City Election Coordinator Reinstated

After a month of confusion and political jockeying within Cambridge's Election Commission, Teresa S. Neighbor will return today to her job as executive director.

Neighbor's job, which is to coordinate the municipal election on November 2, was removed from her hands last month after commissioners voted to recommend that she be replaced.

She took four weeks of forced administrative leave until yesterday, when City Manager Robert W. Healy announced he was "reinstating" Neighbor to the position she has held for nearly six years.

Election commission official Joseph Kaplan had been named acting executive director of the commission in Neighbor's absence--even though Neighbor never stepped down.

The Board of Election Commissioners, a four-member body which sets policy for elections in Cambridge, voted three to one to recommend the discharge of Neighbor on September 10.

A performance review presented by the commissioners enumerated 12 major infractions allegedly committed by Neighbor, dating back to 1991, as justification for their recommendation. Included among these were charges of insubordination and neglect of details that cost the city thousands of dollars.

Neighbor has denied all allegations of negligence and reiterated her denial in an interviewyesterday.

Healy has set these concerns aside for the timebeing until a further review of her performance insix months.

However, he censured the director for herallegations of impropriety on the part of thecommissioners and for her failure to cooperatewith them. He also assigned two members of his ownstaff, part-time, to work with the Board ofElection Commissioners.

Healy's effort to set the Election Commissionstraight focuses on redefining the roles of boththe director and the commissioners in hopes ofavoiding a similar problem in the future.

"One of the most significant factors," wroteHealy of Neighbor's reinstatement, "is theconfusion that has existed over time concerningyour role."

For the most part, Healy found fault not withspecific personnel, but with the lack ofcooperation between the director and thecommissioners.

Neighbor said yesterday she now wants to workout any past difficulties with the commissioners,but she still denies any wrongdoing as director.

"Several of the incidents occurred in the fardistant past," Neighbor said, "or occurred aroundthe period of my injury." Neighbor took leavetwice in 1991 due to back problems.

Many others came to Neighbor's defense as well.Commissioner Ed Samp, the only board member tooppose Neighbor's ouster, spoke of her asCambridge's best election director ever.

Early in the crisis, Neighbor asserted thatcommissioners were acting in retaliation to whatNeighbor's lawyer, Ruth Bourquin, termed"reasonable inquiries into the legality ofcommissioners' activities."

City Council candidate Jim McGrail was moreemphatic. "It seemed as though [the electioncommissioners] had superseded their powerssomewhat."

Echoing the claims of many who would not speakpublicly, McGrail said, "The commissioners actedbecause the director questioned their work ethic."

In his statement to the press and his letter toNeighbor, Healy flatly denied the possibility ofcommissioners' retaliation. "I do find merit insome of the board majority's concerns," Healy saidin the letter.

The decision to effectively remove Neighborfrom office, just two months prior to theelection, was seen as poor judgment by manycandidates and Neighbor supporters. But most seemprepared to move forward.

The director pledged her full support forfuture cooperation. "I'm going to be working veryhard with the board [to straighten things out],"Neighbor said.

Residents of Cambridge have until 10 p.m. todayto register to vote in the Cambridge municipalelections on November 2.

On this final day registration will beoccurring only at the Election Commission office,which is located on the third floor of theCambridge police station at Central Square.

All Harvard students are eligible to vote inthe election by claiming Cambridge as their cityof residence. Registration is in person only.

Where to go: Cambridge Election CommissionOffice, 362 Green Street (3rd Floor), CentralSquare. (Enter side door of police station.) ID ishelpful but not necessary

Healy has set these concerns aside for the timebeing until a further review of her performance insix months.

However, he censured the director for herallegations of impropriety on the part of thecommissioners and for her failure to cooperatewith them. He also assigned two members of his ownstaff, part-time, to work with the Board ofElection Commissioners.

Healy's effort to set the Election Commissionstraight focuses on redefining the roles of boththe director and the commissioners in hopes ofavoiding a similar problem in the future.

"One of the most significant factors," wroteHealy of Neighbor's reinstatement, "is theconfusion that has existed over time concerningyour role."

For the most part, Healy found fault not withspecific personnel, but with the lack ofcooperation between the director and thecommissioners.

Neighbor said yesterday she now wants to workout any past difficulties with the commissioners,but she still denies any wrongdoing as director.

"Several of the incidents occurred in the fardistant past," Neighbor said, "or occurred aroundthe period of my injury." Neighbor took leavetwice in 1991 due to back problems.

Many others came to Neighbor's defense as well.Commissioner Ed Samp, the only board member tooppose Neighbor's ouster, spoke of her asCambridge's best election director ever.

Early in the crisis, Neighbor asserted thatcommissioners were acting in retaliation to whatNeighbor's lawyer, Ruth Bourquin, termed"reasonable inquiries into the legality ofcommissioners' activities."

City Council candidate Jim McGrail was moreemphatic. "It seemed as though [the electioncommissioners] had superseded their powerssomewhat."

Echoing the claims of many who would not speakpublicly, McGrail said, "The commissioners actedbecause the director questioned their work ethic."

In his statement to the press and his letter toNeighbor, Healy flatly denied the possibility ofcommissioners' retaliation. "I do find merit insome of the board majority's concerns," Healy saidin the letter.

The decision to effectively remove Neighborfrom office, just two months prior to theelection, was seen as poor judgment by manycandidates and Neighbor supporters. But most seemprepared to move forward.

The director pledged her full support forfuture cooperation. "I'm going to be working veryhard with the board [to straighten things out],"Neighbor said.

Residents of Cambridge have until 10 p.m. todayto register to vote in the Cambridge municipalelections on November 2.

On this final day registration will beoccurring only at the Election Commission office,which is located on the third floor of theCambridge police station at Central Square.

All Harvard students are eligible to vote inthe election by claiming Cambridge as their cityof residence. Registration is in person only.

Where to go: Cambridge Election CommissionOffice, 362 Green Street (3rd Floor), CentralSquare. (Enter side door of police station.) ID ishelpful but not necessary