Town Manager, Mike Malaguti, addressed the Reverend Morrison Meetinghouse Study Committee during the Aug. 21 meeting, stating that one of his employees was treated unfairly.
“I am here to speak in public comment,” Malaguti said.
When asked about the comments made, Malaguti pointed to the 39-minute mark of the Aug. 15 meeting.
During that meeting, Committee Chair, Kathy Wagner, suggested that they need a general contractor for the overall project, if the Town Council decides to move forward.
Wagner stated, “Personally, I don’t want David Wholley involved because I think his goal is to get it torn down. He does not seem to have any interest in working with this committee at all.”
During the Aug. 21 meeting, Wagner again raised concerns about whether or not all town staff would be willing to help with the project.
“Do you see that the town, including David Wholley, who seems to be the project manager on all of this, is open for us as a resource?” Wagner asked.
Malaguti argued Wholley isn’t necessarily the project manager, “he is in charge of facilities as the DPW Director. He has been given tasks by the town council and by me.”
He said among other things, he is in charge of maintaining the structure as it is now.
“Is David going to be a willing participant with the Committee to try to resolve this issue?” Wagner asked.
Malaguti responded by saying “he’s never been anything but.”
Malaguti also stated, “As I’ve said in the past, I have no interest in involving myself with the direction of this Committee or how it chooses to approach its work. However, that does not mean I will stand silently while a member of my staff is disparaged. I’m referring to comments made by members of this Committee at the August 15 meeting regarding DPW and Facilities Director, David Wholley. Not only were these remarks insensitive towards one of the hardest working and most valuable employees in town, they also happen to be completely incorrect. The remarks that I am referring to are as follows. That the DPW director is ‘completely unwilling to work with us.'”
Malaguti added, “The fact of the matter is that there has been no more ardent supporter of the Reverend Morrison Meeting House project than Mr. Wholley.”
He also argued that Wholley has been vocal about the risks of leaving the building empty long term.
“Agree with his views on the project or not, no one has worked harder to preserve and improve our town facilities, including the Reverend Morrison Meetinghouse. I have repeatedly pushed back on far milder comments directed by board members towards my employees,” Malaguti said. “These comments were inappropriate and Dave is entitled to an apology. We need to be able to disagree with each other and still maintain a basic level of civility, which I did not witness in this case. I am working to be more mindful of the way my words impact others and I would encourage all of our boards and committees to do the same.”
Asked via email if Wholley received an apology, Malaguti wrote “I am not aware of my concerns being addressed publicly or privately.”
“I appreciate the work of the Committee and am looking forward to continued cooperation between it and my staff, and I thank Dave Wholley for his dedication and service to the residents of our great community,” Malaguti wrote.