Winchendon selectmen, targets of recall effort, insist they voted properly

Winchendon selectmen, targets of recall effort, insist they voted properly

By George Barnes TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
george.barnes@telegram.com

WINCHENDON — Selectman Robert O'Keefe supports the right of voters to hold recall elections, but if it comes to an election, he said, voters will support his record of integrity and honesty.

Mr. O'Keefe and Selectman Keith Barrows are targets of a recall effort headed by former Selectman Lorenzo J. Sordoni. Mr. Sordoni said he wants the two selectmen removed from office because they did not vote to ask Town Manager James M. Kreidler to resign after an audit of the town budget revealed a large deficit and questions were raised about the town manager's role.

"The people will decide if they agree with Mr. Sordoni or if they agree with me," Mr. O'Keefe said.

Mr. O'Keefe said Mr. Sordoni's issues with the town manager go back to when Mr. Kreidler was hired in 2000. Mr. O'Keefe referred to a Civil Service finding upholding Mr. Kreidler's discipline of then-Police Chief Robert N. Harrington Jr., who was removed as chief. Mr. O'Keefe said Mr. Sordoni does not like the town manager because he followed the law.

The finding outlined testimony from the Civil Service hearing indicating Mr. Sordoni sought Mr. Kreidler to intervene with the Police Department in a legal case involving the then-selectman's son and was rebuffed. Issues related to the aftermath of the case against Mr. Sordoni's son led in part to the selectman being recalled. Mr. Sordoni and then-Selectman Cindy Boucher were recalled in December 2007.

Mr. Sordoni disputes what was included in the Civil Service case record, saying he never asked Mr. Kreidler to assist him in dealing with the case. He said he met with Mr. Kreidler before the town manager was hired, but never asked for help.

"I didn't ask him to intervene," he said. "I didn't ask for anything."

In announcing plans for the recall, Mr. Sordoni said he was unhappy with Mr. Kreidler's handling of several town matters, including the efforts to remove Chief Harrington from the department and the eventual cost to the town.

Chief Harrington was eventually awarded $770,000 for employment discrimination, but not returned to the Police Department.

"Today Mr. Sordoni is upset because I did not ask for the town manager's resignation over a matter that wasn't the responsibility of the town manager," Mr. O'Keefe said.

In Winchendon the town accountant reports directly to the Board of Selectmen, although Mr. Sordoni says the accountant and town manager have always been expected to work together on budget issues.

Mr. O'Keefe said he has been painted as a supporter of Mr. Kreidler, but does not see that as something to be ashamed of.

"As long as Mr. Kreidler is honest with me, the Board of Selectmen and the town of Winchendon, he will enjoy my support," he said. "At no point has my support been blind. I am the only selectman to have ever reduced the town manager's contract. I will continue to put Winchendon first."

Mr. Barrows said his initial reaction to the recall effort was that the people in Winchendon love their recalls. The town has had several recall elections, the most recent of which resulted in Selectmen Burton E. Gould Jr. and Edward Bond being ousted and Mr. Barrows and Mr. O'Keefe being elected.

"I am a bit disappointed and disheartened," he said. "Larry and I did serve on the Board of Selectmen together for several years and there wasn't the slightest attempt to reach out about what my rationale was for not seeking a resignation."

Mr. Barrows said if Mr. Sordoni had contacted him, he would have said the vote to request Mr. Kreidler's resignation was based on a draft of an audit report that was not completed.

"There's more context that needs to be provided," he said. "It's not wise to make a decision driven by emotion, rather than logic."

Mr. Barrows said there was not enough discussion about the issue before the selectmen put it to a vote. He said the draft did not have any explanation of whether there was any negligence or deliberate attempt to misinform.

"You need to have all the facts before you vote," he said. "I think they (the selectmen who voted for seeking resignation) acted prematurely and I think they acted in haste."

The recall election is not a foregone conclusion. Mr. Sordoni needs to collect 300 signatures on an affidavit explaining his reasons for seeking the recall, then 900 signatures each on two petitions seeking the recall of the two selectmen. Once that is done, the town clerk will need to certify the signatures before the names are submitted to the selectmen, who then notify the subjects of the recall. They would have five days to resign or an election would be called.

The two selectmen may not be recalled within six months of their election or when they stand for re-election. Both Mr. Barrows and Mr. O'Keefe are up for re-election the first Monday in May.

Contact George Barnes at george.barnes@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgebarnesTG