top of page
Search

The Ossipee Cookie Jar - A Look at Appointed Positions, Rising Taxes, and the Many Hats of Local Government

Updated: 11 hours ago


Before diving into the story of Ossipee’s many hats, it helps to remember that small-town government controversies are not just unique to New Hampshire.


Across the country, investigators have uncovered situations where a tight network of officials, relatives, and longtime associates ended up controlling key pieces of local government at the same time — from hiring decisions and financial oversight to land records and enforcement.


Because when residents begin noticing the same people appearing across multiple positions — sometimes across generations, (not to mention the grooming relatives for position) — the question naturally arises:


Is this simply the way small towns work?


Or is something more complicated happening beneath the surface?




What Brought Us Here


The most recent reason for those questions came from an unusual place.


A public request from the government treasury department asking county commissioners to review and investigate the appointment of Matt Sawyer.


Sawyer currently serves as:


  • Health inspector (since prior to 2019)

  • Town administrator (since 2019)

  • County Treasurer (since 2024)


The treasurer position reportedly pays $15,000 annually for roughly 50 hours of work.


That works out to about $300 per hour.


Before entering government roles, Sawyer’s publicly known experience included working as a bank teller at TD Bank.


His appointment to the county treasurer position followed the death of the previous treasurer in 2024, and according to residents familiar with the process, neither the treasurer position nor the assessor position appear to have been publicly posted or openly offered for applicants. Seeming to fit a pattern of how his position have been obtained.


Another detail some residents have pointed out is that Sawyer lives in Effingham while working in multiple financial roles connected to Ossipee and the county. While living outside the town does not automatically disqualify someone from working there, residents say it raises questions about how local financial positions are filled and who is overseeing them.


Interestingly, Sawyer’s family also has a long connection to that office. His grandmother reportedly served as county treasurer from the early 1930s through the early 1970s.


Which means the same office has now appeared in the same family line across nearly a century of local history.


Small towns have long memories.


And sometimes… very long family trees.


Vote NO this year to giving him more power! As he wants to become the town manager giving him authority outside the selectmen’s power!!





The Many Hats Problem


The hiring of the position reportedly occurred under the authority of Selectman John Smith.


Smith was recently was quoted by saying,

“Competition, Breeds Excellence!”

Or his famous

“We have the law on our side!”

Or when he doesn’t want to talk about something it’s

“Hogwash”

Smith is currently serves as:


  • Deputy Treasury (since 2019)

  • Selectman (since 2023 not elected)

  • Code Enforcement Officer (since 2025 authority used prior years)

  • Health Officer (? Due to misuse of authority)

  • State Representative (no prior competition in election)


That’s quite a collection of hats.


As a state representative, Smith helps vote on what funding becomes available from the state.


As a local official, he also participates in decisions about how the town applies for and spends that funding.


When the same person sits on both sides of that table, residents naturally begin asking:


Who is watching the watchdog?


Questions have also been raised about how Smith originally obtained his selectman position. According to residents familiar with town history, the position came during a period when local leadership had been heavily influenced by a small circle of individuals connected through long-standing family and political ties.


Some residents have described the position as having been hand-selected rather than decided through a typical public election process, something that has drawn additional attention when similar appointment-style decisions occur in other town roles. Not to mention his use of the towns closed doors sessions, that seem to run more often than anything else in the meetings!


Residents have also raised concerns about the town’s use of legal enforcement actions and public records, though those matters continue to be discussed and debated within the community.





The Bridge to Nowhere

In 2008 a project was done to save a historical covered bridge.


Perhaps the most famous example residents point to is the now widely nicknamed “Bridge to Nowhere.”


Residents were told that state funding for the bridge required it to be rebuilt to allow automobile access.


Funding was approved.


But the final project ended up being a pedestrian bridge instead.


Which leaves taxpayers wondering:


• Was the bridge built according to the plan used to obtain funding?

• If the plan changed, why did it change?

• And where exactly did the rest of the funding go?


Meanwhile, taxes continue to rise.


And the bridge mostly gets used by… well, not many people.


Bridge Proof

  • DOT Records states “ back to its original location to keep it in a state of good repair and allow it to continue to carry vehicular traffic. For $785,040”

  • Smith Statement - No Vehicle traffic


Resources confirmed the total cost of the restoration was approximately $2 million. 


  • Funding Sources: The project was a multi-agency effort involving:

    • $1.7 million from federal and state programs, including the National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program and the NH Municipally-Managed State Bridge Aid Program.

    • $330,000 from local town taxes in Ossipee.

    • Additional support from the New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP)



Current Project


Another project now raising eyebrows among residents is the recent push to promote the local rail trail. The town’s trail guide has already begun advertising the trail as if it were essentially a completed project, even though development and planning are still ongoing.


Some residents question whether the project is truly about recreation or whether it is another example of a publicly funded initiative that benefits a small circle of connected interests. Critics note that the trail is being built along rail lines that run past properties owned by several individuals involved in local decision-making or their associates.


At the same time, Selectman and State Representative John Smith recently voted in favor of legislation opposing expanded train use, which leaves some residents puzzled about why taxpayer money is now being directed toward a trail built directly on former rail infrastructure.


Adding to the controversy are reports that a state senator previously acquired parcels of land along rail corridors from the state at extremely low prices and also owns property along the same line.




A New Chief in Town


The town also recently hired a new police chief from a large city department.


Reports indicate the chief had previously been involved in internal affairs investigations related to incidents during his time in that department, while also reportedly applying with small town proposals for positions in several other smaller towns.


((Government funding was directed to small towns at that time) did I mention the new and old stations were also along the rail line?))


Now most may not see this as an issue, but when you live in that small town and know what is beyond its needs it shows clearly.


While bringing experience from a major city can certainly be valuable, the hire has raised questions among some residents when paired with the large upgrade done within first few months, by moving the PD further from town to a larger facility.


Ok I can see where that’s within reason but when the funds to obtain the building seem to stem from the town’s application for Government FEMA checks something seems off. Considering the new building sees less use than the original.


That’s not including the vehicles and equipment that may seem unusual for a small rural town. When they are only being used once a year at 4th of July oh and the occasional “touch a truck” event.


Because when a town of this size begins owning a military hummer from the ‘90s or “buying” a new building for the PD that’s beyond there needs, people naturally start asking whether those purchases match the actual needs of the community.


  • All Links to timeline of Chief



The Surveyor Connection


Another interesting development is the involvement of a retired surveyor connected to past survey work in the area who is now running for selectman.


Adding another layer to the story, the surveyor’s sister works in the deed office, where property records are maintained.


In most places that might simply be coincidence.


But in a town where land ownership, surveys, and historic deeds have been controversial for decades…


people tend to notice.





The Sands Case Shadow


Much of Ossipee’s complicated land history traces back to the 1983 State v. Sands case.


That case involved land descriptions that appeared one way on paper, while the reality on the ground involved multiple overlapping homestead properties and clouded titles covering thousands of acres.


Several individuals connected to that period later went on to hold prominent roles within the county legal system, including individuals who later became judges or attorneys involved in local legal matters.


Even today, the legacy of that case continues to influence discussions about land records, surveys, and property taxation in the area.





Why So Many Hats?



Residents increasingly believe the reason so many interconnected roles exist is simple.


If the land records tied to the Sands case were ever fully corrected and clarified, it could potentially reveal how property boundaries and ownership were handled over the decades.


And if those records changed, it could also affect how property taxes are calculated across large areas of town.


In other words, correcting the land might also correct the taxes.


Which could explain why the system has remained…


complicated.


Very complicated.



The Big Question



At the end of the day, Ossipee residents aren’t asking for anything extraordinary.


They’re asking for:


• transparency

• accountability

• and a clear explanation of how decisions are being made


Because when the same network of people controls:


• hiring

• funding decisions

• land records

• surveys

• enforcement

• and local governance


the hats start stacking up.


And eventually, residents start asking the obvious question:


Is the system serving the town… or itself?


Until those questions are answered, one thing seems certain:


Ossipee may have one of the most impressive hat collections in New Hampshire.


Stories like the one surrounding Nicki Cowan didn’t begin with dramatic revelations.


They began with ordinary residents noticing patterns.


A familiar name appearing in multiple roles.

Positions quietly passed along.

Projects that didn’t quite match the explanations given to taxpayers.


Over time, those patterns formed a web that investigators eventually had to untangle.


Ossipee residents aren’t claiming their town is the next national headline.


But they are noticing the same kinds of patterns that have raised questions in other places:


Networks of people holding multiple positions.

Longstanding family ties in government roles.

Decisions involving land, funding, and taxes that seem difficult for outsiders to fully understand.


And when those patterns appear, residents begin asking the most important question of all:


Not who wears the hats.


But who the hats are really working for.


Because in a small town, government should be simple.


When it isn’t — people start looking a little closer

Because in Ossipee, it sometimes feels like every new project comes with a trail of its own—one that leads straight from the tracks to the cookie jar.




 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page