Harrassment Allegations Lodged at TV 9 Board

On August 16, former board members of Seekonk cable access channel TV9 told the Select Board they endured harassment and threats by male board members.

Denise Poliquin, who served on the board of directors for four years, said female members witnessed “accusations, lies, finger-pointing, yelling, bullying, discrimination, and threats to other board members.”

Poliquin recalled the tense atmosphere at the board’s May 9 meeting, noting it was “intimidating to disagree or raise concerns.”

Another former member, Kristin Dobbs Montgomery, called the environment at TV9 “toxic” and “hostile.”

“I’m here to make everyone aware of the blatant harassment, intimidation, and abuse by the men on the board that occurred consistently in our monthly board meetings,” Montgomery stated. ‘The hostile and disrespectful way the men treated the women was unacceptable. I began to feel frightened to be in the room with them.”

Montgomery recalled the apprehension she felt at a February board meeting.

“I was scared to open my mouth for fear of being attacked or retaliated against. It was not an open or collaborative environment.”

Former member Deborah Hoch said she had been “illegally removed” from her position at TV9 and said the July 24 meeting vote was “illegitimate.”

Hoch said she had not been informed about the meeting and was out of town when the vote occurred.

According to the meeting minutes, David Saad and Michael Dressler were in attendance, along with 18 Seekonk resident/subscribers.  

The members’ terms had expired according to the TV-9 bylaws. Hoch believes she was retaliated against because of her questioning of financial decisions.

Hoch said she had also sought out financial records and had been rebuffed by the Board President. Hoch requested that the Select Board conduct a forensic audit of TV9.

“The situation became intolerable for the three female board members this past year,” Hoch noted. “Being told I was on the board long enough and young blood was needed is not only a discriminatory remark but an insult. Decisions are being made by board members which should have been made by the entire board.”

At a meeting held on August 7, a temporary Board of Directors was installed. Saad was named President. Dressler was named Vice-President/Treasurer, and Doreen Taylor was named as Clerk.

The other board members include Peter Hoogerzeil and TV9 personality Jeffrey Starr Mararian, who both attended the July 24 meeting.

Poliquin said the current board is “invalid.”

Saad had no comment about Hoch and Peloquin’s allegations when contacted Thursday by the Reporter.

Select Board Chairman Michael Healy said he had no prior knowledge of the harassment allegations. The Select Board will not take any action at this time, he noted.

In a July 24 letter to Saad, Taylor had expressed concern over “operating procedures and alike that do not align with the TV9 By-Laws.”

“These include Massachusetts General Law; sections of the Open Meeting Law for public meetings and Seekonk Town By-Laws Regulations for public meetings. Earlier this year we heard through the Select Board (there had been) complaints received alleging wrongdoing within the Board of Directors and liability that could put the Town of Seekonk in serious jeopardy,” Taylor wrote. “The complaint also led the Select Board to believe there were financial implications as well.”

A meeting will be held in December for the purpose of presenting the TV-9 membership with a new set of bylaws. The board will meet multiple times in the next few months to make recommendations. A new board will also be elected. All TV 9 subscribers are eligible to vote.

On the website, tv9seekonk.com, the station’s mission statement reads: TV9 Seekonk is a non-profit public access TV corporation governed by a 7 member board of publicly elected directors. Day to day operation is managed by the Executive Director. TV9 Seekonk is dedicated to providing a professional quality production facility for access users to freely express and share unique ideas via original programming with the Seekonk community.