Town Planner resigns on his first day
Published on January 9th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - George Russell started work as Stoneham Town Planner at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 3, and resigned at 11 a.m.
He said, “It just didn’t work out.”
Russell’s arrest in Vernon, Ct. on Sept. 6, 2001 for possession of child pornography may have been a factor, but Town Administrator David Berry said he knew nothing about the arrest until after Russell resigned.
“He said something about trouble with his computer at work,” Berry said. “But that’s all.”
Berry said the town did not conduct a background check on Russell besides calling his references, all of whom said he was a swell guy, according to Berry.
“We don’t do background checks on positions other than police, fire or Town Administrator,” Berry said. He passed a background check before taking over this summer.
According to Berry, past practice indicated that background checks weren’t done for planners, so no one checked out Russell.
“Maybe we should look into background checks for all department heads,” Berry said.
If Stoneham had looked into Berry’s recent past they would have uncovered the following information:
In May of 2001, the Vernon, Ct. Town Hall email system was being revamped. A data processing worker stumbled upon files in Russell’s computer with obscene headings. She showed a supervisor. The supervisor called the Vernon Police. The files were 201 explicit stories about adults having sex with children, mostly with an incest theme. Police seized the computer.
Russell resigned after 23 years as Vernon Town Planner, but stories aren’t child pornography under the law, so he was not charged.
During the summer Russell applied for and got a job as Town Planner in Richmond, R.I. He worked for three weeks. Then police seized his home computer in Vernon, found 160 pictures that did meet the child pornography standard, and arrested him for possession of child pornography, a felony. Russell told his Richmond employers about his arrest and resigned.
Russell’s case is still pending. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. He has requested a jury trial and is pleading not guilty, arguing that he viewed but did not possess the images under the legal definition.
Russell was released on $10,000 bail, which allowed him the flexibility to become Stoneham Town Planner.
Stoneham advertised, formed a committee, received more than 20 resumes, and conducted two rounds of interviews over several months to pick a man who was out on bail and arguing the definition of child pornography when he took the job. (To be fair, The Independent profiled Russell without reference to his hobby. Our sources at Vernon Town Hall were as honest and helpful as Russell’s references.)
“We have to check everybody out,” said Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello.
Since references lie to protect their friends and past employers stay mum to avoid lawsuits, a comprehensive background check may be necessary to find out whom the town is hiring. Maybe Berry was playing it mum last week.
“I’m talking to Town Counsel Bill Solomon to see what we can do,” Berry said.
Russell is 54, a husband and father to two adult males. He is originally from Winthrop. His future is uncertain.
— Thanks to the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, Ct. for sharing notes.
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