By Elizabeth F. McNamara

The Ethics Commission voted to extend the investigation into Town Manager Gayle Corrigan’s hiring of Finance Director Linda Dykeman by 60 days, the second time the investigation has been extended. The new deadline is Oct. 11; there is no provision for an extension beyond that.

Launch of an investigation is not a finding of guilt.

The commission began the investigation in December and investigators had 180 days to complete their work. They were granted the first 60-day extension in May.

The Ethics Commission is also investigating a second complaint against Corrigan, concerning her alleged omissions on her 2016 financial statement to the Ethics Commission.

Both complaints were filed by people now running for Town Council. The first complaint was filed by Bill Higgins; the second complaint was filed by Renu Englehart.

Firefighter union president Bill Perry during public comment before the Town Council April 23, 2018.

The Ethics Commission is also investigating a complaint against firefighter union president Bill Perry, for alleged conflict of interest because his brother, James Perry, works on the same platoon and Bill Perry, a lieutenant, is of a higher rank. That complaint was filed by Peter Henrikson before he was named deputy fire chief.

Both the investigations into the second Corrigan complaint and the Perry complaint are within their initial 180-day time period.