Dispute Continues Over Proposed Review Of African Meeting House Hate Crime Investigation

After initially excluding an investigation of town administration from the parameters of a request for proposals issued to find a firm willing to review the town’s response to the 2018 African Meeting House (AMH) hate crime, the town issued an addendum correcting the error - but some community members don’t feel that the addendum goes far enough. A series of commenters raised concerns about the scope of the request and the impartiality of the AMH Investigation Procurement Work Group at Wednesday’s Select Board meeting.

The request for proposals (RFP) is the first step in the review of the town’s investigation, which has come under fire from local activists for its slow pace, perceived lack of transparency, and failure to produce criminal convictions.

“We’ve three times now have amended this RFP and three times things have been left out,” island resident Brook Gibbs said at the Select Board meeting. “It’s not what we asked for, and it’s not what we’re wanting, and it’s not anywhere near what the public would expect you and the Select Board to do in the investigation.”

The RFP was the result of a citizen petition sponsored by Gail Holdgate that was approved at the May 2024 Annual Town Meeting. The non-binding petition - Article 36 - asked the Select Board to authorize and fund a new independent investigation as well as a review of the original investigation into the hate crime. While the Select Board declined to pursue a new investigation of the hate crime, it decided last August to authorize funding for an independent review of the original investigation and send out an RFP for firms to conduct that review. After its initial RFP and the process that created it was criticized, the Select Board decided to create the African Meeting House Investigation Procurement Work Group to hash out the details with the various stakeholders at the table.

Gibbs and other speakers on Wednesday expressed concern that specific details, such as the location data of suspects, were not included in the parameters of the RFP. Generally, the RFP does not delineate exactly what the investigators should do. The town claims that the scope of the RFP is intentionally general to allow potential investigators to work out the specifics themselves, responding to the needs of the investigation and the wishes of the community. Select Board member and Work Group chair Malcolm MacNab also emphasized that the advertisements circulated in publications like The Boston Globe do not contain the full RFP and that concerned parties should watch the Work Group’s meetings and review the full text.

MacNab apologized for the initial error in the RFP, saying that it was inadvertent and had been quickly corrected.

“I have to apologize for the second time for what happened,” MacNab said. “On looking back at the last meeting, I think the whole committee, in a way, erred because when we went to that specific page, we…sort of approved it, and as chairman, I should have picked up the fact that something was left out, and I’m sorry that happened.”

While addenda are often needed to clarify portions of RFPs issued by local governments, the nature of this particular omission drew increased attention. Advocates for the review of the investigation have long demanded that any review of the Town’s response include an investigation of the town administration and Select Board. Since the RFP was approved by MacNab, a member of the Select Board, as chair of the Work Group, the omission of the clause relating to town administration garnered additional criticism.

MacNab reiterated his personal investment in the review of the investigation at Wednesday’s meeting and stressed that he hopes the review leads to concrete action.

“I would feel like I have failed in this position if we just have a report and all go home,” he said.

MacNab serves on the Work Group with AMH President and CEO Noelle Trent, air traffic controller Clifford Williams, architect Luke Thornewill, and Chicken Box co-owner Rocky Fox. The full RFP is available here.