Sexing Up the Story and Exposing Woodsville's Secret Agenda: The True Behind the Scenes Breakdown of Woodsville's Meddling in the Affairs of Haverhill
Editor's Note: The heart of this installment is graphic in nature by my own intricate design, as I have come to understand the Haverhill vs. Woodsville funding debacle is essentially a real-life soap opera that continues to produce one dramatic moment after another. At first it seemed like a quaint tale about small town politics, perhaps something that would make a good novel. However, the fast and furious evolution of this story is more like an X-rated movie that has no real plot line and just focuses on the "action." Hence, you will find a great deal of sexual inuendo in this piece, which contains a full-on parody of Woodsville and Haverhill as a married couple. It is a tool of storytelling that I think fits the situation very well. I dabbled in this type of metaphor previously on this site when I described what's going on in New Hampshire's legal system as follows:
In this age of information where artificial intelligence is completely taking over the creative landscape, it seems plausible that more than 90 percent of what you read online ten years from now will be created by a bot of some sort.
Yet, we still see everywhere we look that the nuances of what makes something go viral can't exactly be captured or described accurately by computer algorithms and Chat GPT outputs. It takes a human mind with human emotions and human urges and instincts to tap into what makes truly viral content thrive in this kind of environment. It's sad but true that sometimes stories have to be sexed up to appeal to the masses.
This is a story and a series that should be a viral phenomenon, because it touches every aspect of the dirty political wasteland we all reluctantly support in this country with our local, state and federal tax dollars. The inherently shady nature of local politics feeds directly into the much dirtier national political picture seamlessly and perfectly. None of us would even know anything about Donald Trump and the porn star if this wasn't true. The bottom line at the end of the day is politics all too often boils down to one simple concept: who's fucking who.
A WHOLESOME LOVE STORY THAT EVOLVED INTO A MARRIAGE PLAGUED BY SEXUAL ABUSE (PARODY)
Way back in the 1800s when Woodsville first started accepting Haverhill's money, the two municipalities were a lot like star-crossed lovers with a symbiotic and beneficial relationship. They understood each other and cared about each other's emotional and sexual needs. Haverhill was the man in the relationship, and the town had everything under control in those early days of heated romance.
Woodsville was the woman in the blossoming affair. Haverhill did what so many men do early in relationships and put her on a pedestal. He provided her gifts and shared his wealth with her. Haverhill also never got on her case about how she spent the money he gave her. "The Girl Next Door" built departments and paved her roads and maintained her sewers with lots of help from the man she believed she would spend the rest of her life with.
Eventually, the true love faded, and the two municipalities grew apart as some couples often do. While they did their best to stick together through the difficult stretches of their marriage, Haverhill became wise to the fact that Woodsville only really loved him for his money. Woodsville became controlling and conniving, always taking more than she gave. She would get upset when her man would question her about all the cash he was giving her and what she was doing with it. She'd get even more upset when Haverhill started inquiring about why she needed all that money anyway and then threatened to cut off her allowance entirely.
The couple once enamored with each other reached a point where Haverhill became so accustomed to being used and manipulated that it willingly gave into Woodsville's sexual abuse and repeated molestation. Woodsville even brought in other parties to help her rape, abuse and plunder Haverhill, mostly lawyers. By the time Haverhill finally decided enough was enough, Woodsville was railing her once beloved husband where the sun doesn't shine with a huge strap on, and a certain perverted friend of hers was providing the natural lube for the dirty deed.
Attorney Christopher "Hawk Tuah" Hawkins (depicted in the parody above) relished his contribution to the repeated abuse of Haverhill. He continued his involvement in the sexual assaults even after losing his partner in crime-- Lynne "Make 'em Squirm" Macomber--when he changed jobs and went to a new firm. The new law firm "Hawk Tuah" called home used the initials DTC to delineate the main partner names who controlled the multi-million-dollar enterprise. Hawkins liked to joke that the initials really meant: "Down to Copulate." He thoroughly enjoyed helping any municipality sexually exploit another, and he was happy to get paid for the opportunity to both help commit and witness this egregious abuse. Every time Woodsville pulled out the strap on and tightened it around her waist, Hawkins was there to spit on the phallic abuse instrument (that thang) before Woodsville used it to violate her victim.
The abuse continued and expanded to the point that Haverhill was left in a puddle of his own tears. Friends and supporters that were the glue that held him together abandoned him when his life spiraled out of control. Woodsville managed to change every facet of his being and intimidate anyone who tried to get between them and put a stop to the abuse. Haverhill still attempted relentlessly to distance himself from the woman he once loved unconditionally and would do anything to please. Woodsville refused to leave the relationship, doing whatever she could to keep taking his money and treating him with ultimate disrespect at the same time. She would occasionally talk about leaving (seceding), but she was always there in the background doing whatever she could to make his life even more miserable than it already was. Even when the couple stopped really speaking to each other civilly, Woodsville was always demanding more money every time she met up with Haverhill.
This sultry, sordid affair that began as innocent courting became so manipulative and morbid that Haverhill ended up scarred, confused, unable to professionally carry out his business, and too embarrassed about the unspeakable horrors he endured to try to find help and pursue justice. When he did attempt to get real help, Woodsville and her minions called his attempts "frivolous" and laughed at him for trying to reverse the damage she had done to him. Eventually, Haverhill's financial situation got bogged down in all the muck, and he started having to make late payments and ask for extra time to cut checks to cover even what he officially owed Woodsville. Even while Woodsville caused Haverhill's financial distress and continued to make it worse, she continuously came to her old lover for money. She always wanted a hand-out from him without even offering an old-fashioned handjob for his troubles.
So, now that we have set the scene and "laid" the foundation for where we are today in this troubled municipal relationship. Let's put all the sexing up the story aside for a moment and get down to the nitty gritty descriptive details of why the reality of this saga is best compared to the kind of abusive situation that would make even Jeffrey Epstein blush.
WOODSVILLE'S REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO MANIPULATE HAVERHILL'S LEADERSHIP
Since the last article published here, Plan B Justice acquired some disturbing documentation chronicling the behind-the-scenes efforts of Woodsville Administrator Kevin Shelton to effectively capture members of Haverhill's Board of Selectmen and get them to serve Woodsville's interests at Haverhill's expense. The text messages and emails we acquired really paint the town's case against DTC lawyers in a whole new light. We asked the district leader for communications and pay stubs that shined a real spotlight on his regular discussions with two individuals who had a working relationship with Haverhill at the same time they served on Haverhill's Board of Selectmen: Kevin Knapp (still on the board) and Steve Robbins (voted out in the midst of the DTC scandal). Knapp was employed as a part-time diesel mechanic for the Woodsville district and performed repairs on some key fire department equipment. Robbins had an even more intimate financial relationship with the district as Fire Chief and former director of the ambulance service in the district.
In addition to his written communications with Haverhill Select Board Members, Shelton was also arranging personal meetings. Right to Know requests can't even begin to discern what happened when the Woodsville Administrator met in person with these trifling board members. However, I think it's safe to say they didn't talk about their golf swings or their favorite fishing holes.
If you've ever heard Shelton speak in public, you might think he's more than a few fries short of a Happy Meal, but reading some of these missives to his loyal boys on the board makes you realize he's about "as dumb as a fox." Even though he's repeatedly operated under the radar to influence these Woodsville loyalists playing the part of Benedict Arnold in their purported service to Haverhill, he wrote the following in a letter to one of the newest Haverhill Board Members, Rod O'Shana (The Current Interim Chairman of the Board):
"Transparency is best" according to Shelton, but this is a guy who's hidden so much more than he's shared when it comes to concerning communications and face to face meetings meant to basically attempt a coup over Haverhill's town government. Shelton himself is not as he portrays himself to be. He can't even hide the fact that he wants the town's lawsuit against DTC attorneys to fail. It is no secret that Woodsville cheerleaders like Shelton and Former Commissioner Dick Guy did everything in their power to oust Former Haverhill Town Manager Brigitte Codling, and when their early attempts didn't work, they sought to eliminate her position altogether by putting the change of government question on the town ballot. That effort succeeded, but Codling stayed on as long as she could. This was especially difficult for her amidst the backlash she faced after signing a new contract to become the Town Administrator in the new form of government her detractors brought about to try to get rid of her once and for all. The constant vicious personal attacks on her grew to be so intolerable she departed on barely two weeks notice, leaving a vacuum in town leadership exacerbated by a variety of other resignations.
The last few Haverhill Select Board Meetings have been basically hijacked by Shelton behaving more like the CEO of a collection agency than a sincere and concerned community leader. At one point during the July 29, 2024 board meeting, Chairman Rod O'Shana loudly announced that the town is in a very difficult position after the departure of so many key employees. Not only do they have to figure out how to implement the changeover to a new town government, they also have to adjust on the fly to managing the town's affairs without the assistance of former employees with years of expertise in that arena. Even after Shelton and his friends have done so much to undermine and irreparably damage Haverhill's reputation and core leadership, he's now poking the town's lifeless body and asking it where his money is.
The hypocrisy is astounding to say the least. Even worse, Shelton's own communications reveal he spurred on the entire DTC scandal by first recommending Attorney Hawkins to Haverhill Board Members Michael Graham (who since resigned) and Kevin Knapp. It's not such a frivolous lawsuit when you take a closer look at the kind of relationship Shelton and Hawkins shared from previously working so closely together during Hawkins' service as legal counsel for the district:
Knapp later admitted in his recent deposition that he contacted Hawkins at the behest of Shelton. Knapp first made it look like he wanted Hawkins to possibly represent the town in September of 2022 to attempt to fire Codling. The initial consultation didn't last long, because it became clear to Hawkins that Knapp wasn't doing his soliciting with full board support at the time. The "labor discussion" mentioned at the top of the above email chain was most likely code for describing these early talks Hawkins participated in with Haverhill Select Board members. He obviously wanted to help support their efforts to terminate Codling's contract, but he knew even then that he had to be hired with the full authority of the board/town. This is particularly intriguing in light of Knapp's deposition testimony where he plainly stated that he was simply "fishing" for help from Hawkins at the time. Knapp also made another very public statement to Former Board Member Matt Bjelobrk that explained he initially contacted Hawkins as a private citizen and "there was never supposed to be a bill."
Why would Hawkins ever agree to provide all that free consultation if he wasn't personally invested and didn't have a conflict of interest? Hawkins pretended to have no conflict at all based on his narrowly defined scope of representation of Haverhill after previously doing so much work for Woodsville. This is because Shelton and a few severely conflicted board members actually sought out Hawkins directly due to the fact that he did have a conflict that favored Woodsville. Knapp even stated in his deposition that he never thought to find an attorney that DIDN'T have a conflict.
Knapp's deposition is crucial to debunking all the responsive documentation DTC's current legal counsel offered recently in defense of their own bogus counterclaims and the town's motion for summary judgment. It fits the same pattern of all the sworn statements provided by DTC's counsel. The affidavits and depositions that are supposed to be designed to champion DTC's cause actually doom their defense to failure. It is a textbook example of parties in a lawsuit testifying against themselves. DTC's counsel exponentially multiplies the hypocrisy of Shelton in his recent interactions with Haverhill officials. At the same time these insurance company attorneys accuse Haverhill's legal counsel of failing to do a due diligence investigation into the claims at issue, they flat out demonstrate a complete lack of research of their own into either the facts of the case or the applicable law. Meanwhile, current DTC attorney Jim Soucy testifies offhand in all the depositions he conducted of key parties that he doesn't really know much at all about how town governments really work. This proves he did not even conduct even the most basic research into this case.
A TRUE EXAMPLE OF WHY LEGAL AND POLITICAL MISCONDUCT IS SO IMPORTANT TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST
The Woodsville/Haverhill funding feud that gave rise to this case certainly could have been handled with much more candor and civility. Cooperation went out the window when personal interests interfered with the operations of both municipalities. There were no greater agitators of this climate than Kevin Shelton and the corrupted Haverhill Select Board Members who followed his guidance without question. The legal and political misconduct involved here needs to be addressed and confronted. The legal system is one way to assign accountability, but publication of the facts and true circumstances of this unique case is even more important.
There has to be a record of all this manipulative meddling for history, because at some point attorneys and politicians who skirt ethical obligations and purposely commit misconduct need to be called out and publicly shamed for their transgressions. Otherwise, society spirals further out of control and the common taxpayer continues to suffer the brunt of how much money this kind of misconduct actually costs a municipality at the end of the day. Most evil can only persist under a dark cloak of secrecy, and sunlight is truly the best disinfectant.
While DTC claims their supposed "work" on behalf of "the town" actually provided some benefit to the community as a whole, the real truth is the damage caused by that unholy arrangement is still spreading like a metastatic cancer. The original DTC attorneys were never duly authorized to work on behalf of the entire town, and the evidence shows they really only catered to the demands of a few personally invested select board members. They worked with those conflicted board members while ignoring their ethical obligations to do better and circumventing all accepted and valid procedures of legal counsel retention for a municipality operating under a Town Manager form of government. Such a government is supposed to be designed with checks and balances so this type of secret coup attempt can't happen. What's worse is DTC's current counsel refuses to acknowledge the true circumstances of what happened and can only attempt to defend their clients by taking a great deal of facts and evidence completely out of context. It is truly a despicable example of the legal profession as a whole failing to police itself properly.
One of the town employees who could have helped Haverhill figure out all the proper procedures in this situation was Jennifer Boucher. Her departure soon after the changeover in the form of government left the town in a difficult spot. Her deposition explains how the town's invoices are handled and how bills eventually get paid. She knew all the ins and outs of that process and explained to DTC's current counsel that it was not her or Codling who decided not to pay DTC's invoices. It was the Board of Selectmen who ultimately decided to tell DTC attorneys to go pound sand when they demanded payment. One thing DTC attorneys obviously didn't account for is the evolution of that corrupted board they worked with and all the elections and resignations that filled it with people who had no pronounced conflicts and could see the entire political landscape more objectively than Robbins, Graham and Knapp.
One of Boucher's responses to questioning in her deposition speaks volumes about how Christopher Hawkins and his colleagues so royally screwed up Haverhill's reputation:
"DRA was communicating well with us and with our attorneys at Drummond. Mitchell was communicating with us. Everybody, we had good relationships with them. And once DTC became involved it became a shit show."
Our next piece here at Plan B Justice will expose how this "shit show" DTC attorneys perpetrated with corrupted Haverhill Select Board members is still going on. We will dive deeper into the current conditions of the town's active case against DTC attorneys. We will more closely examine the responsive paperwork recently submitted by DTC's counsel that reads more like delusional rambling than professional litigating. We will break down the affidavits and deposition testimony that truly define the deplorable behavior perpetrated by the original DTC attorneys and their supposed "clients" on the Haverhill Board of Selectmen. We will expose the current DTC counsel as hopelessly out of touch with reality.
Above all, we will prove beyond any shadow of a reasonable doubt that the town's ongoing legal case against DTC is more important than most taxpayers realize. It could eventually become the standard bearing litigation setting the tone for all future interactions with municipal boards and legal counsel. Beyond that, it could define the correct terms and processes involved in the appropriate hiring of any employee who operates under any contract with any municipality in the state of New Hampshire. Future generations of honest lawyers and political leaders will forever salute Haverhill's current leadership for pursuing this case and ensuring it is ultimately successful.
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