Here's a mouthful:
"I note that there is an item on the agenda for the September 10, 2014 Selectboard meeting for an Executive Session related to the discipline or dismissal of the Town Manager. This item has been requested by a member of the Selectboard that told the Police Chief something to the effect that I (Neil) would be sorry I ever opened that can of worms, for sending a memorandum to her as Town Service Officer regarding the unauthorized removal of wood from a locked area, the Town's Woodlot."
For those who haven't read it, this is the first paragraph of the Town Manager's Selectboard Packet for this Wednesday's SB Meeting.
Here are the facts as set out in various memos authored by the Town Manager in the past eight weeks:
In early July, several cords of firewood -- put up for the Norwich Wood Fuel Assistance Program -- were removed and distributed to apparently qualified recipients at the direction of Town Service Officer (and Selectboard member) Linda Cook. This practice is consistent with distributions made to qualified recipients each of the past 4 or 5 years. Nevertheless, the Town Manager asked Chief Robinson "to investigate to determine if there had been a theft." That investigation confirmed the facts stated above.
On July 27th, the Town Manager sent "Linda Cook, Service Officer" a memorandum challenging her authority to distribute firewood in this manner "without the appropriate authorization as defined in the Norwich Wood Fuel Assistance Program procedures." He concludes, "I recognize that the wood may have gone to individuals that need the wood, but request that you do not take any actions that involve the use of Town employees or resources, including wood from the woodlot, without specific written authorization from me."
Stirring stuff.
Here's where the facts get a little harder to follow.
The TM says the Police Chief says he was asked by Linda Cook whether he had been pressured by the TM to sign on to the "Open Letter" the TM issued arguing for the ABC Dairy site back in late July after a majority of the SB had already voted against pursuing the ABC Dairy site as a new location for our fire and police stations. The TM says the Police Chief was told by Linda Cook "that I (Neil) would be sorry I ever opened that can of worms," which the TM took to mean the woodlot matter.
A flurry of TM memoranda have resulted expounding on many aspects of the statutory authority for Town Service Officers, Town Managers, and Fair Labor standards, the longest one entitled simply, "Inappropriate Actions."
In response, Linda Cook wrote an email to her fellow Selectboard members stating, in part, "I understand the Town Manager request that I notify one of the contacts identified in the Norwich wood fuel assistance program policy. I will make sure I do so in the future."
So what does it all mean?
Well, apparently the town wanted a better policy for managing the wood fuel assistance program. Apparently, that policy altered recent wood distribution practice and the Town Service Officer needed reminding that the policy had been changed. Apparently, that's settled.
On a deeper level, of course, the administration of the woodlot and wood fuel assistance program is just a pretext for a simmering dispute between the TM and at least one member of the SB. From where I sit, both deserve raised eyebrows for how they conducted themselves in this matter. I'll take up that scolding in another post.
"I note that there is an item on the agenda for the September 10, 2014 Selectboard meeting for an Executive Session related to the discipline or dismissal of the Town Manager. This item has been requested by a member of the Selectboard that told the Police Chief something to the effect that I (Neil) would be sorry I ever opened that can of worms, for sending a memorandum to her as Town Service Officer regarding the unauthorized removal of wood from a locked area, the Town's Woodlot."
For those who haven't read it, this is the first paragraph of the Town Manager's Selectboard Packet for this Wednesday's SB Meeting.
Here are the facts as set out in various memos authored by the Town Manager in the past eight weeks:
In early July, several cords of firewood -- put up for the Norwich Wood Fuel Assistance Program -- were removed and distributed to apparently qualified recipients at the direction of Town Service Officer (and Selectboard member) Linda Cook. This practice is consistent with distributions made to qualified recipients each of the past 4 or 5 years. Nevertheless, the Town Manager asked Chief Robinson "to investigate to determine if there had been a theft." That investigation confirmed the facts stated above.
On July 27th, the Town Manager sent "Linda Cook, Service Officer" a memorandum challenging her authority to distribute firewood in this manner "without the appropriate authorization as defined in the Norwich Wood Fuel Assistance Program procedures." He concludes, "I recognize that the wood may have gone to individuals that need the wood, but request that you do not take any actions that involve the use of Town employees or resources, including wood from the woodlot, without specific written authorization from me."
Stirring stuff.
Here's where the facts get a little harder to follow.
The TM says the Police Chief says he was asked by Linda Cook whether he had been pressured by the TM to sign on to the "Open Letter" the TM issued arguing for the ABC Dairy site back in late July after a majority of the SB had already voted against pursuing the ABC Dairy site as a new location for our fire and police stations. The TM says the Police Chief was told by Linda Cook "that I (Neil) would be sorry I ever opened that can of worms," which the TM took to mean the woodlot matter.
A flurry of TM memoranda have resulted expounding on many aspects of the statutory authority for Town Service Officers, Town Managers, and Fair Labor standards, the longest one entitled simply, "Inappropriate Actions."
In response, Linda Cook wrote an email to her fellow Selectboard members stating, in part, "I understand the Town Manager request that I notify one of the contacts identified in the Norwich wood fuel assistance program policy. I will make sure I do so in the future."
So what does it all mean?
Well, apparently the town wanted a better policy for managing the wood fuel assistance program. Apparently, that policy altered recent wood distribution practice and the Town Service Officer needed reminding that the policy had been changed. Apparently, that's settled.
On a deeper level, of course, the administration of the woodlot and wood fuel assistance program is just a pretext for a simmering dispute between the TM and at least one member of the SB. From where I sit, both deserve raised eyebrows for how they conducted themselves in this matter. I'll take up that scolding in another post.
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