HomeMy WebLinkAbout1982-12-27 Board of Selectmen MinutesDECEMBER 27, 1982 (continued)
LICENSING:
Th~ Board approved renewals of a Common Victualer license, Class I-ii-Iii'licenses and
coin operated machines.
NEW YEAR'S EVE:
The Board votedto extend the closing hour on New Year's Eve from 1 A.M. to 2 A.M in all
establishments holding liquor licenses.
44i
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR:
Chairman McEvoy opened the Selectmen's meeting again and proceeded with No. 4 on the
Agenda which was the status of the Community Development Director,. Gayton Osgood.
Allen Breen asked the Chairman why the minutes were not approved, but just the warrant.
Alice Letarte, Seerstary, stated that because of the short week caused by the holidays
it was impossible to complete the minutes whiah were exceptionally long. Breen also
questioned the vote taken at last meeting, 5-0, to furnish reasons to Gayton Osgood why
he was asked to resign. Ch. MeEvoy advised him that Town Counsel had said that, be-
cause there was no contract involved wi~h Gayton's employment, the Selectmen were not
obligated to give him any reasons. Atty. Marden repeated the two motions taken at the
last meeting. He said he expected a ]etter with the reasons listed by last Friday and, to
date, they haven't received anything. He expected the matter to be resolved by this
meeting i that somehow tPeBoard has gone contrary to their vote to produce reasons,
and they are in the same place as last meeting. This Board has been unable to articulate
the reasons for over a month. The only reason Gayton has been called on the carpet ,.,
by the maiority of this Board is the result of information and deliberations arrived at in
illegal meetings.. There have been no deliberations in a public meeting that could possibly
justify the firing or resignation of Osgood. The Board is just ratifying what they decided'
in secret meetings and they will be in violation of the Court Order again if they dismiss
Osgood on these grounds. Selectman Graham stated that he had listened to the tapes of
the last two meetings and there were a number of reasons given and personally, he had
typed up f~om the tapes a full page of his reasons why he was voting for the dismissal of
Gayton. Chairman MeEvoy stated that they haven't i'eceived Mr. Osgood's resignation'
so what 'is motion of the Board. Selectman DiFruscio said he would s~ate his reasons again
why he is asking for Gayton's resignation. Refusal to spread the 1980 Rehab Grant at a
public meeting. Gayton's handling of the Rehab 1980 Grant, the costs, what it cost us and
~ what the people got to fix up their apartments. Another thing that bothered him with
the Rehab Grant that the Realty Trust Company getting, grants when they don't know who
they are. DiFruscio went on to say that the people should have had signed contracts sayin~
they wouldn't go up in the rent. As it is now, ail the landlords have gone up in their rents
after improving their apartments with Grant money. On the Senior Center, the handling'of
of the bid security decision when the ]ow bidder was unable to get bonded. Failure to start
eminent domain proceedings when it was apparent they were unable to get easements after
reasonable negotiations with two of the abutters that they had to get easements from. And the
cost of the Senior Center was way out of proportion to what the architect and Gayton was tellin
the Board. DiFruseio: made a motion to dismiss Gayton Osgood, it was seconded by: Graham.
Before a vote was taken Selectman Joyee stated that ]~e wanted to offer alternative action to the
Board again. It is an odd situation where I am going to. try to get a resignation that I don't
want to get at all. But we are left with two choices .... either we effeot that resignation which
I don't care to have or we lay beak and let the three Selectmen dismiss Osgood and take the
consequences of that action down the road. It seemed to him that unless Osgood and the Board
came to terms somehow that this Town and each individual member of this Board is ~aeing
litigation which will be expensive to us and to the Town. Last week we tried to effect the
resignation., There was some discussion about reasons for it. He suggested the Board send a
one paragraph letter to Mr. Osgood stating that he did not have the confidence of the majority
of the Board and that a severance pay of $2500 be offered to Mr. Osgood on two criteria. 1.)
that Hud approve.this expenditure and 2.) That upon accepting the severance pay, Osgood re-
lease and execute all claims against this town. Joyce went on to say that he could not just
sit there and let this dismissal ~o on without making one final, ]est-ditch effort. If I thougl~ fox
one moment that there was any chance of turning anyone of the three Selectmen around, I would
but he was resigned in his own mind that this dismissal was going to happen and rather than
~ave it happen and suffer the consequences of it down the road, I am offering this action to
~srd and hope that you will listen. Graham stated ths~ the Board was not ready to take this i
~action, that it hadn't been tho.ught out,that it would set a precedent for other employees.
;r-Joyce stated that he had antimpated that argument that the Board shouldn't be concerned about
future problems, that it was better for the Board to handle the present situation and resolve
it in a way it would be acceptable to both parties. He recommended that the Board take the
following action: That the Board send a letter to Gayton advising him that a majority of the
Board does not have confidence in his continuing as Community Development Director and as a
result thereof, requests his resignation prior to 5:00 P.M. on December 28, 1982. In eonsider-
etlon of your resignation, severance pay in the amount of $2500.00 will be issued to you
contingent upon the roi]owing: 1.) That HUD approve the expenditure. 2.) That a release
of all causes of action from you aFainst the Board individually and against the Town as a whole
be issued to the date of the release. 3.) That Town Counsel approve this agreement.
Selectman Salisbury made the above motion, Selectman Joyce seconded the motion and the vote
was 4-1. Selectman Difruscio:.against.