The Board of Selectmen voted 4-1 to remove Nancy Docktor as an associate member of the Board of Health on Tuesday, October 10. The removal of Docktor followed difficulties that the Board of Health had faced over the summer attempting to appoint the health agent. Selectman Andrew Friedmann was the only dissenting vote.
Tuesday’s hearing, which lasted over two hours, focused on why Docktor refused to vote on the health agent appointment. The health agent is hired by the Town Manager, Robert LeLacheur, who consulted with Health Board Chair John Costigan. Appointment by the health board is necessary to allow the agent to act on behalf of the Board of Health for issues needing a timely resolution. The selectmen voted to remove Docktor because she failed to act on the appointment of the health agent, Laura Vlasuk, and for pursuing lines of questioning regarding the agent that exceeded the Board of Health’s lawful duties and powers.
Docktor defended her actions to the Selectmen, stating that actions taken by Vlasuk had brought her character into question. She alleged that Vlasuk changed a reimbursement voucher presented to her by another employee and argued Vlasuk had misrepresented herself on a form when applying for a discount for a course she was going to take. From the information presented at the hearing it was concluded that these allegations were untrue. It was determined that the reimbursement form had not been changed, instead Vlasuk had asked for it be be corrected by the employee and resubmitted. While the form for the discount had been filled out incorrectly, it was not clear whether or not it had been submitted until after Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios contacted the organization offering the course and explained the situation. Vlasuk was accepted to the course under those terms.
The meeting adjourned just after 11:30pm.
