A petition to rehire former Recreation Director Nichole Talbot quickly gathered hundreds of signatures over the weekend.
Talbot, who has served as the recreation director, and also was the deputy clerk and tax collector, was fired from both positions after several months of unpaid leave, after she was arrested for allegedly lying to police following a motor vehicle crash in April. Talbot allegedly told police she had been driving at the time of the crash, not her husband and Selectman Shawn Talbot, who did not have a valid license at the time. She later recanted to police and allegedly admitted she had not been behind the wheel.
Selectman John Veeser confirmed that the town had fired Talbot from both her deputy clerk/collector and recreation director positions, but would not comment on whether the arrest was the cause, citing the right-to-know protections surrounding hiring and firing of personnel.
Some residents are pushing back against Talbot’s firing. A petition, posted on the website www.change.org, asking the town to rehire Talbot to her positions as Recreation Director, which includes running the town pool, and to her deputy clerk/collector position, has already gathered more than 300 signatures in the three days since it’s been available.
The petition was started by Christine Bergeron of New Ipswich, who said that a “split decision” of bad judgment should not weigh so heavily against nine years of work for the town.
“Nichole has given so much of her time and talents to this community. Not only to the town, but in general to the schools, and other nonprofits. She made a bad decision and the town officials feel she lost the trust of the townspeople. I started the petition to show her that she has not lost my trust. By the looks of the petition now, it is obvious I am not alone in feeling she is too valuable to lose,” Bergeron said in an interview with the Ledger-Transcript Monday. “I am not at all surprised at the traction of the petition. Nichole is a loved member of this community and the town will lose out if she isn’t reinstated.”
Bergeron said the town should hold onto those who have stepped into roles such as the Recreation Department.
“I don’t think the board realizes how much our town needs people like Nichole in those positions,” Bergeron said. “It is rare to find anyone who is willing to step up and handle all of the responsibilities that come with them. She does it with a great attitude too. I am sure the board didn’t make the decision lightly, and it was a difficult one to be made. Hopefully they can at least take a second look and see that the town people really do support Nichole and she hasn’t lost our trust and respect.”
Veeser said he is not aware of the petition, and has “no idea” whether the board would be willing to revisit Talbot’s dismissal.
Shawna Kutyla has been filling the role of interim recreation director. Veeser said the board has not yet discussed a permanent replacement for the position.
The deputy clerk/tax collector is selected by the Town Clerk/Tax Collector and approved by the Select Board, but Veeser said the board hasn’t reviewed any candidates for that position, yet, either.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.