Brookfield employees say selectman intimidated treasurer, took paperwork on criminal records checks
By Kim Ring TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
kim.ring@telegram.com
kim.ring@telegram.com
BROOKFIELD — A file containing criminal offender record information was allegedly taken from Town Hall by a selectman who, employees said, intimidated the town treasurer until she opened a safe and gave him the paperwork on Friday.
Several employees including Water Superintendent Bruce Clarke, Fire Chief Peter Martel and EMS Chief Donna LaFleur told selectmen Tuesday night they are angry about what happened.
The allegations come a few weeks after selectmen confirmed the theft of about $50,000 believed taken by a town employee who has been charged with breaking in to the building.
The employees said Tuesday that Selectman Nicholas Thomo, who was not present at Tuesday night's selectmen's meeting, came to Town Hall and told Sandra Kady, the town treasurer, to open the safe and give him the files in spite of a policy that dictates the paperwork must be kept in her office.
While she initially refused, Chief LaFleur said, Mrs. Kady was frightened and eventually gave in, later apologizing to the staff for allowing someone to have access to the sensitive records.
"She was in her car crying and trembling. She didn't want to go back into the office," Chief LaFleur said.
Mr. Thomo, they said, left the building with the files, returning an hour later in a different car and tossing the papers onto Mrs. Kady's desk.
He called Mrs. Kady on Monday and apologized, the employees said. But they said they don't know what Mr. Thomo did with the files while he was gone. They wondered whether he made copies, shared them with others or simply read them and returned them.
Chief LaFleur said that when selectmen several weeks ago voted in a policy regarding the CORI checks and keeping of those records, Mr. Thomo voted against it and strongly voiced his opposition.
Because selectmen are elected, there is no means of disciplining board members, but board Chairman Stephen J. Comtois II said the board will meet next week with the employees involved.
"I was hopeful that he would apologize, and he did, and I thought it would just go away," Mr. Comtois said.
Employees said they'd like to check with the CORI board in Boston to see how often checks have been run on themselves, because Mr. Thomo has access to an account allowing him to check backgrounds through the state site.
Mr. Thomo could not be reached for an immediate comment Tuesday night.
Several employees including Water Superintendent Bruce Clarke, Fire Chief Peter Martel and EMS Chief Donna LaFleur told selectmen Tuesday night they are angry about what happened.
The allegations come a few weeks after selectmen confirmed the theft of about $50,000 believed taken by a town employee who has been charged with breaking in to the building.
The employees said Tuesday that Selectman Nicholas Thomo, who was not present at Tuesday night's selectmen's meeting, came to Town Hall and told Sandra Kady, the town treasurer, to open the safe and give him the files in spite of a policy that dictates the paperwork must be kept in her office.
While she initially refused, Chief LaFleur said, Mrs. Kady was frightened and eventually gave in, later apologizing to the staff for allowing someone to have access to the sensitive records.
"She was in her car crying and trembling. She didn't want to go back into the office," Chief LaFleur said.
Mr. Thomo, they said, left the building with the files, returning an hour later in a different car and tossing the papers onto Mrs. Kady's desk.
He called Mrs. Kady on Monday and apologized, the employees said. But they said they don't know what Mr. Thomo did with the files while he was gone. They wondered whether he made copies, shared them with others or simply read them and returned them.
Chief LaFleur said that when selectmen several weeks ago voted in a policy regarding the CORI checks and keeping of those records, Mr. Thomo voted against it and strongly voiced his opposition.
Because selectmen are elected, there is no means of disciplining board members, but board Chairman Stephen J. Comtois II said the board will meet next week with the employees involved.
"I was hopeful that he would apologize, and he did, and I thought it would just go away," Mr. Comtois said.
Employees said they'd like to check with the CORI board in Boston to see how often checks have been run on themselves, because Mr. Thomo has access to an account allowing him to check backgrounds through the state site.
Mr. Thomo could not be reached for an immediate comment Tuesday night.
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