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Selectmen criticize Budget Committee conduct after tense July 7 meeting
Summary
After an acrimonious July 7 Budget Committee meeting, Selectmen criticized the committee’s accounting and conduct, with Vice Chair Shawn O’Neil alleging motives to defund the Police Department and Joe Hester saying the committee questioned the police chief’s integrity.
Members of the Danville Board of Selectmen spent a portion of their July 13 meeting addressing fallout from a contentious July 7 Budget Committee session. Vice Chair Shawn O’Neil criticized the Budget Committee’s accounting practices and said their arguments showed "a weakness and lack of moral fiber," adding that some committee members aim to defund the Police Department.
Selectman Joe Hester said he "lost it" during the prior meeting and expressed particular concern that members of the Budget Committee questioned Police Chief Parsons’ integrity; Joe said he reviewed prior meeting recordings and found the chief had previously spoken the disputed details. Chair Annemarie Inman urged restraint and suggested keeping cameras on during Budget Committee meetings so residents can see the deliberations. The board’s remarks were largely critical of the committee’s preparation and approach rather than formal disciplinary action.
No formal action against the Budget Committee was taken; the board asked that administrative staff circulate comments on a pending solar matter and that the camera policy be considered to increase transparency.
