MANCHESTER, NH – Ward 11 Alderman Norm Vincent was confirmed Tuesday night as the new Chair of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, accompanying a pair of motions aimed at fostering decorum between the board and the city government’s department heads.
The vote to confirm Vincent came after the recent resignation of Alderman At-Large Joseph Kelly Levasseur, with an attempt at withdrawing that resignation not accepted a few days later.
Mayor Jay Ruais moved the matter of selecting a new board chair up to the top of the meeting following public comment. As he called for nominations, Vincent and Terrio were brought forward. Vincent received 10 votes from the board, with Ward 7 Alderman Ross Terrio receiving votes from himself, Levasseur, Ward 6 Alderman Crissy Kantor and Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza.
Terrio made a motion to make the confirmation unanimous per Aldermanic tradition upon the election of a new chair, with the motion passing on a non-unanimous voice vote.
Although the board is officially non-partisan by charter, the board’s Democrats released a statement supporting Vincent to ensure that the board continue without disruption, adding that as a Republican, Vincent was the best candidate given that Republicans won a majority during the last municipal election.
“This action was not a vote of confidence in the majority of any individual member,” said Long. “It was a recognition that the city cannot afford continued dysfunction. Alderman Levasseur’s recent behavior as Chair was indefensible and counterproductive to the Board’s responsibilities.”
The vote followed two cancelled special meetings designed to address concerns over Levasseur’s perceived harassment of Manchester Health Department Director Anna Thomas following allegations that the Health Department acted improperly regarding actions against local resident Dan Mowery.
Mowery was accused of violating the city’s food safety codes, creating what has been dubbed as “Picklegate.” He was in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting, telling the board during public comment that felt that the entire board should be made up of Levasseurs due to his approach to the issue, that he was unfairly singled out by the Health Department – and defiantly ended by saying he was in the process of making more marinara and pickles out of his home regardless of any Health Department actions.
Mowery was joined by several other members of the public during public comment speaking in support of Levasseur, seeing the decision to move on to another chairman and the two other motions relating to decorum as attacks on free speech and attempts to influence next month’s municipal election.
Levasseur also made comments on these ideas in a heated discussion over the two motions that saw Levasseur and several members of the audience talk over Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais at several points.
The first motion directed the City Clerk and City Solicitor to draft additional language for Aldermanic Rule 8 (board decorum) that incorporates the city’s anti-harassment and workplace violence policies, which would then be examined by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Committee on Administration as soon as possible. The second motion was a resolution that neither the Board of Mayor and Aldermen or the City of Manchester supports or condones “personal attacks, threats or innuendos” against its employees or other officials and that the board has faith and trust in Thomas.
Ruais noted that the second item was comparable to a motion made by the board in 2014 as well as a motion more recently by the board showing support to former Manchester Police Department Chief Allen Aldenburg. Levasseur felt that the statement would open up the city to lawsuits if any city employees felt threatened, adding he could potentially use the new statement to file a lawsuit in the future against city employees or officials who he felt harassed him.
Levasseur also felt that the first motion was inappropriate, as using language from the city’s employee handbook in the Aldermanic rules would insinuate that the Aldermen are city employees. Ruais replied that board’s relation with city employees is that of an employer and that maintaining a respectful approach toward city employees aligns with Rule 8 of the board’s rules requiring Aldermen to act in a respectful manner.
Criticism of the pair of motions was also raised around the concept that statements of unconditional support for city department heads insulated them from Aldermanic scrutiny if they did not perform their duties at the board’s expectations.
“Are we just going to have complete faith and trust? That’s idiotic,” said Kantor, adding criticism toward Thomas’ recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic
Supporters of the motions felt such scrutiny could still occur in a respectful manner.
“I think you can have faith and trust in someone’s actions and not agree with them,” said Ward 5 Alderman Tony Sapienza.
Both motions faced roll call votes, with the first motion passing 8-6 and the second passing 11-3. Opposition on the first vote came from Ward 4 Alderwoman Christine Fajardo, Tony Sapienza, Kantor, Levasseur, Terrio and Ed Sapienza. Kantor, Levasseur and Ed Sapienza opposed the second motion.
Circling back to the Picklegate controversy, Ed Sapienza expressed frustration with no announcement that a committee would be formed to examine the city’s food safety ordinance, as had been previously promised.
Vincent said that the hope was to establish the committee as soon as possible, but that did not necessarily mean in time for this night’s meeting.
Ed Sapienza then noted that the committee would be superfluous and moved that the city should drop its own health safety ordinance for the less stringent statewide homesteading guidelines.
That motion falled, 4-10. Ed Sapienza was joined there by Kantor, Levasseur and Terrio.