In chaotic fashion, selectmen reverse reversals

LEBANON - In a stunning reversal of policy making, an under-siege Board of Selectmen on Tuesday opted to void votes they just made last week that had done away with town purchase orders and given part-time Transfer Station manager Ronal Patch back his town benefits.

Last Thursday the board voted 2-1 to give Patch back his vacation pay, more than $3,000 annually, with Selectmen Royce Heath and Paul Nadeau - both transfer station employees - voting for the measure and Selectmen Chairman Ben Thompson voting no.

But at Tuesday's meeting - videotaped by Deborah Wilson of Lebanon Truth Seekers - cries of Conflict of Interest by Wilson and other residents who attended the meeting helped to pressure the board to vote once again. This time Thompson voted against "grandfathering" Patch's benefits to the 25-hour threshold, with Heath and Nadeau recusing themselves.

Asked if he thought it was appropriate for him to participate in Thursday's vote that sought to benefit his boss, Nadeau said, "It might not be fair, but I done it."

Heath said he thought they were voting on acknowledging a letter brought in by Patch during the meeting asking to have his benefits "grandfathered" at the 25-hour threshold instead of voting to approve it.

Selectmen also reversed a vote made Thursday that would have eliminated the requirement for department heads to write up purchase orders.

On Tuesday Thompson and Nadeau voted to return to the purchase order policy on all items, while Heath recused himself from the vote.

A third vote on Thursday, also one that was rammed through by Heath and Nadeau over Thompson's objection, appointed Tom Torno as Road Commissioner. That vote will be revisited this Thursday as it was revealed that the vote from a week ago effectively withdrew all town benefits from Torno since the position he was appointed to is an elected position and town benefits to the town's road commissioner will cease as of July 1 in accordance with town voting June 9.

Torno, who was appointed as Roads Supervisor after the death of his father Larry Torno, was eligible for town benefits until being appointed Road Commissioner.

Tuesday's meeting, moved from the small selectmen's office to the Town Offices foyer, was filled with rancor reminiscent of boards from several years ago, most of it erupting over cries of conflict of interest from selectmen/transfer station employees Heath and Nadeau.

Nadeau promised at the meeting that he was resigning his post and that this Saturday would be his last day as a transfer station employee. Heath said he would resign and end work there by the end of the month.

Thursday's meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Town Offices foyer to accommodate an expected larger-than-normal crowd, Thompson said today.