Is Accused Former Recreation Director Collecting His Pension?

Question: Two of our readers recently e-mailed in the same question. Both wanted to know if Roy Patterson is collecting his pension from the town. Patterson, the town's longtime was by the and the Middlesex County District Attorney's office into financial mismanagement in the department.

Patterson is scheduled to be arraigned in Lowell District Court on Sept. 20 on one count of larceny under $250 and one count of count of violation of the municipal employees' financial conflict of interest law.

Patterson's assistant at Parks and Recreation, around the same time the department was shut down. Morris is set to be arraigned today (Sept. 12) on two counts of larceny in excess of $250.

Answer: For the answer to this "You Ask ... Patch Answers" question, we went to , who confirmed that, at least for the time being, Patterson is collecting his pension from the town.

Montuori said that no decision has yet been made as to whether the town will take action to stop pension payments to Patterson. He said he needs to gather more information from the Middlesex Retirement Board and the town needs to allow the legal proceedings to run their course.