Politics & Government

Residents Sound Off on Wayland Town Administrator Firing

Wayland selectmen previously fired former town administrator Fred Turkington.

Wayland residents heavily criticized the Wayland Board of Selectmen on Monday for its firing of former town administrator Fred Turkington.

However, some residents supported the board’s Aug. 26 decision to fire former town administrator Fred Turkington. Selectmen have appointed John Senchyshyn as the acting town administrator.

 RESIDENTS' FEELINGS

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·      Michael Pinot, a Wayland resident, said selectmen could have held a public discussion on whether to terminate Turkington without cause instead of just firing him with little discussion and explanation.

·      Chris Riley, a former Wayland Finance Committee chairman, said he was “deeply upset” with Selectmen Chairman Doug Leard’s actions. “Your agenda was misleading,” he said referring to the Aug. 26 agenda that did not mention possibly terminating Turkington. “We can speculate as to your motives, but what is not speculation is that fact that A, in my opinion, you have violated the public’s trust, and that B, again in my opinion, you have lost the public’s respect.”

Find out what's happening in Waylandwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

·      Dorothy Dunlay, a Wayland resident, supported the termination decision as she congratulated them “for what many citizens have longed hoped for and for using proper procedure.” She also said Selectmen Steven Correia and Joe Nolan could have ‘behaved differently. They could have initiated discussion about the procedure [for terminating Turkington]. Correia and Nolan have previously expressed concerns over how Turkington was fired.

·      John Flaherty, of Wayland, supported the termination saying it was necessary because Turkington had consolidated power by tightening controls over some town boards and allowing for more free cash than the Finance Committee wanted. Flaherty called it a step “in the right direction towards having a fair and diverse government that represents all Wayland residents,”

·      Wayland resident Dan Hill, a municipal attorney, however, said he was concerned with the message this termination sends to potential future employment applicants. This is not your town administrator, this our town administrator.”

For more information on residents feelings, please see the WayCam recording of the meeting. 


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