By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

With a population around 9,000 residents, it's not often that the town of Weare is at the center of a national political issue. But when it rains it apparently pours, as evidenced by the gargantuan flood of e-mails and phone calls received by town employees recently.

In response to a recent United Supreme Court ruling that allows local governments the power of eminent domain for private enterprises, a California company approached the town of Weare with a proposal. And subsequent support of that proposal, however caustic, has jammed the town's phone lines and filled its electronic inboxes.

On Monday, June 27, Logan Darrow Clements faxed Weare's building department head, Chip Meany, a letter requesting information on starting the application process for building a hotel in Weare.

The proposed site is the home of US Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter, one of five justices who formed the majority in the court's ruling.

In a press release, Clements wrote that "the City of Weare will certainly gain greater tax revenue and economic benefits with a hotel" at the location, as opposed to those generated by Souter's property.

Clements, dubbing his vision the "Lost Liberty Hotel," said features would include the "Just Desserts Cafe" and a museum showing "a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America." The hotel, Clements wrote, would also feature a copy of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged," as opposed to a Gideon's Bible in each room.

While town officials said no official application has yet been submitted by Clements, many town employees have been bombarded by by messages from enthusiastic supporters of the, thus far, hypothetical project.

Board of Selectman Chairman Laura Buono said she's gotten between 400 and 450 e-mails from supporters nationwide, offering donations or help in hotel construction. Buono added that other selectmen have received even more solicitous e-mails, and that new messages are still appearing.

"I have to give (Clements) credit in his effort," she said. "I think they're definitely trying to make a statement."

Despite Clements. successful marketing, selectmen publicly diffused the California man's plan in about five minutes at their Tuesday, June 28, meeting.

"As a selectman, I have no desire to take anyone's property just to satisfy a political movement," Buono said at the meeting. Buono's statement was met by apparent approval from the rest of the board.

Tina Laramee, administrative assistant in the town's building department, said she's received "too many calls to keep track of."

"There are a lot of annoying calls," she said. "People have been calling to make reservations or invest in a hotel that doesn't even exist."

Since Clements hasn't followed procedure for filing an application, Laramee said most of the callers get the same treatment from the town.

"We give them the phone number for Mr. Clements," she said, adding that "it's very difficult to deal with because you don't know if the person calling is serious or if it's just someone trying to make a point."

Adding to calls from supporters of the phantom hotel project, Laramee said, have been calls from about 20 members of the media, some national.

Buono said many of the messages she's recused have demonstrated a clear lack of knowledge about the town.

"It's pretty obvious that a majority of them know nothing about Weare," she said, adding that many have referred to the town as a "city," and have promised to spend lots of money in Weare's "many shops."

Both Buono and Laramee said that if someone were to properly file an application for such a project, they would certainly get their due consideration.

But until then, it seems, the town may be giving Mr. Clements a bit of his own medicine. Repeated calls from The Goffstown News to Clements's phone were unanswered. An automated message said no more messages could be left, as the voicemail system was filled to capacity.