Milford Police Chief Search Committee Stumped By Possible Change

MILFORD, MA — The Milford police selection committee discussed some advice given by the town's lawyer at last week's meeting. A letter from Town Counsel Charles Boddy sparked the discussion on whether or not the committee should replace member Michael Walsh with current Selectmen chair Willam Buckley's appointee, Donna Niro. Walsh is also a member of the Board of Selectmen and its former chairman.

Committee Chairman Dino DeBartolomeis read Boddy's letter, which said the issue of the selectmen's representative has created controversy, "and will, if not resolved, prove a great distraction to the committee’s mission.” Boddy's letter said William Buckley, as the new selectmen chairman, is able to replace Walsh with his own choice. Under the committee's membership bylaw, the Board of Selectmen chairman or his appointee are permitted to be on the committee, but not both. Walsh appointed himself to the committee while he was chairman of the Board of Selectmen.

The proposed change sparked discussion from the group, with member Donato Niro arguing for a vote. "(Boddy) gave us an opinion, not just you, and I don’t see you have any authority to ask this man to leave,” he said. Niro added that he'd heard rumors that two unidentified selectmen had already chosen the new police chief. Walsh and Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin said they also heard the theory but couldn't verify it was true. Walsh was the only selectmen of the three to vote against the non-renewal of the chief's contract.

Members also voiced concerns that allowing for such a change in the committee membership would set a precedent that an appointing authority could switch out members if they don't like the way someone votes. “That’s what they’re suggesting, that every single one of these people that are here by position are gone, by fiat,” O'Loughlin said.

When the committee tried to take a vote on Boddy's opinion the waters got murky. Walsh abstained from the vote and Donna Niro voted, which caused a discussion about both members voting rights.

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