Four Boothbay selectmen on March 1 criticized actions taken by a fellow board member. Chairman Chuck Cunningham began the board meeting by responding to a Feb. 22 Boothbay Register letter to the editor written by Selectman Kristina Ford. In the letter, Ford encouraged citizens to run for six municipal seats and claimed Boothbay didn’t advertise nomination papers’ availability.

She wrote, “Unlike Boothbay Harbor, the town of Boothbay doesn’t advertise when nomination papers are ready for any resident interested in being elected to a town officer position. As a Boothbay selectman, I’m writing so citizens know they have ample time to qualify as candidates.”

Cunningham said he had no objection to the majority of it, but he said, “I feel I must clear the record.” Cunningham contradicted Ford’s assertion that municipal officials didn’t advertise the municipal election openings in the newspaper. Ford told selectmen she saw only  Boothbay Harbor’s posting for municipal officers in the local paper, but Cunningham pointed out Boothbay’s advertisement was positioned beside Boothbay Harbor’s in the Boothbay Register’s Jan. 25 classified section.

“I was greatly disappointed in reading that, I thought we’d taken care of that on the (Feb.) 14th when the question was asked. The town manager stated we’d advertised, and to see that was very disappointing,” Cunningham said.

Ford responded she didn’t remember the town manager stating the notice was advertised. She remembered Town Manager Dan Bryer saying nomination papers were available at the town office. Ford defended her actions, stating she only wanted to notify the public about the municipal elections.

“This has been a concern of mine from my first meeting that we don’t communicate well with constituents. You all don’t believe it, but I do,” Ford said.

Cunningham responded that public officials do their best “to get it right.” Selectman Mike Tomacelli read a possible response he’d written. The letter stated Ford’s letter was “incorrect” and “inaccurate,” and the four selectmen were obligated to respond with their own Boothbay Register letter to the editor. “This is unfortunate that Selectman Ford has decided to publish her own article about town business without discussion with fellow board members. After the first article was published without discussion the board emphasized to Ford the importance of discussing such town matters in a spirit of cooperation prior to future publications.”

Ford apologized for not seeing Boothbay’s municipal candidate advertisement. “I apologize. I didn’t see the ad, but I still hope people run for office,” she said.

Ford has consistently encouraged her four colleagues to provide more public information since her election last May. Her efforts resulted in a well-attended open house in October where approximately 50 residents questioned selectmen about the Route 27 Improvement Plan. Recently, Ford has urged selectmen to advertise the bi-monthly selectmen’s meeting agendas in the newspaper. But the other selectmen don’t think it would be beneficial. They cited two reasons: The cost, and their Wednesday meeting date. Selectmen reasoned a published agenda would change several times after publication making the gesture meaningless.

Three selectmen have served multiple terms and disagree with Ford’s assertion the board doesn’t operate in a transparent fashion. In past meetings, the three veteran members pointed out all selectmen’s meetings are shown live on the town’s website and recorded for future viewing. Also, recent selectmen’s meeting agendas have been posted on the municipal website.

Ford added,  she didn’t think the town was well-run and residents tell her “they know precious little about what we do and why we do it.”

“I’m embarrassed we don’t treat our constituents better,” Ford said.

Selectman Steve Lewis disagreed with Ford’s view that municipal government wasn’t transparent. He said Boothbay has had more public meetings and hearings in the past two years than most other communities. He also challenged Ford’s past comments. “You’ve called us a boys club and everything else since day one,” he said. Ford responded that she hadn’t said that from day one.

“Pretty damn close,” Lewis said.

Selectman Dale Harmon agreed with Lewis about the board’s effort to keep residents informed. “We’ve spent a great deal of time trying to inform the public so to call us obstructionists and non-transparent, it’s BS. And you continuously throw us under the bus when we’ve taken great lengths to be as transparent as we possibly can,” he said.

Ford disagreed that she was “throwing anyone under the bus,” and said her intentions were to improve municipal communications.

Ford continued, “My point is, and I’ve probably told you 18 times before, that you all talk to different people than I do. Are the ones you listen to more legitimate than mine?”

The board’s consensus was to send Tomacelli’s letter to the Boothbay Register after checking whether or not Bryer responded during the Feb. 14 meeting that an election advertisement was placed.

In the Feb. 14 selectmen’s meeting video record, Ford asked “Have we announced it?” Bryer responded, “We’ve put ours in as well.”

Boothbay Region TV’s video of the meeting accompanies this article.