Selectmen Trying to Move On From 'Negative Publicity' with State

Selectmen are looking to push aside some of the negativity that has surfaced recently during conversations about the state's responsibilities at Hampton Beach in the hopes that the two sides can resume negotiations on something that has been a combative issue over the years.

Members of the board publicly addressed Monday night the cancellation of a last-minute nonpublic meeting last Thursday between two selectmen and state officials about the Hampton Beach joint operations plan — a session that the state canceled after Selectman Mary-Louise Woolsey contacted the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office with concerns that not meeting in public would violate the state's Right-to-Know Law.

Woolsey has used strong language during recent public sessions while voicing her concerns. Other members of the board publicly said for the first time Monday they wanted to distance themselves from some of her claims, which have included accusing members of the state Division of Resources and Economic Development of holding Hampton "hostage" by not wanting to meet in public.

"I think we’ve created a lot of negative publicity… because we’re protective of the town’s interests, [but] we haven’t advanced the town’s interest [through our actions]," said Selectmen Ben Moore. "I don't think that we should be... potentially erecting barriers between the town and any state department. I think when comments are made [they don't] tend to help us toward cooperating together for [the benefit] of a tourist attraction."

Phil Bean, chairman of the Hampton Board of Selectmen, agreed.

"Going forward I'm looking from nothing better than a 180-degree turnaround in how [we conduct ourselves]," said Bean, who said multiple times Monday he doesn't want himself "associated" with Woolsey's inflammatory remarks.

Woolsey has stressed the importance of coming to a fair agreement on a joint operations plan — which governs security, trash removal, street sweeping along Ocean Boulevard, sidewalk maintenance and more — because the current temporary agreement expired on Dec. 31.

Woolsey has called for any meetings about the plan to be held in public because she said she finds it "alarming and very unpalatable" that state employees have conveyed to Town Manager Fred Welch that they "refuse" to meet with selectmen in public. Woolsey said she's "never heard that before," and said she doesn't "see anything that's secret" about the items contained within the joint operations plan.

"I consider this a very, very dangerous path as far as the Right to Know Law is concerned," said Woolsey, who said the town is "on a very slippery slope" if officials are "foolish enough" to let the state dictate the meeting not take place in public.

Bean and Moore were originally chosen as the selectmen's negotiators, although Woolsey had expressed an interest in being directly involved in the talks. She said she didn't request that Thursday's meeting be canceled, and said that she wasn't looking to block the meeting because she wasn't chosen as a negotiator.

Vice Chairman Dick Nichols and Selectman Mike Pierce also voiced disagreement with Woolsey's views on the negotiations on Monday, stating that there would be no issues if the next negotiation session took place behind closed doors because it likely won't be the last conversation about the joint operations plan and because nonpublic sessions are common practice during negotiations that involve employees.

"I have no problem with [not meeting in public] whatsoever," said Pierce, who did say the agreement "has to be made public" before it is approved by selectmen, the governor and other state officials.

Selectmen will soon attempt to resurrect the negotiations, and Moore said he doesn't think it matters who represents the board in the talks — only that selectmen's questions are addressed and their interests and the town's interests are reflected in the joint operations plan.

Bean said the next meeting with DRED — the staff of which Nichols said has been "amenable" to Hampton's concerns about the beach during the process thus far and shouldn't be "demonize[d]" — "seems to be up in the air." Bean said, as of Monday night, that he doesn't know when it may be held.