Work group says independent probe under way; members press select board for public report

The African Meeting House Investigative Procurement Work Group met by Zoom to review its mandate and the status of an independent investigation into an alleged hate crime at the African Meeting House in Nantucket. The chair said the group’s role, appointed by the select board under Article 36 of town meeting, was to find an outside investigator; the select board awarded a contract to the firm LCG in August and the contract was signed in October.

Town counsel (name not specified) told the group that the investigator has formally requested a large set of town records and that the town’s records access officer, Maureen, will be the primary point of contact for those requests. “Maureen is going to be the point of contact for the investigator,” the town counsel said, adding staff are working to make documents available and that some material may need redaction to protect privacy rights. The town counsel also said a previous appeal to the state’s supervisor of public records had upheld…