CORRECTION: Dudley police sergeant appointment

CORRECTION-- Last week's story about the apppointment of Officer James Hutchinson to the post of sergeant indicated that the vote had been unanimous. This was not correct. The board first voted 3-2 in favor of Mr. Hutchinson's appointment, with selectmen Steven Sullivan and Paul Joseph against. After a reconsideration and new vote to show board support for the appointment, Mr. Sullivan changed his vote and it became 4-1. In his reasons for moving to appoint Mr. Hutchinson, selectman John Marsi said, "We had three great candidates, so this was a very difficult decision. In making a decision, I looked at all of the data we had available to us. I grew up in a blue collar family, and my father worked for the Town of Wilmington for 37 years in the highway department, and I believe that seniority means something." Of the three candidates, Officer Hutchinson had the most seniority.

In addition, we also wish to correct comments attributed to selectman Peter Fox after the board meeting. Mr. Fox said that the personnel files were reviewed in executive session, a standard procedure for personnel matters, but that the actual decision on the appointment was made in the public meeting. He did not say that the decision had been made in the executive session. Mr. Fox also explained that the executive session minutes, while approved, had not been released; therefore, he could not elaborate on them.