I have been attending the Board of Selectmen’s meetings in Peru and I have read the complaint of the recent lawsuit filed against the board (which can be obtained from the town office).

It appears that people don’t really understand what the lawsuit actually is. The object of the lawsuit is only to make the selectmen uphold the ordinance passed in June 2012 that states town employees may not simultaneously hold an elected position.

The majority of the board has consistently denied the ordinance’s rule and let the secretary of the board remain on the board as a selectman.

Statements made by the chairman and co-chairman of the board have been misleading. The lawsuit does not put the town at risk. It carries no monetary gain for the plaintiffs.

On Jan. 19, there is a special town meeting to vote by secret ballot on an ordinance for “public participation at the end of every select board meeting for no more than 20 minutes.”

Public participation has been removed a lot during the past nine months, which I believe has violated the public’s First Amendment rights. Peru does not have an appeals board to which to bring grievances.

The ordinance is also a reminder for all Peru selectmen to remember that they were elected by the people and for the people, not for themselves or their own agendas.

Peru residents need to vote to maintain their rights and state that they are still free.

Wendy Henderson, Peru

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