SKOWHEGAN, Maine — A meeting of the Skowhegan Board of Selectmen got heated Tuesday night as Selectman Harold Bigelow spoke out, claiming he had been "thrown under the bus."
The meeting is the first after a report was released two weeks ago detailing an independent investigation into Bigelow.
It found he violated town policies and created a "hostile work environment."
Bigelow is accused of hurling derogatory statements at meetings, making fun of a town employee for wearing a mask, and using racist slurs, according to the report.
"First of all, I've got a question to ask," Bigelow said Tuesday. "Are there any more violations against me?"
He then launched into a nearly thirteen-minute speech denying many of the allegations made in the report and accusing town officials of conspiring against him.
"After all of that happened, they were going after me. And they were waving the race card at me," Bigelow said. "They hired a second lawyer."
One complaint stemmed from Bigelow's debate with town officials at a selectmen board meeting in December 2021 over COVID relief bonuses for town employees.
He argued the bonuses should not go to all town employees who worked throughout the pandemic, but only to first responders, including the town's police and fire personnel.
Skowhegan Fire Chief Shawn Howard and others argued that every worker was entitled to the money.
According to the report, Bigelow "dressed down the fire chief in front of his subordinate employees" for the disagreement the next day.
Eventually, the report stated, Bigelow said he had to leave because his "black kids" were in the car, referring to his dogs.
"Several employees found the comment inappropriate," the report noted.
On Tuesday, Bigelow claimed the incident was simply a "disagreement" between him and the fire chief.
"You want to know what one of the charges were, that I made a woman feel uncomfortable," Bigelow said at the meeting. "This is what made her feel uncomfortable. This is what made her feel uncomfortable. This is a picture of my late wife of 40 years."
Bigelow held a large framed photograph of a woman he says is his deceased wife.
Members of the board were visibly upset by the display, urging the board's chair to stop it.
"I've been thrown under the bus here for the last month-and-a-half, and I'm not backing down," Bigelow said.
When Bigelow ended his remarks, the board continued with its regular business.
It is unclear if any formal action will be taken against him following the investigation's findings.