Posted by Dennis Herrick on August 15, 2008 at 08:50:50:
There are already some folks in Plaistow's government that have lead some pretty colorful lives, especially in their college days. I'm not so sure they'd be hired today if they were as honest with their past as Mr Kleman. Gawd, they make poor Dan Bush look like a saint in comparison. So what's one more flawed leader? You're not going to find someone as "Sainted" as Pastor John Scruton" every time, so give it up. What you should be asking is, can I sit down with this guy and have a few beers like with former Town Manager Belmore. And remember we've had much much worst in town. Anyone remember Mr Laing? A judge had to banish his ass from town. You folks elected him Selectman and School Board Member. He may have even been Chairman of both. Boy did he have you folks fooled. Isn't that the way with politicians?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Candidate's arrests don't sway board Kleman says he paid for mistakes
By James A. Kimble and Meghan Carey
Staff writers
PLAISTOW — The interim town administrator has a criminal record spanning more than three decades, but it's not enough to keep him out of the running to become Plaistow's top public official, according to one selectman.
Craig Kleman, 53, acknowledged his criminal record in a phone interview yesterday.
His most recent convictions stem from a heated argument with his girlfriend Dec. 24, 2005, which ended with Kleman fleeing from Manchester police and struggling with two police officers, according to police reports and court records obtained by The Eagle-Tribune.
It's a background that Plaistow's selection committee is aware of, said Dan Poliquin, selectmen's vice chairman and head of the committee vetting town manager candidates.
"It has nothing to do with him being a public employee, and it's nothing more than a misdemeanor," Poliquin said.
In fact, on Feb. 15, 2006, Kleman pleaded guilty in Manchester District Court to four misdemeanor charges related to the Christmas Eve incident.
He was convicted of disobeying a police officer, resisting arrest and two counts of criminal mischief, each of which could carry a sentence of up to a year in jail. Kleman was charged with nine misdemeanors in the incident, but five were dropped as part of a plea deal.
Kleman received a suspended six-month jail sentence and a $500 fine. As part of the plea agreement, Kleman had to stay out of trouble for two years. He acknowledged yesterday he recently completed his probation.
"I'm not worried about being exposed," Kleman said. "I've tried to be as candid as possible, and I'm not going to let someone use it to blackmail me."
Kleman's career in New Hampshire includes serving as town manager or administrator in Epping, Seabrook and a three-month stint as Atkinson's interim town administrator. Atkinson had extended his interim contact and a selectman said the board was prepared to offer him the permanent post. But last month, Kleman accepted the interim administrator's job in Plaistow before Atkinson could extend him a permanent offer.
Kleman said he told Atkinson and Plaistow officials about his background. Officials in both towns said they conducted background checks on Kleman.
Atkinson selectmen knew Kleman had a criminal background, but they didn't know all of it, according to Selectman Fred Childs.
Kleman told selectmen he had been involved in a "domestic" situation in the past and had been arrested for drunken driving, Childs said.
"We took it under consideration," Childs said. "But, you know, everyone makes mistakes and he was honest with us."
But Childs said he didn't know Kleman had been charged with disobeying a police officer and resisting arrest.
"I didn't know," Childs said. "If there was other stuff, we didn't get into it."
Kleman said yesterday he was arrested in Iowa City in 1981 for drunken driving, but was convicted of the lesser charge of reckless driving. A 1993 conviction for simple assault was the result of a domestic dispute, he said.
He said yesterday he recently completed an intimate partner training program as part of his sentence in addition to his probation.
"I've served my sentence, and I'm just trying to restart my life and redeem myself," he said.
He said he's prepared to answer any questions town officials or residents may have about his past.
"I don't want to say anything that would minimize it or make it sound like I'm condoning my actions," Kleman said. "That's just the way it is. ... What happened that night, everyone can make their own intimation about it, but they'd be wrong. I was man enough to deal with it."
Kleman, who is an applicant for the permanent job in Plaistow, said he has never had a problem professionally, despite his brushes with the law.
"I really have no control about what people think," he said. "Even if I didn't have the conviction, when you go into a new town, you have to build relations and build trusts."
Plaistow police Chief Steven Savage declined to comment about any concerns he might have about a boss with a criminal record.
"Well, I certainly might have some personal thoughts on it," Savage said yesterday. "I will have to say no comment and suggest to you any comment comes from my bosses, which is the Board of Selectmen."
Plaistow selectmen have said they plan to offer the permanent job to their top candidate next month.
Within an hour of being interviewed about Kleman's past, Poliquin released an official statement.
"The Board of Selectmen were presented with the results of a background check that we requested and, after further investigation into the content of that background check, felt there were no issues in Mr. Kleman's personal or professional life that would be of concern to the town as an interim administrator or as a candidate for the town manager position," Poliquin said. "Our only concern was and still is the perception that will be put forth by the media as they are fed partial information by a small faction of people in town that are trying to undermine the hiring process to further their own agendas. Mr. Kleman has been nothing but professional during his time here, and does have and has had the support of the board."
Kleman told selectmen he had been involved in a "domestic" situation in the past and had been arrested for drunken driving, Childs said.
"We took it under consideration," Childs said. "But, you know, everyone makes mistakes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments
Mosby25 1 day ago 1 point
Great, Towns now saying it is ok to break the law. What happens when this guy kills someone in a "domestic assualt or a drunk driving incident" What a message to send to the kids of the town. It's ok to break the law as long as you admit to it. My God!! No wonder the world is the way it is. This guy has an obvious anger management problem and he is an alcoholic.
Non-Poliquin Fan 23 hours ago 1 point
I'm sure if a Plaistow police officer had a criminal record as long and as recent as Kleman, than Selectman Poliquin would be calling for his job and jail time. "It's nothing more than a misdemeanor." So it's not a problem to resist arrest, disobey police officers and assault women. Wow, Poliquin really does have low standards. His agenda against the Police Department is so clear that he has now resorted to hiring criminals. Unbelievable.
KJ 22 hours ago 1 point
People deserve second chances as for resisting a Police Officer who cares. Police are corrupt. Remember this the Constitution is there to restrain government never was it intended to restrain people. My father always said people who didn't want to work for a living or wanted a free meal became cops. So wake up people and who are you to pass judgement on someone else. He served his sentance therefore what he did in the past is irrelevant.
Get over it
NeedWork 21 hours ago 1 point
I think O.J. Simpson needs a job. Is he the #1 candidate?
NeedWork 21 hours ago 1 point
Hey, Please have the good grace and courage to put your own initals as your screen name-especially if you are so obviously against the police who risk their lives every day to keep your sorry a** safe.
kat333 15 hours ago 1 point
Man, am I glad he didn't stay long in Atkinson!
badabing! 13 hours ago 1 point
Wow, if only Mr. Edwards could go back in time and vigerously proclaim his adulterous affair before he ran for office, he could have been the next President especially with the full support of the Plaistow board. I guess that's the way things work around here. If Plaistow can't do better than this, it might as well change its name to DEADWOOD!
Joe 11 hours ago 1 point
The irony of this whole situation is if this guy was to apply to work as a police officer in Plaistow, he would not even make it past the application stage. Plaistow and Atkinson, you can do better. Maintain some credibility here folks!