Finance Committee member ordered not to contact Town Manager
Select Board members unanimously approved the contents of an email sent to Finance Committee member John Barrella. Photos by Sandy Quadros Bowles 
Finance Committee member Matthew Phillips makes a point to Town Counsel Gregg Corbo at the Finance Committee meeting that preceded the Select Board meeting.
Select Board members unanimously approved the contents of an email sent to Finance Committee member John Barrella. Photos by Sandy Quadros Bowles
Finance Committee member Matthew Phillips makes a point to Town Counsel Gregg Corbo at the Finance Committee meeting that preceded the Select Board meeting.
MIDDLEBORO — Finance Committee member John Barrella has been accused of “constant harassment’’ of Town Manager James McGrail and ordered to have no further communication with him.
Select Board Chair Mark Germain wrote in an e-mail, supported by fellow Select Board members, that Barrella’s “constant harassment of the Town Manager and Town Hall staff is beyond reasonable bounds and it is negatively affecting the ability of the town to operate efficiently.’’
The e-mail was read at the April 14 Select Board meeting. At the Finance Committee meeting held earlier in the evening, committee members voted to remove Barrella from his position as chair and replace him with Eric Machado.
Barrella was not present at either meeting.
Germain would not comment further about the specific complaints against Barrella. He and fellow board members offered Barrella the chance to meet with them in open session or executive session.
“My job is to protect our town employees and our town manager,” Germain said, claiming they were “being harassed.”
Select Board member Thomas White said the situation “got to a point where it was endangering the health, I believe, of our town administrator, which endangers everyone one of us’ health.’’
He said McGrail is doing “a fantastic job’’ and “I’m not going to lose an excellent employee because of one person.’’
The e-mail was written, White said, “to protect someone’s mental health.’’
McGrail said that he had received “multiple requests for information’’ from Barrella for several months. He responded to them all, he said, but “it became clear we were never getting to a place where the requests would be satisfied.’’
Resident Richard Stewart said the tone of the e-mail was “harsh’’ and the “optics don’t look good for you,’’ referencing the board.
Reached by phone, Barrella opted not to make an immediate comment.
In an email reply to Germain’s e-mail, Barrella described the communication as an "open meeting law violation’’ because it was sent to all Select board members, although they were asked not to reply. Barrella also questioned some of the legal opinions shared in the communication.
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