Citizen seeks change after getting runaround
State’s highest court unanimous in her favor
“Let sleeping dogs
NASHUA, N.H. >> lie.”
You’ve heard that one before. But what if you’re a decent, responsible, law-abiding, private citizen who pays their taxes, and shortly after purchasing your home in Nashua (2014), there’s curiously been a big jump in its assessment by more than 50%? And by July 2017, your tax bill has exceeded $18,000 a year?
You try calling and visiting city hall for answers, but the assessing department is allegedly cold and terse, and you’re eventually labeled a troublemaker. You’re merely seeking public records and other information and wondering how the heck this department is operating. It would appear to be a simple, minimal request, but you’re getting nowhere. You persist in challenging the city, but now your character’s been impugned.
Laurie Ortolano would tell you it’s been a long, difficult journey for her and her family. She filed a Right-to-know request to obtain emails about property tax abatements between city assessing department workers that covered a five-month period (late 2020 to early 2021).
It’s complicated, and I’m certainly not a lawyer, and I don’t know Laurie Ortolano personally. During my visits to city hall, the people working there have always been kind and helpful to me. Having said that, mistakes were made in this matter, and she deserved better. I hope Nashua can improve on this going forward. Every citizen has a right to be heard in their community. Period. No one should feel intimidated walking into city hall for assistance.
This case went all the way to the New Hampshire Supreme Court. And Ortolano is finally seeing the wheels of justice spinning her way.
In 2022, the trial court (Superior Court) found that “it is undisputed that the City’s backup tape system exists, can be searched, and that files such as those requested by the petitioner are retrievable from the backup tapes.” The city appealed the decision.
The Supreme Court judges recently affirmed the ruling 5-0. The city must pay Ortolano’s attorney fees, and Nashua city employees must undergo training on the Right-to-know law.
“I am really grateful for the decision of the Supreme Court,” Laurie told me. “The order was so practical and reasonable and easy to read and understand. I am so glad that they did not get bogged down in some technical detail in case law. And the order provided good insight and direction on the City as a public agency. The City has been operating on the fact that they are a bunch of small agencies and that citizens have to find the correct agency to get their records. But they have many of the office doors locked and require appointments to speak with anyone. This is not how a public building should be run. It is time for a change in Nashua.”
Mayor Jim Donchess is running for re-election (3rd consecutive term). But the popular incumbent has competition, and
family and friends, and is mainly focused on helping OARS with the transition to a new executive director.
In her 18 years of working with OARS, Field-juma said she has been able to see the results of residents and the government caring more about the quality of their water.
“In 2005 the [Environmental Protection Agency] recognized the merit of our science-based permit appeal, and required the wastewater treatment that has made a huge improvement in water quality. I had only been at OAR for one year, but I have seen the results ever since,” said Field-juma.
Field-juma was also credited with the launch of a “community driven river report card,” starting in 2019, where individual rivers would be graded on things like water quality. A second round of report cards is expected in 2024.
“As President of OARS, I have had the fortune to work closely with Alison and have seen her expertise and passion bring us to where we are: we are poised to grow and take on some of the new challenges in our watershed, including new pollutants of concern, ecological changes associated with our changing climate, and better coordination with the watershed towns,” said OARS Board President Ingeborg Hegmann in the Aug. 28 announcement. “I am very excited about OARS right now: we have wonderful staff, a clear vision, and a collaborative and interested board. In large part, we have Alison to thank for that. We are excited to celebrate with Alison as she begins her transition and approaches her upcoming retirement.”