything she wants with it." ]
So, let's drop the spin.
The Town of Paris did not win this, folks; and nobody should be crowing about what a great job was done on behalf of the town and Sharon Jackson. The settlement amount was correct because it is what she calculated she was owed for the specific period of time she outlined. To their credit, our selectboard responded to that.
Had the town of Paris been the winner, we would not be paying anything on the list of documented costs in the accounting posted below. Had the town been the winner, we would never have lost Sharon Jackson.
Nope. We - and others - lost all around, because of one impetuous, selfish action taken by 3 elected officials, supposedly in our name, but really in their own.
