Meeting transcript
BOS Special Meeting
June 19, 2026 · Watch on YouTube · All meetings
court to cloud.
Okay. I'm going to call to order the town of Andover Board of Selectmen special meeting for Friday, June 19th, 2026. We're going to get started at 12:01. our first item on the agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. item two is a public speak. So, we'll start with Diane Grineer. She was on first.
Yeah, I really don't have much to say other than God, I I hope this is coming to an end. poor test. I think she's got whiplash here. Back and forth, back and forth. And I'm just happy to see that this is probably going to come to an end and that would be wonderful.
just just hire and get this over with. Thank you.
She's already hired. This is just a contract. So Tess, sorry about my dog. Oh, I have nothing to say right now.
Is that what you were asking me?
public speak.
Okay. No, no, thank you.
You don't want to you don't want to participate?
I will. Are you are you going to be discussing it with me the whole the whole thing or as we move on out of public speak? Am I going to have the chance the opportunity to speak or
Well, you can you can speak during the whole thing. The our whole purpose of being here is to approve the contract that's in front of us. And I understand you have an issue which I'll address with the other members beforehand. If you want to speak about it, you feel free.
Yeah, I'm Well, okay. I I'll speak. I I think that there's a lot of misinformation that's being shared that perhaps we can make light on today. one is what the charter says, one what other employment agreements with other people in the community have what my contract is going to look like. And so, yeah, I think that hopefully we'll be able to shed some light on that today. That's it.
Specifically, are you referring to Tess is something that's in the charter? Somebody's somebody's brought something up that's in the charter that's a problem with your contract.
well, I let me just hide it if you bear with me one second. I'm sorry, Tess, you hold that for one second.
Yep, we'll do.
Kim Haw Kim Haw public speak. Okay, since no neither one of them can come off mute, we're going to sit there and we're going to move on to the meeting and Tess, we're going to incorporate you in the discussion of the contract.
Thanks.
Right. Just let's do this in a simple way. So, all the members we have a contract. The contract was reviewed by the labor attorney. The the issues related to this contract were one was the section I believe seven section 8 separation from employment. the section 8 was related to the just cause clauses that were initially in the agreement and there was some discussion from other members of the board related to making it an at will employee. So at our last meeting we voted to make the section 8 just cause. Now I will tell you Tess has issues also related into that section which basically everything comes in
everything comes into that section and the issue that Tess primarily has is that the removal for the community and senior center position is a three fifths vote. in the charter there are positions such as the tax collector, the assessor, the department of public works, and the town administrator that are four-fifths vote called out by charter. the reason those were put in the charter is simply because each one of those positions has a if you don't continue with those positions and you have a political fight over those positions, you will cause significant trauma to the operation of the town.
Operation of the town, right?
Yeah. So you can sit there and say that you know the charter has not been changed. So Tess and I have had this conversation. So let's go this way. So Tess is would like us to consider making it a four-fifths vote. it is not in the charter. I was sitting there, we put it as three-fifths because that aligns with the charter and that aligns with what the board was looking for. the full fifths five people board. So, I understand what Tess is asking for. It's not in the charter and I I honestly just want to approve the contract and move on. Tess would like as much and listen, Tess has every right to want to have as much protection she possibly can get because this board has not done a good job by her. So, if the board would want to consider four fifths, we could consider four fifths and make the change. If the board wants to approve the current current contract, we can approve the current contract as is and then it's up to Tess to decide what she wants to do related to signing. So, anybody on the on the board have any issues?
I would I would like to to see this just pushed forward right now. Tess, I understand that you've been beat up, but we we need to get this moving and get this behind us and this is the first that I had heard about this question, but sorry, my phone's moving. I tend to think I'd want to go with what the charter has. And if the charter doesn't talk about the four fifths for community center, I think I would stick with the three-fifths.
Yeah. And and go ahead, Tess.
Yeah. I I would agree to that, but my position is not
Oh,
Ann, put your phone on mute. And Troy, Ben, please put your phone on mute.
Thank you.
Yeah. Ann, I understand I understand that looking at the charter, it does list all of the administrative positions. The town of Andover did not have a senior center director at that time and nor has it been updated at all to put that position in there. That's why I was asking for the four fifths to align with all the other administrative positions which all have just cause and four-fifth vote.
Yeah. But you know, as Jeff stated, those are things that would shut the town down whe
you know, and it's not in the charter. And you know, there's no reason why when we do redo the charter, if we ever do in the future, we can look at that. But right now, it's, you know, I I know Tessy, you would like to have a a contract that's signed, you know, and we can move this forward. Yes. I think that that getting this signed today would
help you out a lot. Well, well, I I and Tess, I do understand and I would sit there and say if we do a chartreer revision, you know, there's been calls for a charter revision for removal of first selectman from office. And so, if it ever gets moved out, I would I would sit there and happily put the the senior center director up there on the the charter revision for the rest of the public to vote on. So, I just I would sit there and tell you Tess like I'm I would want and and it was the discussions we've had. I would want to just get this approved because the push back that that will go out there on social media in the negative way
is not going to be beneficial for any of the four of us who are sitting on on on this call right now that are participating. I mean, everybody here is all involved, but the three members of the board of selectmen in Utest, if we do change this and make this adjustment, I don't think that the pu I think the push back from all those people that like to be on social media spouting whatever they spout is not going to help us. and and I I would also sit there and tell you as I said there I would hope from this group of three people and from whoever else gets appointed to this board that we would not be sitting there talking about your contract or your position. We would be talking about the successes of the community center moving forward. So
I I I agree Jeff. I really do. I just wanted to go on record that it doesn't state that in the in in it's not that the charter is in conflict with the contract. It's just that position is not in there. So there is no conflict. I just want that to be stated.
Understood. Okay. So, with that being said, if there's no push back from any of the other members of the board, I'd like to make a motion, that, and just so everybody's aware, the contract is for three years.
All right.
Okay. So, that was what we also discussed that in our last review of the contract. It's a three-year contract with a with the just clause termination issues in the in the contract as is. And the compensation was related to both the senior center director and the oh my gosh, the
municipal agent social
municipal agent position. Sorry about that.
social services. Those are
municipal municipal agent and social services. Yes.
Yeah.
Okay. And those are both in the current budget.
All right. So, I'd like to make a motion that the board of selectmen authorizes the first selectman to sign the contract with test grass as the community the Andover community and senior center director and the municipal agent for the elderly and social services coordinator with the contract effective July 1st with an ending date of June 30th, 2029. And
second and I'll second.
Okay. And we'll second. further discussion on the contract.
No. and how do you vote?
I
Scott
and Jeff Magcguire I. So three nothing. Tess, thank thank sorry for all of the problems. glad to get this over with and you will have your cake on Monday. Thank you.
Is that okay?
That sounds great. Thank you so much.
All right. Thank you. one one other thing. and just from the board standpoint, Matt, you're on this call. Matt, I would like all of the contracts inclusive of the community center director with your contract when we get it finished because we haven't had the time the the opportunity to finish your contract. I want all the contracts in a binder in the t in the town clerk's office. All what I would like is a binder of all current contracts. And I would like a binder of all previous contracts kept in the town clerk's office for the review by anyone in the community that wants to come in and look at them.
Yes, sir. We'll take care of that.
All right. Thank you. since we're done, we only had one issue on the agenda. I I'm going to move on to public speak and Tess, do you want to go first?
No, just thank you very much for your support. Look forward to next.
Quiet three years.
Amen.
All right, we're good. Diane Graner,
I guess all I need to say is yippi. I'm happy to see that this is over. Thank you very much and congratulations, Tess. and you're doing a wonderful job and I think most of the seniors will agree with me that we're just happy to see this over and done. Thank you.
Okay, Troy Ben.
yeah, I just had a couple questions. in her resignation later letter letter on the 29th, she made some allegations of misconduct and unprofessional behavior. Were those investigated? Who did she report that stuff to? Town HR, etc., etc. I'm just a little nervous just because there's been a lawsuit between this issue. I don't want to see us be opened up to potential future lawsuits.
Okay. Anything else on public speak, Troy?
no, that's about it.
Okay. All right. Thank you very much. we'll address those later. We do not need to address them during public speak right now. public speak is only to ask to reiterate a public personal opinion, not to sit there and have a a discourse between the board. So, and then I have a Zoom user left. I don't know who that is, but if you'd like to sit there and make a comment, feel free to come off of mute. Okay. everybody, I thank you for coming to the meetings. enjoy the weekend. go Scotland. Looking forward to it. So, see, I got it. Let's go. everybody, enjoy the weekend. And, I'm
going to make a motion to adjourn.
I'll second that.
All right, Scott. Second it. All those in favor? I. All right, Tess. Thank you very much for everything, Tess, and I do apologize for all of the problems.
I appreciate it. Thank you so much. See you guys. Yeah. Byebye.