State reps to county: Handle political policy problems yourself

By Nate Giarnese

The county turned Monday to its fiscally powerful delegation of state representatives for help settling separate controversies surrounding two retiring, but still influential county politicians. But the lawmakers declined to immediately interfere in matters involving the expense accounts of sheriff Scott Carr and county commissioner Marge Webster, saying further policymaking must be carried out on the county level.A Carroll County commissioner asked the lawmakers at a quarterly budget review in Ossipee Monday for help reining in taxpayer-funded trips out of state by Webster. In reaction to criticisms that Webster too frequently flies to national conferences, and that she violated spending limits set by lawmakers, the commission had already set a policy earlier this month requiring prior approval of trips by the commission.But Monday, as state reps gathered to set salaries for elected heads of county government, commissioner Peter Olkkola declared that Webster, who was absent, intended to flout the edict.The other commissioner says she's not going to comply. She's going to take and do what she wants to do, he said.Leading lawmakers said they'd likely back the all-Republican commission, but said jurisdictional lines left the standoff over Webster in squarely the county's lap.With all due respect, you people have to make that decision, Bartlett Republican Gene Chandler said.Wakefield Republican Bill Denley suggested the commission cut Webster's cash flow. It seems to me it's just a pretty easy call, he said. You don't have to authorize any (checks).Commission Charmian David Sorensen said lawmakers were correct to say it's up to the commission to enforce a stringent travel policy. We've made a step to do that, he said. There are ways we can control that. Further, commission candidate Henry Spencer prodded reps and the commission to discuss restrictions on the next sheriff buying personal suits with public funds.Carr, a Republican who has said he won't run for reelection, was still politicking Monday, shaking hands with nearly every lawmaker who walked past him, even as many had criticized as excessive the $2,300 he spent on four suits last summer.When I have to buy nice suits to go to work, I can't take them off my taxes, Spencer, an Effingham Democrat, said. The commissioners told me to go to the delegation with this issue.But delegates again told the commission to first settle it at the county level.I am not going to get into a discussion with the sheriff at the moment, chairman Betsy Patten, R- Moultonborough, said. We have very little jurisdiction over sheriff's office policy.Yet she indicated the delegation's strong disapproval remained. We are going to make a very, very strong motion that street clothes are not considered part of the uniform budget, she said.