By Thor Jourgensen
SWAMPSCOTT — A storm is brewing around town Harbormaster Lawrence Bithell with a District Court appearance pending and a push by Town Administrator Thomas Younger to not have Bithell reappointed to his job.
Bithell’s attorney, Neil Rossman, said Bithell is scheduled to appear at a Sept. 19 clerk magistrate’s hearing to determine if criminal charges should be filed for use of an expired license plate. Rossman, a town resident, declined to elaborate on the charge except to say, “It is a complaint regarding a boat trailer.”
Younger on Friday said he has informed the Board of Selectmen that he will not recommend Bithell’s reappointment as harbormaster. He said he will ask the board to name assistant harbormaster Mounzer Aylouche as interim harbormaster.
“I think we should go in a different direction,” Younger said.
Younger would not elaborate on why he will recommend against Bithell’s reappointment. But Rossman said Bithell has worked for the town more than 20 years and enjoys tenure status as harbormaster.
“His job is secure. He is not subject to reappointment,” he said.
Asked about the tenure claim and Bithell’s upcoming court appearance, Younger replied, “I don’t have any additional comment on this personnel matter.”
Rossman said Younger has given Bithell no reason for why he will not recommend reappointment and “hasn’t preferred any charges against him.”
He called Younger’s vote of no confidence bad timing, noting this weekend is the second busiest boating weekend of the summer.
Younger’s push to get rid of Bithell is not the first time Bithell, a Puritan Road resident, has found his town job at risk. In 1989, selectmen reappointed him after a petition signed by 35 residents leveled complaints against Bithell over his actions as harbormaster.
In reappointing Bithell, selectmen ordered him to agree to conditions concerning use of the town boat and establishment of specified office hours.