The Francestown Select Board has ruled that the results of Francestown’s May 3 special Town Meeting, in which residents voted in favor of two warrant articles supporting Francestown’s withdrawal from the ConVal School District and possibly from the SAU, will stand.
At the last meeting of the ConVal School Board, the board questioned whether Francestown’s special Town Meeting was valid because the town had not held Supervisors of the Checklist meeting within 90 days of the special Town Meeting.
The issue was raised after Temple postponed a special Town Meeting about 30 minutes before before the meeting was scheduled to start on May 13.
On May 14, Temple’s assistant to the Select Board, Carole Singelais, stated the that postponement was “due to the requirement that the Supervisors of the Checklist have to meet five weeks prior.”
After speaking with the Help America Vote Act office at the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office, Francestown Town Clerk Pam Finnell learned that a supervisors meeting is required only for an election.
“According to the N.H. election procedure manual, a meeting of the supervisors is recommended prior to a special Town Meeting, but it is not required. It is only required for elections,” Select Board Chair Charles Pyle said.
The board voted unanimously that it would not be necessary not hold a second special Town Meeting to ratify the results of the first Special Town Meeting.
The Select Board has appointed Robert McAllister as acting chief of police while Chief Fred Douglas recuperates from injuries he received in the line of duty.
Douglas responded to an incident July 9 in which he was allegedly assaulted by a resident. After the incident, Douglas was admitted to Concord Hospital and treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been released.
“The chief has unofficial orders from the town to stay home until he is feeling better,” Pyle said.
Pyle praised the quick response to the incident by the Francestown Police Department, the Francestown Fire Department, the State Police and multiple neighboring police departments.
“Local law enforcement responded as quickly as anybody could be expected to respond, and the incident was resolved with no further injuries,” Pyle said.