Are Peru taxpayers aware of what is happening with their money lately?

Tax money in the amount of more than $6,600 was just paid for the current secretary’s legal fees. That, along with what the town spent to defend itself, is more than $10,000 in wasted money — legal fees that should not have been incurred.

If she had just stepped down as a selectperson after the June 12, 2012, vote, none of that would have happened. Residents told her how they felt in November of 2012 when they voted not to overturn an article that made the secretary position an elected one.

The Wind Committee spent two years planning a wind ordinance and all members ever asked for was to have money set aside for legal fees — legal fees for wind companies. I was under the impression (as a lot of people were) that the $10,000 that was set aside last June was for that.

Well, the wording got changed by the former board to have the money set aside for legal fees in general.

When voting next week, residents should be aware of Article 7 — $124,000 for town expenses as a block. There is no way to vote “no” to any one part of it (including another $10,000 for legal fees). Plus, with the money in one article, the board can exchange amounts back and around within that block, however it sees fit.

That raises a bunch of questions with me.

I hope it does for others, too.

Warren Oldham, Peru