Termination meeting notice challenged; Select Chair Gray said to eye admin slot

Jeremy Bourgeois (Facebook photo)

MILTON - As speculation swirls over the abrupt termination of Milton's Interim Town Administrator, one town activist is questioning whether selectmen gave proper notice for the meeting where he was fired, while one selectman today asserted what they did was the "right thing to do for the taxpayers of Milton."

Interim Town Administrator Jeremy Bourgeois, whose departure was reported on Friday, was terminated from his employ during a telephone conference call between selectmen on Wednesday morning, The Lebanon Voice has learned.

The Lebanon Voice has also obtained a copy of the termination letter signed by Selectmen Mike Beaulieu and Andrew Rawson with no record of Selectmen Chair Tom Gray either voting or recusing himself from a vote, apparently as Gray, himself, had applied for the permanent job of town administrator.

Selectmen Chair Tom Gray (Voice file photo)

Meanwhile, town activist Les Elder has submitted a Right to Know request to Town Hall to obtain all minutes regarding the Town Administrator Hiring Panel from April 21 through May 10 as well as all selectmen's minutes and other electronic communications regarding Bourgeois' termination.

He also wants to know how the town administrator search committee was established and said today he doesn't believe they were ever properly sworn in.

The search committee comprises Town Clerk Michelle Beauchamp, Milton Police Chief Richard Krauss, Nute High/Middle School Principal Scott Currier and budget committee member Maureen Steer.

Minutes from the committee's April 21 meeting shows the administrator's projected salary is between $60,000 and $70,000.

Gray did not return a message left on his cellphone answering machine on Monday and Selectman Mike Beaulieu has refused comment, while Selectman Andrew Rawson said today that once people hear the whole story, they'll appreciate what he did.

"People don't know the story, when they do I'll get an apology," he said, adding that about a half-dozen people who don't have the facts have mischaracterized what's happened and said some mean things about him on social media.

He said Beaulieu called the meeting at which Bourgeois' employment with the town was terminated, but he wouldn't confirm whether that meeting was by telephone conference call or a meeting at Town Hall.

He said the town attorney - who is expected to be at Town Hall today - has told all town parties relevant to the dismissal to remain silent for now.

Elder, meanwhile, contends the proper notice of Wednesday's meeting at which Bourgeois was fired was never made and that the marquee board outside the Emma Ramsey Center didn't announce the meeting till after it was over, in fact not until Thursday, the next day, he said today.

Elder's Right to Know requests were filed Monday. He vowed today he'll go to the attorney general if they're not satisfactorily answered within the time limit allowed.

Bourgeois, who formerly worked as a town administrator in New Durham, has also refused comment to The Lebanon Voice.