During a regular meeting of the Alna Board of Selectmen Jan.27, Alna resident Mabel O’Brien asked the Board to consider implementing a conflict of interest policy for the towns’ municipal bidding process, to be put on a warrant at the town meeting March 19.
O’Brien was specifically objecting to $4335.34 in payments from the town, authorized by the Board in a warrant, to Selectman David Seigars, Deputy Treasurer Chris Cooper, Road Commissioner Mike Trask and Quality Services, a company owned by Trask. The payments were included in warrants 26 and 27 from two consecutive weeks in Aug. 2010.
In a document provided to The Lincoln County News, O’Brien cites language from the Maine Legislature and states, in her opinion, “the parties involved have continued to disburse public monies to themselves in violation of Maine conflict of interest laws, and the Alna Board of Selectmen have failed to stop this practice despite all parties having full knowledge of the applicable laws.”
The work in question, which included mowing and the filling of potholes with coldpatch, was described by Selectman David Abbott as “routine” maintenance done at a considerably lower cost than if it were put out for formal bidding. In response O’Brien objected to both the hourly wage paid for the work and the methodical, time-consuming process she alleges took place.
“Wouldn’t it better and more efficient to use bigger equipment?’ said O’Brien.
In response, Abbott said “people who have equipment” cost money and that the current process is “about half as expensive.” Abbott suggested he could consult Road Commissioner Trask on the issue which drew a pointed rebuttal from O’Brien who said “that’s the problem right there”.
“There’s your conflict of interest. How can you say something is kosher if you’re signing checks to yourself?” said O’Brien.
Seigers told O’Brien that he’s legally entitled to get paid for his services and has no choice, as a selectman, but to sign the warrants. Selectman Tom Smith, not present at the meeting, has previously refused to authorize line items pertaining to roadwork on municipal warrants, which are subject he said to conflicts of interest. Smith’s tactics drew scorn from Deputy Treasurer Peter Cooper.
“What continues to baffle me is Smith’s line item veto on the treasurers warrant,” said Cooper. “It strikes me as oddball and a juvenile way to deal with a festering issue.”
In response to O’Brien’s claims, Cooper said he understood how the payments could be construed as a conflict if, he argued, the selectmen were inherently “corrupt.”
“I understand your theory,” he said. “Trask could lard up his hours and take advantage of the trust, but is there any other mechanism for reimbursement? People hold public office as long as they hold public trust. The public can also vote those people out.”
Resident Tobey Stockford pledged support for both the selectmen and Trask.
“We voted them into this position,” said Stockford. “As a whole I trust them.”
To address the issue, O’Brien is proposing that a conflict of interest policy be placed on the warrant for annual Town Meeting on March 19. The selectman explained that any additions to the Warrant must be done through a petition process within 45 days of the vote. The process, enacted and defined at a June 24 selectmen’s meeting by Smith, would require at least 50 signatures on a petition, in accordance with a formula based on the number of Alna residents who voted in the most recent gubernatorial election.
O’Brien said she had consulted a Portland law firm regarding her concerns but chose not to seek legal counsel because of prohibitive cost.
“Maybe Mike Trask should be the one getting an attorney. Why is his name always coming up?” said Abbott.
The Alna Board of Selectmen will next meet Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
