Selectman: Walsh Filmed In Yard Without Permission

Selectman chairman Peter Adams tonight accused another town board member of filming in his yard without permission and said his actions were not appropriate for a public official.

Adams said that James Walsh III had no permission to be in his yard, where he was filming with a video camera. Walsh serves on the Planning Board, is the chairman of the Agricultural Commission and was seeking a post at tonight’s selectman’s meeting on the town’s Bylaw Review Committee.

Adams recused himself from voting and said he was speaking as a citizen and not as a member of the board.

He and his wife, Deb Adams, were not home at the time, and there were no vehicles in the driveway, he said. A young woman was taking care of a horse on his property when she saw a man, accompanied by a child, holding a camera and filming in the yard. She became frightened, Adams said.

When she approached him, he told her that he knew Adams. She suggested that he return later.

The young woman, who was so frightened that she went inside and locked the doors, took down the man’s license plate number, Adams said. When Adams’ wife returned home, she contacted police, who determined the vehicle belonged to Walsh, Adams said.

Deb Adams contacted Walsh, who said he was taking pictures for the Agricultural Commission.

Adams said he and his wife were very upset by the incident. “If someone was filming in your backyard, what would you think?’’ he said.

In an interview after the meeting, Walsh said the incident was “blown out of proportion.’’

He said he visited the Adams property to take pictures of their horse farm for a video he was doing for the Agricultural Committee. He said he thought Deb Adams would be “warm’’ toward the project because she had previously served on the Agricultural Committee.

He said the young woman at the farm did not seem frightened. He said she went about her activities while he waited briefly for the Adams to return before leaving. He also said he identified himself to her more than once.

Walsh said that when he spoke to Deb Adams later, she was upset with him for violating her privacy and told him that, as a public official, he had shown poor judgment.

He said he apologized for not giving advance notice before his visit. He said that, although Deb Adams remained upset throughout the call, he thought the issue was over when the call ended.

“We’re all adults,’’ he said. “We all love Grafton. We can talk about things.''

Peter Adams said that board members represent the town and need to show good judgment, which he said Walsh did not. “I don’t know where his judgment was,’’ he said.

Selectman John Carlson, who had made a motion to approve Walsh’s appointment to the bylaw review committee before Adams spoke, said he wouldn’t have made the motion if he had known about the incident.

He said Walsh’s actions were “flat wrong’’ and “totally uncalled for.’’

Selectmen voted 4-0 against naming Walsh to the board. Adams had recused himself and did not vote.