County's Democrat commissioners take exception to redistricting op-ed

To the editor:

We read with great interest Representative Turcotte's response in The Rochester Voice to an article appearing in Foster's Daily Democrat regarding the attempt to redistrict the election area for the Strafford County Commissioners.

For someone who was on the statewide redistricting committee, we are surprised that he does not recognize that both Carroll County and Sullivan County elect their County Commissioners countywide. This process is only slightly different than the election process used in Strafford County. In addition, it is surprising that Rep. Turcotte's claim that it was the intent of the House of Representative's Special Committee on Redistricting, of which he was a member, to redistrict the Strafford County Commissioners after all other state redistricting was completed. Really?

The committee can redistrict the entire state including other races in Strafford County, but not the Commissioners? Oh, by the way if this was the real intent, he forgot to include it in the committee report from the "Committee Input Session" held in Strafford County on September 22, 2021. If it was mentioned during the input session, the voters in Strafford County could have had a chance for input. Rep. Turcotte was quoted in the report, but never mentioned the Strafford County Commissioners.

In addition, the race for Strafford County Commissioners was included in the final redistricting bill as "elected at large." All 400 legislator seats, 24 senate seats, 5 executive council seats, all county seats in New Hampshire and the United States Congressional seats were considered for redistricting, but then the committee did not have the time to address the Strafford County Commissioners "Due to Covid." Who do you think you are kidding?

Rep. Turcotte also has claimed that Secretary of State Scanlan says his bill is legal. Maybe Secretary of State Scanlan could tell us why HB 75 was heard in front of the legislative committee that Rep. Turcotte chairs instead of the Election Law Committee, where all other redistricting bills were heard. In addition, courts decide these types of disputes, not the Secretary of State.

Rep. Turcotte states there is no effort to gerrymander in the new bill, yet he mentions in his letter that Commissioner Maglaras was elected from a "one party system." Really? Over his tenure in office, Commissioner Maglaras was nominated 11 times by the Republican Party and he has proudly served for decades with several Republicans who he considered his friends, including George Young, Earle Goodwin, Cal Schroeder, Catherine Cheney (all Strafford County Commissioners) Wayne Estes as Sheriff, and Charles Crocco as county treasurer.

A common misnomer is that no one has been elected from the towns in Strafford County. Nothing is further from the truth. Cal Schroeder from Town of Strafford, Ron Chagnon from the Town of Farmington, Leo Lessard from the Town of Milton and Deanna Rollo from the Town of Rollinsford have been on the commission. Along with Wayne Estes from Milton as Sheriff, and Pam Arnold from Milton as county treasurer.

It is our belief that the people should elect who they choose to the Executive Branch of Government. Strafford County is recognized as the best run county in New Hampshire for this reason. Our budgets have been managed under the caps voted in by the cities of Dover, Somersworth, and Rochester and for decades we have had unanimous budget votes by the County Delegation made up of Democrats and Republicans.

Rep. Turcotte and Senator Gray, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

- George Maglaras

- Robert J. Watson

- Deanna Rollo

Strafford County Commissioners