Allegation of special parking access for elected official leads to heated exchange at Charlton Select Board

CHARLTON — A scheduled discussion about overnight parking at the town library escalated into a tense exchange between Select Board member David Singer and Chair Karen Spiewak during the Jan. 27, 2026, Charlton Select Board meeting, after Singer alleged that a special arrangement had been made for an elected official’s family.

The agenda item, a discussion of the library’s overnight parking policy with the library trustees, began with Spiewak citing Massachusetts General Law Chapter 78, Section 11, which she said grants library trustees custody and management of the library, the reading room, and all related town-owned property.

Library Trustees Chair Stefan Sage then addressed the board, saying he had reviewed past meetings but was still unclear why the town created a policy allowing overnight parking on municipal property and wanted clarification on the reasoning behind it.

“I’m a little confused as to what were the reasons for bringing forth the overnight parking policy,” Sage said.

Select Board member David Singer, who requested the agenda item, said his support for a townwide overnight parking policy for municipal lots was “both proactive and reactive.” He said the proactive aspect was tied to municipal liability concerns (i.e. the town is liable if someone gets hurt on municipal property), while the reactive side originated from new information that surfaced during recent discussions.

“The ‘reactive’ is what had come out of our conversations when we learned, and we didn’t know this previously…that there was apparently also an agreement made between the library and a resident’s family, a resident’s family who, by the way, happens to be an elected official,” Singer said.

Singer said the library trustees did not have the authority to make such parking arrangements on behalf of the town.

“The library does not have the authority to enter into contractual agreements on behalf of the town for municipal parking lots. That has to go through the board of selectmen,” Singer said. Later adding, “It’s grossly inappropriate, highly unethical, that we would allow anyone, even if they’re not only elected officials’ family, just anyone in town, to have a benefit due to contacts they have that we wouldn’t offer to everyone in town.” 

Spiewak disagreed, maintaining that MGL Ch. 78 Sec. 11 supported the trustees’ control over the property.

“That’s why I read what I read upfront,” Spiewak said. “The rest is kind of a moot point.”

Singer replied stating that the board had previously reviewed the law and concluded it does not give library trustees authority over municipal parking lots.

“So, Section 11 of Mass General Law, we’ve actually went over this, and the conclusion at the end was that no, it doesn’t cover the parking lot,” Singer said. “Yes, it covers the library, the building and all the other property that they own, but it did not cover municipal parking. That was ‘A’ one, but two, the bottom line then comes to if the library wants autonomy, let’s give them autonomy, pay their own bills, pay their own insurance, pay their own salaries,” Singer said.

Spiewak responded stating that “the reality is…the ruling, because we actually have things that have happened in the past, the custody of the parking area of the property, the only people who can make the rules for that would be the library trustees. This is from legal.”

Later in the discussion, Spiewak questioned whether the matter had already effectively been settled and pointed to signage recently installed at the library’s lot.

“We’re still — are we still waiting for a final decision regarding this matter? Because I thought it was pretty much a done deal that it was under the jurisdiction of the library trustees like it’s been,” Spiewak said.

Spiewak then asked Sage, “Who put up the two arrow parking limit signs? Did we?” Sage responded, “No, the library did.” Spiewak followed up, “Did you ask us for permission?” Sage replied, “No.” Spiewak then asked, “Did you have to?” Sage answered, “No.” Spiewak responded, “That’s the point.”

Singer then suggested Spiewak had been involved in the situation, saying he “would use terms like colluding,” prompting her to immediately halt the exchange.

“No, you will stop. You will stop right there. We will take a recess,” Spiewak said, before calling for a five-minute recess.

When the meeting resumed, the conversation shifted briefly to public Wi-Fi access at the library and how residents can use the library’s Wi-Fi from their car in the parking lot on off hours. The select board then moved on to the next agenda item without taking a vote, leaving the overnight parking policy unchanged.