Editor’s Note: This letter to the editor was lost in a website outage and is being republished now. If you previously commented on this, we apologize.

Dear Editor,

I am following up on my comments at the 3 March SB meeting regarding the Select Board’s Executive Session on 30 January 2018. That session was attended by, I believe, 13 individuals. These included Peter Sismanis, his attorney, Town Counsel, and Hopkinton’s Management Team. The topic: allegations of inappropriate behavior by Peter Sismanis at his pizza shop, Hillers Pizza.

Why did the Town look away and disregard Sismans’ history of assaulting girls who worked at his pizza shop (and before that, at Jelly Donuts)? Why did they do nothing for 25 years? Might it have to do with his generous contributions to campaign funds?

But then, when Tim Brennan and the victim of Deputy Police Chief Porter’s history of abuse speak out, the Town responds by firing Tim Brennan. He had 20+ years at the Hopkinton Police Dept and 15 at Bentley College, totaling 35+ years of blemish-free service. Nevertheless, he is terminated. Yet others who released the insufficiently redacted Kroll Report on the issue faced no consequences. 

Paraphrasing Bob Dylan, “How many times can a Town turn its head and pretend that it just doesn’t see.”

Sincerely,
Edwin E Harrow