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Public commenter tells Townshend Select Board the town has delayed hall repairs and defended a resident
Summary
A Townshend resident read a letter accusing the Select Board of delaying town-hall maintenance and said a widely circulated notice wrongly blamed a longtime property owner; the board limited public comment time and directed the letter be submitted for the record.
A public commenter read a lengthy letter to the Townshend Select Board accusing the board of failing to address building and infrastructure deficiencies, including delayed ADA upgrades to the town hall. The commenter disputed a circulated yellow-paper notice that suggested a local property owner was responsible, saying, “Mister Corey Sickling had nothing to do with this letter” and calling other claims “False. Completely untrue.”
Chair interrupted the speaker when time ran over and instructed the commenter to submit the letter for the record. Board members and other attendees pushed back at times, with one board member saying the letter amounted to “an attack” and another noting the need to observe the meeting’s public-comment time limits. The exchange underscored tensions between some residents and the board over maintenance priorities for town facilities.
The letter, read aloud by the commenter, alleged higher highway department costs and oversight lapses, including examples such as new tires fitted to an older grader that later experienced mechanical trouble and out-of-date inspection stickers on town vehicles. The commenter also criticized perceived delays on installing door openers and other ADA work. The Select Board did not adopt any immediate remedial action during the meeting; the chair instructed the commenter to formally submit the letter for follow-up.
