With the Gray Town Council acting as judge and jury, the recently terminated recreation director, Dean Bennett, will appeal his firing in a special public hearing to be held next week at Stimson Hall.

On Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m., both sides will publicly present their case before the Town Council with Town Manager Deb Cabana and her lawyer defending the termination and Bennett stating why he deserves to return to his position as the town’s recreation director, a job he held for 17 years.

Bennett dropped off a written notice of appeal at the town office on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at about 10 a.m., Cabana said. Cabana fired Bennett on Monday, Nov. 16 and he has not been receiving compensation since that time, she said. According to the Gray town charter, Bennett had 10 days to file an appeal. Bennett could have chosen a private airing of his grievances, but chose to open it up the public, which will be given a chance to speak as well at Tuesday night’s proceedings.

“I’ve never been through the process before, so I’m not sure,” Cabana said regarding what the public can expect at Tuesday night’s appeals hearing.

The manager and council, legally required to refrain from commenting on matters concerning the termination, did discuss peripheral matters concerning Bennett’s appeal at their regular meeting on Tuesday.

At the meeting, Cabana told the council she is unsure whether Bennett has hired a lawyer. Bill Dale, the town’s attorney, will represent Cabana.

“He will be my attorney because I have been working with him directly with regards to this particular individual (Bennett),” Cabana said.

Cabana then told councilors that Dale suggested a second attorney be hired to advise the council, who will be acting as both judge and jury during the proceedings. That lawyer will be Paul Driscoll, who worked recently on behalf of the town concerning the Twin Brooks Campground property dispute.

The council agreed to hire the second attorney, mostly to avoid any confusion during the likely contentious public hearing as well as to avoid any conflict of interest in the eyes of the public.

“I think where none of us have gone through this type of situation before, I think Paul would be a welcome sight. I personally don’t want to be saying something we shouldn’t be saying or not saying something we should be saying,” said Councilor Margaret Hutchins.

“We (should) have counsel … working for us, and not having a side in the fight, if you will, either supporting the appellant or supporting the manager,” Councilor Matthew Sturgis said. “If we took Bill Dale’s advice at the hearing, then people would say it was all cooked for the manager. If we took the attorney’s advice representing the appellant then people would say it was all cooked for that person.”

The council also requested information from both sides so members can be better prepared for Tuesday’s hearing.

“We don’t want stuff landing on our desk at 7:30 p.m.,” Chairman Peter Gellerson said. “It wouldn’t be fair for us … I just personally think that noontime Monday would be the latest.”

While only one person, Jeanne Adams, came forward to speak to Bennett’s firing at Tuesday’s council meeting, attendance is expected to be heavy next Tuesday night as Stimson Hall turns into a courtroom chambers of sorts. It has yet to be decided whether the hearing will be televised on Gray Channel 2.

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