Select Board Member Mary Ellen Fletcher issued a public apology Wednesday night to fellow member David Grishman after violating the board’s code of conduct.
At the meeting, Fletcher said that on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, she and Chair Katie Phelan received an email from a resident alleging that Grishman had hit a car in Vinnin Square. Fletcher said she forwarded the email to the Swampscott Police Department and later went to the station “to ensure they received the email.”
“I still violated the code of conduct from getting further involved. For this, I apologize to Mr. Grishman, the Select Board and the town,” Fletcher said. “In the future, I will do better.”
The matter was later discussed in executive session, where the board determined Fletcher would issue a public apology. Phelan said the findings of the investigation will be released. Town Administrator Nick Connors told the Swampscott Tides the investigation will be on the town’s website.
“The matter of investigation is not Mr. Grishman and what occurred or did not occur,” Phelan said.
Grishman nodded along to Select Board Vice Chair Doug Thompson reading sections of the board’s code of conduct. Thompson cited that Select Board members may only direct the town administrator, not other town employees.
“No employee should feel a Select Board member is telling them how to do their job or how to do something,” Fletcher said.
It was not clear during the meeting how Fletcher may have explicitly directed police personnel.
Grishman, who said he filed the complaint because he “wanted to make sure this didn’t happen to other Select Board members, volunteers, other members of the town staff, other residents,” said it was a “complete subversion of the chain of command.”
“It’s a complete abuse of power to have a Select Board member walk into the Swampscott Police Department the evening before Thanksgiving and say ‘I want to get this guy,’ and that’s in the report,” Grishman said. “That’s chilling to me, and that’s chilling to my family.”
Grishman went on to say this “isn’t the first time this individual has been engaged in these types of behaviors.” Fletcher said he was “making accusations” that didn’t have any proof to them.
“I appreciate your apology, but I think this entire board wants to make sure that your behavior is corrected,” Grishman said. “It is completely and utterly unacceptable. It has been for a long time. You just got caught this time.”
Grishman will not be running for re-election on Tuesday, April 28. When Grishman referenced “new Select Board members” joining in the coming weeks, Fletcher responded, “thank God.”
Select Board Chair Katie Phelan reiterated that the “allegation is unacceptable” and that the board agreed to a code of conduct that they have to hold themselves to.
“That is what we did here, and it’s unfortunate that we had to do that,” Phelan said. “My commitment is to continue to do that (hold the Select Board accountable) and that is what needs to be done. It is important for two new members to come on and understand that it’s not just a piece of paper you’re signing and that we’re going to hold each other accountable to it.”
Select Board Member Danielle Leonard spoke about the need to hold each other accountable but also be civil and kind to one another, “holding ourselves to a different category than the people we represent in town.”
“I personally am incredibly annoyed to have to even have this conversation,” Leonard said. “This took it to a new level and it’s really disappointing.”
This is a developing story. The Swampscott Tides will report further details from the independent investigation and additional interviews on Thursday, April 9.
