WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2011
VOL. 19 NO. 201
BERLIN, N.H.
752-5858
FREE
Injunction sought to block vote Senator Ayotte visits Berlin on proposed teachers’ contract BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BY CRAIG LYONS THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
LANCASTER— A petition filed Monday in Superior Court is seeking an injunction to prevent the proposed teachers’ contract from being voted on at the annual Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District meeting. Judge Timothy Vaughan agreed to hear the case in Grafton County Superior Court on Thursday after the petition was filed Monday. The petition, filed by Gorham resident Robert Balon, cites several perceived issues leading up to the proposed contract being included on the warrant for the
annual school meeting that justify a court ruling to prevent a vote from taking place. The court filing was accompanied with a petition signed by 30 people supporting the injunction. The main basis of the petition charges that Superintendent Paul Bouquet should have removed himself from doing any type of negotiation with the teachers’ union since his wife is a teacher in the Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District. Balon writes in the petition that Bousquet should have recused himsee INJUNCTION page 6
BERLIN –Kelly Ayotte is just shy of two months in her new position as U.S. Senator. She still does not have a permanent office assignment in Washington. But with Congress on recess, Ayotte was in Berlin Friday, meeting with constituents, sitting for interviews with the press, and touring a number of local businesses. Ayotte said she is pleased with her committee assignments; Armed Services, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Special Committee on Aging. She said they cover issues that are important to New Hampshire. As part of a group of U.S. Senators, Ayotte traveled in January to Afghanistan, first landing in Kuwait where she got to spend time with the N.H. National Guard 19th Fires Brigade, which she reported, is doing well. The group received a briefing from Gen. David Petraeus and met with Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Ayotte said she believes the United States now has the right strategy in place in Afghanistan and has made significant progress over the past
nine months in pushing out the Taliban and dismantling elements of AlQueda. She said the biggest challenge remaining is routing out the corruption within the Karzai government. While she continues to be optimistic about overall success in Afghanistan, she said she believes President Obama’s plan to begin withdrawing troops in July is “not realistic”. Ayotte said she thinks the NATO timetable of a full transfer of security to the Afghanistan government in 2014 is more realistic. In Iraq, Ayotte is cautious about the scheduled withdrawal of U.S. forces by this December. She said there are still issues that need to be resolved. She said tremendous progress has been made in Iraq – the violence has been reduced and security improved – and said it is important not to lose the gains made at the expense of lives and money. As the withdraw date approaches, Ayotte predicted the level of violence will increase in Iraq. Ayotte sees both a positive side and concern in the uprisings against oppressive regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. People, she said, are standing up for freedom and opportunity. She is hopeful the governments that emerge are ones that serve the people. see AYOTTE page 6
Diana Nelson appointed to fill Ward IV vacancy U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen presented the Labnon family and the Town and Country Motor Inn with the ANdroscoggin Valley Chamber’s Lifetime Achieve Award at the chamber’s annual meeting held Friday night at the Town and Country Motor Inn. (l-r) Shaheen,Randy Labnon, Lori Morin, Bob Labnon, and Scott Labnon. (BARBARA TETREAULT PHOTO)
Chamber honors Labnons with Lifetime Achievement BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
SHELBURNE – The Labnon family and the Town and Country Motor Inn were honored Friday night with the Androscoggin Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Outgoing Chamber President Robbie Munce was also recognized for his leadership in leading the reorganization of the chamber during his four years at the helm.
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The lifetime achievement award is given to a business that has made contributions to the community, demonstrated longevity through good times and bad, and made a business investment in the community. In announcing this year’s recipient, Chamber Treasurer Mark Belanger said the Labnons “epitomize the spirit of the award in every way”. see CHAMBER page 5
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BY CRAIG LYONS THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN— The Berlin City Council Monday night voted to fill the Ward IV vacancy with someone who formerly served on the body. The council appointed Diana Nelson, who previously served for four years, to fill the vacancy left after Timothy Cayer resigned as the representative from Ward IV. Nelson was one of the three prospective councilors interviewed during Monday night’s work session. Nelson will serve as the Ward IV councilor through the November election. She said that she intends to run for the seat this fall. Mayor Paul Grenier said he served with Nelson during her previous stint on the council and she did a very good job. Councilor Robert Danderson said because of her job at N.H. Employ-
ment Security, Nelson would bring a vast knowledge of the area’s workforce and employment-related issues to the council. During her interview, Nelson said that bringing in new jobs and retaining existing ones is a major priority. She added that every day she interacts with the unemployed population and understands the plight facing many people in Berlin. Another issue Nelson touched upon during the interview is the city’s tax rate. She said it’s important the city try to control the tax rate but still maintain the services it provides to Berlin’s residents. “We need to find a way to balance that,” said Nelson. Nelson said she’s served on the board for the Androscoggin Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Androsee NELSON page 7
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