Letter: Planning Board editorial lacked research

Let’s set the record straight, shall we? Your April 4 editorial, “Step Aside on Silver Scone,” should receive an award for the most poorly researched editorial ever written.

Nancy Clark did not run for the New Ipswich Planning Board, but was elected through write in votes. She was sworn in but then immediately resigned her newly elected Planning Board position upon discovering that an attorney with clients in front of a board cannot serve on said board even if they recuse themselves, which she had fully intended to do regarding the Elwell situation.

But your lack of fact-finding did not end with this misrepresentation. Craig Smeeth had recused himself back in January prior to the Elwell case being heard by the Planning Board. How could you not have known this? How could you have assumed this would not be the case going forward? Did you contact Smeeth or Clark prior to running your editorial and check the facts with them? What exactly did you base your editorial on?

For you to jump to the false conclusions you drew in your editorial points to a lack of due diligence on your part. Your paper should apologize to Smeeth and Clark in the same editorial space where you espoused your erroneous assertions. May I suggest the following headline -- “’This paper has failed to research its editorial topic properly”?

Marilyn Stowe

New Ipswich  

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