Rockport's hired investigator wraps up interviews; report anticipated next week
ROCKPORT — The interviews under way by a secret investigator hired by the town of Rockport have come to a close, although officials have said some individuals may be called back for follow-up talks. The details of this matter that have preoccupied town leaders for two weeks remain murky, however, as select board members and the town manager refuse to discuss them.
The Select Board will convene in executive session this afternoon, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m., at the town office to address a personnel issue. The board met in executive session last night at a regularly scheduled meeting for approximately an hour, and adjourned without any motions made. Board Chairman William Chapman said Jan. 14 that the executive session — cited as a personnel matter — held at the board meeting last night was unrelated to the investigation.
Chapman said this morning that today's closed door meeting is tangentially related to the investigation that officially began last week.
The investigation followed a personnel complaint filed with Chapman on Dec. 28 by an unidentified person. As chairman, he contacted William Plouffe, attorney for the town and who is associated with the Portland-based firm of Drummond Woodsum. The Select Board spent almost five hours behind closed doors Dec. 31 discussing the complaint. On Jan. 2 they convened again, and one half hour later, they emerged with a motion to hire an investigator "to investigate a personnel matter raised in a complaint." The investigation involves municipal staff.
Today's executive session concerns a question that was raised during the Monday night executive session, but the board decided it was more appropriate to discuss it separately from last night's topic of conversation.
"It [today's topic] is part and parcel of the broader complaint," said Chapman. When asked if there might be a decision on the heels of this afternoon's meeting, he said, "I don't expect anything to come out of this." With the latter statement, he clarified that he does not expect the board to take any action following this afternoon's executive session.
The unidentified investigator arrived in Rockport last week, and spent days conducting interviews in the Richardson Room, its door window covered and taped with newspapers.
Chapman again declined Jan. 14 to identify who the investigator is, saying he was advised by counsel not to, and that it would be a distraction for that person if reporters attempted to contact her, or followed her around. It has been said that the investigator is associated with Drummond Woodsum. Penobscot Bay Pilot has submitted an information request to the town, concerning the name of the investigator, her rate of pay and other details associated with the investigation.
According to Rockport's personnel policy, any complaints alleging unlawful discrimination are to be registered with the town manager or a designee. The town is then required to meet with the complainant. The town has 15 working days to conduct an investigation and issue a report with recommendations to the Select Board. The board then has 10 working days to make a decision and notify the aggrieved party.
Chapman said Jan. 15 that the board expects the report next week. The board has until Jan. 24 to wrap up its investigation, and then another 10 days to make a decision.
Whether the board takes action depends on what the investigation has found, he said.
When asked if any town employee had been placed on a paid or unpaid leave of absence, Chapman said the question needed to be directed to the town manager.
"That is a personnel issue I cannot discuss," Chapman said.
When asked whether any town employee had been placed on a paid or unpaid leave of absence, Town Manager Robert Peabody directed the question to the board chairman.
"You will have to ask the chairman of the board," he said.
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Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@PenBayPilot.com. 706-6657.
