LEYDEN — The Selectboard announced its plan on Monday to hold an executive session meeting with Dan Galvis, the town’s emergency management director and former police chief, concerning the return of town-owned equipment and vehicles.
Galvis will be sent a certified letter inviting him to attend the meeting alone, with a lawyer or not at all, the board told the approximately 25 residents in attendance. The executive session is set for April 20, Municipal Assistant Michele Giarusso said, though a time has not been set.
Galvis was not present at Monday’s meeting. When asked in a phone interview Tuesday whether he will attend the executive session, he said, “I can’t answer that.”
The Selectboard’s decision comes after months of back and forth between the board and residents, who have repeatedly voiced concerns about the whereabouts of outstanding town equipment and whether items were signed over to and sold by Galvis.
Some of the previously missing equipment belonged to the Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) Program, which transfers excess military equipment to non-military law enforcement agencies. Margaret White, the LESO Program’s state point of contact, confirmed on March 29 that all of the town’s outstanding equipment had been shipped to the appropriate sites.
Selectboard member Erica Jensen said the meeting with Galvis is an opportunity to see proof that all items have been returned.
Ginger Robinson, chair of the Finance Committee, has been vocal about the equipment’s return and conducted her own research to track the possession of specific items, including trailers, generators and a dump truck.
“I want to know, and I’m not going to be quiet about it until I find out,” Robinson said at the Selectboard’s last meeting. “I want answers to these questions.”
On Monday, Robinson said she found a trailer sold for $600 in May 2020 by Galvis on a private auction site. According to Robinson, the trailer’s national stock number matches the number on a trailer that should be in the town’s possession, and it was signed over from the town to DJ Auto, Galvis’ business, by his wife, Town Clerk Gilda Galvis.
When asked about the sale by phone on Tuesday, Galvis said he was unsure which trailer was being discussed and did not comment further.
Robinson also previously told the Selectboard she planned to report the situation to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. On Monday, she provided an update that she had reported the equipment as stolen.
Regarding discussions with Robinson, Laurie Loisel, director of communication and outreach with the DA’s office, said by email on Tuesday that the department is “not able to confirm or deny the existence of this type of investigation.”
“There’s the appearance of fiscal malfeasance,” Sara Seinberg, who is married to Robinson, told the Selectboard on Monday. Seinberg asked whether there would be repercussions for Gilda Galvis if she did, in fact, transfer town equipment from the town to her husband’s business.
Jensen said there needs to be a discussion with town counsel first.
“If there is proof, there needs to be a direct response to that,” Jensen said, adding that the “logical next step” is to “key in on Dan.”
“The town can’t sign over equipment to a private citizen,” Jensen said.
Selectboard Chair Bill Glabach previously told residents he would have a discussion about the equipment with Dan Galvis, adding on Monday that he has “tried to relay to him the types of accusations.”
The release of the executive session minutes would require a vote of approval from the Selectboard.
“Town counsel needs to weigh in on what we can or can’t do,” Jensen said.