Selectmen drafting new policy in wake of voter fraud scandal
Date: 11/5/2012
By Chris Maza
chrism@thereminder.comEAST LONGMEADOW — The Board of Selectmen announced at its Nov. 1 meeting that it was working with Town Counsel James Donahue on drafting a policy that would back department heads and town employees if they are put in a position to do something they feel is inappropriate by an individual member of the board.
The writing of the policy is in response to the voter fraud case that has marred the town, Board of Selectmen Chair James Driscoll explained as the board met with Town Clerk Thomas Florence, Police Chief Douglas Mellis and Information Technology (IT) Director Ryan Quimby for a "general overview" discussion of the incident and the investigation.
"I think the fundamental problem was an individual selectman came to a department head on various occasions and told you to do something," Driscoll said to Florence. "That puts you and every department head in an awkward position. You don't report to a member of the board, you report to the Board of Selectmen.
"I have asked town counsel to draft a policy that just reinforces the fact that if a board member does come to you, you'll be able to point to something on your desk and say, 'I'm happy to oblige, but I need this to come from the Board of Selectmen,'" he continued.
District Attorney Mark Mastroianni told the court at former Selectman Jack Villamaino's arraignment on Oct. 17 that Villamaino used his influence as a member of the board and superior to Florence to conduct certain aspects of the scheme, including getting co-conspirator Courtney Llewellyn a position in the Clerk's office.
"There were a number of times when I said, 'I don't agree with you,' but I was told, 'It doesn't matter because I can just get someone else to agree with me,'" Florence told the board.
Driscoll said that the board had not decided whether he and fellow Selectman Paul Federici would approve the policy or if the board would wait until its two new members are elected on Dec. 18.
Driscoll also asked Quimby if any security flaws had been fixed. Quimby stated that no town computers or systems were compromised and during the investigation, no concerns about the town's IT security were raised to him.
"As was stated before, it wasn't a town computer. There were no breaches in the town infrastructure," he said. "We have used it as an opportunity to implement some more strict security. There were no security issues that were brought up specifically [during the investigation], but we have enhanced security."
Mellis declined to comment on the case any further, citing the fact that it is an ongoing court case.
