Letter: Probe needed into town officials’ roles in animal crisis

Posted 8/10/16

Thank you for both the Shorelines reporting and publishing letters from the community regarding this terrible situation. Your services are proving to be essential. Thank you for your …

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Letter: Probe needed into town officials’ roles in animal crisis

Posted

Thank you for both the Shorelines reporting and publishing letters from the community regarding this terrible situation. Your services are proving to be essential. Thank you for your interest.

Some of my thoughts are included below:

The Mederios Farm troubles show that Westport has management problems that require immediate attention. The town official(s) responsible for the Medeiros Farm horrors need to be identified and terminated as minimum actions. Criminal prosecution should be seriously considered, along with rescinding all retirement benefits.

The Board of Health is an obvious problem. How did Senior Health Agent Walsh retain his position after losing his state animal inspection license? He is listed in the 2010 through 2015 Westport Town Reports as a State Animal Inspector. Was he being paid for these services which he could not legally perform? Was John Colletti, BOH chairman, not aware that Walsh had lost the required license for animal inspections (he signed all six of these reports)? How much have the taxpayers of Westport been paying these people?

The Westport FY17 Budget provides a few details regarding Board of Health compensation. The Senior Health Agent, James Walsh, is paid more than $55,000 yearly. The Board Members receive $9,000. This is a clear and chronic abuse of taxpayer funds. The Westport Board of Selectmen need to fix this, and keep the voters informed as to how this is being done. Please consider using a Special Prosecutor, in that Westport, Bristol County, and Massachusetts law enforcement did nothing in 2010 regarding the Medeiros Farm crimes.

Elliot F. Whipple

Westport

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