Shameful social media debacle saw a Lancaster Firefighter offering a "bounty" for the identity of a resident, with a "Like" from the Fire Chief

                               

Social media has been a pitfall for Lancaster officials in the recent past.  Last July, Select Board Member Jason Allison found himself the target of questions after pulling the town administrator and Planning Board in a Facebook argument in which he desired to be declared "right."

This weekend saw a regrettable scene involving town officials once again.  

Things began when a resident, Robbie Bennett, logged onto the "Lancaster MA, Mass Massachusetts" Facebook Group to complain that he had added a "poll about the override" which was  removed.   

    

Yielding to the time-worn traditions of a town Facebook group, a dispute ensued.  A page admin wrote that she had taken the poll down because it was divisive; the aggrieved poll-poster argued that "there's nothing negative about a poll."

Some of the aggressive comments were added by town firefighter Ryan Aldrich.   It's pretty clear they're not friends.

        

At some point Aldrich took it to the next level and offered a $500 bounty "...for anyone who comes forward with evidence proving who Robbie Bennett actually is.   Any leads will be kept anonymous."

                

Other residents seemed to recognize that this was a deviation from the normal, with one writing:  "We posting bounties on the town page now?"

                

Although this seems like the kind of thing you'd read about as a high school incident, where adults have intervened and the district is taking it very seriously, the list of people who have "Liked" the bounty post actually includes a number of town officials as of 7AM this morning.

Top of the list, Emily Kerrigan, is an elected member of the Finance Committee:

                        

Further down, Michael Hanson is the town Fire Chief.    Kendra Olson Dickinson is a member of the Town Planning Board.

                       


The Lancaster Fire Department website lists Ryan Aldrich as a "Company Officer" with the department.

                   

The notion that town officials and employees are offering "bounties" for the identity of residents is beyond alarming: this latest spectacle demands a swift response from the town.