CHIEF JOHN CAMEROTA
WESTFIELD – Westfield Police Chief John Camerota, speaking for the police commission, said last night that the city’s new Manager of Animal Control Operations was hired by the city’s Personnel Director because the commissioners properly relinquished their authority when he polled them.
At last night’s Police Commission meeting, Camerota said that he asked the individual members of the commission separately if they “wanted to relinquish their authority over the next hiring of the animal control director and all of the individuals said yes.”
He had prefaced his explanation by saying “the animal control operation is something that the commission has wanted to relinquish control over for quite a time now. We’re looking to make it its own department.”
“This (polling the commissioners) is not an unusual thing to do,” said Camerota. “In my 16 years I’ve done it several times with the OK from the Law Department.”
The position of Manager of Animal Control Operations had been vacant since the incumbent, Kenneth Frazer, retired after his contract expired at the end of June.
Prior to the expiration of his contract, Frazer had been placed on paid administrative leave pending an unspecified investigation.
An interview team comprised of Camerota, acting personnel director Karin Decker and Police Capt. Hipolito Nunez interviewed three candidates – the city’s interim animal control officer Kerri Fisher; Nancy Rogers, a veteran veterinary technician employed by a city veterinary clinic; and Lori Charret, a nine-year ACO at the Thomas J. O’Connor Regional Animal Shelter.
Camerota said that Charett was appointed by the personnel director.
When asked if making the decision to relinquish their authority via a series of phone calls instead of at a public meeting was legal, Camerota said “The law department said that to poll the commission members is not an unusual tactic”
“This is what we did” said Leonard Osowski, acting as chair of the commission in the absence of chairman Karl Hupfer.
“I can assure you that nothing was underhanded here. We were just trying to expedite the process” Camerota said. “We had a vacancy and we were looking to fill it.”
“We will formally make a recommendation when all three commissioners are present,” he said.
