ANDOVER — Police served a subpoena to a former employee of Andover's water treatment plant at her West Newbury home last week.
The subpoena comes after police Chief Brian Pattullo announced in September that the district attorney's office is preparing evidence to present to a grand jury as the result of an investigation into allegations of criminal misconduct involving two former employees at the Lowell Street water treatment plant.
Cynthia Vaughn, who previously worked as a water compliance specialist in Andover, was served the subpoena by Andover Detective Michael Lane at her 1 Dole Place home in West Newbury around 9:45 a.m. Dec. 22.
Lt. James Hashem said the subpoena is part of "an ongoing district attorney investigation" and declined to comment further. He referred all questions to the Essex County District Attorney's office.
Stephen O'Connell, spokesman for the district attorney's office, declined comment on the matter.
Town Manager Reginald "Buzz" Stapczynski said that Vaughn previously worked for the town but was "terminated" from her post in August. She was hired by the town in July 1996, according to the town's Human Resources Department.
A woman who picked up the phone at Vaughn's home last Thursday night hung up after a reporter asked questions about the subpoena.
Lane also went to the North Andover Water Treatment Plant on Great Pond Road to serve a subpoena to Shawn Rock around 9:03 a.m. Wednesday. Rock is a water treatment operator for the town of North Andover, according to the town's website.
Rock has not previously worked at the Andover Water Treatment Plant, according to Andover human resources officials. He could not be reached at work Thursday afternoon.
Stapczynski would not comment further on the subpoenas and also referred all questions to the district attorney's office or Pattullo.
The name of the second former employee under investigation has never been released.
Pattullo could not be reached for comment after several phone calls were made to his office.
An internal investigation into "an employee or employees" at the water treatment plant was originally launched by Stapczynski "as a result of a report of alleged improprieties," according to a prepared statement issued by the town in June. Stapczynski at the time would not say when the investigation was launched or how it came to his attention.
Stapczynski previously said the investigation had to do with "violations of the town's anti-fraud policy," but declined to provide further details. The investigation was turned over to the Police Department after Stapczynski determined there might be credibility to the allegations. Pattullo said the investigation was launched in April.
Selectmen have discussed the allegations at least once behind closed doors, entering into executive session to "discuss possible charges of criminal misconduct and the filing of criminal complaints," on June 21.
Selectmen's Chairman Alex Vispoli said he does not have any new information on the investigation and said he doesn't know what the results will mean for the town because the employees no longer work for the town.
"We are all waiting to see what comes out of the district attorney's investigation," he said.
Amid the investigation, John Pollano, then-water treatment superintendent, "resigned with the intent to retire" effective June 30, a week after the town announced the investigation.
At the time, Stapczynski would not say whether Pollano's retirement was planned or was related to the investigation. Water treatment is one of seven divisions within the Department of Public Works.
