WILMINGTON, MA – At Monday night’s Selectmen Meeting, the board discussed Selectman Mike McCoy’s allegation that Selectwoman Judy O’Connell and former Selectman Mike Newhouse threatened Town Manager Jeff Hull’s job over the mishandling of Finance Committee appointments in 2015.
McCoy claims Hull told him, during contract negotiations last year, about the threat. Hull, however, denies there was ever a threat made. Selectman Champoux, in the room with McCoy and Hull during the negotiations, doesn’t back McCoy’s account. And Newhouse and O’Connell admittedly deny ever threatening Hull.
McCoy first made the allegation during the April 30th Annual Town Meeting and tried to expound on it at the May 9th Selectmen Meeting. At that time, McCoy was asked to hold his comments until the topic could be placed on the agenda of a future meeting to allow the individuals McCoy may reference in his allegations to be present to respond.
At McCoy’s request, O’Connell put the topic on the agenda for the May 23rd meeting. After O’Connell introduced the issue and McCoy discussed some objections he had regarding the wording of the agenda topic, McCoy then made the following statement and later distributed copies of the statement to the press after the meeting.
McCoy’s Statement
I am going to bring closure to this issue tonight.
I think you summed it up best with your carefully chosen vocabulary at our last meeting, Mr. Manager and Mr. Champoux.
I used the word “threatened.” Let’s make believe that word doesn’t exist. The Town Manager did admit that his relationship was “strained” with two members of the board and that he was never threatened. Mike Champoux said that he wouldn’t want to use the word “threatened,” but rather suggested that the Town Manager was instead “pressured” by a couple of members of this board.
When someone is looking for a contract change, they’re typically looking for more money or another week of vacation. Town Manager Hull requested an additional eight months of pay under the category of “termination,” should be suddenly be terminated.
I’ll let the voters and taxpayers come to their own conclusion.
I did make the request of the rough draft of the minutes for the meetings between myself, Mr. Champoux and the Town Manager, as the negotiation team. The Town Manager, who is the keeper of executive session minutes, stated to me that he did not take any minutes relative to those meetings, but was able to supply everything else I requested of him.
Town Counsel always stated to me that relative to executive session, you can’t state things verbatim, but you can state generations, which I did.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
Selectwoman Judy O’Connell, Selectman Mike Champoux and former Selectman Mike Newhouse then took turns responding to McCoy’s allegation.
Below is a summary of Selectman Mike Champoux’s response.
Champoux Rips Into McCoy For Playing Politics
“I try very hard on this board to govern. I think that’s what the people of Wilmington expect,” said Champoux. “They don’t expect us to be politicians while at this table — we’re here to govern.”
“We’re elected, so sometimes we have to play politics, but I play politics during election season,” clarified Champoux. “I endorse candidates as I see fit, who I believe will best represent the town. I make no apologies for that. In fact, I’m very proud of all the candidates I’ve ever endorsed. I’m proud to participate in that process. But when I sit at this table, I don’t politicize.”
Champoux reiterated a point made by other speakers — McCoy had more than 20 meetings to articulate his allegations, but waited until Town Meeting.
“[Your concerns] weren’t brought up until the cameras were on, an auditorium was full of people, and it was politically expedient for one person and one person only to bring it up,” said Champoux. “To me, that’s politics. It has no place in the operation of the government of this board. I’m frustrated and embarrassed that the board has to even have this conversation…. Wilmington shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
“Every three years, you try to position yourself as the outsider or the contrarian on this board,” Champoux said to McCoy. “It’s always those years that coincide with your election year. We all know, in the spring of 2017, your seat will be up and I presume you’ll papers and run…. What’s happening here tonight, because of you, is a ‘dog and pony show’ for your political ends and your politics gains.”
“I want to ask you to commit to keeping politics out of this board,” Champoux continued to McCoy. “When we’re here to do the town’s business, keep politics off this board. You want to run for re-election in 2017? Have at it…. But when you [sit] on this board and we start engaging in the town’s business, please – please – refrain from engaging in politics.”
“I know [your allegations] are political… because you had a year to bring up all these concerns… in a non-election year, and you couldn’t have been bothered,” said Champoux. “When did you bring it up? Now, when you want to look like the contrarian and the one single voice of opposition. I find that demeanor reprehensible… This is not where we do politics. This is where we do government.”
McCoy Responds, Defends Politics
McCoy responded to Champoux and, interestingly, didn’t downplay politics.
“Bottom line, sitting up here, it IS politics. When you run for a seat, it IS political,” said McCoy. “I’m willing to work with anybody on behalf of the community as long as they have the best interest of the community at heart.”
“Sitting up here, it IS politics,” repeated McCoy. “If you don’t think that for a moment, why are you even sitting up here? I’m sitting up here to help constituents, like you and [the rest of the board]. But, to think for a moment that it’s not politics? It IS politics.”
“Resurrecting issues from a year ago, or 5 years ago,… that’s politics,” retorted Champoux. “That’s not necessary. That not’s how to govern. Maybe it is in your mind and we just have a different approach.”
“I could keep going, but frankly, I consider myself above it,” concluded Champoux.
Bendel Wants To Get Back To Substantive Issues
Selectman Greg Bendel also wished to see the discussion come to an end.
“I ran for the board to help volunteer for the residents… I don’t see how this is helping anyone and I’m looking forward to moving on and getting back to helping the residents,” Bendel said.
Next Up
Wilmington Apple covered O’Connell’s response on Wednesday and will cover Newhouse’s response on Friday. Hull’s comments will be detailed as well.
Watch For Yourself
Watch the full discussion from Monday night’s meeting, courtesy of Wilmington Community Television, beginning at 15:10 and lasting nearly 50 minutes.
—
—
Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.
Wilmington Apple 