Police Chief Meets With Wrentham Selectmen About Contract

The Wrentham police chief went before the town board of selectmen Tuesday night to discuss contract negotiations.

Police Chief James Anderson said he was not happy with changes made during negotiations.

"I'd like to voice my displeasure not about the fact that I have no contract, but the way it's been handled," he said. "I thought it was important to have a face-to-face meeting."

He said he had been sent a new contract that contained language that had not been discussed.

"Under the current contract, the town administrator performs my evaluation," he said. "Now, performance evaluation would be done by the town administrator and the board of selectmen."

Anderson said this concerned him because it could bring political considerations into law enforcement.

"The department has done several investigations of previous board members," he said.

Board Chairman Joseph Botaish said the board was simply looking to review the evaluation.

"Our intentions were not political," he said. "I think that it's just an opportunity to know what the evaluation is."

Board member Stephen Langley said he understood Anderson's concerns.

"I think, by having it in the contract language itself that he is reviewed by the town administrator and board of selectmen, that could possibly be abused in a way we did not anticipate," he said. "I don't see this board doing it, but I can't speak for future boards."

Langley proposed, and the board accepted, a motion to revert evaluations to the town administrator.

Anderson also took issue with language that removed the tie between him meeting goals and receiving a raise.

Board member Michael Carroll, though, said he did not approve of the current contract language.

"The agreement currently says that, if he meets expectations, he automatically gets a raise," he said. "I would not support that in any contract."

Carroll said such a provision should not exist in the current economic climate.

"The goals that have been discussed so far aren't particularly arduous," he said.

Botaish said that was more a matter of setting better goals.

"I think we need to start now and set goals," he said.

The board voted, by a three to one vote, to restore the old language in the contract.