He goes to school board meetings. He goes to parades. He goes, it seems, to nearly everything that happens in town.

But it’s his presence at the selectmen’s meetings for which Arthur Baillargeon is, perhaps, best known.

The diminutive 76-year-old usually can be found in the front row, wearing a baseball cap. Sometimes, it’s a Red Sox cap. Other times, it’s a Support Our Troops cap.

He reacts visibly - and often vocally - to selectmen’s comments and decisions and frequently goes to the microphone to ask selectmen or presenters to clarify their positions.

Baillargeon also takes notes throughout the meetings, writing with his left hand on little scraps of paper.

"I think he puts those notes in a drawer, because he’ll come back six months later and ask us about something we said we were going to do but didn’t," said Town Manager George Olson. "He’s come back enough times to ask about that so that I’m sure he doesn’t lose those notes."

Selectman Joe Pace was less sure.

"I have no idea what he does with those notes," he said. "He’s got to have a ton of them. Maybe he has a wood stove?"

Board Chairman Bill Campbell had his own theory.

"I bet when Arthur passes on, someone will find a shoebox full of those notes," he said.

Baillargeon was born in Exeter in 1928 to a Canadian mother and a father who also was born here. He grew up in town, attended St. Michael’s parochial school, and graduated from Exeter High School in 1948, where he lettered all four years in baseball.

"I was a pitcher, a lefty with a mean curveball," he said. "I loved baseball. Still do."

He worked in the mill for a while before taking a similar maintenance job in Seabrook, from which he retired more than a decade ago.

In 1955, he married the girl next door - literally.

"Pauline and I grew up next door to each other," he said. "She was a wonderful woman."

Pauline died in 2002, but not before she and her husband raised three daughters, all of whom still live in New Hampshire.

Now, Baillargeon has three great-grandchildren and one more on the way.

"Since my wife passed away, I do my own housework, cleaning, laundry, cooking, all of that," he said. "I keep pretty busy."

He fills his days reading up on current events at the library, meeting friends for coffee and keeping track of his town.

"I’ve seen so many changes here," Baillargeon said. "I’ve always lived in town, I like this town. I care about it."

He said he’s not a community watchdog, just a concerned citizen.

"I do this for one reason," he said. "When I go to vote, I’m going to know what the issues are. If I don’t know, I’ll go talk to people who do know.

"I won’t make up my mind until I’m educated about it," he said.

And that, right there, is a window to Baillargeon’s character. When he asks questions at meetings, he’s not trying to trap anyone - he’s simply trying to learn what he can.

"I don’t go there with my mind made up," he said. "And even if I have, sometimes someone will say something, and I’ll think, ‘That’s a good answer, I hadn’t thought of that.’"

"There are things I don’t agree with," he said. "But I’ll listen to everybody speak. People have good ideas you wouldn’t have thought of yourself."

Barbara Blenk is the town manager’s assistant, and she keeps the official minutes at selectmen’s meetings. She’s worked for the town since 1972.

"Arthur’s not up there with a vendetta or anything," Blenk said. "He’s kind of a spokesperson for the people who have always lived in this town, the real Exonians.

"He’s very proud of this town, and isn’t doing what he does for any personal gain," she said. "He just cares about the town and the people."

Baillargeon’s reputation precedes him.

In early December, the three candidates for the Exeter town manager job met with the public for informal question-and-answer sessions. One of the candidates, currently the town manager in Jaffrey, responded to a question from Baillargeon by saying, "You must be Arthur."

Olson sees the role Baillargeon fills as an important one for town governments.

"I think throughout my years here, we’ve been fortunate to always have at least one individual who has shown enough interest in what goes on at the meetings to get involved," he said. "When no one is out there, there’s a sense, at least to me, that something is wrong.

"It’s part of what makes local government work well," Olson said, "having people watch over you."

Olson said he thinks that’s not uncommon in Exeter.

"I think it’s certainly representative of Exeter, to be vested in their town and their government," he said. "I think that’s common across New England."

But it’s also representative of Baillargeon’s character.

"It speaks to that, certainly, that he has not only the time, but the inclination, to be that involved," Olson said. "He cares a lot about this."

Selectman Paul Binette said Baillargeon brings common sense to meetings.

"He knows what he wants to ask," he said. "He thinks about how decisions will affect the residents.

"In my 17 years as a selectman, I’ve never seen someone so faithful in staying in touch with what is going on in this town."

Campbell called Baillargeon’s commitment to the town "wonderful."

"He’s always there, and he brings a positive spin to it," Campbell said. "He’s interested in this town and wants to know what’s going on."

Olson said Baillargeon will address the board with his pleasure and displeasure alike.

"He’s been up there telling us what a good job we’ve done fixing the sidewalks, and telling us what we did wrong," he said.

Campbell said Baillargeon’s example is a good one for the town.

"I like that he comes down to meetings," he said. "I like that he’s involved. The town needs more people to get involved."

Baillargeon said despite his interest in the town, he would never consider a run for office.

"Oh, no," he said. "They have a difficult job. You can’t make everybody happy. You can try to make a majority happy, that’s all you can do."

As "honorary mayor," Baillargeon does his best to make sure the selectmen are keeping the majority in mind.

He has no plans to change that.

"I love this town," he said. "This is my permanent place."

And as to those notes?

"Do I keep them? Nah. Just for a very short while," Baillargeon said. "Boy, I’d have a lot of them, wouldn’t I? Imagine that."