GEORGETOWN – Last week a story in The Town Common, “Town to Review ConCom Agent Abrupt Firing,” reported that the town of Georgetown’s retained counsel, K&P Law, was consulted regarding the firing of the conservation director Michele Grenier.
Since that printing, we were informed that when Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco told the SelectBoard, “we have talked to legal counsel,” it may not have been the town’s legal counsel that was consulted, as the SelectBoard assumed. But Pacheco may have been referring to an unnamed law firm, or, some have suggested, possibly no law firm.
The story reported that the SelectBoard voted to hold an executive session at its next meeting to discuss whether Grenier’s firing had followed proper procedure.
Grenier has hired an attorney, whom she is meeting with this week, to determine if she will sue the town for her termination. Grenier has had issues with Pacheco over the number of hours she is paid and over mileage she charged to the town for site visits on Conservation Commission (ConCom) projects.
Pacheco’s termination letter stated that she was fired immediately for comments questioning whether Pacheco had done his job regarding a computer software installation and for hiding a recorded transcript of a ConCom meeting that was postponed.
SelectBoard member Mike Donahue made the motion to consider Grenier’s dismissal, saying he wanted to make sure her dismissal was done correctly.
Donahue told The Town Common after the meeting that he asked for the review of the firing to make certain “all the rules were followed.” It is not known in this fast-changing story whether the five-member SelectBoard plans to review the reasons Pacheco gave for firing Grenier.
It is also unclear if – under the current form of town government – the town administrator has the authority to fire employees without the consent of the SelectBoard.
The town bylaw states: “In his capacity, the Town Administrator, upon approval by the Board of Selectmen, shall have the authority to carry out the following functions, including but not limited to: A. Appointment and removal of employees.”
Grenier was hired by the ConCom, but the commission has not met on her proposed dismissal. ♦
