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To the Editor:
I had hoped to attend the Select Board meeting on 6/18 and address Mr. Haley and the Board in-person. However, I will be unable to attend, so I thought I’d share what I want to say in this letter to the editor.
Mr. Haley, I agree with you that what happened to Ms. McCarthy should not have happened to her or to anyone. However, your concern, anger, or whatever else has been misdirected. It should be directed at Mr. Bacci, as it was his call to Ms. McCarthy that caused the Open Meeting Law (OML) violation and everything that followed.
If Mr. Bacci hadn’t called Ms. McCarthy or had checked with her to make sure she hadn’t discussed the matter with any other Board member (as any responsible member of any Town Board or Committee should do) and then hung up when he learned she had, none of this would have happened. There would have been no OML violation. Ms. McCarthy would not have been in the uncomfortable position of having to disclose the violation at the Feb. 6 Select Board meeting and would not have recused herself from the vote on the new Town Manager. To the extent that Ms. McCarthy might have felt threatened, the only threat was the public disclosure of the OML violation, which would not have happened if Mr. Bacci had not called her.
So, without Mr. Bacci’s call to Ms. McCarthy, no OML violation, no recusal by Ms. McCarthy, and, almost certainly, no resignation from the Board by Ms. McCarthy and no special election (which cost the Town over $10,000). The cause – or blame, if you’d like to use that word – falls on Mr. Bacci.
Nonetheless, Mr. Haley, you have viciously attacked Mr. Dockser. You have refused to disclose whatever you may have believed happened or have believed that Mr. Dockser did. You have presented no facts or evidence. You have engaged in character assassination, defamation, and slander via innuendo. Whatever it was you may have once believed, it has now been shown to be wrong.
Furthermore, I know that anyone who knows Mr. Dockser would agree with me that he is one of the most honorable, upstanding, and ethical people in Reading. That you would so viciously malign him is truly unbelievable. His commitment to public service in our community over many years is beyond exemplary. The calm, professional, and civil way he has responded to your attacks is truly remarkable.
You clearly owe Mr. Dockser – and the community – a loud, clear, and public apology. You also need to loudly and clearly tell your supporters to stop attacking and libeling Mr. Dockser and his wife on social media and elsewhere.
In the interest of transparency, you need to unequivocally state that you were wrong. Because your behavior was so appalling – far beyond the standards of conduct for a Board member and unbecoming for any member of a civil community – and because of your refusal to acknowledge your mistake and apologize, I call on you to resign from the Select Board.
Sincerely,
John Lippitt
Mineral St.
