Paper files Right to Know request on Rescue Probe

Selectmen Jason Cole and Robert Frizzell. Below, an image of the email sent Bettie Harris-Howard in which Cole professes staunch support for Frizzell.

LEBANON - The Lebanon Voice on May 23 filed a Right to Know request with the Town of Lebanon in an attempt to secure a copy of the investigative report of the recent probe into alleged misdoings by the Lebanon Rescue Department and its leadership, Rescue Chief Samantha Cole and her husband, Selectman and Assistant Rescue Chief Jason Cole.

Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office has stated it intends no further review of the probe after receiving a copy of the March finding as determined by Selectmen Chairman Robert Frizzell.

Brenda Kielty, the Public Access ombudsmen for the Attorney General’s Office, said last week any review of the document was complete, adding there appeared no Freedom of Access issues pertaining to its release.

While many residents and selectman candidates have questioned the propriety of one selectman investigating another, the fact of the matter is that the state Attorney General’s office neither investigates nor prosecutes conflict issues at the municipal level, according to Assistant Attorney General Phyllis Gardiner.

While there is an ethics oversight board that weighs in on state legislators and lobbyists there is none that routinely looks into matters of either municipal officials or the governor’s office in Augusta, Gardiner explained on Tuesday.

Selectwoman Karen Gerrish was left out of last fall’s Rescue Department probe upon the suggestion of town attorney Alan Shepherd, who felt that her bitterly fought campaign against Jason Cole two years ago left her compromised in any decision making.

That left Cole, who on March 20 sent an email noting his staunch support of Frizzell in his re-election bid, to be investigated by his longtime colleague and political pal. That email directed to candidate Bettie Harris-Howard has been obtained by The Lebanon Voice.

Frizzell’s ruling absolving Cole was issued on March 29.

Earlier this month during a selectmen’s meeting in which the legitimacy of the Rescue probe was questioned, Cole said he was not endorsing Frizzell anymore since some new candidates had entered the race, however, he refused to divulge which new candidates he might be supporting.

Last week he said he would publicly endorse no one.

Cole said on Tuesday during a Selectmen’s Workshop the Attorney General’s Office had found nothing illegal during its recent review and the matter should be dropped.

In its request for the Rescue Probe investigative report The Lebanon Voice conceded that some redacting, or blacking out, of names might be necessary.

The Lebanon Voice feels it is important for the public to know the process by which the probe was conducted, especially given Cole and Frizzell’s longtime collaboration.

By Right to Know law, selectmen must respond within five days if they intend to refuse a request.