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Legal costs balloon under police chief

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:29:00 GMT

By Dan O’Brien

The Hooksett Police Department, coping with personnel disputes and disciplinary action, spent more than $175,000 in legal fees in fiscal 2009, substantially more than what was spent in some similar-sized communities.

“We continue, like other departments, to hold our people accountable,” Chief Stephen Agrafiotis said in explaining the spending. “We don’t initiate it. It starts with employee issues and behavior.”

But some town officials are questioning the expense to taxpayers.

“We are looking to see if they could (reduce) some legal costs perhaps by utilizing our town attorney,” Town Administrator Carol Granfield said. “But I don’t know if that’s going to be viable or not.”

The police budget is controlled by a three-member Police Commission, which has strongly backed the chief’s management of the department in the past decade.

But commission Chairman Joanne McHugh, who took office in July, said the state municipal association may offer the Police Department an option to reduce legal spending.

“They do have an attorney on staff, and perhaps some of those legal questions could be funneled through there,” McHugh said.

Agrafiotis said attorneys often are needed before employee problems escalate.

“It’s actually prevention,” he said. “We want to make sure we do it correctly so the town doesn’t expose itself to undue liability and to be fair to the employee.”

Town Councilor George Longfellow, a former police commissioner, said he disagrees with Agrafiotis’ reasoning.

“I don’t agree with the terminology of that. I believe he’s just, in a sense, being overly cautious of being sued. It’d probably be cheaper for us to get sued,” Longfellow said. “I think he’s wasting too much money on lawyers. We’ve never had to do this before.”

Hooksett spent $175,823 for police-related legal fees in fiscal 2009, according to town records. Other Hooksett departments combined spent about $58,000 for legal fees in the same period.

By comparison, nearby towns spent the following totals for all legal matters involving municipal departments, including police: Bedford, $30,737; Goffstown, $52,292; Amherst, $52,165.

Hooksett’s costs have risen since Agrafiotis became chief, in 1999. In the fiscal year preceding his appointment, the department spent about $6,500 in legal fees. In his first year, the amount nearly doubled to $12,770. By 2004, the tab was more than $26,000. By 2006, it was more than $100,000.

To a large extent, the department’s legal expenses stem from personnel problems, Agrafiotis said. He said he would not elaborate because personnel matters are protected under state privacy law.

Lawsuits and labor negotiations also require legal advice, he said.

“It’s not going to lawsuits right now. In years past, it may have been,” Agrafiotis said. “It’s generally going toward dealing with employee issues that have occurred or come to our attention.”

According to town records, nearly all of the legal fees, $175,031, were paid to two attorneys: James Higgins represents the three-member Police Commission; Elizabeth Bailey of the Manchester firm Sheehan, Phinney, Bass and Green represents Agrafiotis.

Hooksett could face more legal expenses in the near future. Jason Defina, who was fired in September despite support from the community, has said he is planning a legal fight regarding his termination.

Agrafiotis has clashed with the police union during his tenure. In 2005, a group of 17 officers protested he was harassing them.

The department, which now employs 27 officers, has seen 35 officers leave during the Agrafiotis years.

“I think we’ve had quite a lot of employee turnover,” Town Councilor Nancy Van-Scoy said. “I believe that the review for hiring needs to be looked at. I don’t understand why we have the issues we have if we’re vetting well before we ever hire them.”

Town Council Chairman Bill Gahara said privacy rules prevent Agrafiotis from explaining in detail why the legal bills are what they are.

“Once some of these matters have ended, we will be asking him to provide an update on what exactly has transpired,” Gahara said. “It’s something the council is definitely interested in.”

Citizens protest Hooksett police chief

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:53:00 GMT

By Dan O’Brien

Holding signs that read, “Support SRO Defina” and “Agrafiotis is our dirty laundry,” a group of a dozen people held a protest against the town’s police chief outside the Wednesday, Nov. 4, Town Council meeting.

The group set up a clothes line that held protest signs with clothes pins while one person held a T-shirt that read, “Hooksett’s Dirty Laundry.”

The protest came the same day the Police Commission confirmed that David Gagnon stepped down as chairman and was replaced by Joanne McHugh.

On Sept. 9, Town Councilor

David Boutin, who is also a state representative, said he delayed filing legislation to increase the number of police commissioners to five because Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis told him privately he would, “hang Hooksett’s laundry out” if he did so. Agrafiotis denied making the “laundry” remark.

The statement was made one day after Jason Defina, a school resource officer that had been at odds with Agrafiotis, was fired after 10 years on the force.

Defina’s attorney from Teamsters Union Local 633 has said Defina was told he was fired because he did not properly complete field officer training, which was a requirement after serving suspensions.

Defina was fired about six weeks after a standing-room-only Police Commission meeting where several parents and Cawley Middle School students lent him words of support after he was removed from the SRO position.

“There’s a process and that process needs to be followed on both sides,” Agrafiotis said last night. “I respect everybody’s opinions.”

Agrafiotis attended the Nov. 4 Town Council meeting to participate in a non-public session. One protestor ran alongside his car holding a sign as he pulled into the town hall parking lot.

Gagnon said he stepped down as chairman because he is too busy with work but will remain as commissioner.

“It’s too time consuming being chairman and I don’t have the time,” Gagnon said. “It’s not fair right now.”

The protest group issued a written statement from Ashley Forcier, who is Defina’s sister. The group alleges the department has a high employee turnover rate due to a large amount of internal investigations by the chief. One officer left the same day of the protest.

“Sadly, today was the last day for our K-9 officer,” the statement read. “This is the third dog to retire under the tenure of Chief Agrafiotis.”

A Hooksett police spokesman confirmed that Sgt. Rob Megowen has left for another police department, taking the police department’s K-9 dog with him. Because police dogs are aggressive and live with the care-taking officer, the dog had to be retired.

“We are concerned the situation will get worse with more officers expected to leave in the coming months,” the statement said.

“The Hooksett Police Department has become a revolving door for employees.”

Hooksett sees string of burglaries

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:33:00 GMT

By Dan O’Brien

Chrissy Curran was surprised, but not overly shocked, when someone broke into her unlocked Whitehall Terrace home in June.

It was probably some mischievous kids, she thought. Only an iPod and a plastic container of loose change were stolen.

“It was small and it seemed random,” Curran said.

But then it happened again. And again. And again. Curran’s house has been burglarized four times since June, including Oct. 19, when thieves stole a 50-inch flat-screen television.

“I’m not seeing an end in sight,” she said.

Across the street from Curran, the home of Nicole McIntyre was also burglarized twice since July. Another Whitehall Terrace resident, Diane Berube, returned home about 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 4 to see an intruder running out her back door. Police called in a K-9 unit to track the burglar’s scent, but he was never caught.

At the same time police investigated Curran’s most recent burglary on Oct. 19, they dusted for fingerprints across town at 70 Corriveau Drive, the home of Dan and Ginnie Toland, which was found broken into the previous night.

Among the items stolen: a 50-inch flat-screen TV and jewelry. Police said not much else was taken, but the house was heavily ransacked.

The Tolands did not respond to requests for an interview, but Ginnie Toland spoke at a Police Commission meeting on Oct. 20, calling for an increased police presence in her neighborhood. Her house was the second one burglarized on Corriveau Drive since July.

“It’s disturbing,” Toland said. “What’s more disturbing is to hear it happened again.”

Police commissioners talked about forming a neighborhood watch type of program last month. Now, there’s a push for action more than ever.

“This issue is now,” said David Gagnon, chairman of the Hooksett Police Commission. “It’s not coming. It’s now.”

Toland and her husband had left town for the weekend, but neighbors told her a white van was in her driveway.

“There were people out in broad daylight casing our house,” she said. “They came right through our front door. It’s really disturbing.”

Jim and Lucille Shea know what their neighbors are going through. When their house was broken into the morning of July 20, it was ransacked and their 50-inch television was also stolen, along with jewelry and Jim’s shotgun.

“We had just purchased a new flat-screen television and the first thing I noticed when I walked in was that there was no television set,” Lucille Shea said. “They had trashed the entire upstairs.”

During the Police Commission meeting, it was announced that police officers will host a public forum at the Hooksett Public Library on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. to give residents tips on how to prevent burglaries.

Also during the commission meeting, Police Capt. Paul Cecilio said he’s in talks with Manchester police about expanding the Manchester Crime Line to include Hooksett, Goffstown and Bedford. The Crime Line is a 24-hour phone center where people can anonymously report information about crimes and sometimes receive cash rewards.

Police officials say a neighborhood watch is unlikely for Hooksett. Nationally, watch programs are designed for urban areas, where police hold meetings with residents and train them to walk the streets looking for suspicious activity and calling it in.

The Hooksett Police Department says it’s already understaffed and cannot afford to send a police car to exclusively patrol the neighborhood around Corriveau Drive, which is seeing increased activity due to retail development near Interstate 93’s Exit 10.

McIntyre hopes people will be more aware of suspicious activity. All the burglaries on Whitehall Terrace have occurred in the middle of the day while the victims are at work.

“The funny thing is that half the neighbors are home all the time,” she said.

The latest incident happened Monday, Nov. 3, sometime between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., at a home on Laurel Drive.

Police said someone broke through the kitchen window, ransacked the house and stole jewelry.

The location is two streets away from Whitehall Terrace, where several homes have been burglarized over the past six months.

Defina files unfair labor complaint

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:19:00 GMT

By Dan O’Brien

The labor union representing fired Hooksett police officer Jason Defina has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the state Public Employee Labor Relations Board.

The complaint, filed Oct. 16, accuses Hooksett Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis and the Hooksett Police Commission of terminating Defina without just cause and without allowing Defina a proper hearing to discuss his alleged actions that led to his termination.

The complaint also accuses the Police Commission of violating the law by appointing a replacement board of former commission members to oversee a grievance that Defina filed in late September.

Thomas Noonan, an official from Teamsters Union Local 633, which filed the complaint, said the Hooksett Town Council would have been the proper board to decide who the replacement commission should be.

“We think the complaint is without merit and will vigorously defend against it,” said James Higgins, the commission’s attorney.

Defina’s attorney, William Cahill, said Defina was fired because Commission Chairman David Gagnon said Defina had not cooperated and properly participated in the field training program, which he was ordered to undergo after a suspension.

“We strongly disagree with Commissioner Gagnon’s assertion that there was a lack of cooperation on officer Defina’s part in the field training program,” Cahill said.

Neighbors miss promised officer

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:40:00 GMT

BY DAN O'BRIEN

Neighbors of a convicted child rapist whose house is within feet of a school bus stop say their concerns are falling on deaf ears.

Gayle Gillespie says there was no police officer patrolling the bus stop on Monday, Sept. 28 -- something a police captain said would happen every day at the previous Town Council meeting on Sept. 23.

“Don’t come out and tell the public you’re going to send a school resource officer out here, and now say that you’re not going to do it,” Gillespie said. “You wonder why everyone’s so upset.”

Gillespie’s neighbor, Joel Dutton, 45, of 24 Dundee Ave., was convicted in 1999 of aggravated felonious sexual assault of a child, police and court records said. He was arrested again Sept. 18 for allegedly molesting a 7-year-old girl and was released from jail to await trial.

“A police officer definitely told her there would be one there today, but there wasn’t,” said Gillespie’s boyfriend, Steve Hanson. “I’m not too happy about that.”

Despite his words at the council meeting, police Capt. Paul Cecilio said on Sept. 28 a school resource officer would patrol the bus stop as often as possible, but not every day.

“There was no (police) car there this morning,” Cecilio said, adding that the school resource officer took the day off and the patrol supervisor might have been unaware of the bus stop routine.

“He should have ended it with ‘when available,’” Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis said. “We can’t guarantee somebody being there at a specific time.”

Gillespie and several neighbors addressed the Town Council on Sept. 23 to push for an ordinance that would restrict where convicted sex offenders can live. The town administrator said legal counsel advised against such an ordinance because similar laws have been ruled unconstitutional.

Town Councilor David Boutin, who is also a state representative, filed legislation the following day in an effort to give communities more freedom in notifying residents about convicted sex offenders. Since then, police records show Gillespie called police on Saturday, Sept. 26, reporting several children, including the molestation victim, were seen going inside Dutton’s house. Police investigated the call and said Dutton was not home at the time, meaning nothing illegal occurred.

“We verified he was at an address in Manchester at the time,” Cecilio said. The children were apparently visiting family members who live with Dutton, police said.

“Why did we waste our time at Town Hall?” Gillespie asked. “They’re letting everyone slip through the cracks.”

Cecilio said the police department doesn’t have the resources to patrol the same bus stop every day. He also said the resource officer routinely patrols all school bus stops in town at random to look out for suspicious activity.

“We can’t put a car there every day for the entire school year,” he said. “For a long-range goal, we’re hoping the school can move the bus stop.”

David Ross, vice chairman of the Town Council, said having a police officer at the same bus stop every day is not a solution to the problem.

“When that was stated, there were a few of us that looked at each other,” Ross said. “I don’t see that as being a viable solution. Are we supposed to have an officer at all the bus stops?”

Town Councilor Michael Pischetola, a former Manchester police captain, said enhanced notification of where sex offenders live, similar to a city-wide phone alert system that Manchester has, would be a step in the right direction.

“This town isn’t that big. Manchester is like 20 times bigger than Hooksett,” Pischetola said. “Things like that are used for snow emergencies, but there’s a whole host of things you could do.”

Ross said he would like the schools to provide a map to parents on where sex offenders reside. Hanson, who now says he plans to work with Boutin on his legislation, says the schools provide similar notifications already but would support the map idea.

Hooksett Police Commission steps back over firing

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:28:00 GMT

BY DAN O'BRIEN

Hooksett’s three Police Commission members said they would recuse themselves from handling a grievance filed by former police officer Jason Defina.

Defina, a 10-year Hooksett Police Department veteran, was fired by the commission in a 2-1 vote Sept. 8.

The decision, made Sept. 28, comes less than two weeks after state Rep. David Boutin filed legislation to increase the membership of the Police Commission from three to five. Boutin, who is also a Hooksett town councilor, told council members at their Sept. 9 meeting he delayed filing the legislation because Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis told him privately he would “hang Hooksett’s laundry out to dry” if he did so.

Agrafiotis, who questioned the Town Council’s unanimous vote in favor of increasing the commission, acknowledged having a conversation with Boutin but denied making the laundry remark.

During the Sept. 28 Police Commission meeting, commission members discussed a list of approximately 12 candidates to oversee Defina’s grievance. They ultimately nominated three men who formerly served on the Police Commission. They are identified as Robert Normandeau, William Lyons and John Proctor.

Chairman David Gagnon said the commissioners removed themselves from handling the Defina issue to avoid any perceived bias. The three current commissioners, Gagnon, Henry Roy and Joanne McHugh, will continue to conduct normal business except on the Defina issue.

“We have too much knowledge about what went on,” he said.

Gagnon, who has been on the commission nine years, said he can’t remember the last time a board member has removed himself from an issue.

“I don’t know about the whole board, but I have never seen that happen before,” he said.

Defina’s attorney, Bill Cahill, confirmed shortly after the meeting that a grievance had been filed but would not give specifics or comment further.

“As you know, officer Defina was fired by the majority of the board,” Agrafiotis said at the Police Commission meeting. “That replacement board will make a decision if officer Defina can return to the job.”

The Police Commission, police chief, Defina nor their respective attorneys have said publicly why Defina was fired.

Immediately after his termination, Defina said he planned a legal fight to get his job back.

“I will still be a cop,” Defina said at the time. “There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back in Hooksett. I will be back with the Police Department and I deserve to be. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Defina could not be reached for comment shortly after the Police Commission meeting.

On Thursday, Sept. 24, Boutin said the legislation he filed would require town voters to approve increasing the Police Commission members in a town-wide ballot question.

“Twice now, there has been a unanimous council vote to do this, and all four state representatives (in Hooksett) are sponsoring the bill,” Boutin said.

Many council members previously cited greater transparency as one reason to increase the number of commissioners, but Boutin pointed to an increase in the town’s size as another reason.

“We’ve tripled in size” since the commission was formed in 1975, he said. “At one point several years ago, the citizens of Hooksett said a three-member board of selectmen was not enough and they changed to a nine-member Town Council. The argument is fundamentally the same. This is going to offer greater representation throughout the community.”

Police chief says he’ll air town’s laundry over move to enlarge Police Commission

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:36:00 GMT

Dan O’Brien

The chairman of the Hooksett Police Commission is defending the Hooksett police chief, who reportedly made a remark to a town councilor that some interpreted as a threat.

“He could not have said that,” said David Gagnon, Police Commission chairman.

Gagnon is referring to a comment Chief Stephen Agrafiotis allegedly made to Town Councilor David Boutin, who is also a state representative, about a proposal Boutin plans to bring to the State House to increase the number of Hooksett Police Commission members from three to five. Boutin explained at the Sept. 9 Town Council meeting that he delayed filing the bill because of a perceived threat Agrafiotis made to him if the bill were filed.

“He told me he would hang Hooksett’s laundry out to dry,” Boutin said.

Once Boutin made the statement, several councilors asked if he considered Agrafiotis’ alleged words a threat.

“No,” Boutin said. “He wasn’t threatening me. He was saying what he was going to do.”

After discussion with the councilors, Boutin said he had no problem filing the bill with the council’s support.

“Many of us have talked to people in the community and the community will support it,” Boutin said. “If you’re willing to take the risk, I’d be happy to do it.”

Hooksett’s Police Commission was formed through the state Legislature in 1975 and any changes to the commission must be approved at the state level. The Town Council unanimously passed a motion during the Sept. 9 meeting to support legislation to increase the number of members.

In a phone interview, Agrafiotis said he did have a conversation with Boutin following a nonpublic Town Council session Aug. 26, but denied making the “laundry” remark.

“What I told him was that I did not believe that it was good for the town to have an expanded Police Commission at this time,” Agrafiotis said. “And that if the bill went up to Concord that I would go up to testify and say what has been going on.”

Gagnon, who has served on the Police Commission for nine years, said he cannot understand why there’s a push to increase the number of board members.

“I would like to know the reasoning behind it,” Gagnon said.

Gagnon said he was nearby when Boutin and Agrafiotis had the conversation and does not remember hearing the alleged threat. “If they (town councilors) feel he did say it, they can come to us and file a complaint,” he said.

Every town councilor gave input about the issue during the council meeting and all said they would support increasing the members from three to five.

“I think a larger group would be better,” Councilor David Ross said. “When you have more people involved in the decision you have less of a chance or having ill-perceived ulterior motives.”

“The size of the town has grown since the commission was set up for three members 34 years ago,” Councilor Nancy VanScoy said.

The commission has been a source of controversy in the past few years. Many believe the Police Department has suffered a high employee turnover rate since Agrafiotis took over in 1999. In 2005, Agrafiotis was suspended when 17 officers filed a formal complaint alleging harassment and intimidation. The chief was eventually allowed back to work after an independent investigation was completed by Gerard Hayes, a labor consultant from Brookline, Mass. Agrafiotis said he was exonerated, but the results were never made public.

One of the 17 officers was Jason Defina, who was fired by the Police Commission in a 2-1 vote during a nonpublic session on Sept. 8. The Police Commission has not stated why Defina was terminated, citing confidentiality laws.

Officer Defina fired, vows to fight

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:12:00 GMT

By DanO’Brien

Hooksett police officer Jason Defina, the school resource officer who was reassigned last spring despite community objections, was fired by the Hooksett Police Commission on Sept. 8.

Defina, 35, a Marine Corps veteran who has been with the Police Department since 1999, said he plans a legal fight to get his job back.

“I will still be a cop,” Defina said. “There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back in Hooksett. I will be back with the Police Department and I deserve to be. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

Defina, Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis nor the three Police Commission members have said publicly why Defina was terminated.

On Sept. 10, Police Commission Chairman David Gagnon said Defina has the right to unseal his personnel file if he wants the details to come out.

“If Defina is the perfect angel that he wants to say he is, he can release his file. It’s that simple,” Gagnon said. “That’s the only way it can be done, through him.”

The commission voted 2-1 for Defina’s termination during a nonpublic meeting. Commissioners Gagnon and Henry Roy voted in favor of termination; Joanne McHugh dissented.

Gagnon says the board is legally unable to say the reason why Defina was let go.

“It’s unfortunate that we are obligated to stand behind non-disclosure because it is a personnel issue,” Gagnon said.

The commission’s lawyer, Jim Higgins, said a clause in the state’s Right to Know law prohibits the commission from releasing information on personnel without the person’s permission.

Defina’s lawyer, Bill Cahill, when reached Sept. 10, said he had not released the reason given for Defina’s termination because Defina had not received anything in writing from the Police Commission.

“I don’t have anything in writing. That’s why no one can say,” Cahill said. “Jay Defina has not received anything in writing.”

Defina says he’s following his lawyer’s orders for now.

“I have the right to make everything public if I want,” Defina said. “I have in the past, and that’s why I’m in the situation I’m in… It will all come out in the end. There are serious issues that have to be addressed.”

A few hours after he was fired, Defina implied that his termination was a result of suspensions in January for petty reasons and bad blood that has boiled between him and Agrafiotis since 2005, when Defina was one of 17 officers who signed a formal written complaint against the chief that resulted in the chief’s suspension.

Defina said McHugh, who became the newest-appointed Police Commission member over the summer, became emotional when the vote to fire him was taken. “She was very emotional. It was very sad,” he said.

McHugh said she could not comment on the situation.

Defina gained a large amount of community support last spring after Agrafiotis removed him as the Cawley Middle School’s student resource officer. Residents and students overflowed a Police Commission meeting in late July begging Agrafiotis for Defina’s return. Defina was reassigned to the midnight-to-8 a.m. patrol shift until his termination.

Agrafiotis said Defina’s reassignment was due to staffing issues.

“Jay had done an outstanding job as the SRO in the Hooksett schools,” former School Board Chairman Maura Ouellette said. “His termination has nothing to do with his competence as a police officer. In my opinion, it’s a direct result of the mismanagement of the Hooksett Police Department.”

Animal cruelty charges lead to sex assault investigation

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:09:00 GMT

By Dan O’Brien

A child predator living in Hooksett was arrested Aug. 20 for failing to register as a sex offender after police found dead and dying pets in his filthy trailer park home. He was released from prison Wednesday, Aug. 26, after a Hooksett District Court judge lowered his bail.

Police arrested Eric Bousquet, 49, of 102 Howard Ave., on Aug. 20 for failing to register as a sex offender after getting word that he hadn’t been home for five weeks, authorities said. He was also charged with animal cruelty on Sept. 2.

When police went to his home that day in an attempt to locate him, officers found an extremely messy house inhabited by dead and dying pets, police said.

Hooksett Detective Janet Bouchard, one of the responding officers, said Bousquet is now under investigation for molesting four children who have come forward in recent weeks. However, Bousquet has only been charged with failing to register his place of residence to police.

“The animal cruelty charges are definitely coming,” Bouchard said Aug. 25. “The sexual assault case is just beginning.”

At Bousquet’s court arraignment Aug. 27, a police prosecutor requested Bousquet’s bail remain at $10,000 cash, but Judge Gerald Boyle reduced that to $10,000 surety, which Bousquet posted that day, according to The Union Leader.

Bousquet was convicted in 1992 of felonious sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in Pembroke. Hooksett police say he’s been convicted of failing to register as a sex offender three times since 2001 and two cases, including the new one just mentioned, are pending.

When attempting to locate Bousquet on Aug. 20, Detective Bouchard said she and other responding officers found an extremely cluttered and filthy home. As police combed the house, they discovered a dead cat and a dog on the brink of death, Bouchard said. The dog had to be euthanized after maggots were found eating away at it, she said.

The home was in a similar condition on Aug. 25, inside the Park Place Mobile Home Park off Route 3.

Dawn Cormier lives in the same mobile home park as Bousquet. She took in Bousquet’s remaining live cat and three very small kittens. She said Bousquet’s dog was a poodle named Trigger.

“It’s a shame,” she said. “That dog followed him everywhere.”

She said Bousquet had at least five adult animals and six kittens. She believes three kittens have died, but police could not discover them due to extensive decomposition.

Another neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said Bousquet had not been living in the home for at least three weeks, possibly longer. Police say he was required to notify them if he moved or even stayed at another residence for a couple of days.

Students support Defina’s return

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:27:00 GMT

By Lauren Sausser

Hooksett Police Chief Steve Agrafiotis made no indication of whether he’d reinstate former school resource officer Jason Defina into that position again, even after two teenage girls pleaded for him to do so at a Police Commission meeting on July 21.

“(Officer Defina) really has made an impact on our school,” said Jessica Wight, 13, a student at Cawley Middle School. “He’s an important guy there. He means a lot.”

Wight and fellow student Montana Roberts, 13, stood at the lectern during the public input session of the commission meeting, speaking for about 20 of their fellow students, who protested the personnel change with homemade stickers and posters outside the Hooksett Safety Center on Legends Drive.

The demonstration was organized one week after Agrafiotis announced that veteran officer Gary Blanchette would replace Defina as the school resource officer in Hooksett’s three public schools, a position that Defina has held since spring 2008.

Agrafiotis said at the meeting last night that the change was a result of Defina’s performance, the details of which he refused to discuss in public session.

Before the meeting, the middle school students said that Defina has served as a positive role model for them.

“He connects with the kids very well,” said Liam Clifford, 14.

“He doesn’t talk to us like we’re less than him. He talks to us like we’re people.”

Defina, who is now working the night shift as a patrol officer with the department, said he feels being the school resource officer is his true calling.

“The command staff does not want me in that position,” Defina said. “I put 110 percent into this. I put my heart into that job and I’m going to fight to get it back. I’m the best person for it.”

Agrafiotis said officers in his command staff met with school administrators earlier yesterday to review their expectations for for the school resource officer program and for officer Blanchette when he is introduced into the schools next month.

“The program is a living program,” Agrafiotis said, adding it will change and adapt as needed.

Report shows Hooksett Safety Center needs millions in repairs

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:02:00 GMT

By Eddie Wilson

A report detailing problems at the Hooksett Safety Center proposes between $500,000 and $3.5 million in repairs.

The building housing the police and fire stations has been plagued with problems since it was built in 1996, with leaks and other issues. The report notes these problems can result in “sick building syndrome,” a term used to describe situations in which building occupants can experience acute health effects that are linked to time spent in a building.

“Right now we are reviewing the report and will be coming back to the (Town) Council with further recommendations for next steps,” said Town Administrator Carol Granfield.

“The costs in the report are broad estimates and we really need to hire a construction manager to work with the architect to review and fine tune what is needed and cost estimates.”

Granfield said she is also pursuing energy grants to assist in paying for the fixes.

On March 5, with the Building Forensic Team, the H.L. Turner Group Inc. conducted a complete evaluation of the building’s overall condition and systems. In their report, the professional engineering and architectural group identified the primary cause of the building’s flaws a product of poor building construction detailing practices and no provision for air sealing at the structure’s perimeter envelope. The company predicts even more building failures if the structure’s current needs aren’t addressed.

In its report, the building forensic team addressed concerns about three areas – the safety center’s offices, stair tower and apparatus bays.

The report said the major point of concern surrounding the center’s offices are related to the environment’s air quality and pertinent life/safety of the occupants. The proposal estimated the lowest cost option for office repairs to be around $500,000; the accelerated cost option would reach $1 million.

Among the many changes proposed to ensure the office’s safe air quality are work on the building’s insulation and storm drainage system.

Amendments to the building’s stair tower were also proposed in the report. The changes, carrying a lowest cost option of $250,000 and an accelerated cost option of $500,000 would address problems with air ventilation and drainage issues.

The proposal’s final and most expensive alterations were linked to the building’s apparatus bays. Estimated costs were between $750,000 and $1.5 million. The major change proposed to the facility’s apparatus bays are to its roofing assembly. Where a new roofing system isn’t required, the report recommended that all the structure’s lap sealants should receive new sealant coverings, as they show signs of fatigue. This process would ensure the full 20-year useful life of the roof system.

Police commissioner asks for truth on safe school reports

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:34:00 GMT

By Lauren Sausser

The Merrimack County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an independent investigation of the Hooksett Police Department in order to determine if officers knowingly attempted to conceal safe school reports filed by the school resource officer last year.

Hooksett Police Commission Chairman David Gagnon ordered the investigation after members of the public alleged at a commission meeting on April 21 that the department tried to downplay the seriousness of safety concerns in the schools.

Gagnon specified the investigation will be conducted by the Merrimack County Sherriff’s Department in order to avoid a conflict of interest.

“There’s problems on all sides,” said Gagnon, who called the ongoing debate a media circus. “I’ve called for an investigation because I want to end this.”

Residents who spoke – and on occasion shouted – during the Police Commission meeting accused the Police Department of attempting to conceal actual safety issues in the schools since last November.

Police Department officials said they never tried to conceal the existence of dozens of school safety reports.

They have countered the argument made by former Hooksett School Board Chairman Maura Ouellette by saying the issues were not as serious as she suggested in an editorial letter in this newspaper last November.

“What would be the point of me hiding what’s going on the schools?” police Capt. Paul Cecelio asked.

Part of the internal investigation ordered by Gagnon will include the review of alternate drafts of an internal memo written by school resource officer Jason Defina. In the signed memo released by the Police Department, Defina wrote that portions of Ouellette’s editorial letter were incorrect.

But, in a previous draft that was mentioned by Ouellette at the commission meeting, Defina allegedly corroborated many of her statements about serious safety issues at Cawley Middle School. Defina, who is serving three back-to-back unpaid suspensions, said he believes the department is trying to downplay the seriousness of the safety issues in the schools.

“I typed up a very detailed memo explaining the entire situation between me and Maura Ouellette. They took the memo, said ‘This isn’t what we want.’ I literally said, ‘Fine then, write whatever you want and I’ll sign it. I don’t want to be here anymore. They told me what to write in that memo.”

Several members of the public were very vocal during the meeting about the debate over the safety threats in the schools. Doris Sorel, a Hooksett resident and a former Police Department employee, said members of the public making these accusations are deliberately organizing a smear campaign against Chief Stephen Agrafiotis.

“There’s a lot of hatred in this room,” Sorel said to about 20 residents who turned out for the commission meeting. “There’s a lot of vendettas in this room ... This is a wonderful town and we have a great Police Department.”

Trisha Korkosz, a Hooksett resident and a parent of students in the town’s public schools, said the political infighting needs to end because the children are suffering.

“I don’t want my children to have the impression that the police don’t care about them,” Korkosz said. “I, as a taxpayer, don’t care where the money (for the school resource officer program) comes from. It’s all tax dollars.”

Hooksett Budget Committee approves most warrants

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:48:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

The Hookett Budget Committee finalized its municipal budget proposal, officially recommending more than $200,000 be cut from the proposed Police Department budget.

The final budget figure, which includes revenues and expenditures of the Sewer Department, is $15.8 million – also the dollar figure townspeople will mull over at the deliberative session of Town Meeting on April 4. It brings the total recommended operating budget under the default budget by almost $60,000.

In separate action, committee members voted on recommendations for over a dozen proposed warrant articles. Most of the votes were unanimously in favor of recommendation.

Only two articles were not recommended by the committee, including an article that would have raised $10,000 toward the Police Department’s existing emergency radio capital reserve fund. Financial records indicate the current balance of that account is at approximately $165,000.

The only other warrant article that was not recommended by the committee was one that would have raised $10,000 towards the Parks and Recreation Department’s reserve facility fund.

The balance of this existing account is in excess of $80,000.

Budget Committee member Marc Miville, who participated in the discussion via intercom telephone from Oklahoma, said economic times dictate the committee must draw a hard line on some of these “wish-list” items.

“Not this year,” Miville said after casting his vote against the proposed Parks and Recreation warrant article.

The committee voted in favor of recommending the majority of the proposed warrant articles including one that will hire a children’s librarian in December for about $32,000. The salary and benefits of the full-time employee would be absorbed in the following year’s operating budget should this article pass during Town Meeting voting.

The committee also voted to endorse raises for town firefighters as well as an article that will create a $75,000 merit wage pool for raises for nonunion town employees.

The deliberative session of Town meeting for the Hooksett is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, at Cawley Middle School, on Whitehall Road.

Budget Committee cuts police spending

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:57:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

The Hooksett Budget Committee made deep cuts in the proposed Police Department budget, including significant erasures in the wages and benefits lines.

The committee cut more than $200,000 from the $4.1 million budget that was recommended by the Town Council. Roughly $168,000 – enough money to hire a lieutenant detective and a dispatcher for the police department – came from the wages and benefit lines alone.

Budget Committee member J.R. Ouellette said the budget surpluses that the Police Department routinely accrues speak to the fact that their overall bottom line is too big.

“Over the past five years, (Police Chief Steve Agrafiotis) has had over $300,000 at the end of the year to play around with it and do with what he wants,” Ouellette said.

David Pearl, also a member of the committee, said the fact that the Police Department spent $33,000 on a new sign for the Safety Center speaks to the reality it is overfunded.

“We need to trim (the budget) down because the sign issue was on obvious misuse of those intended funds,” Pearl said.

The Budget Committee cut the bottom line based on salaries and benefits for positions that are not currently filled.

Over $73,000 was cut during one motion – enough money to fill the currently empty dispatch position. Another $95,000, which would have funded the salary and benefits of an administrative lieutenant detective position, was cut separately.

Additionally, the Budget Committee voted to zero-out the $13,000 miscellaneous line as they cut the proposed $75,000 legal line to $50,000.

Budget Committee member Mark Miville said he thought $75,000 for legal services spoke poorly of the department’s management practices.

“The turnover is very high in this department,” Miville said. “They need to get their act together. It’s a reflection of management and not just employee issues.”

But Police Commission Chairman David Gagnon said cutting funding for wages, benefits, legal fees and other miscellaneous items does not make the need for those items go away.

“Let’s take the miscellaneous line. It still has to be funded because it pays for blood tests, it pays for prisoner meals, it pays for blankets. So even though they zeroed-out the line, it doesn’t zero-out the need for it,” Gagnon said. “Yes, we all know it’s a bottom line budget. What they used for their lines to cut made no sense at all. More than likely, it’s patrol that’s going to suffer.”

In other business, the Budget Committee increased the library’s budget by $17,475 so that employee salaries would be more equitable with those in comparable towns.

The Budget Committee will vote on its final budget recommendations at a public hearing Thursday, March 5.

Hooksett Police, school officials will finally meet

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:35:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

Hooksett school district and Police Department officials will meet in a closed-door session on Friday, Feb. 20, to air out any disagreements about alleged weapons and drug issues at Cawley Middle School. The meeting, originally scheduled for Feb. 4, has been delayed a couple of times.

School Board Chairman Maura Ouellette said after the Hooksett School District deliberative session that she had requested 51 safe school reports that were filed by the school resource officer during the 2007-08 and the 2008-09 school years in advance of the Feb. 4 meeting.

Ouellette submitted an official Right-to-Know request to obtain the files. Hooksett Police Chief Steve Agrafiotis said the reports could not be gathered in time for the scheduled meeting Feb. 4.

“She made a Right to Know request and we’re working on filling that for her,” Agrafiotis said.

Under state law, school resource officers are required to file safe school reports anytime they officially respond to safety issues on school grounds. Those incidents include weapons, drugs or alcohol possession, homicide, sexual assault, robbery, burglary, theft, arson, criminal mischief, vandalism, physical assault and threatening.

The 51 reports that Ouellette requested include every report filed at the Hooksett schools in the past two school years.

Last year, Ouellette cited incidents of drugs and weapons on campus in her argument for retaining a full-time school resource officer at Cawley Middle School. The Police Department has repeatedly countered her statements, saying her allegations must have stemmed from an unknown source of misinformation and that the specific incidents that Ouellette publicly referred to were either were exaggerated or incorrect.

The individual parties, which will include Ouellette, Agrafiotis, school Superintendent Charles “Phil” Littlefield and Police Commission Chairman David Gagnon, set the date at a Police Commission meeting on Feb. 17.

Ouellette said she hopes the meeting will help.

“I hope it will finally resolve these issues,” she said.