Town Council President Rudeness and Sharing of Confidential E-Mails

After viewing the October 22 Town Council meeting on the
town website, I felt obligated to e-mail Mr. Robicheau and ask him why he
thought it was acceptable to behave in the manner that he did.  The Old Business item for the Fairview Lane right-of-way shows his complete disregard for council members as well as members of the public, women in general.  

I obtained his e-mail address from the Portsmouth Town Hall website and sent him an e-mail late Friday night.   I asked specifically in my e-mail that he be
the one to respond to my questions and not his wife as I was under the
impression that he isn’t always the one doing the responding.   I proceeded to ask him why he felt he could treat the public in this manner.  I also suggested that after seeing the rude and unacceptable behavior that he showed to Ms. Staven that she be offered a public apology for his unnecessary and degradingcomments.  Much to my surprise the initial e-mail I received back was in fact from his wife Drena.  Her e-mail explained that “she receives both her personal e-mails as well as all her husband’s e-mails and she monitors his e-mails because he has such a busy schedule that he needs someone to act as a secretary”. 

I then e-mailed his secretary again to be sure she forwarded him my questions and was awaiting his response.  I also suggested that he may want to set up his own e-mail account so he is able to monitor his own e-maiIs regarding the Town of Portsmouth due to confidentiality matters.  I then received a second e-mail from his “secretary”, when she then proceeded to state that “Joe has all of his e-mails from both his personal e-mail and the town council e-mails automatically forwarded to her personal e-mail address so that she can keep him informed about what’s going on when he is otherwise busy taking care of town business”.

HELLO, exactly who is supposed to be running our town and who is our elected Town Official, Joe or Drena Robicheau?  I would assume she is only forwarding e-mails that she feels worthy a response.  Something is not right here folks on many levels.

I don’t know how the townspeople feel about this but it greatly concerns me that all information that our Town President receives via e-mail is shared with others.  I am sure he receives numerous e-mails regarding public information as well as
information that was discussed in Executive Session.  These e-mails include information on personnel issues, litigation issues and other major issues brought before the town.  Why would our President be sharing this information with anyone and I wonder who else he is sharing this confidential information with?   Should we now all assume that it is alright if Mr. Seveney, Mr. Hamilton, Ms. Pedro or any other council member also had their own “secretaries” that handled our town business because the elected official is too busy? 

I did ask him to respond to my e-mail, which he is obviously hesitant to do.  He only wanted me to call him for his feedback and wanted to put nothing additional in writing.  I feel as a townsperson I have a right to answers.  He is the one seeking re-election, not me.  Transparancy Mr. Robicheau remember?

You will now be asked the questions publicly Mr. Robicheau as we would all love to hear your feedback on why your wife is included in public and private information that our town is involved in?  We would also be interested in knowing how and why you feel that it is in your power to treat your constituents and fellow
council members of Portsmouth with such disrespect?