The state and former Republican Rep. Troy Merner remains in behind-closed-doors negotiations

The state and former Republican Rep. Troy Merner remains in behind-closed-doors negotiations. Merner was charged with four counts for allegedly lying to local and state officials about his address. Coos County Superior Court granted a defense motion to cancel a mediation session set for May 8. A disposition conference is scheduled for May 13. The criminal mediation process is not open to the public or the press. If a settlement is not reached, the case would go to trial. State prosecutors claim that Merner continued to claim Lancaster as his residence despite moving to neighboring Carroll. Merner is charged with felony wrongful voting for illegally casting a ballot in Lancaster’s 2023 town election while living elsewhere. State law requires a person to vote in the community where they are domiciled. The Class B felony is punishable by 3 1/2 to 7 years in state prison and a fine of up to $4,000. Merner also faces three Class A misdemeanors, each punishable by a fine up to $2,000, for submitting false mileage cards for travel to the State House that listed his home address as Lancaster and not Carroll. Doing so caused him to receive more than $900 in travel reimbursement than he was entitled to. The charges stem from an Attorney General’s Office investigation that found Merner illegally held two elected posts,  Coos 1 state representative, and Lancaster selectman and continued to vote in Lancaster months after moving out-of-district to Carroll. Merner resigned both offices on Sept. 19, 2023.