BELLOWS FALLS — Sheriff Keith Clark wants to turn his attention away from his duties serving Windham County and toward a get-rich-quick scheme.
Mr. Clark wants to build a jail in Rockingham whose main purpose will be to house federal prisoners, with each prisoner's stay paid for by the feds and a percent of each payment reportedly going directly into his pocket. He also plans to move his own office from its current location in the center of the county to its far northeast corner, within this new fortress.
If this is a fundamental betrayal of the trust Windham County voters placed in him when we elected him sheriff, we might not be surprised. One town recently stopped contracting with his department for protection due to the perception that he and his deputies shirk their duties, never coming when called.
His promise to citizens of Rockingham several months ago not to go forward with his scheme if we voted against it? Out the window.
Elected Sheriff of Windham, Mr. Clark behaves like the Sheriff of Nottingham.