Hinsdale Select Board Comes to Heated Ending
HINSDALE, Mass. — A Select Board meeting came to an abrupt end after a public comment period was cut short following a heated exchange between a board member and the audience.
The board's agenda items on Sept. 9, most notably to "discuss and vote" on an Open Meeting Law complaint filed by iBerkshires and the "discussion and possible action regarding the appointment of David Tarjick" as a police officer were expected to create some discussion.
The town has faced criticism from community members since the fatal police shooting of 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil last January.
The Wednesday meeting was filmed and uploaded to YouTube by Julia Kurek, a nursing student and mental health advocate.
Kurek, who is not a Hinsdale resident, has been working to create an open letter with policy recommendations alongside several Hinsdale community members, particularly with Kauvil's family, in addition to public safety professionals.
At the end of the meeting, when the board called for public comment, Kurek requested to speak and said she had attended Daigle Law Group's community information session on its organizational analysis of the Police Department.
She urged the board to take the community's concerns and recommendations on policy reform seriously, arguing that the town could face challenges recruiting new personnel unless officials begin implementing meaningful changes and taking initiative on reform.
"So listen to the community about their needs," she said, and then was interrupted by board member Raymond Huntoon to ask if she lives in Hinsdale.
Kurek responded no and later said that she had spoken to several Hinsdale residents during the development of the community report.
She went on to say the return of Sgt. Dominick Crupi from medical leave is not taking steps toward rebuilding public trust. Crupi is the only officer involved in the January incident to return.
Board Chair Bart Collins interjected and claimed that the town had not received any formal complaints since he was rehired.
Kurek said that was only one part of what she wanted to say and attempted to continue her public comment, saying she was "reclaiming her time."
She then reiterated concerns raised in the Open Meeting Law complaint, which was filed by the news source when the board declined to provide the letter of retirement submitted by Police Chief Shawn Boyle. She said the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act the board had previously cited for withholding the letter does not protect public documents.
The complaint was read into the record by board member Margaret Gregory, and accepted by the board. iBerkshires did not receive formal notice of the letter's release but a redacted version was included in the minutes of the Aug. 12 meeting.
During Wednesday's meeting, Kurek urged the board to release the redacted letter to "avoid lying."
It was at this moment the meeting went off the rails.
"Did you just call me a liar," Huntoon said. Kurek attempted to explain that she was not saying that but was cut off by both Huntoon and Collins stating she had.
Huntoon said he was the one who declined to release the letter until it could be redacted, saying it had "confidential" on it.
As he continued to speak, Kauvil's cousin, Hannah Levardi told the board that "I think it's getting quite aggressive in here. We can tone it down." She continued, "as a person listening, I would prefer to hear people communicating like this than hearing …"
Huntoon interrupted Levardi saying, "Well this is our meeting not yours."
"I don't like to be interrupted so we are going to move on," Kurek said but Huntoon continued talking.
"You're disrupting our meeting," Huntoon said. "We asked for public comment. You disrupted our meeting. ... She's disrupting by calling a board member a liar."
Gregory attempted to get the meeting back on track saying "let's take a deep breath and continue on with what you have to say without any interruptions," she said to Kurek.
Collins said her three minutes were up but Gregory interjected that was because Kurek kept getting interrupted, with Kurek agreeing that the arguing was preventing her from finishing her comments.
"I'm not arguing. I'll tell you." Huntoon said, pointing to Kurek and directing an officer to ask Kurek to get out of "our meeting. She's disrupting our meeting."
"I think it's pretty telling that because Biagio was brought up …" Levardi said before being interrupted by Huntoon saying "who put the gun in that young man's hand."
From there everyone starts talking over each other in the video and Gregory attempts to call for a five-minute recess but Collin made a motion to adjourn which was seconded by Huntoon.
Kurek continues to read her comments as they get up and Gregory can be heard saying she wanted to hear what the public had to say.
In a follow-up with Levardi and Kurek outside Town Hall, the duo said Huntoon had pointed to Crupi when making that request. They also claimed Crupi, along with interim Police Chief Bruce Cullet, escorted attendees outside following the abrupt adjournment.
Tags: open meeting complaint,
