Oh, and I guess I'm psychic, because the Ragman says he's not "warm" on the idea, but says it is understandable given what the Chief has put out, and now reporters will be forced to report.

What?  Getting only the BOS controlled TA's side will make reporters be better reporters?

Yes Brucey, yes brucey, whatever you say brucey, yes brucey...

does everyone get it. it is funny in this forum  but think about it  1984 george orwell     hitler and stalin first line of offense control the media.  This is no joke people and we are the only ones paying attention.  first bruce wants to approve what we all put on our loved ones memorial and now he wants to silence department heads free speech

there will be no stopping him if that happens the public already gets their ready made subjective side of the story but i guess that isnt enough.  more power less democracy more power less democracy

Each hour of the Bruce and Brenda show gets a dress reheasal. The public are spoon fed bullshit. And we're not reaching them.

Sauvegeau loses Slager? Who needs him?

The people with jobs they know they'll lose haven't stood up.

Residents haven't a clue yet how badly they'll get fucked.

We need to reach these people, boys and girls.

I don't know anything about the regulations that the Chief must follow, but I would think if the Bag of Rags said everything needs to go through them.....wait a minute, what's that got to do with policy?  They only set policy, not run the business.

And if you want to laugh yourself silly, check out these quotes from the BOS talking about the chief's press release, as quoted in the Rag.

QUOTH BRUCEY-  ""All I can say is those statements were inflammatory, in bad taste and inappropriate,"

Yes, Bruce, you are a saint-like model of restraint.

QUOTH BRUCEY AGAIN - "It is inappropriate for a department head to discuss personnel matters, especially about someone in their own department."

It's also inappropriate for selectmen to hang town employees out to dry and string them up in the court of public opinion based on the word of whoever walks into the meeting room that night, but you and your BOS cronies do it night after night, week after week.

QUOTH BRENDA - "I’ve always been under the impression that personnel issues are not to be made public," Eckstrom said.

Yeah, this from the woman who all but publicly convicted the building inspector and urged the person coming in to complain to sue the town before the inspector's side was even heard.

These BOS turkeys talking about not talking about personel matters in public is laugh worthy everytime.

This TA imposed gag order should not be allowed to stand.

I would have to chalk up this to a rookie mistake. I've seen dozens of towns do the same thing, basically try and put a permanent gag order on every employee in the town with regard to every move the town makes. The simple truth is, you can tell an employee what to say while they are on the clock, but when they are off the clock it is freedom of speech all the way. This exact scenario has been played out so many times it's almost comical, with the same results every time.
The next step would be for someone who works for the town to say something that gets quoted in the media that the selectmen object to, then that person gets punished/fined/fired and doesn't like it and lawyers up.
In the end it's a simple test, on the clock follow the rules unless it puts someone at risk, off the clock say whatever you want. I wonder if the BOS is going to learn this the hard way?
It's almost laughable how towns make the same mistakes as other towns, there really should be a class for elected officials.