Search committee leak still elusive

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

STURBRIDGE– After the swapping of accusations by two selectmen last week, each claiming the other had lied on the record, both parties have failed to substantiate their claims. Neither Selectman Thomas Creamer nor Selectman Scott Garieri would provide an instance of first hand knowledge when they were asked if they could prove the other had lied.
Creamer was first to make the accusation that Garieri had leaked information, including the names of town administrator candidates to the press, specifically to Craig Semon of the Telegram & Gazette.
Garieri denied the claim, to which Creamer said, “I’m not going to sit here and listen to someone lie to the public.”
However, Creamer refused to reveal exactly how he knew for fact that Garieri had lied at the meeting, except to say that other people have told him Garieri was sharing the information broadly, including an email to Creamer, himself. But none of those people are members of the press. Creamer had said Garieri leaked information to reporter Semon.
When asked if Semon had told him who leaked the names, Creamer explained that he could not say because he wants to guard the confidentiality of the press.
In a follow up email to the Town Common, he elaborated. “I understand your need for information, which I entirely support, and do hope you understand that I too, have an obligation to maintain the confidentiality of individuals who have shared trusted information with me. To that end, though we are in disagreement as to the release of names, I believe in my heart that I must hold their confidentiality as sacredly as you would yours.”
However, he did release a pair of emails forwarded to him by Garieri during the first search process. One is from Reed Hillman, the first search committee chair, addressed to “CB,” “RL” and “SS,” informing them they were finalists. The second email came from Robert Lawton to Hillman withdrawing his name from consideration because of “the new interpretation imposed on you for public release of the finalists' names.” It was dated Sept. 4, two days before the first search committee (except for Garieri) resigned. He is also on the second search committee.
Neither of these emails indicates that Garieri had contacted the press, as Creamer said.

On the other hand

After denying Creamer’s accusation, Garieri then threw the same charge back at Creamer saying “you’re the one who has a direct line to the Telegram and Gazette.”
When asked to explain, Garieri said that during the first search, Charlie Blanchard’s application had been accidentally copied to Creamer and other selectmen while it was still supposed to be confidential to the search committee. According to Garieri, “he considered it public information and said he would release it to the press. That’s a fact.”
The statement allegedly was made at the Sept. 6 selectmen’s meeting. A meeting where Garieri said, “the town camera for some reason got shut off.” Furthermore, Creamer always records the meetings himself. But somehow, that camera was unplugged.
The result – there is no record of the meeting.
Garieri went on to say, “Tom has his way of releasing things. I don’t know how he does it, but I know he does.”
He also said Creamer “goes around and tries to appear transparent, then releases information and points the finger at others.”
Garieri suspects Creamer’s motive would be dislike of Charlie Blanchard who was a finalist in the first effort to hire a town administrator. Creamer’s “dislike of Charlie Blanchard is just weird,” Garieri said.

Going forward

Both men said there is now a trust gap between them.
Creamer said he will be wary of Garieri.
Creamer also said, “It would have been a lot easier for me to look the other way. I’ve lost friends because of this.”
Though Creamer stated that “absolute honesty” is required by public servants, he mentioned that he is keeping another secret – the identity of a second search committee member who has leaked names.
“But I’m not going to give up the other name,” he said.
As for Garieri, “I know one thing. I won’t trust Tom Creamer with information.”