Happy Veterans Day to everyone out there with special thanks for all those who have served.
Manchester Alderman at-Large Joe Kelly Levasseur may soon find himself in ethical and legal hot water over his involvement in the Manchester Dog Park Association drama. As we reported more than a week ago, Levasseur used his position as an alderman to obtain privileged information from the M D P A’s insurance agent to which he was not entitled and proceeded, either with intent or out of ignorance, to misrepresent that information both at a meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and on his public access television show. Now, Ward 10 Alderman Phil Greazzo, the former President of the dog park association, has requested a convening of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Conduct Committee, alleging Levasseur violated the city’s charter, and an investigation by the NH Attorney General’s Office, alleging Levasseur violated state laws prohibiting Abuse of Office and Official Oppression. In filing the complaint, Greazzo provided evidence that critics of the park, which he helped found and build at his own expense, are trying to form their own association in the hopes of supplanting his organization and he’s charged that Levasseur’s used his position to both hurt his association and help its critics. Greazzo will be with us this morning to share the details.
Levasseur is already being investigated by the Attorney General’s Office for alleging he was assaulted by Manchester Police Patrolman’s Association President Steve Maloney during a verbal altercation he initiated on City Hall Plaza after a meeting of the board, an assault Levasseur said was witnessed and covered up by Manchester Police Chief David J. Mara. Mara turned the allegations over to the A G’s Office, which is expected to issue its findings any day now.
Did the majority of the Hooksett School Board put off a public forum on high school options so they had time to rig the game against Manchester and their own public? We’ll know for sure when the agenda for their meeting on November 19th is made public, but Board Clerk John Lyscars is predicting on that date they will not only vote to approve a tuition contract with Pinkerton, but also Memorandums of Understanding with Pembroke Academy, Londonderry and Bow. Bolstering Lyscars’ claim is this week’s meeting of the Londonderry School Board at which a Memorandum on Understanding with Hooksett will be discussed. Having read the M O U, which is linked to this newscast at Girard at Large dot com, I’m left to wonder two things: One, why wouldn’t Londonderry approve this contract as it provides them ten thousand two hundred ninety dollars of revenue per student at no additional cost and two, why is this different than a tuition contract that must be approved by the voters in March? In any event, we’ll keep our eyes on it.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Manchester’s Veterans’ Day Parade steps off this morning at 10:30. The annual event will feature a number of area bands and representatives of a number of veterans and other civic groups. It will pause at eleven eleven this morning for a moment of silence to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which brought an official end to World War I. Formerly known as Armistice Day in conjunction with the first great world war’s end, the holiday now recognizes all who’ve served their country in uniform.
The Holiday Season is fast coming upon us. Heck, some of us who do the shopping know the retailers really started it back on Labor Day, but I digress. In preparation for the Holiday’s, the Merrimack Police Department has issued a reminder to folks to be alert at this time of year and published some helpful hints on how to stay safe and avoid being scammed. And, in today’s digital world, some of these pointers, which are linked to this newscast at Girard at Large dot com, just might come in handy. Be sure to take a look.
Looks like there’s going to be a G O P primary for U S Senate next fall. Karen Testerman, the conservative political activist who founded Cornerstone Policy Research several years ago and has run for governor will officially kick off her campaign tomorrow night at The Yard Restaurant in South Manchester. The event will be held from six to eight. In the announcement we received, Testerman said she’s running for the senate to restore integrity to our fight for family, faith and freedom. She joins former state senator Jim Rubens of Etna in that race.
That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is straight ahead!
