Ossipee Beach Purchase Fails In Town Vote

Ossipee–November 28, 2017–A proposal to buy a $1.2 million town beach on Ossipee Lake failed  at the polls following a special town meeting Tuesday night.

The meeting and vote was held at Town Hall. Hundreds of people attended. Selectmen’s chair Richard Morgan said the attendance doubled that of a regular town meeting and moderator Katy Meserve said it was the best turnout she has seen in nine years of moderating.

“I’m glad you are all here,” said Morgan.

The vote was 297 yes to 171 no but failed because it required a 66.6 or two thirds vote and only 63 percent were in favor. There were 468 votes.

9 Comments

  1. Charlie Smythe 6 years ago November 29, 2017

    Lay the blame for this fiasco squarely on Morgan’s shoulders. He’s not the small town bully police chief anymore, too used to ordering the public about. He’s a selectman that needs to learn that the voters are his boss, and he is accountable to them. He definitely had the “reverse” Midas touch as an elected official, and his antics rallied enough anger to scuttle, in the end, what probably was the best deal for town residents. Hopefully this angst carries over to the ballot box, as Morgan clearly has not been able to make the transition from town employee to town servant.

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  2. philip 6 years ago November 29, 2017

    well Jim you showed your colors , you are not a good leader ,,. you do not have to quite , ( I AM ) one of 171

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  3. Mike Giammasi 6 years ago November 29, 2017

    A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF OSSIPEE WHO VOTED IN OPPOSITION OF THE TOWN BEACH.

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  4. Patrick 6 years ago November 29, 2017

    I couldn’t agree more with Charlie! The board of selectman should blame themselves and bully attitudes for this. I hope selectman Martin doesn’t think the “no” vote was “un-American”. Well ma’am, voters got their votes in and you won’t be dipping your little toes in the water of Ossippe Lake. How’s that donated beach looking now? Better start looking for another spot and pressuring that owner to sell. Or heck! Clean up your beach at Duncan Lake.

    Good news…. selectman Freeman’s spot is up in 2018? Who will bring some common sense and decency to this corrupt group?

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  5. scott 6 years ago November 29, 2017

    I am not surprised…..I still feel the town deserves a Beach on the lake….Next time…..go with the freebie! (if there is a next time)…
    Some of the comments above are right on target….I do understand the selectboard had the best intentions at heart,but went about it all wrong….I hope lessons have been learned…
    How about a multi town beach with Freedom or Effingham? Course apologies would need to be made,after the Westward Shores nut show….
    Much more research needs to be done…

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  6. Following 6 years ago November 29, 2017

    With all that the Ossipee Selectman and board have done for Westward Shores expansion, maybe they will donate some of their beach? They could remove the 24 mooring on North Beach and the town could use that..
    Just a thought!!

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  7. atony 6 years ago November 30, 2017

    Remarkable to hear Rick Morgan state that he “objects” to non-residents voicing their opinions at town meetings. That’s just fantastic to me. Let me ask…as a seasonal resident who pays over $14k/year in taxes … if you don’t want to hear my voice do you still want to take my money??? Or give me a tax credit for, at the most, a minimal use of town services?? It sounds an awful lot like like give me your money then sit down and keep your mouth shut kind of town management.
    And not to mention how the $1.2 million was procured by unfairly over assessing the shore front property owners to begin with. The sting of that heist is still fresh in many of our minds.
    I think I would have supported the idea of a town beach if I really felt and believed that the town had dealt fairly with the shore front property owners and respected our contributions to the town. If the town is looking for a beneficial way to spend that $1.2 million may I suggest you seriously invest in targeting the milfoil and do a better job policing the inebriated boaters on the sand bar….

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  8. Rick 6 years ago December 5, 2017

    Two words for Ossipee BOS. Sore losers. Furthermore, the great mystery as to day long balloting; Ballot Bill 2.

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  9. KL 6 years ago December 7, 2017

    Now the Board of Selectmen, with Richard Morgan at the helm, have SUED the owner on 12/5 to stop her from trying to sell to someone else. Reasoning? They want to have a re-vote! We as taxpayers have personally suffered defamation of character by the Board of Selectman at the 12/4/17 meeting, specifically calling us cruel, un-American, cowards, and selfish simply because we exercised our freedom as Americans to vote.

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