Irene Wrenner has worked as a "check-and-balance" on local government for 17 years.  Her passion is paying attention to what happens in hallowed halls ― comparing and contrasting what's said vs what's done, critically thinking, digesting and documenting ― to help residents comprehend the sometimes baffling behavior of paid staff and elected officials. 

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Ken Signorello is an 18-year rural Essex resident, blissfully ignorant of Town politics until Irene begged him to attend a “Merger” meeting back in July, 2019. What he saw and heard drove him to attend more meetings. The direction of Town politics came into focus, and he couldn’t help but become an activist.  

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Wrenner and Signorello have since joined forces, along with others in town, to improve the integrity, transparency, and equity in Essex government via a variety of means.  We seek not to blame or shame, but to name and explain when our government fails to serve our needs and live up to our values. Welcome to The Essex Retorter! Click to read our Mission Statement.