Wednesday, June 7, 2006 Sturbridge names acting chief
Lt. Ford is given a pay raise for stepping in to Button’s role
By Brian Lee TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
STURBRIDGE— Police Lt. Thomas Ford was appointed acting police chief for the department he has been leading since May 5, when Chief Thomas R. Button took an administrative leave of absence.
The lieutenant was second-in-command to Chief Button, who resigned last week for personal family reasons and retired effective June 30.
The Board of Selectmen last night bumped Lt. Ford’s salary from $64,000 to $70,000. Base pay for the permanent position is $83,700.
A graduate of the FBI Academy, Lt. Ford has been with the Police Department since 1987, not including a stint as a special police officer.
“The folks at the Police Department have made this transition very easy for me,” Lt. Ford told selectmen.
Town Administrator James J. Malloy continues to seek volunteers to serve on the search committee for a permanent appointment.
Selectman Harold J. White asked Mr. Malloy to reveal terms of a settled civil lawsuit between the town and a Putnam lawyer. The parties reached an agreement last month, before the lawsuit went to trial.
The civil suit, filed five years ago in Central District Court in Worcester by Claudia S. Weiss, resulted from a Sturbridge police traffic stop in 1999. Ms. Weiss alleged she was unlawfully arrested and assaulted during the stop by then Patrolman Jeffrey Lavallee, now a sergeant. It also filed complaints against Chief Button, Detective Pamela Desplaines and the town of Sturbridge for oversight of the Police Department. A judge ruled last year there was enough evidence to proceed with the case.
Mr. White said he knew nothing about the settlement’s terms, and suspected the absence of board input violated open meeting bylaws. Board Chairman Arnold P. Wilson also wanted to know protocol for authorizing a civil court settlement.
Mr. Malloy said the town’s insurer, Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association, had paid the settlement, but he declined to give further details because he was unsure if it was appropriate for public consumption. Mr. Malloy said he sent correspondence to selectmen six or eight weeks ago.
Selectmen also authorized the appointments of Penny Dumas to the Planning Board, for a term to expire in 2008, and Jim Crowley to the regional trail committee.
Selectmen also presented a plaque commemorating Francis B. Kosakowski’s 45 years of service to the town. The retired 88-year-old former registrar, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, accepted the award in person.
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