(NOTE: This is the third installment in a five-part story. Look for additional articles over the next two days. Get caught up by reading the first installment HERE and second installment HERE.)
WILMINGTON, MA — This article covers the concerns raised by Selectwoman Judy O’Connell and Selectman Mike Newhouse over the Finance Committee appointment of Michelle Kincaid, chosen to replace incumbent William Wallace, who was interested in continuing his service. This discussion took place at the Board of Selectmen Meeting on Monday, June 22, with Finance Committee Chair John Doherty and Town Moderator Rob Peterson present.
Flashback To 2 Months Ago
On Saturday, May 2, William Wallace’s term on the Finance Committee expired at the conclusion of Annual Town Meeting.
On Wednesday, May 6, Town Manager Jeff Hull asked Finance Committee Chairman John Doherty of Wallace’s intentions regarding re-appointment. Doherty was unsure if Wallace wanted to remain on the Committee and told Hull he’d follow up with Wallace.
On Sunday, May 10, Selectman Mike Newhouse had a conversation with Selectman Mike Champoux in which Newhouse made his feelings known that he believed the Finance Committee appointment process had not been being followed properly over the past several months.
On Monday, May 11, the Board of Selectmen unanimously elected Champoux as its new Chair. As Chair, Champoux would now serve on the Finance Committee’s Appointing Committee, along with Finance Committee Chair John Doherty and Town Moderator Rob Peterson.
Also at May 11’s Selectmen’s Meeting, Selectwoman Judy O’Connell, the outgoing Chair and former member of the Appointing Committee, publicly asked that the Finance Committee appointment process be discussed at a future Selectmen’s Meeting, acknowledging problems with the process. Champoux agreed to put the topic on a future meeting agenda.
On Wednesday, May 13 at 6:49am, William Wallace emailed Town Hall and Finance Committee Chair John Doherty, letting them know he was still interested in serving on the Committee. The email was NOT forwarded to Champoux until Thursday, which becomes important.
About an hour later, Town Manager Jeff Hull emailed Doherty, wanting to talk about Wallace’s candidacy. Doherty visited Hull’s office around noon. Hull told Doherty he can work with Wallace and that it’s the Appointing Committee’s call as to whether or not he’s reappointed. Doherty indicated to Hull he was not inclined to support Wallace’s reappointment.
That night, Selectman Mike Champoux, Town Moderator Rob Peterson and Finance Committee Chair John Doherty – all Rotarians – were at a graduation ceremony for Wilmington High School Rotary Interact members. After the ceremony, the three had an unplanned meeting– at Doherty’s prompting – to discuss a Finance Committee appointment.
At that time, the three all voted to support the appointment Michelle Kincaid, Director of Financial System and Operations for the City of Cambridge, who expressed an interest in serving on the Committee.
Champoux – brand new to the appointing process – was not cognizant of the fact that by “voting in” Kincaid, he was essentially “voting out” Wallace. (That might sound strange, but in Champoux’s defense, there were three open seats around this time.) And, while he was aware of Newhouse’s and O’Connell’s concerns around the appointing process, he felt that – since the appointing members were meeting in-person and the concerns raised were mainly surrounding communication issues – he was fine to take the vote.
The following morning – Thursday, May 14 – Selectwoman O’Connell called Champoux, asking him if he had heard anything about Finance Committee appointments. (O’Connell made the call after hearing Hull make a misstatement at a Yentile Farm Committee Meeting on Tuesday night about new Finance Committee members.) Champoux told O’Connell about the Kincaid vote and O’Connell informed Champoux that he had voted Wallace out.
Town Manager Jeff Hull sent Champoux an email, that same morning, alerting him to the fact that Doherty should be contacting him in the new few days regarding a Finance Committee appointment vote and that Doherty was not likely to support Wallace, despite Wallace’s interest in reappointment. Champoux notified Hull he had already taken the vote the night before.
Champoux was not happy with how the process unfolded and called Peterson and Doherty to make his thoughts known. He also spoke with colleague Selectman Lou Cimalia for guidance.
O’Connell received calls from Wallace that day at her home, inquiring about his status on the Finance Committee. O’Connell told Wallace she was no longer on the Appointing Committee and that he needed to speak with Doherty and Champoux.
Champoux called Wallace on Friday, May 15, apologizing for how the process was handled.
Fast Forward To Last Week
At last week’s Selectmen’s Meeting, Hull was not happy with the disrespect shown towards Wallace, calling it “just plain wrong.”
“I wish John [Doherty] had done the right thing and at least given notice to Bill Wallace that he had other designs on the position. It’s just professional courtesy,” said Hull. “At least give that individual the opportunity to talk to the other appointing members and make their case. I’m not sure why that wasn’t done. I am frustrated.”
Hull also acknowledged it was an oversight not to forward Wallace’s email to Champoux in a timelier manner. He was unaware that Doherty was going to organize a vote so quickly.
While standing by his vote for Kincaid, Champoux wished things had been done in a different order, allowing for Wallace to be properly notified that he wasn’t being reappointed prior to the vote.
“I wish that I had full knowledge that Mr. Doherty had reported to this incumbent member of the Finance Committee that he was not being considered for reappointment and that he was duly and appropriately thanked,” said Champoux. “Only then and after that, would I have voted for Ms. Kincaid. I wish I had stood up and said that, but it didn’t occur to me to say it.”
Michelle Kincaid, Wallace’s successor, briefly spoke at the Selectmen’s Meeting.
“I certainly did not want to be put on the board like this,” said Kincaid. “I had no idea [I was taking Mr. Wallace’s spot.] Mr. Wallace has been a friend of the family for a long time. I think he’s a very good financial person. I had no idea.”
O’Connell was frustrated by the timing of the vote, as it occurred at the “changing of the guards.” She said the discussion over Wallace’s seat kept getting put off while she was chair, and that she was given indications that a vote wouldn’t occur until the end of May. Then, 48 hours after there’s a change in the Selectmen’s representation on the Appointing Committee, a vote was taken.
“If the intention was to replace Mr. Wallace, if that was the intent of Mr. Doherty, and I asked on multiple occasions, then we just should have brought it up and discussed it when I was Chairman,” said O’Connell. “What was the point in postponing it? The unilateral decision to take the appointment up when one person deems to be appropriate I think is inappropriate.”
O’Connell was frustrated by the timing of the vote for another reason as well.
“I said to Selectmen and the Town Manager that we need a process [for Finance Committee appointments.] And, yet, appointments and reappointments continued to happen. That’s why I’m raising this up to a bigger issue,” said O’Connell. “Everyone is telling me ‘yes, we know we need a process,’ but we keep snowballing this with more appointments that aren’t done correctly.”
After getting a taste of the process, Champoux agreed with O’Connell that the Finance Committee appointment process needs major improving.
“There needs to be a more formal, organized, scripted process for the next Chairman of this committee, the Finance Committee, and Town Moderator to follow to alleviate or eliminate any potential for these very, very unfortunate situations,” stressed Champoux.
“I think the process that has evolved through time became very informal, inappropriately informal,” said Champoux. “This informality is now injuring the town because we [had] four positions that needed to be filled… and an informal process not suited to the task…. The informality of the process was our enemy.”
(NOTE: Look for the fourth article on this story, covering last week’s Finance Committee Meeting, tomorrow. I was literally the only one in the audience for the meeting!)
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