METHUEN — Police Chief Joseph Solomon will step back into City Hall tomorrow to continue fighting for his job.
Solomon is facing 11 pages of disciplinary charges, including verbally abusing officers, allowing his secretary to "triple dip" into overtime without doing the work, mismanaging federal grant money and interfering with police investigations involving his family.
The closed-door disciplinary hearing began six weeks ago, with the city presenting its case. Among those testifying were a police officer and a representative of a company hired by the city to audit the Police Department's books. The city will continue its case tomorrow before Solomon is allowed to present his defense.
Representing the city are Solicitor Peter J. McQuillan and Boston lawyer David Grunebaum, who is being paid $175 an hour.
"The city is still putting on its case," McQuillan said. "We'll continue to put on the case with testimony from witnesses."
McQuillan declined to comment further.
The hearing is required under state Civil Service laws, which govern the hiring, firing and discipline of certain public employees. A hearing officer will make a recommendation to Mayor William Manzi as to whether Solomon should be punished and to what extent, which could include termination.
Manzi can elect not to follow the hearing officer's recommendation. Manzi put Solomon on paid leave Sept. 28. Since being put on leave, the chief has collected $60,500 of his salary.
Solomon's lawyer, Andrew Gambaccini, did not return a call for comment. Solomon asked the hearing to be closed to the public.
Solomon was slapped with a three-day unpaid suspension in a similar hearing last year. The city was ordered to pay $25,000 back to the federal government for a misspent grant.
The federal government is now demanding the city repay another $170,000 in grant money, again for mismanagement.
So far, the city has spent about $40,000 to fight Solomon for legal bills, the audit, hiring a hearing officer and promoting other officers in Solomon's absence.
