Sun Letter to the Editor: Board member explains resignation

Despite your assertions otherwise, my reason for stepping down from the Dracut Housing Authority because I could no longer devote the necessary time that the position deserved has not been “questioned” by any resident of Dracut known to me. Sub-Head:

As The Sun acknowledges, I am retired. I am also a disabled veteran. Yet, for many years since my retirement, I have been privileged to serve on several boards, all of which are vital to the public and require a great deal of diligence and personal sacrifice. I consider public service to be an honor and something I have honorably fulfilled my entire life. Could it just be that it is time for me to be more selective about my future activities without The Sun’s inferring some nefarious reasons for my actions?

Regarding the appointment of the executive director of the Dracut Housing Authority, I will state again here what I have stated previously in open court. The chairman of the Dracut Housing Authority had no legal authority to initiate and conduct a process to appoint the executive director without the approval of the board, and I would challenge The Sun to demonstrate otherwise.The Sun has long trumpeted itself as a champion of transparency and openness in government. It is astounding that The Sun would be dismissive of any action to halt a tainted and illegal public process, and to bring that process out into the open, as it has here. That is, unless The Sun also favored the appointment of the candidate offered up by the bogus “search committee,” in which case the favorable ending would justify the means. The Sun cannot have it both ways, however. My reasons for stepping down are valid and reasonable, have been openly accepted by the good citizens of Dracut, and I owe no further “explanation” to The Sun.

JAMES M. GOOKIN

Dracut

Editor’s note: Mr. Gookin and two other board members took the Housing Authority board chairman to court seeking to reverse the selection screening process. Later, the same majority held an illegal board meeting and added an excluded candidate’s name to the list of job finalists. Gookin’s candidate got the job. Several weeks later, he retired from the board.