CLAREMONT — The city councilors tasked with investigating the recent conduct of fellow Councilor James Contois began their inquiry Wednesday with a fact-finding request.
The three-person panel asked any people involved in a conflict between Contois and an auto dealer, who alleges Contois trespassed on his dealership’s property and attempted to influence the police chief to lift a no-trespass order against him, to provide sworn statements to the panel.
“Certainly everyone who has a statement should be writing down as detailed a statement as possible as to what happened and where it happened and any documents you have,” said Assistant Mayor Deb Matteau, who was chosen to chair the committee. “We prefer it to be sworn (notarized).”
Matteau said they want the statements submitted prior to the next council meeting on Nov. 30.
The committee emphasized during the 15-minute meeting that its role is fact-finding only and it is not there to consider statements on an individual’s character. Anyone from the public who wants to supply a sworn statement with facts is encouraged to do so.
“As long as they are facts as to what happened so we can get to the bottom of this,” said Councilor Andrew O’Hearne, also the committee. Councilor Spencer Batchelder rounds out the three-person roster.
Once the panel completes its work, it will bring a recommendation to the full council, which will decide whether to pursue removal of Contois. If councilors decide to proceed, they will then schedule a public hearing.
Contois is alleged to have called the Chief of Police Brent Wilmot in late October in an unsuccessful attempt to have a no-trespass order obtained by Chris Gomes, the owner of Ford of Claremont, removed. Contois has claimed he was not trespassing but on the public right-of-way on Charlestown Road and wanted to tell the chief the department had incorrect information.
Gomes got the order after police were called to the dealership on Oct. 19. Gomes has said Contois was on the driveway of the business while he took photographs of a wetlands area next to the driveway. Gomes had received a permit from the state in late September to dredge the area for a second dealership he plans to build next spring. Contois appealed that decision and was photographing the site the day police were called.
Gomes told the council in late October that he was informed by someone at the police department that Contois tried to have the no-trespass order lifted. Gomes said that amounts to an “abuse of power” and called for Contois to resign.
“I have to rescind the order,” Gomes told the council on Nov. 9. “It can’t be done by the chief of police. This should not be brushed under the rug. In my opinion, he (Contois) should resign.”
At the council’s Nov. 9 meeting, Councilor Jon Stone made a motion to look into three things: improper influence, violation of the city charter and failure to inform the council of relevant information during a council discussion. The last accusation refers to Contois telling the council in October that the Historic District Commission, of which he is a member, had not decided on whether to recommend demolition of some buildings in the city when in fact it had done so and Contois was aware of those decisions.
At Wednesday’s meeting, O’Hearne also said the panel wants all documents, statements and recordings that the police department or others may have to help with their fact-finding. Sworn statements and other material can be brought to the city manager’s office.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
