Lyons: 'I'm Not Giving' Apology for Campbell Accusations

A member of Salem's Board of Selectmen won't apologize for comments he allegedly made after a fellow selectman was accused of interrogating a firefighter at a local Market Basket.

Mike Lyons was asked by Stephen Campbell Monday night to apologize for comments Lyons made after it came out that Campbell may have angrily confronted a Salem firefighter in full uniform at Market Basket on Nov. 17.

It has since been discovered that the confrontation never happened, prompting Campbell to seek public apologies from those involved. Lyons said Monday, though, that one won't be coming from him.

"As far as an apology is concerned, Selectman [James] Keller and I didn't get one back in May when we were accused [by Campbell] of violating the Right to Know Law," said Lyons. "I didn't get an apology then, and I'm not giving one here tonight."

Lyons also said that he won't issue an apology because personnel matters and accusations like the ones brought against Campbell are supposed to be "investigated immediately and thoroughly," particularly by the board of selectmen and the town, before they are brought in the manner they were during a meeting a couple of weeks ago.

That means, according to Lyons, that he and other board members discussed the information without having accurate information. Lyons said that if the allegations were false that they "needed to be put to bed" by selectmen instead of waiting for the union to report the incident in a memo.

He raised his voice Monday while stating it also was "not right" that the union didn't fully investigate the matter, although he defended his decision to speak out because he said he has a right to speak out in support of town employees.

"I have a very short fuse when it comes to protecting our employees," said Lyons. "

Campbell also asked Shawn Patten, the president of Salem Public Administrators Association, and Salem Fire Chief Kevin Breen to publicly apologize.

Patch couldn't immediately reach Breen for comment. Patten's responses are posted here.