St. Albans dispute over manager’s job intensifies

ST. ALBANS – Tensions among residents and selectmen ran high during a meeting Monday night that began with a rehash of questions about why the town manager’s contract was not renewed in November, and ended with loud shouting and accusations of lying, followed by a quick adjournment.

For more than a month, Selectmen Dan Hanson and Wolfgang “Gus” Fasse have steadfastly refused to answer residents’ questions about their decision not to rehire Town Manager Larry Post, even after a citizens petition containing 243 signatures calling for Post to be retained was presented two weeks ago. The board maintained its decision was made during an executive session and to discuss it would be violating state law.

Post presented the men Monday night with two letters from his attorney, waiving the confidentiality of the executive session and a discussion of his personnel issues. He also read a third letter that offered a proposal to defuse the controversy. He suggested that he be allowed to remain on the job, without a contract, after the Dec. 31 deadline and allow a new Board of Selectmen, which will be elected in March, to address his continued employment.

Still the board refused to comment, even when pressed by residents for an explanation. But Fasse did provide the first glimpse into his reasoning. He told those attending the meeting that he would be releasing an opinion essay Wednesday on “the eminent domain issue, that would answer a lot of questions.”

In 2003, voters at the annual town meeting approved taking land owned by Gary Jordan Sr. to provide a larger access on Town Landing Road to Big Indian Lake. Jordan sued the town and lost in court, and that verdict is currently being appealed.

The eminent domain issue has been at the heart of the board’s decision not to renew Post’s contract, which he has held for 27 years. Fasse told the residents that Post had gathered legal opinions before the town meeting vote that advised against the eminent domain procedure and that Post withheld them from voters and the selectmen. He called this an “abuse of power.”

Former Selectman Harry Bridge, however, announced he had indeed seen the attorneys’ letters, a statement that caused Jordan to leap to his feet. “I have you on tape, Mr. Bridge, saying you never saw the letters,” he said.

Fasse also questioned whether taking Jordan’s land was for the public good. Commenting on the hefty legal fees the town has incurred fighting Jordan, Fasse said, “I for one would rather spend $42,000 on general assistance than waste it on this.”

Douglas Spalding, one of Post’s supporters, reminded the board that “the town meeting voted to take the land by eminent domain. Mr. Post didn’t take that land.”

When shouting began from the audience, Hanson adjourned the meeting.

He said afterward that the board will discuss Post’s proposal for the new year and their plan for running the town at a special meeting to be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 30.