Select Board Executive Session Minutes

Executive Session Minutes from 3/6/19

11:30am – 11:45am

Present: Carol Edelman, Chair of the Select Board, Kenn Basler, Select Board member, Donald Coburn, Select Board member and Melissa Noe, Administrative Assistant

The Board discussed the need to go into Executive Session as per MGL Chapter 30A Section 21 #1.  Roll call was taken by the Chair. All Select Board members were present. A motion was made by to go into executive session, seconded, and approved 2 to 1 with Don voting no. The Board agreed they will not return to open session.

Melissa explained her request for an executive session was due to accusations made by Don Coburn at the last few meetings as well as the recent article he wrote in the March Monterey News. Melissa requested that Don provide a list of the specific charges and/or complaints he keeps referring to with regard to her and her job performance so that they may be properly investigated and if found to be true, addressed as per our disciplinary policy or if once investigated they are found to be without merit then this matter can finally be put to rest.

Don refused to provide any examples at first saying that Melissa could find them all in each of his individual email correspondence.  After some discussion he reluctantly offered one instance when he felt Melissa lied; claiming that she filed a false police report against him.  All present tried to explain that there were corroborating witness statements.   Don noted that no witness corroborated Melissa's main claim that he had thrown a small recording device at her.

When it was apparent that today’s meeting was not going to move forward in a positive, productive manner, Kenn Basler suggested hiring a mediator or arbitrator to investigate and resolve any issues Don has.  Don refused to enter into mediation with Melissa.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:45am.

Submitted by,

Melissa Noe

Administrative Assistant

Approved by Monterey Select Board