Officially Sanctioned Harassment?

To the Editor:

I followed the Carolee Mason hearings closely and felt that the outcome was fair in that Carolee would be reinstated after some training with the  Newtown Police Department, giving Carolee and the police department an opportunity to chart a new and well-defined course for the pound. Procedures were written and it seemed that both Carolee and the police department were learning how best to manage activities at the pound.

However, as time went on (it has been a good two months now) Carolee has not been allowed to return to the pound and one has to wonder why she is being kept in the basement of the police department. No reasonable person ever expected the training to go on this long. It is beginning to feel like bullying or harassment in the workplace.

The selectmen’s decision was to evaluate Carolee after training to evaluate her performance as animal control officer. How can this evaluation be made when she has not been allowed to return to her job?

Since Carolee did the ACO job for three years without negative evaluations, one must think that the town — the people who hired her, trained her or didn’t train her, did or didn’t evaluate her — must bear some responsibility for whatever they perceive as her inability to do the job. Therefore, the town has in its best interest to resolve this situation with a positive outcome.

Apparently, Carolee’s ability to write reports is in question. As one who worked in the corporate world in management for 11 years, I know that job descriptions can be modified to adjust for people’s strengths and weaknesses. Carolee’s strength is working with animals and with people. That is the most important part of her job. If her weakness is grammar or sentence structure, then let the assistant ACO do some of the written reports and have Carolee sign them. The two positions need to work closely together anyhow, if for no other reason than at times when vacations and scheduled time away from work are necessary.

As for offering Carolee the position of kennel keeper, that is outrageous and not in the spirit of the findings of the selectmen at the conclusion the hearings. Stop harassing this woman and let her go back to her job!

Mary Gaudet-Wilson

12 Whippoorwill Hill Road Newtown                       August 25, 2009