Haddad-Requested Investigation of Degen & Petropoulos Requires Town Counsel Opinion on Their Indemnification [with video]

Two Selectmen, Chairman Josh Degen and member Jack Petropoulos recused themselves from discussion of indemnification of elected officials at their meeting this week. This is in light of a request from Town Manager Mark Haddad for an investigation of these two elected officials.

Selectman Anna Eliot said she wants an opinion on indemnification from Town Counsel. She said that the document that contains the reason for and content of Haddad's requested investigation, is not a public document, although Town Counsel Brian Maser handed the document to Degen and Petropoulos at a public meeting. Both Degen and Petropoulos reportedly declined to take the document into Executive Session.

Degen stressed that this is a public document, but Eliot claimed that it would take a vote of the Board to release it. Eliot stated that names contained in the document need to be redacted before the document is released.

State law is pretty straightforward. Under M.G.L. Chapter 258, Section 13, the town shall indemnify and save harmless municipal elected or appointed officials from personal expenses up to an amount of $1M arising out of any claim, demand or suit.

The three remaining selectmen voted to request an opinion from Town Counsel on the indemnification question and also the status of the document in question whether it can be released as written or have names redacted.