PLAINFIELD — A special meeting of the Plainfield Select Board drew more than a dozen people, although most had to leave after the board voted to go into executive session “to consider the discipline or dismissal of or to hear complaints or charges brought against a public officer, employee, staff member or individual.”
The Monday evening meeting at Town Hall was scheduled after a previous meeting was canceled following an Open Meeting Law complaint lodged by a Gazette reporter.
“Because the meeting had not occurred, there had not been any violation of the Open Meeting Law,” Select Board Chairman Patrick Williamson said.
Williamson said a written response would be sent to the secretary of state on the matter, and Select Board Member Hilary Weeks said she thought the complaint “was merited.”
While the board did not specify who the executive session was about, Police Chief Justin Litchfield was present at the meeting and in the executive session.
Contacted Tuesday, Litchfield said he was on vacation and asked that Howard Bronstein, his administrative assistant, be contacted. Bronstein confirmed that Litchfield was present at the executive session.
A complaint against Litchfield was submitted on July 6 by Melissa Brown alleging that he had made advances toward her when her husband, Police Sgt. Matthew Miazga was away at training last December.
Miazga was suspended with pay from the Plainfield Police Department in early June and, following an investigation by an outside agency, was not reappointed for this fiscal year. Town officials have not disclosed the reasons for Miazga’s suspension.
In her complaint, Brown said she told her husband and others about the incident and alleged that Litchfield made up a false complaint against her husband.
Before the board voted to go into executive session, Kimberly Longey, a former Select Board member, asked that the board do its best to be as transparent as possible about the complaints, their investigation and the disposition of the Police Department.
“And maybe allow for a really long meeting on Aug. 9,” she said.
To which Williamson replied, “It will be a really long meeting, I’m afraid.”
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.