Setting the record straight

To the Editor:

I am grateful for the opportunity to set the record straight in regard to allegations made by Mr. Richard R. Dobson Sr. in the August 26th issue of the Piscataquis Observer, which accused me of improperly and illegally using Sangerville’s legal funds to “campaign” against Mr. Dobson’s “Code of Ethics Ordinance”, and personally costing Sangerville’s taxpayers thousands of dollars in legal fees. While Mr. Dobson tells quite a tale and it makes for dramatic reading, his facts are wrong and his allegations are unfounded.

Based on the actual bills from Eaton Peabody, Sangerville’s town counsel, here are the true facts. As of July 31, 2015 we have spent $10,871.40 for legal services so far this year. When we went into Town Meeting in March, we had already spent $6,548.60. The Town voted to appropriate $10,000 for legal fees. So as of today’s date we are $871.40 over our budgeted amount. And, unfortunately, we anticipate further legal fees this year. Despite Mr. Dobson’s accusations that I single handedly ran up these legal bills, the minutes of our Selectmen’s Meetings reflect that all requests for legal services were unanimously approved by the full Board.

So far in 2015, we have spent $3,297.90 on additional motions that Irving McNaughton filed in the fall of 2014, which were heard in Piscataquis County Superior Court in July. Both motions, which attempted to join the Town of Sangerville onto Mr. McNaughton’s lawsuit against me and then to subsequently prohibit the Town from paying the resulting legal bills on my behalf, were denied. In 2014 we spent $2,851.88 on the McNaughton suit. To date Mr. McNaughton’s lawsuit has cost the taxpayers of Sangerville $6,149.78.

Since January we spent $2,752.50 on various general counsel matters such as writing the new Town Manager’s contract; seeking advice on two situations involving tax acquired properties; writing an Ethics Policy for elected and appointed town officials; clarifying state law as it applies to discontinued roads in regard to a dispute over the Easler Road and ATV usage; and responding to issues around open burning permits.

Finally, we have spent $5,578.20 to date on Richard R. Dobson Sr.’s “Code of Ethics Ordinance” and his Freedom of Access Act lawsuit. The full Select Board voted unanimously in November of 2014 to send Mr. Dobson’s Ordinance to Eaton Peabody to review and prepare a written opinion before Town Meeting at a cost of $2,535.00. Mr. Dobson has strenuously objected to the inclusion of Eaton Peabody’s opinion in the 2015 Sangerville Town Report, which instructed the Board to “strongly urge the inhabitants to reject it [Dobson’s “Code of Ethics Ordinance”]…” It is standard practice to send proposed ordinances to legal counsel for review. The residents of the Town of Sangerville paid for that letter, they should have the opportunity to read it. Mr. Dobson’s Ordinance was not treated differently from any other ordinance brought before the Town.

In April Mr. Dobson filed a Freedom of Access Act appeal against the Town which cost $663.00. Then, due to Mr. Dobson’s continuing charges of illegal activities on the part of the Board, the Sangerville Select Board met with our legal counsel to review our actions. Satisfied that we had acted appropriately and within the bounds of the law, the Board then brought Mr. Thad Zmistowski, the Town’s attorney, to our June 11, 2015 Selectmen’s Meeting to meet in open session with Mr. Dobson and address his concerns. Mr. Dobson rejected all of Attorney Zmistowski’s explanations. This cost $2,380.20. A digital recording of this meeting is available at the Sangerville Town Office.

While we are seeking additional legal funds to avoid an overdraft at the end of the year, it is not the only reason the Sangerville Select Board called for a Special Town Meeting. Several situations have developed since March that we feel warrants our seeking direction from the Town such as funding the repair of broken glass in the Town Hall; unexpected ATV signage costs; cost increases due to decreased funding for rebates through Efficiency Maine for the proposed heat pump purchase for the Town Hall; and the need for increased funding to complete the new Sangerville Roll of Honor. We have scheduled a Special Town Meeting for September 8, 2015 at 6:30 PM at the Fire Hall.

Melissa Randall

Selectman, Sangerville