WARREN, Maine — The public works supervisor who was placed on paid leave a month ago following an altercation with the chairman of the Board of Selectmen has sent the town a notice that he intends to sue the town for more than $150,000.
The notice of claim by Douglas Gammon was filed Friday, the same day that Town Manager Elaine Clark announced she has cleared Gammon and he was able to return to work as of Monday.
Clark would not comment further on her investigation, which she wrapped up Wednesday. The town manager said she has not yet seen the notice of claim and could not comment on it.
Under state law, such a notice is required to be filed before a lawsuit. The notice also specifically indicates that Michael York, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, will be included in the suit.
The notice states that York, acting as a selectman, trespassed onto Gammon’s property and without provocation assaulted Gammon. The public works supervisor suffered a torn ligament and tendon damage to his thumb, according to the notice.
“Mr. York’s actions here were bizarre, erratic and highly disturbing. He has now exposed the town of Warren to significant liability for his outrageous behavior,” said attorney Jeremy Pratt, who represents Gammon.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office has referred its investigation of the altercation to the district attorney’s office. A telephone message left Friday afternoon with the prosecutor was not immediately returned.
Gammon said last month that the incident involved a town public works vehicle that had broken down and was parked on a turnaround next to his property on Tolman Road in Warren. Gammon said Selectman Ed LaFlamme came over to his home on Nov. 5 to inquire about why the town truck was parked where it was. Gammon would not say anything more about his discussion with LaFlamme other than that he asked the selectman to leave his property and LaFlamme did.
Shortly afterward, however, York also showed up at Gammon’s home concerning the vehicle, Gammon said. Again, Gammon would not elaborate on the discussion that occurred between him and York, but he said York struck him before leaving.
A telephone message left for York on Friday afternoon at his place of business in Rockland was not immediately returned.
At last month’s selectmen meeting, residents criticized the town manager for initially prohibiting Gammon from being on town property while York was still allowed there. The public works garage and town office are on the same lot in town. Clark said last month that she initially banned Gammon from town property for a cooling-off period. The town manager said she has no authority over selectmen.
Selectmen are next scheduled to meet at 7 Wednesday evening. A special town meeting is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at the town office to deal with the annual waiver of tax foreclosure on the Steamship Navigation property and to change the terms of selectmen and hold elections in June starting in 2016.