ROCKLAND — Rockland City Manager James Chaousis said Jan. 8 that Harbor Master Ed Glaser has been terminated from employment with the city, a result of his recent personnel investigations.

Ed Glaser said in a phone conversation that he will appeal the termination.

Both Chaousis and Glaser declined to comment further on the reasons for the employment termination.

“The discipline letter is only publicly available after the appeal period has been extinguished,” Chaousis said. “This is the only action to date regarding the personnel investigation.”

Chaousis said Friday afternoon that Glaser had already submitted his resignation, a notice of retirement, to the city, which was to be effected in February.

Glaser said that his retirement notice was effective February 1. But, he said he planned to appeal the city manager’s termination. 

Glaser declined to comment further.

 “I am going to go to grievance,” he said.

Chaousis had initiated personnel investigations Dec. 31.

Glaser said the city manager removed his computer from the harbor master’s office on Dec. 31. Chaousis entered the office, unplugged the computer, and took it back to city hall, Glaser said.

Rockland’s longtime harbor master had been disciplined twice in 2015, Glaser said.

“Those were basically about the same thing, one form of misbehavior or another,” he said.

Glaser has been overseeing the harbor for the city since 2004. Before that, he was a schooner captain on Penobscot Bay.

The appeal process for Glaser entails filing within five days. The city manager has 10 days to respond, and then a three-man grievance committee is assembled to hear the case.

The city’s appeal process, as outlined in the Rockland code, is:

“If the answer of the City Manager does not satisfactorily resolve the grievance, the employee may, within five (5) working days from the receipt of such answer, submit the grievance to a Grievance Committee composed of: A. a City department head not party to the grievance: B. a City employee selected by the aggrieved: This cannot be the aggrieved employee. The selected employee must volunteer to participate.

“If the aggrieved employee is unable to successfully appoint a volunteer within 5 working days, the Chairperson of the Personnel Board will appoint a third person. C. Chairman of the Personnel Board or their designee. The City Manager will accept the grievance on behalf of the committee, notify the appropriate parties, and facilitate setting a hearing. The committee will make a reasonable effort to review and decide the grievance within 15 days after hearing such grievance. By majority vote, decisions will be made on how to provide a full and complete hearing of the facts in contention. The decision of the grievance committee will constitute a final adjudication of the grievance.”

As for harbor duties, Chaousis said, “We [city administration] are making assignments to make sure harbor functions are taken care of.”

Glaser said he would not be hiring a lawyer to help with his appeal.

Chaousis said earlier this week that investigations were currently underway of at least two city employees. Computers had been removed from those employees as part of the investigation.

There are approximately 100 city employees.

Rockland City Council talked with the city attorney behind closed doors for approximately 90 minutes at their Jan. 4 regularly scheduled council meeting. The councilors talked with the attorney about their rights and responsibilities concerning personnel matters, said Chaousis.

The council met behind closed doors Saturday,  Jan. 1, with the Rockland City Manager to discuss personnel-related matters.

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http://www.penbaypilot.com/article/updated-rockland-city-manager-investigates-employees/64008

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657