Above: One of the pages of the BadgeQuest report released last week.
At their meeting last week, Selectmen voted unanimously to release a report from a performance assessment conducted last fall on the four finalists for Southborough police chief. But in the version they released, all information related to the candidates’ performance was blacked out.
Of the seven pages of the BadgeQuest report released by the town, nearly a full five are completely blacked out. All information about candidate standings, scores, and individual performance was redacted by Town Counsel Aldo Cipriano.
While Selectman John Rooney voted with the other selectmen to release the report, he spoke out against the extent of the redaction. “I’m in favor of releasing the report, but I don’t acquiesce to the redactions to the extent they’ve been redacted,” he said. “I don’t think parts relating to scoring of the candidates should have been redacted.”
Rooney was previously a member of the police chief search committee, but he resigned before the finalists were selected citing concerns about the committee’s decision not to use BadgeQuest during the interview process.
Invoices also released by selectmen last week reveal the town paid BadgeQuest more than $9K to conduct the assessment of the police chief candidates. An additional $2K was paid for BadgeQuest to perform background checks on the candidates.
Portions of the report related to methodology and considered proprietary by BadgeQuest were not released into the public record.
The release of the BadgeQuest report and invoices came after a public records request I made back in April. The Metrowest Daily News requested the report a few weeks later.
You can read more in today’s MWDN. And if you’re curious, here’s a copy of the BadgeQuest report as released.
On what possible basis do Bonnie Phaneuf and Bill Boland think this is appropriate? Come on, guys! You can bet that if Jane Moran had glowing scores on this report, they would be there for all of us to see.
Town Counsel Aldo Cipriano and our BOS (2/3 of them anyway) have learned nothing — the more you try to varnish the truth and drag out rightful disclosure, the more the spotlight shines. Incredibly short-sighted.
RT
RT
I think you have hit the nail on the head. I think it was clear that the voters want more transparency but I am afraid that the message will have to be delivered repeatedly. Old habits die hard.
It smelled like a bag job from the start. Now its like month old fish…….it stinks bag job. Is there such a thing as glasses for bellybuttons ?
while they are at it might as well release the legal bills relating to deep dish investigation
What a waste of money to end up in the wrong place with even more expense!If you go to the MWDN link you will find that Sobo may have another $14000 expense to reimburse the investigated employeees in that ridiculous case against them.
Not surprising that anti-incumbency fever is sweeping the nation. No doubt that had something to do with Rooney’s election.
$11,000 of Southborough taxpayer money was spent on this investigation?!?!
How does a tax paying citizen, who paid for this, get to see the report?
one thought is to run for Selectman and win…