by Joan Eliyesil ·
Friday, December 5, 2025
In the wake of two conduct violations this year that resulted in the censure of one Select Board member and the early resignation of another, the board has revised the code of conduct for the town’s elected and appointed officials.
The major changes to the code are the addition of expectations when posting on social media and a detailed explanation of the process for handling conduct complaints. The Select Board approved the new code of conduct at its Nov. 18 meeting.
The original code of conduct was drafted by the Select Board in 2021 to address what then Assistant Town Administrator Marie Sobalvarro called “concern about behavior of volunteers.” It laid out the board’s expectations for respectful communication between appointed and elected town officials and their fellow officials, town staff, volunteers, and members of the public. Town employees have a separate code of conduct, defined in the town’s personnel policies.
Public outcry over then Select Board Chair Don Ludwig’s private posts on X last spring prompted the board to add a new section to the code to more clearly define its expectations in that area. The new code states that volunteers are expected to “maintain the same standards of respect, fairness, and civility on social media as in public meetings,” and they are asked to “recognize that online behavior reflects on the reputation of the town and can affect public trust in government.”
The new code also specifies that public statements regarding official board or committee positions may only be communicated by the chair or a designated spokesperson. When posting an opinion online about town issues, volunteers should make it clear that they are not speaking on behalf of the town or their board. The code also advises volunteers to avoid engaging in online arguments about town matters.
Select Board Chair Kara Minar told the Press that “the complaint process, in particular, needed to be clarified so there were clear lines of responsibility and accountability to ensure fairness and transparency.” Earlier this year, a difference in opinion between the Select Board chair and member Rich Maiore over how a conduct complaint was handled caused Maiore to leave the board before his term ended.
The new code spells out the full enforcement process, with the human resources director as the first point of contact for complaints. When the director receives a complaint, they, along with the Select Board chair, will investigate it, primarily by talking to the person who filed the complaint, the person it was filed against, and any other people who might shed light on the issue.
If a complaint is determined to be valid, the chair will try to resolve it by either talking to both people, or by referring the matter to the target of the complaint’s board or committee. If the filer agrees that the matter is resolved, the entire Select Board will be informed of the problem and resolution, and the complaint will be closed.
If attempts to resolve the complaint fail, or if the chair and the HR director determine that more serious action is required, the matter will be brought to the entire Select Board for discussion. The board will then take one or more of the following actions against the target of the complaint: require them to make amends to other officials, staff, or members of the public; remove them from positions or assignments within their board or committee; suspend them from their board or committee for a limited time; publicly censure them, and/or remove them from their board or committee, an action that would have to be allowed by the Harvard Charter or bylaws or, in some cases, state law.
The new code also includes an appeals process for anyone who is subject to corrective or disciplinary action resulting from a code of conduct resolution. Appeals will be reviewed by the Select Board, the town administrator, and the HR director, but the final ruling will be up to the Select Board.
In the section that defines conduct between elected and appointed officials, there were a few additions aimed at increasing polite behavior. The word “courtesy” was added to “respect,” in reference to how board and committee members should treat each other. And the following sentence was added: “Maintain a tone of civility and cooperation, remembering that all participants share the goal of serving the community.”
The new code of conduct is being sent to all current volunteer town officials, to be signed and returned before the end of the year. Future new officials will sign the code of conduct, as they have done in the past, when they are sworn in by the town clerk.