In addition, he argued, Bean, through Gibbons, had threatened to sue the court reporter who had transcribed the entirety of the Planning Board proceedings if she provided a copy of the the transcript to the opposition or the town. "I have been practicing for almost 20 years now, and this is a first in my experience," Mellor said. "It is a new low for how local affairs are conducted. Karen has been a court reporter for more than 20 years, and it's the first time anyone has ever told her that they not only own her time -- for which she was paid -- but they somehow own the record of the public proceeding. "The court reporter was paid by Bean, though Mellor said Gibbons had earlier offered to assist the town if it needed a transcript. Gibbons disagreed with....MORE
