Selectman Mike McCoy Faces Criticism Over Explosive Claims He Makes Against Colleagues

WILMINGTON, MA — Move over Kevin MacDonald!  You aren’t the only one that can hurl accusations about town officials on Town Meeting floor.

Four hours into Saturday’s seven-hour Annual Town Meeting, Selectman Mike McCoy leveled an explosive allegation against colleague Judy O’Connell and former colleague Mike Newhouse.

The bombshell came during what was anticipated to be a mundane discussion on a minor bylaw change, suggested by Town Counsel, to clarify the involvement of the Finance Committee Chair in the appointment process of Finance Committee members.

The Allegation

McCoy alleged that Newhouse and O’Connell threatened Town Manager Jeff Hull’s employment because they held him partially responsible for the “fiasco” surrounding controversial Finance Committee appointments in 2015.

McCoy claimed that Hull told him of the threats in an Executive Session when McCoy and Selectman Mike Champoux were negotiating his 3-year contract extension.

Specifically, McCoy questioned Hull as to why he wanted twelve months of compensation if he was terminated, instead of the standard four months?  That’s when, according to McCoy, Hull said he had been threatened over his role in the Finance Committee appointment process.

“Shame on you, Judy, for using that muscle,” McCoy said, addressing Selectwoman O’Connell in front of approximately 200 voters in the audience and WCTV’s cameras.

McCoy said he was speaking out now because he was not present at the Selectmen meetings in the summer when the Finance Committee process was initially discussed. He had been recovering from a surgery.

McCoy also pointed out that while Newhouse and O’Connell complained about several Finance Committee appointments, they didn’t complain over the appointment of Leigh Martinson, who — according to McCoy — both Newhouse and O’Connell supported when he ran for Town Moderator in 2015.

The Exact Moment McCoy Makes The Allegation

A picture is worth a thousand words…

McCoy Faces An Immediate Backlash From All Sides

“There was no instance where any member of the Board of Selectmen threatened my position as a consequence of what went on in terms of the whole issue with the Finance Committee appointment process,” said Town Manager Jeff Hull.  “I’m troubled to have conversations about contract negotiations aired in a public forum, but, more importantly, I am troubled by the suggestion that any Selectmen threatened by employment because of this situation.”

“I can tell you as a Board of Selectmen member, I never used my position to threaten anyone, including the Town Manager,” said former Selectman Mike Newhouse, who was puzzled why McCoy, who apparently had these concerns since the summer, had never raised them at a Selectmen meeting over the past 8 months, while Newhouse was still on the board.

And to Newhouse and O’Connell’s original concerns over the Finance Committee appointment process, Newhouse pointed out that one of the appointments they were critical of, in fact, needed to be stricken because it was found to have been an “illegitimate” appointment.

“I – in no way, shape or form – ever threatened the town manager’s position,” said Selectwoman Judy O’Connell.  “Trying to embarrass two people in a public assembly?  I think it’s poor form. I think it’s disrespectful.”

O’Connell further corrected McCoy, saying she supported neither Leigh Martinson or Robert Peterson Jr. in the 2015 Town Moderator race.  She stayed neutral and told both candidates of her decision, noting the record “will reflect that.”

“My issues relative to the Finance Committee appointments were the timeliness, the posting, and who was involved,” said O’Connell. “I stand by the issues I raised…  I tried to handle them discreetly, professionally & transparently.”

“It became apparent there was a need to formalize the [Finance Committee appointment] process,” agreed Selectman Mike Champoux.  “Because we had some hiccups, we took on the charge to formalize the process.  In so doing, it became clear some of the language in the bylaw was unclear.  Town Counsel provided language that removed subjectivity.”

Champoux urged residents to look at what happened in public session regarding the Town Manager’s appointment.  All Selectmen (minus then-Selectman Lou Cimaglia, who had to abstain as a town employee) voted in favor of Hull’s contract.

“The Town Manager got his contract.  He’s here.  He’s here for another 3 years. He’s performing superiroly,” continued Champoux. “Any conversations in Executive Session should have stayed in Executive Session.”

McCoy got a quick last word in, emphasizing that Hull did say he felt threatened.  His remarks received audible boos from the audience.

A Political Consideration?

Several readers of Wilmington Apple and followers of town politics have pointed out that Selectmen Mike McCoy and Judy O’Connell are both up for re-election in 2017.

“April 22, 2017 is far off, but has the race for re-election already started?,” remarked one political observer, who wished to remain anonymous.

Watch the exchanges below, courtesy of Wilmington Community Television, beginning at 3:58:20 and lasting about 15 minutes:

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In the end, after all that, the proposed bylaw change to clarify the language surrounding the Finance Committee appointment process passed on (what sounded like) a unanimous voice vote.

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