{"id":3116,"date":"2022-09-18T21:22:54","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T01:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/?p=3116"},"modified":"2022-09-18T21:27:20","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T01:27:20","slug":"commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"682\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_174947_norwich.vt_.us_.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_174947_norwich.vt_.us_.png 682w, https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_174947_norwich.vt_.us_-300x119.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Selectboard issued a Statement dated September 14, 2022. I saw it Sunday on the <a href=\"http:\/\/norwich.vt.us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">home page of the Town&#8217;s website<\/a>. You can also read it <a href=\"http:\/\/norwich.vt.us\/norwich-selectboard-statement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It does not have a title. But it addresses topics regarding workplace issues, the work of HR Happens and, new to me, the work of an independent investigator.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By my count, this is the second time within the last 12 months that the Town hired an independent investigator to look into workplace issues. Back <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vnews.com\/Norwich-Scrambling-to-Find-New-Road-Crew-Following-Mass-Exodus-45587470\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">on March 27, Valley News columnist Jim Kenyon reported<\/a> on an investigation <a href=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/25\/town-to-hire-an-hr-professional-to-investigate-complaints\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">concerning the Norwich DPW<\/a>. The Town has 22 full-time employees when fully staffed<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the Selectboard statement is short on detail, citing employee privacy. As a result, it raises more questions than it answers. See my discussion below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be honest, I don&#8217;t understand how employee privacy prevents Town officials from saying anything about the work environment in Norwich. Maybe I&#8217;m thick. The statement indicates the Town is taking steps to improve the workplace culture. If these are global issues, they can be explained, without revealing employee information Yes|No?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Selectboard statement by paragraph <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The Town of Norwich, <strong>like everywhere else,<\/strong> is dealing with uncertainty and change after two years of making things work in the context of a pandemic and its aftermath. We have <strong>experienced turnover<\/strong> in nearly all our departments, particularly in the Public Works and the Police Departments. Staff have taken on increased workloads and have handled multiple jobs. Management has begun the work of addressing <strong>longstanding structural problems.<\/strong> We have had staff settle into new positions and we continue to fill and advertise vacancies. In addition to paid staff, town government in Tracy Hall operates <strong>with elected officials<\/strong>.<\/p><p>[Emphasis added]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions regarding paragraph 1<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Are Norwich issues <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">only<\/span> related to the pandemic?<\/li><li>A new Town Manager may mean a new way of doing things. Does the management style of the new TM differ from that of the old regarding employee relations? Did the SB hire the new TM with the thought that a different approach was necessary?<\/li><li>How many employees have left this year and last? Does the Town know in fact why those employees left?<\/li><li>What are some examples of &#8220;longstanding structural problems&#8221;? Do these predate the pandemic?<\/li><li>What specifically are the plans in place to address these longstanding structural problems? <\/li><li>How are employee privacy rights impinged by discussing, in public, structural problems and remedial steps?<\/li><li>Is the SB taking any steps so that it is aware of structural problems before they become &#8220;longstanding&#8221;? Was the SB too hands-off?<\/li><li>Are elected officials part of the problem? Should voters be made aware?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>In April the Board <strong>recognized the need<\/strong> to successfully integrate new town employees, develop <strong>shared understandings of leadership hierarchies<\/strong>, and <strong>improve the workplace culture<\/strong> for all staff in general. The Town hired Mark Heyman of HR Happens to interview staff and to <strong>provide the Town Manager with recommendations and informed analysis<\/strong> on how to strengthen and improve the Town\u2019s ability to recruit and retain employees. <strong>No report or presentation has been offered to the Board to date<\/strong>.<\/p><p>[[Emphasis added]<\/p><p><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions regarding paragraph 2<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What are the &#8220;leadership hierarchies&#8221; that the Town wants?<\/li><li>Is it okay for a town employee to complain to a Selectboard member about the workplace environment?<\/li><li>Does the need to &#8220;improve the workplace culture&#8221; imply problems existed?  What is being done to improve the culture?<\/li><li>How are employee privacy rights impinged by discussing workplace culture in public at a Selectboard meeting?<\/li><li>What &#8220;recommendations and informed analysis&#8221; did HR Happens provide the Town Manager?<\/li><li>How does a general discussion in public of the findings of HR Happens impinge on employee privacy rights?<\/li><li>Has HR Happens completed its work?<\/li><li>What does it mean that no presentation by HR Happens has been &#8220;offered&#8221; to the Board? Can the Selectboard ask for one? Will it? <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>In May the <strong>town\u2019s attorneys hired an independent investigator<\/strong> stemming from employee conversations with HR Happens. In a <strong>confidential presentation to the Board<\/strong>, the investigation determined that no violations of law or town policies had occurred. Human Resource issues are subject to privacy provisions and the nature of those complaints is <strong>not something we can comment on.<\/strong><\/p><p>[Emphasis added]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions regarding paragraph 3<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Is the Town trying to hide something by having its attorneys hire an independent  investigator?<\/li><li>When did the confidential presentation occur?<\/li><li>Has the independent investigator completed its work?<\/li><li>Why is the SB barred from publicly commenting  in general terms about the nature of the workplace problems, if names are not mentioned? <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The <strong>Selectboard\u2019s job as it relates to personnel relations is to set expectations<\/strong> for the Town and review progress on achieving <strong>clearly defined goals<\/strong>. The Board supports the work of our town manager in his direct oversight of town staff and in managing day-to-day operations. The Board wishes to provide tangible means of support to staff and to review policies and systems, <strong>establishing expectations for successful interactions between both elected officials and paid staff.<\/strong><\/p><p>[Emphasis added]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions regarding paragraph 4<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>By statute the Town Manager is subject to the &#8220;direction and supervision&#8221; of the SB. Some people think the buck stops with the Selectboard. Is it the SB&#8217;s view that it is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">without authority<\/span> to do more than &#8220;set expectations&#8221;?<\/li><li>What are those &#8220;clearly defined goals&#8221; set by the Selectboard?<\/li><li>Has the Selectboard articulated the expectations regarding<strong> <\/strong>&#8220;interactions between [Selectboard members] and paid staff&#8221;? If yes, what are they? If no, what is the approximate time-frame?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Town employees do not forfeit some right to privacy in their pursuits simply by virtue of public employment. The <strong>Selectboard typically will not comment on<\/strong>, confirm, or corroborate <strong>rumors of any kind.<\/strong> We ask for citizens to please be conscientious and avoid <strong>disseminating misinformation<\/strong> in their correspondence to the Board and other public forums.<\/p><p>[Emphasis added]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions regarding paragraph 5<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li> Is declining to address rumors of &#8220;any kind&#8221; the best policy to build trust? <\/li><li>The term &#8220;misinformation&#8221; suggests a deliberate intention to deceive. Is the Selectboard suggesting that residents are regularly engaging in such behavior?  <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>The Board moves:<\/p><p>To direct Mary Layton, Vice Chair, to arrange meetings with Elected Officials, including the Listers, Treasurer, and Town Clerk, to get feedback on any concerns or recommendations for greater collaboration between elected officials and paid town staff.<br>To hire a consultant for the purposes of collaborative team building between paid town staff and elected officials no later than March 2023, the deadline of which is reflective and dependent on current availability for this type of work.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Questions regarding paragraph 6<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Why wait until as late as March to hire a consultant? <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">* * *<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Selectboard issued a Statement dated September 14, 2022. I saw it Sunday on the home page of the Town&#8217;s website. You can also read it here. It does not have a title. But it addresses topics regarding workplace issues, the work of HR Happens and, new to me, the work of an independent investigator. By my count, this is the second time within the last 12 months that the Town hired an independent investigator to look into workplace issues. <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers<\/span><span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,78],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-transparency","category-workplace-issues"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Commentary: Selectboard &#039;Statement&#039; raises more questions than answers - Norwich Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Commentary: Selectboard &#039;Statement&#039; raises more questions than answers - Norwich Observer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Selectboard issued a Statement dated September 14, 2022. I saw it Sunday on the home page of the Town&#8217;s website. You can also read it here. It does not have a title. But it addresses topics regarding workplace issues, the work of HR Happens and, new to me, the work of an independent investigator. By my count, this is the second time within the last 12 months that the Town hired an independent investigator to look into workplace issues. Continue reading  Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers&rarr;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Norwich Observer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-09-19T01:22:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-09-19T01:27:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1449\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"133\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CTK\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CTK\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"CTK\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d\"},\"headline\":\"Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-19T01:22:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-09-19T01:27:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1105,\"commentCount\":3,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Transparency\",\"Workplace issues\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/\",\"name\":\"Commentary: Selectboard 'Statement' raises more questions than answers - Norwich Observer\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-09-19T01:22:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-09-19T01:27:20+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png\",\"width\":1449,\"height\":133},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/2022\\\/09\\\/18\\\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Norwich Observer\",\"description\":\"Occasional news and commentary about local government in Norwich, VT\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d\",\"name\":\"CTK\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237\",\"caption\":\"CTK\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/norwichobserver.com\\\/index.php\\\/author\\\/ctk\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Commentary: Selectboard 'Statement' raises more questions than answers - Norwich Observer","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Commentary: Selectboard 'Statement' raises more questions than answers - Norwich Observer","og_description":"The Selectboard issued a Statement dated September 14, 2022. I saw it Sunday on the home page of the Town&#8217;s website. You can also read it here. It does not have a title. But it addresses topics regarding workplace issues, the work of HR Happens and, new to me, the work of an independent investigator. By my count, this is the second time within the last 12 months that the Town hired an independent investigator to look into workplace issues. Continue reading  Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers&rarr;","og_url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/","og_site_name":"Norwich Observer","article_published_time":"2022-09-19T01:22:54+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-09-19T01:27:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1449,"height":133,"url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"CTK","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CTK","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/"},"author":{"name":"CTK","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d"},"headline":"Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers","datePublished":"2022-09-19T01:22:54+00:00","dateModified":"2022-09-19T01:27:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/"},"wordCount":1105,"commentCount":3,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png","articleSection":["Transparency","Workplace issues"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/","url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/","name":"Commentary: Selectboard 'Statement' raises more questions than answers - Norwich Observer","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png","datePublished":"2022-09-19T01:22:54+00:00","dateModified":"2022-09-19T01:27:20+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Opera-Snapshot_2022-09-18_175307_norwich.vt_.us_.png","width":1449,"height":133},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/commentary-selectboard-statement-raises-more-questions-than-answers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Commentary: Selectboard &#8216;Statement&#8217; raises more questions than answers"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/","name":"Norwich Observer","description":"Occasional news and commentary about local government in Norwich, VT","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/#\/schema\/person\/7c777bca932c48863421eb322d49c18d","name":"CTK","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237","url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237","contentUrl":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/11840c9a170ac22dbf5bc0397622f4e4.jpg?ver=1776127237","caption":"CTK"},"url":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/author\/ctk\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3116"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3139,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3116\/revisions\/3139"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}