East Windsor Board of Finance Chairman's Actions Called Petty And Political

UPDATED:

A PDF of Jack Mannette's response has been added to this story.

The chairman of the board of finance again drew the ire of fellow board members and others Wednesday about a criminal investigation he initiated against the first selectman this summer.

On July 8, board of finance chairman John Mannette filed a complaint that he’d been informed by others that First Selectwoman Denise Menard had been pumping gas from a town pump into her personal car.

In a September 20 letter to Menard, Police Chief Edward DeMarco Jr. said “This matter was in fact fully investigated to include numerous interviews, statements, and all relevant follow up inquiries that were required to completely look into the allegation were conducted. After this exhaustive process, the matter was found to be unfounded and unsubstantiated. As there is no probable cause to show that any criminal conduct occurred and that the allegations are unsubstantiated, I closed this matter as ‘unsubstantiated.’”

During the public input section of the board of finance’s meeting Wednesday, Deputy First Selectman Mark Simmons offered a stinging rebuke of the Mannette’s complaint. Simmons said he kept an open mind when he first learned of the allegations, but once

Simmons, a retired police officer, said during his 27-year career, he served four years as an internal affairs investigator. In that capacity he investigated similar claims against fellow employees, some which led to their arrest and termination.

“Upon reviewing this allegation and receiving periodic updates of the police investigation and its conclusion, it became abundantly clear to me that this allegation was entirely without merit,” Simmons said.

The board of selectmen had previously voted to allow Menard to have an access card and PIN to get has from the town pump because she used her car on town business. Menard said in September that she compared how much much her being reimbursed under the IRS mileage rate and using town gas would cost, and found that her getting the gas would cost less money.

Simmons called Mannette’s complaint fraudulent and “caused the unnecessary waste of taxpayers’ money and valuable police resources.”

The perpetrators of this despicable act should ashamed of themselves,” Simmons said. “This was obviously a political stunt designed as part of retribution and partly to embarrass the first selectman and further their petty agenda.”

Mannette attempted to read a response to statements and questions from the September 21 meeting, but other members of the board overruled him saying his statement contained other allegations.

“It’s obvious you don’t want the public to hear my response,” Mannette said.

Board Member Marie DeSousa said she had asked Mannettte to let the board see his statement before the meeting and he didn’t send it to them. After he handed it out at the meeting, DeSousa said she hadn’t had time to read the three page document.

“I don’t want to be part of your public campaign,” DeSousa said.

Board Member Danelle Godeck said the board did not authorize Mannette to represent it to the police and make the allegations against Menard. Godeck said she had no knowledge of the allegations until the September board meeting.

“Prior to an election, you don’t slander somebody’s reputation,” Godeck said. “When somebody gets you, I know your payback.”

In his written statement, Mannette said earlier this year he was made aware by several town employees and others that Menard was using town gas in her personal vehicle. Mannette said he was unaware of any policy that allow use of town gas in a personal vehicle.

Mannette said in his statement that due to the sensitivity of the information, he contacted the state’s attorney’s office and was told to go to the police chief. He said Chief Edward DeMarco told him he would discuss it with the town attorney, and later DeMarco said they determined an investigation was required.

Mannette said the town has a reimbursement policy and that only town vehicles are allowed to use the gas. He said the free gas may have state and federal tax implications.