Andover Investigating Alleged Toxic Work Environment At AYS

ANDOVER, MA — Andover has hired an outside expert to investigate allegations of a toxic work environment at Andover Youth Services, the town's attorney said Monday, but she is not investigating the town manager specifically.

The town hired Jean Haertl of Safety and Respect at Work, LLC to investigate claims by former town employees, Town Counsel Tom Urbelis said at Monday's Select Board meeting.

Prior to the meeting, rumors had circulated that the Select Board had moved to investigate Town Manager Andrew Flanagan specifically. Former Youth Services employees and their supporters have said Flanagan has fostered a hostile work environment.

"The Select Board has not voted to support an investigation of the town manager," Urbelis said.

The investigation is the latest turn in a saga that has unfolded in public since Feb., when former Youth Services Director Bill Fahey was placed on leave pending an investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct.

Fahey was fired in May following attorney Regina Ryan's investigation. Ryan did not consider all allegations against Fahey substantiated, but found there was sufficient cause for the town to take action, according to the redacted report the town released in July.

Fahey's firing sparked an ongoing public outcry, with supporters, including current and former Youth Services participants and employees, saying Flanagan has been targeting Fahey for years and fired him in an attempt to gain control of the Youth Services division. Fahey has sued Flanagan and the town, alleging defamation.

On Aug. 10, the Eagle-Tribune reported that the town had referred documents related to payments by the Andover Youth Foundation to an unnamed agency for an investigation. On Aug. 16, the Select Board confirmed that investigation.

The law firm Nixon Peabody was hired to investigate the payments to Youth Services staff, Urbelis said Monday.

Around the same time, an employee of the division said there was a "toxic work environment," and days later, the remainder of the division's full-time staff, four employees, resigned, effective this Thursday.

In addition to the pair of investigations, town officials discussed plans to get Andover Youth Services back in business, including both temporary staffing and long-term plans for a Steering Committee with youth and resident representatives. The town has posted job ads for temporary employees.

The full meeting is available here from AndoverTV.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.