Angry Residents Press Selectmen For Answers About Animal Control Officer

By Kendra Bobowick

The shouting began roughly an hour after the Board of Selectmen’s meeting convened Monday night.

“What’s going on? I can’t take this anymore ... enough is enough,” came the raised voices from those attending August 24 — at times, several people speaking at once.

“This is affecting her health, just look at her face...” Others got to their feet in frustration. Many familiar faces again gathered to support fired and rehired Animal Control Officer Carolee Mason. Since regaining her job after a personnel hearing that concluded in mid-June and put her back on the town’s payroll as of June 22, Ms Mason has not yet been returned to the pound.

First Selectman Joe Borst with advice from Human Resources Director Carole Ross and Police Chief Michael Kehoe, had fired Ms Mason effective April 1. She fought the decision. A personnel hearing and more than 11 hours of testimony ensued after which Selectmen Paul Mangiafico and Herb Rosenthal chose to return Ms Mason to work with stipulations including training.

As the angry demands subsided, Mr Mangiafico spoke in a calmer tone.

“Outbursts will accomplish nothing. Nothing,” he said. Making eye-contact with residents gathered to cast appeals at the board — something many of the same supporters had done following her termination in the late spring — Mr Mangiafico continued, “We have an idea there is a serious problem here.” The selectmen will consider “everyone’s interests,” he assured.

The anger continued, and a few last words flew at the selectmen, “We’re frustrated,” and again, “Enough is enough ...” As tempers warmed during the period of pubic comment, the exchange that finally provoked angry shouts was between two selectmen.

Mr Borst had only moments earlier moved to close the voters comment sessions when Mr Mangiafico addressed the first selectman, also the board’s chairman, “[Mr Borst] before you close public discussion, does the [chairman] ask if we have comments?”

“You want to speak? Go ahead,” Mr Borst said.

Mr Mangiafico: “I felt it necessary for me to say something. I have grave concerns about the things I have heard and read.”

Only in the recent days had Mr Mangiafico and Mr Rosenthal learned that Ms Mason had not yet returned to the pound since the two men returned her to work as the animal control officer. He told Mr Borst, “I have had 19 or 20 phone calls about Ms Mason ... some people are kind, others are aggressive ... for me not knowing that Ms Mason was in the police department basement.” Downstairs rooms are used for both office space and board meetings. Ms Mason was in a room often used for the meetings. Callers found it “incredible” that he was unaware, Mr Mangiafico finished.

Last week — soon after Mr Mangiafico learned that Ms Mason was not yet at the pound — Mr Borst and Police Chief Kehoe had a meeting in which they reportedly offered Ms Mason the assistant kennel keeper’s position. This week, Mr Mangiafico asked Mr Borst, “My concern — the decision [he and Mr Rosenthal] made — she was to be returned to her previous position. I want to know if the spirit and letter and intent of that decision of the selectmen are being carried out. When will we know?”

“It’s not that I don’t know — it’s not appropriate to discuss now,” was the first selectman’s answer. Shouts erupted: “How about tomorrow...”

Mr Borst was saying “Executive session...” regarding the proper time and place for discussing Ms Mason’s employment.

Another raised voice: “It’s been two months...” Stepping in, Mr Rosenthal said, “I am interested in hearing what’s going on. I looked into this a bit and I am not pleased with what I found.”

Resident Sherry Paisley spoke out: “Does it matter that we’re here and you’re civil servants and you won’t do what we want?” Mr Borst answered, “We have to do what’s right for all 26,000 residents. We won’t be controlled by the public ...” Selectmen had not made any decision regarding the animal control officer’s situation Monday. While she is training, Assistant Animal Control Officer Matthew Schaub is at the pound full time. As Mr Mangiafico had noted, the town is currently paying both full-time salaries.

Wednesday Mr Borst said again, “The government is not run by an irate public.”

Responding to questions that have — in part — added to residents’ growing frustration in recent days, Mr Borst contemplated whether Ms Mason is being treated fairly. “I think things have happened fairly,” adding, “but, I think it’s also going on too long.”

Again this week, Mr Borst met with Ms Ross and the police chief — the three that had first moved to terminate Ms Mason in late March — and they spoke privately about her employment.

Are they the right group to weigh her terms of employment? someone asked. “Certainly,” Mr Borst said. “It’s our job.”

Did he discuss her employment as assistant kennel keeper or as animal control officer? “We’re not talking about assistant kennel keeper,” he said.

What decisions are they making regarding her training? “We are trying to salvage a situation is what we are trying to do. She is talented with animals,” he said, but does not do well completing forms and filing paperwork properly. Incident accounts and records are necessary for both the town and state. Problems with Ms Mason’s filing arose during her personnel hearing.

Two residents asked Monday if responsibilities and job descriptions could shift some paperwork to another person at the pound. Considering the question again Wednesday afternoon, Mr Borst said, “She has to write the reports. We can’t have someone else writing them, they weren’t on the scene …” If Ms Mason responds to a call, she should write the report, he indicated.

Ms Mason had been on the job for at least two years as the animal control officer without complaint. Did Mr Borst see a problem with her supervision or had problems gone unnoticed because of poor oversight? “I can’t answer that,” he said. He chose not to point fingers at prior town administrators in office at the time when Ms Mason was “brought up” from the kennel keeper’s position.

Public Comment

Richard Huisking was angry. Specifying at Monday’s meeting that he was not speaking to Mr Mangiafico, he said, “I attended the hearings and was embarrassed for the town …” He accused the administration of a “power trip” and accused the human resources director and police chief of “incompetence.” He said, “I don’t understand the agenda.” He asked, “Did they expect [Ms Mason] to tuck tail?” He accused her supervisors of a “vendetta” and “when the smoke cleared, all they had was [poor] paperwork. For her first two years [as animal control officer] she received adequate reviews.” He asked, “Then she was deemed incompetent?” Mr Huisking’s voice rose: “If that took two years for her supervisors to determine, I don’t see anyone clamoring for their jobs; she did fall down, but I believe she never received proper guidance.” Does she have grounds for a wrongful termination suit, he asked selectmen?

He feels that the possibility of demoting her is a “sleazy,” and “underhanded.” Mr Huisking concluded, “If the town is not embarrassed, it bloody well should be.”

Ms Mason’s longtime supporter and friend Eugene Rosen spoke emotionally, finding irony in Mr Borst’s requests that evening that speakers be brief and honest, “two qualities you’re not engaged in.” Past weeks’ remarks from Mr Borst and the chief are “ambiguous,” he stressed. “She has been locked out of her job for weeks.”

Following the hearing and decision to reinstate Ms Mason he had hoped for “even spiritedness” and “goodwill.” He now feels, however, that town administrator’s treatment toward Ms Mason is “insulting.” He demanded, “Why don’t you engage in fair reinstatement?”

Resident Chet Hopper is angered that the police chief could not specify the specifics of Ms Mason’s training, saying, “He should step aside.”

Sherry Paisley stood up to speak and after expressing her frustrations at last implored, “Let her get back to caring for the animals.”

Furious, resident Glenn Blake was yelling: “I think that the selectmen should march her to the pound, retrieving the key from the [police chief] on the way and sit there until she receives her training. For 47 years I have been a resident, and I have never seen anything like this.”

Others spoke, asking why no methods for training and testing were established to determine that lessons for the animal control position were learned. Resident Mary Gaudet-Wilson implored the town “to please make this right. Stop harassing this woman.”

“You have to do something,” said Mildred Hawks. “This is affecting her health. Look at her … what is going on in this town? This has got to end.”

Resident Marjorie Cramer said, “Ms Mason is not just ‘okay’ she isn’t just ‘not bad,” but the crux of her job is mediating disputes between animals and people and she is gifted. She is not someone the town should throw away … this looks like bullying, not just harassment …”

Last week Ms Mason’s family confirmed that after a meeting between Chief Kehoe and Mr Borst, Ms Mason received an offer for the assistant kennel keeper’s position at the pound — news that surprised Mr Mangiafico and Mr Rosenthal, as had news days earlier that Ms Mason was not already back at the pound. The reasons are not clear as to why Ms Mason is unable to do her job despite training, or not.