{"id":3212,"date":"2023-02-11T18:17:24","date_gmt":"2023-02-11T23:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/?p=3212"},"modified":"2023-02-11T18:17:26","modified_gmt":"2023-02-11T23:17:26","slug":"selectboard-candidate-questionnaire-q3-toxic-community-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/11\/selectboard-candidate-questionnaire-q3-toxic-community-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"Selectboard candidate questionnaire. Q3: Toxic community problem."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Norwich Observer asked the candidates for Selectboard the same five questions. Below is the third question and the candidates&#8217; responses. A list of all five questions, without responses, is <a href=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/07\/whos-running-for-selectboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">QUESTION: <em>T<strong>oxic community problem<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Toxic community problem.<\/strong> When the Selectboard publicly announced the separation agreement with former town manager Roderick Francis, the Board issued a statement that said in part, according to the October 24, 2022 minutes: \u201cRod has acted honorably and professionally during his tenure despite a personal cost resulting from what the Selectboard respectfully finds has been an unwarranted level of negative public sentiment and scrutiny on the part of some.\u201d Further, the November 9, 2022 meeting minutes state that: \u201cSB members also expressed concern about Norwich\u2019s toxic community problem.\u201d Finally, a news story published by the Valley News on November 23, 2022 reported that the resignation letter of Planning and Zoning Coordinator Aaron DeNamur attributed his departure to \u201ca very abusive and outspoken group of residents.\u201d<\/em><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>What do you make of the above statements by our town officials? Does Norwich have a \u201ctoxic community problem\u201d? What steps can the Selectboard and Town Manager take to improve the real or perceived atmosphere and to ensure that all parties feel heard and understood.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">RESPONSES <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Candidates running for the three-year Selectboard seat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Marcia Calloway:<\/strong>  <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever the board does is done by majority and is not necessarily the view of each board member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Norwich does not have a \u201ctoxic community problem.\u201d&nbsp; The connection between public opinion and democracy has been well understood for centuries.&nbsp;&nbsp; Norwich is an engaged community.&nbsp; People understand their role in the government\u2019s provision of a stable environment for the enjoyment of life, liberty and property.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The selectboard can and should listen to public opinion and, following the provisions for open meetings, explain the reasons for decisions which are by law open to disclosure.&nbsp; They must oversee their one employee, the town manager, to ensure that person does the same.&nbsp; The board should model respect for every member of our community and do everything possible to demonstrate transparency and accountability.&nbsp; We can and should be able to repair the damaged trust and work together for a strong productive community.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rob Gere:<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Declined to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Candidate running for the two-year Selectboard seat <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pam Smith:<\/strong>  <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I do not agree with the assertion that Norwich has a \u201ctoxic community problem\u201d.&nbsp; Describing the distrust some residents felt as \u201ctoxic\u201d is a mischaracterization.&nbsp; And, I don\u2019t feel it\u2019s fair to paint the entire town with such a broad brush. Over the past several months, I feel many of the issues are slowly being resolved. I attribute much of the change in tenor to the leadership style of Marcia Calloway, who was elected Chair of the Selectboard on October 26, 2022.&nbsp; Marcia is calm, collaborative and inclusive. &nbsp;I believe Norwich would greatly benefit from Marcia continuing in this role.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Candidates running for the Selectboard seat with an unexpired (one-year) term   <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Aaron Lamperti:<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a complex and difficult question that cannot possibly be answered in one go. What I have tried to focus on as a member of the Selectboard is the distinction between elected officials and town staff. I believe that it is one of the roles of elected officials to be the public-facing branch of town government. I think this is particularly true for the Selectboard. Staff, on the other hand, are employees who should be able to do their jobs in a calm, safe working environment where they have clear expectations from a single manager. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you take a look at the Town\u2019s organizational chart this becomes quite clear. We have a hierarchical structure where residents choose the Selectboard, the Selectboard chooses the Town Manager, and the Town Manager hires and manages staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is generally good practice to respect the hierarchy of an organization and I think a lack of respect and perhaps understanding of the organizational structure of the Town has been part of the problem in the past. The best way for residents to express their concerns with town governance are through participation in public meetings, particularly Selectboard meetings, and then ultimately through voting. I respectfully ask residents to apply the golden rule in their interactions with staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Priscilla&nbsp;Vincent:<\/strong>  <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We do not have a toxic community.&nbsp; Town employees who have decided to leave have often commented that they liked the people in town; their problem was with their bosses.&nbsp; Obviously things became fraught during the pandemic, and many of us have been stressed out for the last several years.&nbsp; We need to have our meetings in person again, with the hybrid option so more people can participate.&nbsp; Until recently, public comments in select board meetings were grudgingly heard and not responded to.&nbsp; Many people felt unheard and turned to other platforms to express their thoughts.&nbsp; Frustrations ran high.&nbsp; We all need to calm down because we are all in this together.&nbsp; The select board has been more receptive and responsive of late, and more respectful of townspeople.&nbsp; May civility continue!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">CANDIDATES FORUM<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Selectboard Candidates Forum sponsored by the Norwich Women\u2019s Club is scheduled for February 16 at 7 PM at the Marion Cross School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">*  *  *<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-blue-color has-text-color\">Contact the Norwich Observer at norwichobserver [at] gmail.com <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Norwich Observer asked the candidates for Selectboard the same five questions. Below is the third question and the candidates&#8217; responses. A list of all five questions, without responses, is here. QUESTION: Toxic community problem Toxic community problem. When the Selectboard publicly announced the separation agreement with former town manager Roderick Francis, the Board issued a statement that said in part, according to the October 24, 2022 minutes: \u201cRod has acted honorably and professionally during his tenure despite a personal <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/norwichobserver.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/11\/selectboard-candidate-questionnaire-q3-toxic-community-problem\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Selectboard candidate questionnaire. Q3: Toxic community problem.<\/span><span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"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":[28,10,78],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-elections","category-selectboard","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>Selectboard candidate questionnaire. Q3: Toxic community problem. - 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\/2023\/02\/11\/selectboard-candidate-questionnaire-q3-toxic-community-problem\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Selectboard candidate questionnaire. Q3: Toxic community problem. - Norwich Observer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Norwich Observer asked the candidates for Selectboard the same five questions. Below is the third question and the candidates&#8217; responses. A list of all five questions, without responses, is here. QUESTION: Toxic community problem Toxic community problem. When the Selectboard publicly announced the separation agreement with former town manager Roderick Francis, the Board issued a statement that said in part, according to the October 24, 2022 minutes: \u201cRod has acted honorably and professionally during his tenure despite a personal Continue reading  Selectboard candidate questionnaire. 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