Tensions rise and paper flies in Windham

WINDHAM―A sequence of surreal moments unfolded in the race for town supervisor in Windham, last week, where the candidates waged a stare down suddenly punctured by a newspaper clipping taking flight.

Tensions have steadily increased in recent weeks between incumbent supervisor Thomas Hoyt, a Republican, and his Democratic party challenger, Connor Exum, in a repeat of the 2025 election.

Hoyt won a single-year term then and is now seeking a two-year term, following statewide changes to even-year elections. Hoyt has been supervisor for seven years after serving 16 years as highway superintendent. Exum is pursuing his first elected position.

Exum has been an attendee at town board meetings over the past year and longer, regularly videotaping the proceedings and asking questions about various topics during the public comment period.

Hoyt has, at times, been visibly perturbed by the questioning, saying a town meeting is not the place for campaigning, and at times assertively cutting off Exum who has said he is inquiring as a citizen, not a candidate.

Hoyt has blanketed the town with campaign signs as he has done throughout his tenure as supervisor, some of them large.

Exum is very active on social media, posting writings containing theories of gentrification and “how the mountaintop will be taken over by special interests,” with mocking AI images tying Hoyt to a “tangled web of interconnected interests.”

Exum has linked government officials in Hunter and Windham with three major mountaintop foundations, pointing out examples of shared membership in governance and the foundations.

It is common knowledge that many people wear multiple hats in smaller communities. Nothing wayward has been produced by Exum. Nobody mentioned has opted to respond to the hypothecating.

Exum has lately participated in planning board public hearings related to a rising controversy over the potential creation of a luxury hotel at the Windham Mountain Club.

Several existing hoteliers have expressed “community character” concerns about the multi-million dollar project, calling for a “pause” in the planning board approval process that would ultimately lead to groundbreaking.

Three of the five planners have recused themselves from the process. Two have minor work situations at the ski slope. One is a member of the club.

Demands have recently surfaced for a fourth recusal: Lisa Jaeger, planning board chairwoman, also serves as Windham Chamber of Commerce president. She shares a spot on the chamber board of directors with Kristen Leach, the WMC president and applicant for the hotel project.

Exum, at a recent planning board public hearing on the hotel, asked Jaeger if she saw the cooperation as “corruption.” Hoyt was present at the meeting.

All of which doesn’t adequately make a long story short, but brings a measure of background and context to the scenario that occurred.

A group identifying itself as ourwindham.org has placed signage at the eastern exit from town stating, “Fix the Planning Board Immediately.”

“Windham town board members accountable,” the signage states, additionally showing the email address of Hoyt.

Hoyt has said the planning board is proceeding as it should, independent of the town board, assisted by outside consultants, chosen by the town, paid for by the applicant to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

While well aware of the insistence for a fourth recusal, which could stall the approval process indefinitely, the town board has not intervened.

A full page paid ad was placed in the October 8 edition of the Mountain Eagle containing the same wording as the ourwindham.org signage.

Exum, the lone resident present at the October 8 town board meeting when Hoyt opened the public comment period raised his hand to speak.

He asked if board members had seen the ad. He went to the head table, not requesting to approach, holding the page open, placing it directly in front of Hoyt, atop Hoyt’s meeting files and paperwork.

Hoyt quickly rose from his chair, came from behind the head table and tore the newspaper page into four pieces, tossing them toward Exum.

Exum caught some of the pieces and remained standing near the head table. The meeting was swiftly adjourned.

Hoyt, subsequently asked if he wished to comment, stated: “Being a public servant for the People doesn’t mean you can be mistreated. I find no humor in other’s actions when they cross the line.”

Exum says, “no one was more shocked and dismayed than I was by the events of the October 8th, 2026, Town Hall meeting.”

“In what I felt was an attempt to physically intimidate me, Mr. Hoyt tried to shut down my question before I could even finish asking it. Mr. Hoyt and I have disagreed before, but this time I was genuinely concerned that the confrontation could become physical,” said Exum.

“His characterization of my behavior as harassment is false. Questioning local government is not harassment. It is a basic exercise of the First Amendment and an essential part of public accountability,” added Exum.

“That night, I was not speaking as a candidate. I was speaking as a resident of Windham,” he continued.

“And, in my view, Mr. Hoyt was not simply trying to silence me,” said Exum. “He was trying to shut down broader questions being raised about the planning board and its relationship with the Windham Mountain Club.”