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In a New York minute, Milton board OKs what could be a costly email probe

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Selectman Ryan Thibeault, left, listens as Acting Selectboard Chair Andy Rawson reads the agenda items as the meeting began Thursday in Milton. (Lebanon Voice photo)

Editor's note: Former selectman Tom Gray's conflict of interest complaint can be seen at the end of this story.

© MILTON - It took less than a minute at Thursday's Special Selectmen's Meeting for the board to announce an agenda item to allow Town Counsel to spend "mandated" funds to pay for Right to Know requests submitted by former selectman Tom Gray, make the motion to so do, unanimously approve it and adjourn the meeting.

After it was approved Acting Selectmen Chair Andy Rawson swiftly adjourned the meeting leaving many in the audience frustrated that they hadn't been able to comment on the proceedings.

Rawson, who on Monday had firmly rejected the idea of having Town Counsel James Sessler head the independent probe of email communications involving Rawson and Selectmen Chair Mike Beaulieu, said he reversed directions after talking to Sessler.

"Why I diddn't approve it at the last meeting is I had to talk to Town Counsel first," Rawson said after the meeting ended. "We have to move forward."

He said another reason he was hesitant was due to the cost, which has already been $500 for an initial forensic probe of five town computers carried out last month.

"I wanted to find out if the town is liable for the cost," he added. "It's a RTK request, and we have to follow through on it."

Beaulieu, who was also vehemently against the independent probe, wasn't at the meeting.

"He said he couldn't make it," said Thibeault, who noted he was happy the town is moving forward to answer Gray's Right to Know request.

Thursday's Special Selectmen's Meeting came swift on the heels of Monday's stormy session in which Thibeault pressed for the independent probe, while Beaulieu and Rawson angrily blocked his motion to make it happen, refusing to even second it for a vote.

That prompted a complaint dated Tuesday by Gray that claimed Beaulieu and Rawson should have recused themselves from the discussion because they had a conflict of interest as they were the ones being investigated.

Gray's original Right to Know Requests made last month were apparently in regard to a comment one of the other selectmen had made in February that they had decided on holding off on hiring a town offices employee until Gray left office.

Since two selectmen constitute a quorum, they are prohibited from discussing official business without due process, posting of the meeting and providing minutes on what is discussed.

According to New Hampshire's Right to Know law, all costs in producing documents or emails, no matter how long it takes, are paid for by the town.

Milton has already been billed $500 for a forensic review of town hall computers into the Beaulieu-Rawson emails that wasn't properly done, officials say.

Whether that vendor is paid remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Rawson was steadfast on Monday that he, in fact, had no "conflict of interest" in the situation and that he'd ultimately be vindicated.

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