WATCH: Rockland Selectmen Shout it Out Over Sexual Allegations

ROCKLAND, MA — The Rockland scandal brought out frustration and anger during Tuesday night’s selectmen meeting and caused one member of the board to walk out of the meeting early.

Following a heated discussion between Chairman Edward Kimball and board member Larry Ryan, the board will consider board reorganization at their July 10 meeting. The vote came after Kimball vowed to not resign and motioned to turn over evidence to the Rockland Police Department to investigate any criminal activity including evidence tampering and sexual assault. A formal investigation is being conducted by an outside firm named Discrimination and Harassment Solutions LLC.

“We cannot let these personal relationships interfere with finding the truth, we cannot risk there being a miscarriage of justice because of the involvement of our friends, we cannot let these relationships be leveraged to effect an outcome in this investigation,” Kimball said.

When Town Counsel John Clifford tried to speak, Kimball immediately shot him down and said he has no confidence in him when it comes to the investigation.

“Does the board support looking into allegations so the public can find out what happened or does the board want to be part of a cover-up?” Kimball said after no one seconded his motion.

“How are we involved in a cover-up?” Ryan asked.

“How are we not if we’re don’t want the police department to take it over?” Kimball replied.

What followed was a shouting match between Kimball and Ryan over the investigation into whether Town Administrator Allan Chiocca acted inappropriately in a sexual manner towards Selectman Deidre Hall while at Town Hall during the early hours. Video that allegedly caught the encounter has not been released, despite requests from multiple media outlets.

Chiocca is on paid lead pending the results of the investigation. Hall has also left the board for the duration of the investigation.

While Kimball said he should have gone to the police earlier, he said he wanted to take the action now due to what he called all sorts of intertwinements.

“This is the way the townspeople of Rockland are going to get a fair and equitable look at this and if the board doesn’t support this then I want the board to go on record and say that’s not what they want,” Kimball said.

“Do you know what we don’t support? You, Ed,” Ryan said before motioning for board reorganization to remove Kimball as the chairperson.

Ryan went on to say, “We voted for an investigation in that room. We voted to allow him to authorize to investigate unanimously so don’t start with that ****, that’s baloney. Don’t you tell us that we’re not doing what’s good for Rockland because we’re doing what’s good for Rockland tonight and that's removing you as the chair of the board of selectmen.”

Ryan then accused Kimball of making a “fatal mistake” but didn’t further.

"If you were a man you’d step down, get out of the room, and end it, so we could get on with the business of the town instead of listening to bull****." Ryan said to Kimbell.

Kimbell replied, "This is bull****, I don’t need to step down. I refuse to step down. You can have a recall if that’s what you’d like to do."

The exchange saw Ryan leave the meeting immediately after the exchange.

Image via YouTube/WRPS Rockland