Saugus said no to McCabe’s demands

SAUGUS – Three days prior to her resignation that she said was brought on by hostile work conditions, former Health Agent Sharon McCabe essentially told the town all would be forgiven if it would provide her with “a reasonable severance.”The town has declined to do so.McCabe resigned her position in a Jan. 9 letter that leveled serious charges of harassment against Building Inspector Frederick Varone.In a follow up letter dated Feb. 5, McCabe repeats her allegations, adds a few new ones and makes a request.”In an effort to move on and stop an anxiety-provoking situation, I feel that the town should provide me a reasonable severance that will allow me an opportunity to transition to new employment,” she wrote.McCabe went on to request that the town pay her Cobra health insurance for 18 months and asked that the town refrain from contesting her application for unemployment.Town Manager Andrew Bisignani said that wasn’t going to happen.In a letter to McCabe from the town’s attorneys Holtz & Reed, Herbert Holtz wrote that “your resignation was voluntary and any allegation to the contrary is without basis.”Holtz went on to refer to McCabe’s first letter aimed at the Board of Health and copied to Bisignani and the Board of Selectmen. She opened that letter with, “Thank you for affording me the opportunity to courteously resign from my role as Director of Public Health.”In her second letter however, McCabe states the work conditions had become so hostile it was affecting her health. She also said she’d been filing complaints since 2004, which she said would be reflected in the minutes of Board of Health meetings.The complaints, she alleges, not only went unaddressed but resulted in retaliation.”However, I came to understand it was safer for me to say nothing as these situations do not get addressed appropriately,” she wrote. “My point, the work environment in Inspectional Services was, and continues to be rife with hostility.”McCabe said she didn’t want to leave “this rewarding position, which I have worked so passionately to achieve,” but she felt she had no choice.”My decision to relocate is indicative of the level of insecurity I feel for my personal safety as well as the distance needed to know my professional reputation cannot be subject to such slander,” she wrote, adding that the town’s Non-Harassment Policy is essentially ineffectual.In his response, Holtz denied McCabe’s claims.”First let me make it clear that, to the extent it can glean any concrete allegations from the vague accusations in your letter, the town denies them,” wrote.Holtz said McCabe sank her case with the various documents she attached to her own letter. The documents, he wrote, show that there was a conflict but also that the town took swift action to correct it.He called her allegations of retaliation unfounded and reminded McCabe that she refused to participate in an investigation into another employee’s harassment complaint. Holtz also defended the town’s harassment policy.Holtz ended his letter by stating that the town would not pay her severance or health insurance and will indeed contest any claim she makes for unemployment.Bisignani bristled more at the idea he was showing favoritism and sheltering Varone.”There has been absolutely no favoritism,” he said. “When I saw this issue was going beyond a certain point I called in an outside party (Holtz).””I wouldn’t protect (Fred),” Bisignani added. “He’s a big boy and everyone gets the same treatment. They’re all adults, all treated fairly and equally.”Click here to view both McCabe’s and Holtz’s letters, along with Saugus’ harassment policy Click here to see the complete letter.