NORTHAMPTON — About a year after a state commission ruled the Northampton Housing Authority wrongfully terminated an employee in a controversial reorganization “akin to a purge of certain long-term employees,” a Massachusetts Superior Court judge upheld the decision.
As part of the state Civil Service Commission ruling, the housing authority is ordered to pay back salary and reinstate Michael Owens, of Easthampton. Owens was terminated in August 2015, shortly after Cara Clifford took over as executive director.
“Believing, erroneously, that Mr. Owens had no due process protections, she (Clifford) moved forward with a re-organization plan that would result in his termination,” the ruling, issued in April 2016, stated. “That is nothing more than a bad faith effort to discharge a faithful employee.”
In his March 27 ruling, Suffolk Superior Court Judge Edward P. Leibensperger wrote that he could find “no basis” for overturning the commission’s ruling.
Clifford said Thursday “we’re discussing our options with our attorney,” and declined to comment further.
Owens is the housing authority’s former director of administration and finance and earned $71,000 annually. He and four other longtime employees were let go as part of a reorganization spearheaded by Clifford just one month after she was hired to replace Jonathan Hite, who retired after 23 years.
Clifford presented her plan to the board during an illegal executive session in August 2015. The affected employees were not afforded proper employment hearings at the time and were shocked by news that they were losing their jobs.
Owens’ attorney, Maurice Cahillane, also represents David Adamson, another of the terminated employees, whose case remains active. The Civil Service Commission ruled in December that the authority was justified in Adamson’s firing, though he is appealing that decision.
The Northampton Housing Authority oversees more than 600 federally subsidized housing units at the McDonald House on Old South Street, Forsander and Cahill apartments, Tobin Manor, the Walter Salvo House, Hampshire Heights and Florence Heights. It also administers a Section 8 housing voucher program for more than 1,200 area residents and works with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to administer HUD-VASH, or housing vouchers, for homeless veterans.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.