BOSTON — The chairman of the state Civil Service Commission said it looks like Methuen officials are thumbing their noses at an order he issued nearly three months ago.
During a tense hearing yesterday, Civil Service Commission Chairman Christopher Bowman questioned why Methuen has not compiled a new list of reserve police officers.
The commission had said the city "flouted" the law the first time around when Mayor William Manzi chose relatives of police Chief Katherine Lavigne, a police captain and politicians instead of higher-ranked candidates as reserve officers.
Full-time police officers are chosen from the reserve list.
"There's a strong indication here that the order is being circumvented," Bowman said of his order issued Aug. 20.
The commission ordered the "band" or pool of candidates in which several relatives were placed, to be rescinded and said the city can select up to 10 reserve candidates from higher-ranking bands. Bowman said the point of yesterday's hearing was to receive a "status update" from the city.
"We are completely understandable of the order," said City Solicitor Peter McQuillan.
David Grunebaum, another lawyer for Methuen, said the city is "starting the process fresh" and re-selecting reserves.
"Essentially we are back at ground zero," he said.
Bowman noted that Lavigne testified at a previous hearing that police had a "business need" to pick 12 reserves, but almost three months after Bowman's order came out, the city still hasn't produced a new reserve list.
McQuillan noted that Methuen had a municipal election in which Manzi faced challenger Al DiNuccio after Bowman's order came out.
"Needless to say, this particular order was one of the issues," McQuillan said.
McQuillan said there has been an "extensive review" of Bowman's demands, and the city will appoint candidates to a new reserve list.
"We're taking this very, very seriously," he said. "We certainly don't want this or you to have to come back and kick us in the face with something we didn't do right."
The order didn't force the city to select new reserves, it said the city "may select up to 10" higher-ranked candidates.
New civil service test scores come out in the spring.
Manzi said during an interview that he doesn't know whether the city will wait for the new scores to come out or if they'll choose reserves that are currently in the higher bands, which are based on past scores.
"That's one of the reasons we haven't moved yet," he said, saying he wants to comply with the civil service order.
McQuillan said he thinks civil service has a "preconceived attitude" toward Methuen, and he called it "unfair."
"You're holding my feet to the fire," he told Bowman, raising his voice and saying that he was delivering positive news to the commission.
"I'm trying to figure out what positive news is being represented today," Bowman replied.
Grunebaum said the positive news is that Methuen knows "that we should start afresh, with a clean slate" and choose candidates in the higher bands.
The attorneys agreed to meet with Bowman on Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. to discuss the matter further.
ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ
Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.
