A higher than normal cell phone bill led to selectmen discovering former Town Manager James Chaousis added two unapproved cell phone lines to his municipal account. The Boothbay Board of Selectmen sent Chaousis a registered letter on May 28 requesting payment for $4,388.38 in unauthorized charges.

The selectmen directed Town Manager Dan Bryer during the May 27 board meeting to send Chaousis the letter. Selectman Steve Lewis discovered the additional phone lines in late February or early March. Lewis suspicions were aroused when he discovered a cell phone bill about $200 higher than usual, according to Bryer.

As Lewis sought more details, he discovered Chaousis’ town manager account had three lines. Bryer reported the unauthorized lines were on the account since 2011.

Lewis said he was both “upset” and “surprised” to discover Chaousis added lines without consulting with the selectmen.

“I’m more disappointed than anything,” he said.

Bryer has notified Chaousis about the selectmen’s desire for recouping the unauthorized cell phone charges. Purdy Powers & Associates, a Portland-based auditing firm, reviewed nearly four years of cell phones in calculating the two additional line charges, according to Bryer.

He added that Chaousis has agreed to pay for the unauthorized lines.

In May 28 phone interview, Chaousis said “it was likely” that two cell phone lines were added to his municipal account. Chaousis didn’t attend the board meeting. He declined to comment on the letter’s content because he hadn’t received it.

“If there are any unpaid expenses found incurred to me privately then I would pay those,” Chaousis said.

The former town manager said Boothbay still owed him for expenses related to the municipal email system charged to his credit card.

“It’s kind of like a break-up,” Chaousis said about the aftermath of his departure.

Chaousis served fours years and four months as Boothbay’s town manager. His service concluded March 2 when he assumed the Rockland city manager’s position.

The town manager’s cell phone is one of 11 accounts paid by the town. Other employees with a municipal phone include the two code enforcement officers, an animal control officer, five public works employees, the harbormaster, the fire chief and the assistant fire chief, according to Bryer. Each cell phone includes a varying amount of minutes and features.

When Bryer became town manager, the selectmen asked him to upgrade from his flip-phone to a smartphone. His cell phone plan includes 400 minutes, text and a data plan.

Lewis said providing employees with a cell phone is common in both the private and public sectors. He expects employees to use the phone for personal calls.

“I don’t care if he (Chaousis) calls his wife 50 times a day because it doesn’t cost the town anything. But the additional lines (are) an added cost,” Lewis said.

Lewis still regards Chaousis as a trustworthy individual.

“Oh, he absolutely was trustworthy, which probably bothers me the most about this,” Lewis said.

The board addressed the matter during an update on town purchasing practices. The only matter discussed was drafting a letter to Chaousis.

Bryer read a statement indicating a review of past municipal accounts found: “Certain cell phone charges on the bill are considered personal expenses of former Town Manager James Chaousis and not business-related.”