Link to 'Glass Houses' editorial: http://www.thecommunityjournal.com/news/2006/0818/Opinion/011.html

SpeakOut
Troubled by Mr. Gagnon's cumulative actions
Nancy Bakanowsky

Colorful characters have long played a major role in the political arena. Some of these individuals have made significant and meaningful contributions, lending a different perspective and different ideas that have been instrumental in effectuating positive change for their respective constituencies.

Others, however, have been nothing but divisive and desultory, their actions guided by an insatiable lust for attention and adulation. The recent words (The Community Journal 'Glass Houses' editorial, Aug. 18, 2006) and actions of Ashburnham's own political colorful character - Christopher Gagnon - have placed him in this latter category.

While no one should ever be faulted for thinking outside of the box and offering alternative solutions, neither should anyone be lauded for trying to malign and discredit certain individuals because of a self-serving, political agenda.

During the past year, Mr. Gagnon has managed, among other things, to torpedo the Public Safety Building project - in the process, promising to build a same sized facility for a much lower price (a promise on which he has yet to deliver); contact the state in an attempt to disband the original PSB committee and file various and sundry grievances; propose legislation without first conferring with his fellow selectmen - an action which a veteran or responsible elected official would never perform; and shamelessly denigrate an entire fire department.

While I am deeply troubled by Mr. Gagnon's cumulative actions, I am most angered by the poisonous venom he has spewed at the original Public Safety Building Committee and the Ashburnham Fire Department. For some inexplicable reason, he has been allowed to perpetuate false propaganda relative to these two groups and no one has yet to call him on the carpet.

With respect to the former, having covered several of the original Public Safety Building Committee's meetings during my previous tenure with The Community Journal, I can readily attest to the fact that this broad based group - composed of highly qualified, experienced individuals (among them Glenn Hathaway, Ellen Holmes, and Mark Carlisle) - went through the cumbersome and often painful exercise of examining a myriad of options in an effort to put forward the best possible public safety building project for the town of Ashburnham.

Over the course of two years, they logged yeoman's hours, exercising due diligence to keep the project on a steady and measured course. Up until the opening of the bids in late 2005, no one - including Mr. Gagnon - voiced any concerns about the direction of the project.

When the bids for the public safety building were finally opened in late 2005, yielding sticker shock for both committee and community members, Mr. Gagnon decided to pounce on this new "hot button" issue. In what can best be described as an opportunistic, politically shrewd move, he chose to use the public safety building as his platform for the then upcoming, springtime selectmen's election. By speaking out against the project, Mr. Gagnon knew he could instantly ingratiate himself to a block of anti-project voters. He did win the election, but as stated earlier, he has yet to deliver on his various promises relative to this particular project months later.

As for promises, if not sabotaged by Mr. Gagnon's unfortunate and irresponsible media barrage in the early months of 2006, former Public Safety Building Committee members Glenn Hathaway, Ellen Holmes, and Mark Carlisle were ready and willing to deliver on their collective promise to help facilitate the construction of an appropriate public safety facility and fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to the Town of Ashburnham.

Former Public Safety Building Committee chairman, Glenn Hathaway was, and IS, a highly respected professional, commercial architect, who donated hundreds of hours of his time to his community. He did so without lusting after local headlines or pandering to various voting blocks. The same can be said of Ellen Holmes and Mark Carlisle. Their selfless actions certainly beg the question - who was in a better position to make educated and informed decisions about the project: the original Public Safety Building Committee or Mr. Gagnon - a selectmen's candidate and non-architect who "surfed the web" for architectural/building information?

As for the fire department, Mr. Gagnon arguably has his own, unique "history" with the men and women who have so ably and admirably served - and continue to serve - the Town of Ashburnham.

In 2003, Mr. Gagnon - in his capacity as a school committee member - became the swing vote and the sixth signatory on the warrant that sent the communities of Ashburnham and Westminster to a very painful district-wide meeting. He cast this vote knowing that Ashburnham stood to lose public safety personnel if the school district's requested budget garnered approval at the meeting.

As painful as this decision may have been for Mr. Gagnon, he clearly demonstrated that - when forced to make a choice - he was willing to sacrifice public safety at the expense of the school district.

Recently, Mr. Gagnon has been overheard to say that members of the fire department are overpaid and don't do any work. Respectfully, I beg to differ ...

Since making Ashburnham our home in late 1994, members of the Ashburnham Fire Department have repeatedly earned the title of "Guardian Angel," coming to our assistance when our family was most in need. They have been extremely professional, courteous, and have provided comfort and support beyond compare.

I don't say this to contradict Mr. Gagnon's egregious and disparaging remarks, but rather, I say it because these individuals - as "uncolorful" as they may appear to be - continue to make significant and meaningful contributions to Ashburnham each and every day.

Given Mr. Gagnon's recent remarks - relative to the fire department - I don't believe that it's appropriate for him to continue chairing the Public Safety Building project.

If he is unwilling to relinquish his chairmanship, I would ask that select board chairman, Jonathan Dennehy, recognize this "conflict" and appoint someone who does not have an "axe to grind" with the upstanding men and women of the Ashburnham Fire Department - the "Guardian Angels" of our community.

Submitted by  Nancy Bakanowsky