HOW TEMPLETON HANDLES EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS
In March of 2010, The Board of Selectmen received a written complaint by a town employee. THIS COMPLAINTdescribed some disturbing events that transpired on March 11, 2010.
It appears Mr. Columbus displaced his anger at me, Julie Farrell, on the town treasurer.
When I came upon this letter of complaint, I knew I had to do something. I wrote a letterto the town coordinator asking her to begin an investigation into this complaint. I felt the Board of Selectmen should address this complaint in a timely manner. As a member of the board, I felt my letter to the town coordinator would begin the process of addressing this employee complaint.
The RESPONSE I received from the town coordinator was puzzling for a number of reasons. This response indicates that there is nothing a town employee can do if they are harassed, or bullied in the workplace by an elected official. How do you handle a complaint filed by a town employee against an elected official?
In April, I proceeded to request agenda items so the Board of Selectmen could discuss and/or address this complaint. It is understandable that the even though the town coordinator is the Personnel administrator, the town coordinator can’t conduct an investigation when the allegation is filed against Board of Selectmen. What is NOT understandable is that I was repeatedly denied access to the agenda. There appeared to be an incredible unwillingness to address this situation, by the former Chairman, Gerald Skelton. Only the BOS had the authority and ability to address this complaint.
In late April 2010, I called the Public Records division of the Secretary of State’s Office. I asked verbally, if this complaint were a public record. I was told, verbally, that it was. I asked the Town Treasurer, if she had any problems if I released this complaint as a public document. She stated she did not; she had always considered it to be a public document. I released this complaint to illustrate how ineffectual the Personnel Policy was and continues to be.
In June and July of 2010, Dennis O’Brien, Robert Columbus and Gerald Skelton filed complaints against me for releasing this complaint by the Treasurer. Finally, in July, a meeting was scheduled by the Board of Selectmen to address this issue. It was agreed that Mr. Columbus would send a letter of apology to the Town Treasurer. I’ve never seen that letter of apology from Mr. Columbus. I have seen this EDITORIALin the Gardner News…doesn’t seem like much of an apology to me.
Julie Farrell
24 Myrtle St.
Baldwinville, MA 01436
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