The September 10 Hudson Board of Selectmen meeting saw controversy during its public comments section as resident and former Selectman Dave Morin wanted to address current Selectman Heidi Jakoby’s alleged comments at the Board’s August 11 meeting.
“It greatly disheartens me that I have to appear in front of the Board tonight,” said resident and former Selectman, Dave Morin. “These comments perplexed me to say the least, because at no time has, she ever tried in any way to seek information on the memorial, the ceremony, or the history behind it. These comments were unwarranted, unsolicited, and a total false propaganda.”
According to Morin, the statements in question focused on recognition efforts around the Hudson 9/11 Memorial at Benson Park and the town’s 25th Anniversary ceremony, at which Jakoby volunteered to speak. In the past, the Selectman Chair has typically been the sole speaker for the Board at the annual memorial service. At the August meeting, Jakoby asked why historical pieces at the Hudson memorial were not being recognized every year. She also called for more education aimed at younger residents born after the tragedy.
“For as long as Selectmen Jakoby has been a resident of Hudson and during her term as Selectmen, she has never stated or brought forward any concerns, changes, and/or ideas for the town’s memorial service. I am doubtful that her sudden issue with the town resident who was lost not being recognized or the young people who do not know the significant of the piece in Hudson,” alleged Morin. “This stems from her not getting her way to speak at this year’s memorial. She had plenty of time over the last year to address her concerns.”
He stated that Selectman Jakoby’s comments were “uncalled for,” triggering a discussion among the Board of Selectmen on the event.
“I would like to say it is very unfortunate that Mr. Morin misinterpreted what I had said and put many different phrases that were taken out of context by him,” said Jakoby. “I have been to many of the ceremonies, and Mr. Morin might not know this, but I’ve been here since 1994, I’ve read those things about how the memorial came about and all of it.”
She denied making any inaccurate statements about the town’s memorial service, saying she and others wanted “more context” in the annual 9/11 ceremony.
“I never said what I wanted to talk about at the event. All I said was that I wanted to do a little thing for five minutes on the history, and if the Board wanted to read what I had, I’d be happy to do that, and nobody asked me for that,” said Jakoby. “You don’t know what I was going to say, you don’t know what I’m planning on saying, it was just a conversation about allowing me to speak.”
Selectman Chair Dillon Dumont indicated that multiple Board members shared unspecified “concerns” when debating the 25th anniversary event schedule in August.
“I’ve got to say, this whole thing makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable,” Dumont admitted. “I would hate to see this drive a wedge between anything.
A motion from Selectman Kimberly Allan that would keep the Board Selectmen Chair as its only speaker failed to pass.