Wenham Selectman Accused of Overstepping Her Bounds

A Wenham selectman has been accused of overstepping her bounds in two recent encounters with town employees.

The accused selectman, Harriet Davis, said she was doing the job she was elected to do and that she was seeking information about the town's operation as a member of the Board of Selectmen.

The specific allegations weren't detailed when selectmen discussed the issue on Tuesday. Board Chairwoman Molly Martins said she was "somewhat reluctant" to bring the issue before the Board of Selectmen and called it an "internal discussion item" and barred anyone in the audience from speaking. Almost all of the two dozen or so seats in the Selectmen's Meeting Room were filled and a few people were standing.

Martins said the allegations against Davis were for "inappropriate behaviors" on two occasions and later said that Davis' action "caused an unfortunate situation."

The accusations against Davis, outlined in a memo from some town employees and by Town Administrator Jeff Chelgren, wasn't read at the meeting and wasn't immediately released. Chelgren said the memo would be made public on Wednesday.

The allegations were so vague that one board member, John Clemenzi, said that he was "only somewhat familiar with what is going on here."

"It's an issue that can't be ignored," Martins said, adding that the selectmen have, on and off for months, been talking about policies and procedures and "reporting relationships."

Davis said she hadn't seen the allegations outlined in writing until Tuesday night's meeting. Nonetheless, she read from a one-page written statement where she said she was in the town's Finance Department 12 days ago and asked an employee how it was going. The employee "turned white" and told her "I can't talk to you."

That's because town employees have been told by Chelgren not to talk speak to selectmen and "observe the hierarchy," Davis said.

"Clearly no business can have confusing lines of authority, but it certainly is appropriate for selectmen to know firsthand what is going on in town and to inquire in general about current problems as the selectmen are ultimately responsible," Davis said.

The end result of the board's discussion was for it to pass a resolution, 2-1, with Davis voting against it, to further clarify the role of the Board of Selectmen and town administrator position.

"I think clarification of job description and responsibilities is essential," Clemenzi said.

Martins said she pushed for the vote on Tuesday night to pass the "clarification of Board of Selectmen responsibilities" so that the issue didn't continue to dog the board.

"I don't intend to move this to another meeting and drag it out," Martins said.

The towns' attorney, Paul Weaver, said the board didn't have any options, legally, to take any action against Davis.

"An elected official is only accountable to the people who elect them," Weaver said.

Instead, he suggested, based on talking with a Boston law firm that represents many cities and town in the state, the board could censure Davis.

"That is an not a legal device but is a political way…to describe concern," he said.

The town's labor attorney, Larry Donohue, also spent several minutes addressing general labor issues to the board. Martins said the legal bills that were incurred by the town to deal with the issue bothered her.

"I certainly hope we do not find ourselves in a similar circumstance again," Martins said.