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Brookline Selectboard adopts anti-nepotism language for personnel policy
Summary
The Brookline Selectboard voted 4-0 to adopt new nepotism language restricting officials from appointing or hiring immediate family members and requiring recusal from related hiring processes; the change amends the town personnel policy ahead of 2025 review.
The Brookline Selectboard adopted a new nepotism provision for its personnel policy at the Nov. 25 meeting, voting 4-0 to prohibit public officials from appointing, hiring or voting to hire an immediate family member and to require complete recusal from the appointment or hiring process when a proposed appointee is a family member.
The move followed discussion of proposed language that defines the restriction for "public officials and boards" and clarifies that any board member must remove themselves completely from the process when a proposed appointee is in their immediate family. Selectboard member Brian Rater moved to replace the existing policy language with the proposed text; Brendan Denehy seconded the motion and the board voted in favor.
Why it matters: The change standardizes expectations for conflicts of interest and makes an explicit recusal requirement part of the town's personnel rules ahead of a broader personnel policy review planned for 2025. The board directed that the incoming 2025 Selectboard take up an overall review of the Personnel Policy.
The vote was one of several personnel items on the agenda; the board also accepted the resignation of a DPW employee and reviewed a compensation proposal from Police Chief Stewart, which the board agreed required additional discussion. The board did not attach a sunset clause or other qualifications to the nepotism language when it adopted the amendment.
What happens next: The adopted language will be incorporated into the town's personnel policy and the full policy review will be scheduled for the 2025 Selectboard.
