Londonderry releases reports about town manager

The town of Londonderry released two reports Oct. 28 outlining the results of investigations of its ousted town manager.

The Town Council voted to disclose the reports on the investigations regarding allegations made against former Town Manager Shaun Mulholland during a recent meeting. The findings, including a 423-page report, are available on the town’s website.

In January, Londonderry officials received an anonymous complaint concerning Mulholland’s conduct. On March 30, the town received another complaint of the same nature, according to a news release.

The council authorized investigations into both complaints. The first investigation from the January complaint was conducted by attorney Eric Maher and provided to the council in June. The second investigation was conducted by attorney Christopher Vrountas and returned to the council in October.

Vrountas’ report, more than 400 pages long, details conversations made between Mulholland and other town employees as well as summaries of interviews with staff.

His report concerned the investigation of the anonymous March complaint regarding allegations that included how Mulholland “created a hostile work environment, that he bullied employees … used dishonesty, humiliation and other tactics to intimidate and manipulate people, that he is working to influence the outcome of an investigation, and that he retaliated against employees he viewed as threats.”

Vrountas’ law firm was retained by the council after an April vote. In his memorandum, Vrountas wrote that the office faced interference from Mulholland when it began its investigation and thereafter.

Allegations of harassment were not sustained. However, allegations concerning retaliation were supported by evidence with enough “probable cause to sustain,” the law firm determined.

Vrountas’ report determined there was substantial evidence to sustain allegations of unprofessional and disrespectful conduct such as bullying, intimidation, dishonesty, lack of candor, interference and other conduct violating the town charter and policy.

The investigation also found Mulholland failed to comply with town standards in multiple ways.

Some of the information in the report details personnel matters between Mulholland and police Chief Kim Bernard and Tom Roy, the IT coordinator for the police department, over the course of several months. Vrountas’ report found there was credible evidence Mulholland retaliated against them for his perception that the two were the sources of the complaint against him.

Vrountas also investigated whether Mulholland improperly interfered with and obstructed both the Maher investigation, Vrountas’ own investigation, and the town’s response to a complaint before the state Public Employee Labor Relations Board in violation of numerous town policies, the town charter, and state law, the news release indicates.

The Vrountas report determined that there was evidence to sustain allegations that Mulholland took repeated steps to obstruct his own investigation, including sending an email to town department heads describing the investigation as a “scam” and instructing the department heads not to comply.

Other matters in the report pertain to Mulholland accusing Ted Combes of a charter violation after Combes called a deputy fire chief to clarify confusion about an email Mulholland sent about the investigation being factually wrong.

Vrountas’ report said Mulholland “admitted that he inserted himself in the investigation process and personally collected documents he expected would be relevant to the investigation but had not produced.”

It said Mulholland made continued attempts to direct employees concerning the investigation among other matters like producing a legal invoice for publication against the instruction it was privileged information.

The Vrountas report also noted that the January complaint was filed through a new anonymous hotline system implemented by Mulholland.

The complaint, including accusations of “Mulholland’s alleged favoritism amongst employees” such as Councilor Dan Bouchard, “bullying, intimidating conduct, and creation of a hostile work environment.”

The Maher report went into more detail of the January complaint, with allegations that included Bouchard being invited to attend certain meetings and Mulholland using his association with Bouchard to intimidate other town employees. Maher’s report determined the evidence did not substantiate allegations, the news release indicates.

Over the course of the investigation, allegations were made against Bouchard and Combes who were both fully exonerated with no evidence of engaging in wrongdoing, the release reads.

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