Just a COVID was declared Grafton County was in the process of hiring a new County Administrator. Both the Board of Commissioners and the Delegation supported this move, County Administrator Julie Libby would now become the Finance Director, and we would hire a new person with better qualifications to assume the role. The full-time elected officials, the County Attorney, the County Sheriff and the Register of Deeds were not allowed to participate in any steps of this process.
In the past I had been present for all big transitions, conducted in public meetings. The year before, I had been blackballed from my request to appointment to the NH Association of Counties new Strategic Planning Committee. The three female Commissioners, who were already hostile towards me, appointed brand-new Commissioner Maricia Morris rather than someone who had attended these meetings and conferences for years, and was very knowledgeable about all events leading to the need for a new direction. Andrew Dorsett was hired and started in February.
I certainly felt a sense of optimism, that things could improve. The nepotism would be called out, and a new more professional environment could be established. The first Department Head meeting was business as usual, indifference and hostile comments from Julie, when Andrew was late. Complaining from both the IT Director Brend Ruggles and Maintenance Superintendent Jim Oakes about Andrew wanting to give approval for Department Head time off. Both men ranted about coming and going as they pleased and rejecting his authority. They both loved their 3-day work weeks. Brent was often unavailable on Monday's when IT usually needs support, missing several scheduled conversions with my department. Jim, as always, needed every sunny day to work on his house, was often missing on Friday when we often needed support from Maintenance. The new hire of the Board of Commissioners for the role of Drug Court Coordinator, was another grumbler, often insulting elected officials and mocking them in Department Head meetings. Not a nice person. I thought that Andrew could make a difference, but Julie hated taking the back seat and she could not handle the loss of power and control.
Wendy Piper and I had a falling out at a NHAC meeting to appoint the new Executive Director, a lobbying firm, the Dupont Group which I strongly protested, but I did not have any authority to speak to this. She had acted incredibly inappropriate sharing an email from the Board with me in a mocking message, that was very damaging to the reputation of a woman committed to county government and who I respected and considered a friend. Piper's unprofessional behavior was shocking to me. As no one else wanted the position as President of New Hampshire Association of Counties, she stepped in, knowing nothing. I called her out on her immaturity and unprofessional behavior, and she was spoken to by the acting President. We did not speak for months, I finally reached out to her in the fall and attempted to rebuild the relationship as we had to work together and Marcia Morris, in my opinion, was a horrible Commissioner. When we met for lunch in a small break room she said to me, "Where have you been? Your car hasn't been here in months." I looked at this obtuse mess and said, I got a new car in January." I should never have given this wreck of a person a second chance writing that letter to attempt to boost her confidence and keep Ahern in as Commissioner and Marcia Morris out. That was the biggest error in judgement that I have ever made. I created this monster. The team of these two very damaged individuals had led to our legal costs skyrocketing and the majority of the dysfunction here. Andrew's contract was paid off and he was shown the door by November. The details of that, I am fully involved in, and those facts are headed to the Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity. I have given them so many opportunities to admit to the error of their ways, and now that time is up.
In the past I had been present for all big transitions, conducted in public meetings. The year before, I had been blackballed from my request to appointment to the NH Association of Counties new Strategic Planning Committee. The three female Commissioners, who were already hostile towards me, appointed brand-new Commissioner Maricia Morris rather than someone who had attended these meetings and conferences for years, and was very knowledgeable about all events leading to the need for a new direction. Andrew Dorsett was hired and started in February.
I certainly felt a sense of optimism, that things could improve. The nepotism would be called out, and a new more professional environment could be established. The first Department Head meeting was business as usual, indifference and hostile comments from Julie, when Andrew was late. Complaining from both the IT Director Brend Ruggles and Maintenance Superintendent Jim Oakes about Andrew wanting to give approval for Department Head time off. Both men ranted about coming and going as they pleased and rejecting his authority. They both loved their 3-day work weeks. Brent was often unavailable on Monday's when IT usually needs support, missing several scheduled conversions with my department. Jim, as always, needed every sunny day to work on his house, was often missing on Friday when we often needed support from Maintenance. The new hire of the Board of Commissioners for the role of Drug Court Coordinator, was another grumbler, often insulting elected officials and mocking them in Department Head meetings. Not a nice person. I thought that Andrew could make a difference, but Julie hated taking the back seat and she could not handle the loss of power and control.
Wendy Piper and I had a falling out at a NHAC meeting to appoint the new Executive Director, a lobbying firm, the Dupont Group which I strongly protested, but I did not have any authority to speak to this. She had acted incredibly inappropriate sharing an email from the Board with me in a mocking message, that was very damaging to the reputation of a woman committed to county government and who I respected and considered a friend. Piper's unprofessional behavior was shocking to me. As no one else wanted the position as President of New Hampshire Association of Counties, she stepped in, knowing nothing. I called her out on her immaturity and unprofessional behavior, and she was spoken to by the acting President. We did not speak for months, I finally reached out to her in the fall and attempted to rebuild the relationship as we had to work together and Marcia Morris, in my opinion, was a horrible Commissioner. When we met for lunch in a small break room she said to me, "Where have you been? Your car hasn't been here in months." I looked at this obtuse mess and said, I got a new car in January." I should never have given this wreck of a person a second chance writing that letter to attempt to boost her confidence and keep Ahern in as Commissioner and Marcia Morris out. That was the biggest error in judgement that I have ever made. I created this monster. The team of these two very damaged individuals had led to our legal costs skyrocketing and the majority of the dysfunction here. Andrew's contract was paid off and he was shown the door by November. The details of that, I am fully involved in, and those facts are headed to the Attorney General's Office of Public Integrity. I have given them so many opportunities to admit to the error of their ways, and now that time is up.
Credit where it is due at Grafton County,
My name is Kelley Monahan and I have served as the Grafton County Register of Deeds for 11 ½ years, receiving the vote of confidence last November from 47,467 of my fellow citizens to return me to my 6th term. I have served as Vice President of the NH Register of Deeds Association and now serve as President. This service required me to spend a great deal of time in legislative committees in Concord. It is from this experience that I write.
I can clearly see that a new day has dawned at Grafton County. I have been blessed to witness extraordinary leadership germinate and flourish and her name is Wendy Piper.
Commissioner Piper’s intellect, common sense, determination, work ethic and ability to dissect a problem and seek solutions is responsible for this new era for our County. Wendy also serves as the President of The New Hampshire Association of Counties, which greatly contributes to her workload.
Her friendship with and respect for Republican Commissioner Omer Ahern unlocked the former partisan gridlock and bickering. With Commissioner Ahern’s vote, Wendy Piper became the new Chairman of the Grafton County Board of Commissioners.
I have had the pleasure of working with Commissioner Ahern over multiple terms. We fought Northern Pass together. I credit his innovative “Just Omer” show available on Pemi--Baker Public Access Television with helping keep the South-Eastern corner of the County informed. As a Real Estate Attorney, he understands the value of my office and I have always appreciated his input and ear. He has also been a tireless advocate for the County Farm and has gone back to basics with his Farm Doc Plan.
Once these two minds met, there was no stopping the reset. These two dedicated public servants worked tirelessly to craft the excellent budget that was just adopted for Fiscal Year 2022 with little input from the Delegation.
But with reset and rebirth, a death must first occur. Much like Rhett and Scarlett watching the Old South die, I feel very privileged to have been eyewitness to that death. The last gasp of the powerless and flailing ideolog was on full display during the June 28 meeting as feeble attempts were made to control what is uncontrollable. Many busy people were held hostage for hours while a handful of Republicans indulgently strategized and then acted out their futile obstructionism. In the past, the Ray Burton era, the Democrats and Republican of the Delegation arrived an hour prior to the start of the meeting to caucus. Those days of respect and courtesy are truly gone with the wind.
Most notable was the behavior of the leadership of the Executive Committee who failed to recognize the hard work and commitment of Board of Commissioners or the brilliant and always dependable Grafton County Finance Director Julie Libby. F.D. Libby who has carried the burden of two full time roles for far too long is the rock that Grafton County is centered around. Not a word to the eager and innovative new County Administrator who has hit the ground running. Andrew Dorsett having just arrived in February as the department budgets where just about to be presented to the Board of Commissioners. Nothing to the Department Heads who work for half a year preparing their figures, specifically the Human Resource Department who rose to the challenges of managing everything COVID related throughout every other department. I have rarely heard them praise any Grafton County Elected Official and expect nothing but most importantly they ignored the ESSENTIAL WORKER. Instead, as we have so often seen from the stereotypical politician who lacks any self-awareness, they congratulated only themselves for showing up. The egos.
But I do not believe that the blame for this type of collective behavior can be placed on the individual, as they participate in a form of government, well intentioned or not, that does not equate a reasonable value on their time and energy. This system attracts, almost exclusively, people who can afford to place no value on their own time but are then tasked with determining the value of the time of others. And then there is the ideolog who has nothing better to do with their time than advance their cause at the expense of everyone else. A great deal of time was wasted on Tuesday June 28, 2021, and that is the biggest insult of all to those who have consistently showed up and toiled over the past year during a pandemic.
In closing I would like to thank my team, the most dedicated and knowledgeable group of women and men that I have ever had the pleasure to work alongside. They showed up every single day, assisted the stressed and agitated public and recorded thousands of documents to the Official Public Record. We will close FY2021 by contributing $1.5 million back to general fund and we are just getting started.
In service,
Kelley Jean Monahan
June 2021
My name is Kelley Monahan and I have served as the Grafton County Register of Deeds for 11 ½ years, receiving the vote of confidence last November from 47,467 of my fellow citizens to return me to my 6th term. I have served as Vice President of the NH Register of Deeds Association and now serve as President. This service required me to spend a great deal of time in legislative committees in Concord. It is from this experience that I write.
I can clearly see that a new day has dawned at Grafton County. I have been blessed to witness extraordinary leadership germinate and flourish and her name is Wendy Piper.
Commissioner Piper’s intellect, common sense, determination, work ethic and ability to dissect a problem and seek solutions is responsible for this new era for our County. Wendy also serves as the President of The New Hampshire Association of Counties, which greatly contributes to her workload.
Her friendship with and respect for Republican Commissioner Omer Ahern unlocked the former partisan gridlock and bickering. With Commissioner Ahern’s vote, Wendy Piper became the new Chairman of the Grafton County Board of Commissioners.
I have had the pleasure of working with Commissioner Ahern over multiple terms. We fought Northern Pass together. I credit his innovative “Just Omer” show available on Pemi--Baker Public Access Television with helping keep the South-Eastern corner of the County informed. As a Real Estate Attorney, he understands the value of my office and I have always appreciated his input and ear. He has also been a tireless advocate for the County Farm and has gone back to basics with his Farm Doc Plan.
Once these two minds met, there was no stopping the reset. These two dedicated public servants worked tirelessly to craft the excellent budget that was just adopted for Fiscal Year 2022 with little input from the Delegation.
But with reset and rebirth, a death must first occur. Much like Rhett and Scarlett watching the Old South die, I feel very privileged to have been eyewitness to that death. The last gasp of the powerless and flailing ideolog was on full display during the June 28 meeting as feeble attempts were made to control what is uncontrollable. Many busy people were held hostage for hours while a handful of Republicans indulgently strategized and then acted out their futile obstructionism. In the past, the Ray Burton era, the Democrats and Republican of the Delegation arrived an hour prior to the start of the meeting to caucus. Those days of respect and courtesy are truly gone with the wind.
Most notable was the behavior of the leadership of the Executive Committee who failed to recognize the hard work and commitment of Board of Commissioners or the brilliant and always dependable Grafton County Finance Director Julie Libby. F.D. Libby who has carried the burden of two full time roles for far too long is the rock that Grafton County is centered around. Not a word to the eager and innovative new County Administrator who has hit the ground running. Andrew Dorsett having just arrived in February as the department budgets where just about to be presented to the Board of Commissioners. Nothing to the Department Heads who work for half a year preparing their figures, specifically the Human Resource Department who rose to the challenges of managing everything COVID related throughout every other department. I have rarely heard them praise any Grafton County Elected Official and expect nothing but most importantly they ignored the ESSENTIAL WORKER. Instead, as we have so often seen from the stereotypical politician who lacks any self-awareness, they congratulated only themselves for showing up. The egos.
But I do not believe that the blame for this type of collective behavior can be placed on the individual, as they participate in a form of government, well intentioned or not, that does not equate a reasonable value on their time and energy. This system attracts, almost exclusively, people who can afford to place no value on their own time but are then tasked with determining the value of the time of others. And then there is the ideolog who has nothing better to do with their time than advance their cause at the expense of everyone else. A great deal of time was wasted on Tuesday June 28, 2021, and that is the biggest insult of all to those who have consistently showed up and toiled over the past year during a pandemic.
In closing I would like to thank my team, the most dedicated and knowledgeable group of women and men that I have ever had the pleasure to work alongside. They showed up every single day, assisted the stressed and agitated public and recorded thousands of documents to the Official Public Record. We will close FY2021 by contributing $1.5 million back to general fund and we are just getting started.
In service,
Kelley Jean Monahan
June 2021