GEORGETOWN – Georgetown Selectman Mike Donahue asked what many thought was a simple, reasonable question: What was the process used to fire ConCom Agent Michèle Grenier? He pointed out both on camera and in writing that the process as he could observe, did not involve the SelectBoard, the firing was taken unilaterally by Town Administrator Orlando Pacheo, and that the firing appeared in conflict with both the town’s employee handbook and bylaws. He asked for a meeting to review the process. That’s when things went sideways.
Instead of an answer, former Chair Robert Hoover and Town Administrator Pacheco spent what appears to be amounting to thousands of dollars in legal fees to strategize against an open review of the firing process. Donahue warned in late March that “the longer this issue remains unresolved, the more potential liability the Town may be exposed to. Let’s try to mitigate, if not prevent the potential of additional exposure.”
Fast forward to May, and the abruptly fired ConCom agent did indeed put the town on legal notice in the matter. The first step required to sue the town.
Despite a vote of the Select Board, former Chair Hoover deferred multiple reminders and requests to place the process on the agenda for a full review. Neither Hoover nor Pacheco have aided in scheduling a review of the process in which Pacheco unilateraly fired the agent. Instead, they’ve both repeatedly blocked discussion of the matter.
In a move of what some call blatant insubordination, Town Admin. Pacheco snapped back at Donahue in one meeting, telling him if he didn’t like it (a non-response), he could file an Open Meeting Complaint. Donahue did file a complaint and instead of an open review, records show that Orlando and Hoover have chosen to work behind the scenes, spending taxpayer funds to strategize against Donahue’s call for a transparent review of the ConCom firing process.
When the matter kept getting ignored or “stonewalled” by Hoover and Pacheco, Donahue asked for a formal written legal opinion from the town’s law firm (KP Law, the firm that has been present at every Town Meeting for decades, and the one which the town spends tens of thousands on annually). After pushback, Donahue even offered to personally pay up to $1,000 of the cost to have KP Law write an opinion of the short Town Bylaw section which defines hiring and firing authority. Hoover and Pacheco offered arguments against pursuing the matter.
The Town Common has requested copies of multiple internal communications, legal opinions, payments for legal services, and other documents related to this matter, as well as other developing legal matters. ♦
