DeFazio ‘ashamed’ by Select Board’s town administrator separation

The Select Board decision to dissolve the contract between the town and Town Administrator Tim McInerney last week continues to have a ripple effect.

Member Doreen DeFazio read a personal statement into the record Tuesday night stating that she was “ashamed” by how the Select Board discussed the issue with McInerney in executive session. McInerney, town administrator since 2009, received a $147,500 severance, one full year of salary, in accordance with his contract.

“I am incredibly disappointed and disagree,” DeFazio said. “I do not believe the process or how it was managed was in the best interest of the town.”

The Friday announcement, she added, “completely blindsided” Municipal Center staff, who had no warning. She also noted that fellow members Mat Often and Colleen Roy previously stepped away from giving McInerney a review because they were only elected in June, yet still voted on the separation agreement.

(Read the full statement here.)

DeFazio praised McInerney for “leading with professionalism” and closed with the statement “there are rumors that I am resigning this evening but it is the opposite.”

Often, picking up on a comment DeFazio made about “social media slamming,” said that while he believes individuals have the right to discuss what they like on social media, he did not agree with Select Board member Ed Prisby’s decision to post a mocking Facebook post.

“If I offended anyone, I apologize,” Prisby said.

He added that it was unfair to say the separation agreement was not transparent.’

“Mr. McInerney was not terminated. There was a discussion where he agreed to leave,” he said. “There’s an agreement in place we are compelled not to talk about it.”

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