GEORGETOWN – The SelectBoard met last week for more than 90 minutes in executive session with Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco regarding accusations that he has violated his contract by doing work on behalf of the town of Shirley and possibly other employers.
According to sources with knowledge of the discussion in the executive meeting, Pacheco told the SelectBoard that he had taken vacation days when he sent the more than 50 emails to town of Shirley and other officials.
Pacheco’s employment contract with Georgetown requires that he devote his full time to the “effort and attention to the business of the Town of Georgetown (and) will not engage in any other business during office hours, except with the express written approval of the (Select)Board.”
The language of the contract does not specify what the town administrator may do on vacation time. Most of the emails sent to other town officials were during office hours. Pacheco routinely announces to the SelectBoard when he is taking vacation time.
In Georgetown and other communities, the town administrator may work for other employers only after a vote of the SelectBoard granting permission. Pacheco had been given permission in the past to work for the city of Haverhill, but only on Fridays when Georgetown Town Hall is closed.
After the meeting, most SelectBoard members said they could not comment on the substance of the meeting, but newly elected board member Ed Dobie said only that it was “an amicable” meeting. “There were questions asked and answered,” he said.
All agreed that Pacheco had not been disciplined for his outside work. Selectman Robert Hoover said the issues involving Pacheco’s outside work would be dealt with in public at a future meeting.
Selectman Mike Donahue last week presented the board and The Town Common with the more than 50 emails between Pacheco and Shirley town officials regarding green energy and other projects. The emails seemed to indicate the administrator was working on securing grants and other projects for Shirley.
Donahue’s conclusion from a review of the emails was “there is a clear and overwhelming pattern of non-compliance as he was conducting outside business during Georgetown business hours.”
This week, after the executive session concluded, Donahue said he was “happy,” but sources told this newspaper that Donahue had been sharply criticized by other board members during the executive session for presenting the controversial emails.
Donahue sprung the emails on the SelectBoard with no advance warning or at their May 4 meeting before Town Meeting, where Donahue offered a motion to the board to schedule a meeting to discuss the matter with Pacheco and town counsel present.
Members Doug Dawes, Robert Hoover, Laura Repplier, and Rachel Therrien declined to second Donahue’s motion and it “died for lack of a second,” Hoover announced.
Donahue told the paper he was surprised that three days later, with no notice, Hoover unilaterally scheduled the meeting Donahue had sought and had been denied.
Donahue was also surprised, as were many, that Hoover announced last week that he is going to take the next 30 days (minimum) off. Hoover refused to publicly disclose his reason for stepping away.
Pacheco after the meeting asked for The Town Common to disclose what residents or staff it had quoted anonymously that the administrator had bragged that his $165,000 salary was “play money.” The Town Common declined to identify the staff or residents who had reported hearing the administrator’s comments as they explicitly requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation. ♦
