Harris-Howard picks up an endorsement

Bettie Harris-Howard gets some early momentum. Right, Chip Harlow.

 LEBANON - The official race for selectman is less than a week old and one candidate has already picked up an important endorsement.

Chip Harlow, who was expected to file papers by Friday, did not, leaving Robie Marsters of Upper Barley Road, Bettie Harris-Howard of Carl Broggi Highway, Corinna Cole of Kennebec Drive and Benjamin Thompson of Depot Road the four remaining candidates.

Today, in The Lebanon Voice, Harlow has announced his endorsement of Harris-Howard, who along with the other three will be trying to unseat two-term Selectmen Chairman Robert Frizzell.

Harlow told The Lebanon Voice today that he regretted not running, but felt the milieu of candidates running against Frizzell would weaken any chance to unseat him, something he thinks the town dearly needs.

“While my heart still wants to run, my head says that this year is not the year,” he said. “My sense is that Mr. Frizzell will be very hard to beat, as I believe he has the support of the rescue supporters as well as others. With (all the) other candidates running, the opposition vote would be split too much and thus harder for any of them to beat Mr. Frizzell.”

Frizzell, who has come under scrutiny of late for his handling of the Rescue Probe, has maintained the investigation into grievances filed by former Rescue volunteers against Rescue Department Chief Jason Cole and Assistant Rescue Chief Samantha Cole was compliant with all ethics and procedural concerns.

Others, including several of the candidates running against Frizzell including Harris-Howard and Marsters, have argued that for one selectman to investigate another selectman with only the oversight of an attorney employed by the selectmen, is patently unethical.

Harlow agrees. “I strongly feel that Mr. Frizzell needs to be replaced, as he has made several poor decisions that in my opinion are borderline corrupt,” he said. “While I don't actually think he is corrupt, the Selectman's office needs to understand how things appear from the outside. The people want full disclosure, open and honest policies and decisions with no conflicts of interest. I think we, as townspeople, deserve this, as it is our right.”

Frizzell last month finished the probe finding no merit in the five grievances that were filed. The ruling was forwarded to the state’s Attorney General’s office by State Rep. Bill Noon, D-Lebanon, for its review, but calls more than a week later by The Lebanon Voice to ascertain at what stage the review is in have not been returned.

Harlow, meanwhile, hopes a smaller slate of candidates will give one of them a better shot to unseat the incumbent.

 “In my hopes that the town can rally behind an opposing candidate to Mr. Frizzell, I give my support to Bettie Harris-Howard. I think some fresh thoughts with a clean perspective, not clouded by town politics, is just what the town needs.”