Planning Board member Walter Gunn presents a copy of the town’s bylaw regarding his term as liaison to the Community Preservation Committee.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
LONGMEADOW — As with each elected board or committee in Longmeadow, the Planning Board reorganized itself during the first meeting following the annual town election. What is often a routine procedure became a contentious schism between Planning Board member Walter Gunn and the rest of the board, particularly Chair Cheryl Thibodeau, who made efforts to assign other board members to the liaison positions in which Gunn had been serving.
The controversy stems from an incident in January in which Gunn entered resident Fabricio Ochoa’s property at night, while intoxicated, and made inappropriate comments, questioning whether the homeowner spoke English and asking if he was a housekeeper. In May, the Planning Board censured Gunn and the Select Board called for him to resign.
At the June 4 Planning Board meeting, the board voted for Thibodeau to continue as chair for another year. She then nominated board member Bryant Miller to be the Planning Board clerk, a position Gunn had served in the previous year. With Gunn abstaining, the board approved the nomination.
It was while voting for members to serve as liaisons to other public bodies that tensions arose between Gunn and the other members of the board. Thibodeau said she would be willing to serve as liaison to the Community Preservation Committee, but Gunn, who had been serving in the role, interjected that the position is for a three-year term and his term ends next year. He walked over and put a copy of the bylaw in front of board member Bruce Colton, saying, “You guys got to really read up on your stuff here.”
Gunn went on to say that the board could vote to remove him from the position, but that such removal was not on the meeting agenda. Assistant Town Manager Michael Barbieri, who was at the meeting, pointed out that reorganization, and therefore Planning Board appointments, was on the agenda, but Gunn pushed back on that as being different from assignment removal. “I know the Select Board gets away with this stuff, but we’re not going to do this on the Planning Board,” Gunn said. Thibodeau said she would put it on the July meeting agenda.
Each year, a member of the Planning Board is chosen to serve as a member of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, a regional agency that consults and coordinates planning matters between the state and the towns. Gunn has been serving in that capacity.
Gunn said, “I can’t tell you the number of people who have endorsed me for the work I’ve done. I hate to say that the millions of dollars we’ve brought to this town through my work on the commission — representing Longmeadow is an important pinnacle and I’ve done a great job.” He said he has “worked to accelerate” the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s L-Project and projects on Converse and Longmeadow Street. He added that he enjoys the work and does not receive monetary compensation for it. Gunn said, “I don’t expect to run for reelection next year,” so someone else could take over the role then.
Despite Gunn’s remarks, Thibodeau said, “Considering some recent events, Walter, I know I don’t feel comfortable having you be the liaison to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.” She nominated Colton for the position instead. Colton said if elected, he would accept the position.
Gunn then made comments about the controversy itself. “Nobody’s ever called and asked me about my side of the story on this matter,” Gunn said. “And as far as I’m concerned, Cheryl, you are falling into a trap where — we are an independent, elected committee — falling a trap where you are being manipulated by the Select Board and a town manager.” He said not electing him as the liaison was “real stupid. Go for it.” He added, “I really have a lot of people behind me that really don’t buy into this.”
The board voted 3-1 to elect Colton to the post, with Gunn dissenting and Colton abstaining.
During the Planning Board comments portion of the meeting, Miller said, “Walter, you were a good friend and a mentor, but I believe, with the support of the Planning Board, you should accept the decision of the Select Board and tender your resignation.” Gunn responded, “Thank you, I have no intention of resigning.”
Thibodeau presented a letter for consideration by the Planning Board to ask the Select Board to adopt a recall provision at a Special Town Meeting. Gunn remarked, “This will also affect the Select Board, who I think, at this point, might be a lot of suspect for a recall.” Gunn opined that the Select Board would remove itself from eligibility for recall prior to the matter going before Town Meeting. Colton pointed out that the requirements, as stated in the letter, stipulate that 15% of town voters support a recall before it could be placed on a ballot.
Gunn said whether the town adopts a recall provision “has nothing to do with planning,” and was not within the board’s purview. Thibodeau countered, “I think it’s directly related to some things [that have] happened recently.”
Gunn responded, “The lawyers are waiting, trust me,” insinuating he would pursue legal recourse. The board approved sending the letter to the Select Board with a vote of 4-1. As before, Gunn dissented.
Resident Louis Robin spoke during the meeting’s resident comment period. He spoke about the “tolerant” values of the town and the country. He said, “Walter Gunn violated these principles,” and “we need to be inspired by our elected officials.” He called for Gunn’sm resignation, while thanking him for his years of service.
Gunn gathered his belongings, walked over to Robin and clasped him on the shoulder “very hard” and “not in a friendly manner” as Robin later described. Gunn then informed Reminder Publishing, “I’m going to sue the town” before leaving the meeting.
Residents Heidi Johnstone, Tom Dignazio and Leah Boudreau echoed Robin’s comments. Beyond the January incident with Ochoa, Boudreau said, “the way [Gunn] speaks to his peers” made her “disgusted” that he was still serving on the board. She added, “I’m sorry that he has left and is unwilling to hear from the public that elected him.”
The following day, Select Board Chair Vineeth Hemavathi posted a statement on a social media forum saying Gunn’s actions at the meeting, including “making inappropriate physical contact with a town resident” were “another breach of the public trust.” He later posted, “The Select Board will be holding a special meeting on June 11 to discuss and vote on setting a Special Town Meeting in the beginning of July. The Special Town Meeting will be to vote on a charter change that allows for the recall of elected officials.”
Coverage of the June 11 special Select Board meeting will appear in the June 19 edition of The Reminder as it happened after press time.
