WILMINGTON, MA — Selectman Mike McCoy has publicly accused Selectwoman Judy O’Connell and former Selectman Mike Newhouse of threatening the job of Town Manager Jeff Hull last year over the mishandling of Finance Committee appointments.
The accusations have been strongly denied by O’Connell, Newhouse and Hull.
McCoy first made the accusations at last month’s Annual Town Meeting, as Wilmington Apple reported.
McCoy made them again at the most recent Board of Selectmen meeting, as detailed below:
McCoy Tries To Bring Up The Accusations Again
After congratulating Selectwoman O’Connell on being named Chair, and saying he looked forward to working with the new Board to take care of the town’s business, McCoy requested a few minutes to discuss the accusations he made at Town Meeting.
Less than 15 seconds into McCoy’s reading of a prepared statement, Selectman Kevin Caira interrupted and suggested that McCoy hold off on his remarks so that Chair O’Connell could place the discussion on the agenda of an upcoming meeting, allowing for folks McCoy may mention to be present and take part in the discussion if they so choose.
O’Connell agreed with Caira’s suggestion.
O’Connell Defends Herself, Questions McCoy’s Behavior
“I don’t understand why this is coming up again today,” said O’Connell. “You had your ambush at Town Meeting. You said what you said. The people there had the opportunity to speak. And now you’re continuing to bring this up.”
“I’m happy to put this – front and center – on an agenda at a future meeting, and bring everyone [from the 4-hour June 22, 2015 meeting] back,” including former Selectmen Mike Newhouse and Lou Cimaglia; Town Moderator Robert Peterson Jr.; former Finance Committee Chair John Doherty; Town Clerk Sharon George; former Town Moderator Jim Stewart; Assistant Town Manager Kendra Amaral; and Town Manager Jeff Hull.
“We can do this again – and have this full discussion – I have no issues with a transparent discussion. It happened then, we can do it now,” continued O’Connell. “I just personally think it’s a waste of the town’s time.”
“Your disenchament with myself and a former Selectmen came out of left field because, by no means, did your prior conduct or demeanor towards us give us any indication,” O’Connell said.
“It wasn’t even a month ago when you said the board at that time was the best board you’ve ever served with,” O’Connell noted. “We had no less than 20 meetings [since June 22] to have these discussions. Not one phone call. Not one email. No one conversation. We had 3 Selectmen meetings where we went over the entire [Town Meeting] warrant. Not one comment. We also have a public meeting on the warrant with the Finance Committee and Planning Board, which you didn’t attend.”
“And then you take the time, during Town Meeting, which you say is ‘sacred time,’ to character assassinate [myself and Mr. Newhouse], in an open forum, with no facts and baseless accusations,” continued O’Connell. ” I think it’s just poor form and disrespectful.”
“My rapport with all the parties involved in the June 22 meeting is very positive,” said O’Connell. “We came out of that meeting with a mutual understanding. Every person in that room – including myself – took responsibility for what occurred, and offered comments about how they could have done things better. We all moved on from it. We all let it lie.”
“I don’t think your actions at Town Meeting were acting in the best interest of the Town of Wilmington,” said O’Connell. “They were self-serving.”
“I don’t know where this is coming from, Michael. I don’t want to continue to do this for the next year,” said O’Connell. “But I’m not going to sit here and be verbally attacked by you and not defend myself.”
McCoy Takes O’Connell Up On Offer To Have Further Discussion At A Future Meeting
“Everything I stated at Town Meeting was 100% accurate…. And just don’t think Article 41 was some ‘simple housekeeping article.’ A lot of things happened behind-the-scenes,” said McCoy.
“I’m not going to allow you and others to quiet me down,” responded McCoy. “But in fairness to everybody, if you want to have another ‘dog and pony show,’ by all means, have it again.”
“I’ll put off [what I was going to say tonight] to show you that I’m a team player and willing to work with folks,” said McCoy, who previously threatened to just give his remarks to the press after the meeting. “I’m no loose cannon here.”
“I intended on bringing it up tonight and then being done with it,” said McCoy. “I’m not looking for a donnybrook at every single meeting. That’s not how I operate.”
Champoux: McCoy’s Actions Are Embarrassing
Selectman Mike Champoux then defended his decision, as past chair, for the Board of Selectmen to have an “open and candid conversation” with the Town Moderator and the Chair of the Finance Committee about the Finance Committee member appointment process back on June 22 of last year.
“I’m offended by your notion that it was a ‘dog and pony show’ because it was anything but,” Champoux said to McCoy. Champoux stressed that, in the end, the town benefited from the public discussion because there is now a clearer process in place to be followed when a new Finance Committee member needs to be appointed.
“You had 22 Selectmen meetings [since the June 2015 discussion with the Finance Committee Chair and Town Moderator] to bring up these points,” continued Champoux. “I’m frustrated and embarrassed on behalf of the Board of Selectmen in the way you conducted yourself at Town Meeting.
McCoy: “Look Me In My Eyes and Tell Me I’m Lying”
“You never denied what I stated [about Hull telling us during a contract negotiation session that he was previously threatened by O’Connell and Newhouse],” interrupted McCoy, who served with Champoux as the 2-man negotiation team. “Look in my eyes, Michael, and tell me… I’m lying.”
“I can categorically say that I don’t remember Mr. Hull saying the word ‘threatened’,” responded Champoux. “I will agree there were members of our board last year that had some criticism over the handling of the Finance Committee appointment process… But did it mean they were out for his job? No!”
Champoux suggested McCoy was having a “selective interpretation” of what was said in Executive Session and may be inserting his own commentary. Champoux also reminded McCoy that the Selectmen were in the midst of contract negotiations with the Town Manager and trying to get “the best deal for the people of Wilmington.”
Hull: There Was No Threat
“This whole issue has certainly blindsided me,” said Town Manager Jeff Hull. “Let me be very clear, in the lead up to my contract expiration, there was no member of the Board of Selectmen that verbally threatened my future employment… I’m not sure what the basis of [these accusations] are.”
“Relationships — whether marital, personal, business or employer/employee — can sometimes become strained and require effort to work through differences,” continued Hull. “During a portion of 2015, my relationship with a couple of the members of the board were strained. Fortunately, we had the maturity and desire to work through those difficulties.”
McCoy Manages To Insult ANOTHER Chair…
During the discussion, McCoy also took multiple shots at former School Committee Chair Peggy Kane, claiming it was difficult for school committee members and members of the public to get items placed on School Committee meeting agendas. McCoy hoped O’Connell wouldn’t adopt a similar approach.
O’Connell ruled McCoy’s comments out of order.
Kane responded to McCoy’s criticism in a letter to Wilmington Apple, where she takes McCoy to task.
Round 3 Scheduled For Monday Night
Selectwoman O’Connell wasted no time in honoring McCoy’s request to hold a discussion of his concerns at a future meeting.
It is on the agenda for this Monday’s Board of Selectmen Meeting at 7:15pm.
Watch For Yourself
Watch the entire discussion referenced above, courtesy of Wilmington Community Television. Fast forward to 1:16:30. Discussion lasts around 30 minutes.
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