Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Selectboard · Sunapee · August 18, 2025.
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Off-agenda land purchase discussion depriving residents of prior notice or opportunity to attend and comment
At the 8/18 Sunapee Selectboard meeting, land near the harbor was discussed for potential town purchase — with NO public notice. One board member pushed back: 'We don't have any money.' Residents deserved a chance to weigh in be... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/selectboa...
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Off-agenda revelation of unresolved bridge ownership with direct legal and business implications
Sunapee 8/18: The legal ownership of the harbor bridge is unresolved — and that determines whether alcohol can legally be carried across it. This was discovered mid-meeting, off-agenda. Affected businesses and permit holders had... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/selectboa...
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Multi-department staffing crisis and lack of public remediation plan
Sunapee is currently recruiting for 5+ positions simultaneously: Deputy Police Chief (resigned), compliance officer, part-time police officer, crossing guard, deputy assessor, and janitorial. Staff are covering multiple roles. N... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/selectboa...
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Recurring community concern dismissed without substantive response
At Sunapee's 8/18 meeting, a resident asked for permanent no-truck signs on Maple Street and an update on Brookhaven signs — a long-running concern. The board thanked her and moved on. No answer. No timeline. Again. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/selectboard/2025-08-18/ #...
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Post these in sequence for maximum impact.
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🧵 Sunapee Selectboard met 8/18/25. Routine on the surface — but three issues deserved public notice in advance and didn't get it. Thread: #MeetingWatch
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1/ HARBOR BRIDGE OWNERSHIP — discovered off-agenda, mid-meeting. No one knew the legal status of the bridge (private property vs. town easement) was unresolved. It directly affects whether alcohol permits are valid there. Busine...
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2/ LAND PURCHASE NEAR HARBOR — also off-agenda. Town Manager raised potential acquisition of private property for parking. Board member pushed back openly: 'We don't have any money. How are we going to buy a thousand-dollar piec...
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3/ STAFFING CRISIS — 5+ vacancies disclosed at once: Deputy Police Chief (resigned), compliance officer, part-time officer, crossing guard, deputy assessor, janitorial. Staff are doubling up. The board acknowledged it. No public...
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4/ TRUCK ENFORCEMENT SIGNS — a resident (Lisa) asked again for permanent signage on Maple Street to stop relying on the Police Chief personally handling repeat violations. She also asked for an update on Brookhaven signs. The bo...
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5/ Also approved 8/18: fee increases across land use, fire, police & general govt permits. Unpermitted work now carries a minimum $400 fine + original permit cost. If you own property in Sunapee, check the new fee schedule befor...
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6/ Full meeting was 8/18/25. Official minutes have been published. The harbor bridge and land purchase discussions happened without public agenda notice — residents had no way to know to show up. That's the accountability gap wo... https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/selectboard/2025-08-18/ #SunapeeNH
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Longer-form draft.
At the Sunapee Selectboard meeting on August 18, 2025, two significant topics came up with no prior public notice — meaning residents had no way to know these issues would be discussed and no opportunity to attend specifically to weigh in. First, the legal ownership of the harbor bridge came up mid-meeting. The board discovered that it is unresolved whether the bridge is private property or a town easement — a question that directly affects whether alcohol permit holders can legally carry alcohol across it. No legal opinion was available. The matter was deferred for future research by the Town Manager and Police Chief. Businesses operating near the harbor and anyone holding an alcohol permit had no notice this was coming and could not prepare. Second, the Town Manager raised the possibility of acquiring private land near the harbor for parking purposes, touching off a broader discussion about revenue and development planning. One board member pushed back explicitly, saying 'We don't have any money. I don't think we can buy any property.' No decision was made, but the discussion happened entirely off-agenda. Residents who care about town spending priorities — in either direction — weren't given the chance to show up. Also disclosed at this meeting: the town is simultaneously recruiting for at least five positions — Deputy Police Chief (who resigned), compliance officer, part-time police officer, crossing guard, deputy assessor, and janitorial services — with existing staff covering multiple roles. No public timeline or contingency plan was discussed on the record. Separately, a resident asked (again) for permanent no-through-truck signs on Maple Street and an update on previously discussed Brookhaven signs. She received thanks and no answers. The board also approved fee increases across land use, fire, police, and general government permits — including a minimum $400 fine plus original permit cost for after-the-fact violations. If you own property in Sunapee, the new fee schedule is worth reviewing before you start any project. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/selectboard/2025-08-18/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH