WATCH: Selectmen Replace Hartman As Town Manager During Heated Meeting

STOUGHTON, MA — Michael Hartman is no longer the town manager following a heated and contentious special selectmen meeting Thursday night.

Despite concerns about the legality of the action, the board voted 3-2 to name Town Accountant William Rowe the interim town manager. Selectmen Robert O’Regan and Michael Sullivan voted against the appointment.

The 15-minute meeting was filled with selectmen yelling over each other, heated animosity between some board members and the audience, and at least two orders by board chairman David Souza for a police officer to remove all in attendance following comments from the crowd.

The shoutfest began almost immediately after Souza said there would be no public comment session. That was followed by O’Regan having to yell over Souza for a motion to let the public speak, which was voted down 2-3, with only O’Regan and Sullivan voting in the affirmative.

O’Regan demanded to know if and when Hartman was discharged, noting that the town charter states that four votes are needed to discharge the town manager and he is allowed a public hearing where he may hear and respond to the reasons for his discharge.

While a vote was taken in December not to renew Hartman's contract, which ends on June 30, a discharge vote has not taken place.

Souza declined to answer O’Reagan, remaking that he was not in a courtroom.

“Never has this been voted, a notice has not been given, the action you are taking is contrary to the town charter,” O’Reagan said.

Several times, Souza attempted to motion to make Rowe the interim town manager, with Sullivan interjecting with the need for discussion. In a letter read by the newest member of the board, 40 members of town meeting voiced their support for Hartman. The letter stated that past town managers have served without a contract and replacing Hartman without formally discharging him of the position puts the town at risk.

"Stoughton is moving in the right direction. Please do not change that by terminating the town manager. We are in the process of the largest capital projects Stoughton has ever seen. Now is not the time to change executive leadership,” the letter read. “There were never the four votes that the charter requires, only three voted to not renew the town manager's contract so he just becomes an employee at will. Until he is discharged, he continues to serve as town manager without a contract.”

The board also received letters of support for Hartman from the Stoughton Public Library, the council on aging, youth commission, patrolmen’s union, and fire department.

“All have strongly said that because of this board and the town manager, work communication has been increased and things are getting done in this town,” he said.

Sullivan then said if the board were to replace the town manager, it would be grounds for a recall vote and he would spearhead the charge.

When asked to explain his vote, vice-chair Robert Cohn simply said one person doesn't run the town.

“One man doesn't run the school project, one man doesn't run construction. You have people up there running the library. Don’t tell me one man runs this town. A group of people run this town reporting to the town manager,” Cohn said.

Following the vote, the meeting was quickly adjourned and board members who voted to name Rowe the interim town manager soon left as a small “recall” chant broke out.

Hartman, who is on vacation, was not present at the meeting. In an email sent to town officials, he said he intends on returning to work as the town manager July 14.

Below is the full meeting from Thursday night via Stoughton Media Access Corporation:

Image: File Photo