By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – Two years worth of accusations and frustrations between City Manager Pat Finnigan and three city councilors came to a head Monday night in an uncomfortable public executive session.

Councilors Bob Mennealy, Donna Lyons Rowell and Belinda Gerry criticized Finnigan’s style of management and her dealings with the public and city unions, and said they did not trust her.

“I have heard from many citizens that they simply do not trust her,” Rowell said. “I am one of the people who stood up here, before I was elected, and said that I would rather fire her.”

Finnigan rebutted the councilors’ charges point by point, and Councilor Kelly Matzen and Mayor Normand Guay came to her defense.

“I have come into contact with many more people in my role as the mayor, and I have not had the same experience,” Guay said. “Yes, there are people that are upset with her. But there are people that are upset with me, and with every councilor sitting here. But most feel she is doing a fine job.”

Councilors ended Monday night’s regular meeting prepared to continue discussions in a workshop meeting. Mennealy said he preferred meeting in executive session to discuss Finnigan’s performance, however. Councilors Mennealy, Gerry, Rowell and Eric Samson agreed and voted to go into executive session to discuss personnel matters.

Guay said Finnigan had the right to attend the discussion and the right to open it to the public if she chose. After a five minute recess, Finnigan said she wanted the discussion to take place in public.

Mennealy said Finnigan had created a climate of distrust in city staff. He criticized her negotiations with the local firefighters union and said she had poisoned relations with the Auburn School Committee. Mennealy also alleged that Finnigan lied when she told councilors she had notified neighbors of plans to rebuild the Minot Avenue rotary.

Guay responded by saying Finnigan was directed by the City Council in her dealings with the firefighters union.

“We voted on that here,” Guay said. “She was acting on our authority.”

Finnigan said any discussions about rebuilding the rotary were preliminary. Neighbors had been told as much information as was available.

“That might not have been as much as they wanted, but it’s what was available,” Finnigan said.

Rowell also criticized Finnigan’s handling of the Police Department after Guay’s OUI arrest in August 2003. The mayor was not charged, and Finnigan and Police Chief Richard Small later punished nine officers involved.

“They did not deserve to be reprimanded and it was uncalled for,” Rowell said.

Finnigan disagreed, saying it was her job to hold city employees to a high standard.

“If we have employees that are caught violating the public trust and I don’t do something about it, that would be wrong,” Finnigan said.

Menneally also criticized Finnigan for not requiring the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments to pay property taxes on their 125 Manley Road office. The city began sending a tax bill to AVCOG in 2003, but the group has not paid yet. He said Finnigan simply didn’t send AVCOG the bills.

“I never directed staff to not send bills,” Finnigan said. “The councilor should be aware that we have sent bills for the last few years.”

Councilor Kelly Matzen criticized the other councilors for bringing the matters up. The proper time and place to do that is during the city manager’s performance review. Guay said councilors have not reviewed Finnigan’s performance for the last two years, but did not say when a review could be scheduled.