Quincy News: Effort to recall Rockland selectman involved in sex scandal gives rise to police call

Knocking boots in Rockland Town Hall
A Boston 25 image
– News from elsewhere covered by Quincy Quarry News with commentary added.

Effort to recall Rockland selectman involved in sex scandal gives rise to police call.

Both the South Shore broadsheet and Quincy Quarry’s broadcast media brethren at Fox 25 have reported that Rockland Police were called to Town Hall given reports of Rockland Selectman Edward Kimball harassing people collecting signatures in an attempt to recall him, Police Chief John Llewellyn confirmed.

Rolling to the scene
A file photo
Four police cruisers responded to town hall at about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday for reports of a “possible assault in progress,” according to the police log.

The officers said there was no assault but that Selectman Kimball had gotten into a verbal argument with someone standing outside with a group collecting petition signatures in an effort to force a recall election of the allegedly philandering selectman.

Rockland Chief Llewellyn said Kimball was not cited or charged.

Politics makes strange bed partners …
A file photo
Kimball is, however, still entangled in a town hall sex scandal.

The process to recall Kimball officially started Tuesday, when the first batch of signatures were turned into Rockland Town Clerk Donna Shortall.

“I received initial petitions declaring the intention of 560 registered, certified voters to seek recall of Selectman Edward Kimball,” Shortall told Boston 25 News.

Word on the street in Rockland
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According to the affidavit from residents, they are seeking to recall Kimball “for interference in the governing processes of the Town of Rockland with his disregard of Parliamentary procedures and violations of the Open Meeting Law.”

The next step in the recall process is the issuance of a second round of recall petitions and which will need to be signed by 15% of the total number of registered voters in town.

Voters lined up to exercise their franchise
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As Rockland has 12,016 registered voters, 1,802 signatures will now need to be gathered and returned within 14 days per a deadline of Tuesday, August 7.

A group of about 50 residents are collecting signatures for the recall effort and it is said that more than 300 signatures were gathered on Tuesday of this week.

If all the required signatures are collected by August 7 and then certified by Town Clerk Shortall, she will then submit a certificate to the selectmen. The Board of Selectmen would then give written notice to Kimball, who then has five days to resign. If he chooses not to resign, a recall election will be held between 60 and 90 days from the date on the certificate issued by Shortall.

Saluting the flag inside Town Hall
A Facebook image
The investigation which triggered the recall petition began in May following since-resigned in disgrace Selectman Deidre Hall and Town Administrator Allan Chiocca accused each other of inappropriate sexual behavior during an after-hours encounter at Town Hall late on the evening of May 1 and into early morning of May 2 after a late night of drinking on a school night.

The Town of Rockland then retained Discrimination and Harassment Solutions, LLC to conduct an independent investigation of the conflicting accusations.

The investigation found Hall pressured Chiocca into the late-night sexual encounter.

Alleged sexual harasser & Quincy native
A Lenny Crewe/WATD 95.9 FM image
“Mrs. Hall used her position as a member of the Board of Selectmen, who was actively reviewing and would soon be voting on his request for contract extension and salary increase, to pressure him into engaging in sexual activities with her,” stated Attorney Regina Ryan of Discrimination and Harassment Solutions following her investigation.

The report also noted that Hall and Kimball had been having an “intense physical and emotional affair” throughout March and April.

The report further states that Kimball failed to disclose in an affidavit that he and Hall were having an “intense physical and emotional affair” in March and April.

Kimball’s affidavit implies his interest in the claim against Allan Chiocca was purely professional; however, the report says he was “furious” to learn of the late night liaison inside of town hall and asked Town of Rockland IT Director Eric Hart to show him the security footage.

Kimball has since been removed as the Board of Selectmen’s chairman, and new Chairman Larry Ryan says Kimball lied about the affair “from the beginning of the investigation.”

Walk of shame
A Rockland security video still image
Town Administrator Chiocca, however, remains on paid administrative leave. The town charter mandates no action can be taken against a town administrator without the vote of at least four board members.

Currently, however, only three board members are eligible to vote as Kimball would have to recuse himself because of his involvement in the scandal and his extramarital paramour Deidre Hall’s seat remains vacant.

Boston 25 News reached out to Kimball Wednesday night for comment; however, none has yet to be offered.

Earlier this week, Boston 25 News reported the investigation has already cost taxpayers more than $40,000.