LACONIA — The Upton & Hatfield law firm charged the county $35,000 for 116 hours of work in one of three personnel investigations involving David Perkins, the former No. 2 man at the Belknap County Sheriff’s Department, according to an invoice released by the county on Thursday.
Sheriff Mike Moyer and county officials have never explained why Perkins became the subject of the investigations or why he was suspended with pay for six months before he retired June 19 after 18 years with the department.
Reached Thursday, Moyer continued to decline comment.
County Commissioner Hunter Taylor said the cost of the legal work plus the salary paid to Perkins when he was on leave total nearly $85,000. The other two investigations were departmental and did not have a prlce tag.
Taylor said that the public deserves to know why the investigations were needed. County officials said this is a personnel matter and not subject to disclosure under New Hampshire’s Right to Know Law.
“Until I hear an explanation, it appears a lot of money was wasted,” Taylor said.
He also said the legal work cost more than anticipated.
“We first thought it was going to be $10,000, then $20,000 to $25,000, and now the actual cost is $35,000,” he said.
The attorney’s bill was charged to the sheriff’s department contracted services budget line, said County Administrator Debra Shackett.
Perkins became the subject of the personnel investigations after raising questions about the integrity of the Sheriff's Department's Drug Task Force, which is led by Deputy Sgt. William Wright. Perkins’ lawyer said his client was the target of harassment and retaliation by the Sheriff's Department.
Wright is running unopposed to succeed Sheriff Moyer, who is not seeking re-election. Perkins previously indicated an interest in running, but ultimately decided not to run.
Taylor said he continues to consider filing a lawsuit over the county’s failure to provide the documents he has requested.
“The problem with litigating it is that my primary aim is to inform the people of our county of what has gone on before the election,” he said. “Now it looks like little will be available before they vote.”
(1) comment
If it's a "personal matter" then it should have been handled with personal money.
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