Warner town administrator Kathleen Frenette was put on paid administrative leave Friday following a nonpublic town meeting.
Frenette received a letter from Select Board Chair Harry Seidel Thursday informing her she had been placed on leave pending a criminal investigation launched by the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office. She said she could not access her work email that same day.
Any town-owned property Frenette had in her possession was advised to be returned to the town by Monday, according to a text message from Seidel.
“I never expected to be placed on any sort of administrative leave,” Frenette said. “That was a surprise to me.”
Frenette and the board had been embroiled in a dispute since the administrator obtained a temporary restraining order against Selectman Alfred Hanson on July 7 after she accused him of cornering her at town hall in June.
Seidel declined to comment on Frenette’s employment.
The decision to send her home with pay follows a Thursday nonpublic meeting where Frenette attempted to invoke her privilege to have the meeting open to the public if the matter concerned her. Seidel rejected her request.
After a public comment period that lasted for over 20 minutes, Seidel called for the nonpublic meeting to start and selectman Alfred Hanson joined him. Frenette and selectman Michael Smith left the meeting along with the public.
During a hearing on the restraining order Tuesday in Concord District Court, Judge Ryan Guptill said he would issue a final decision after some consideration. He left the temporary restraining order in place.
“It’s extremely stressful,” Frenette said.
The Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office decided not to move forward with assault charges against Hanson on July 15, Frenette said. Hanson declined to comment following the hearing.
Frenette began as Warner’s town administrator in February 2024 after working in the town of Gorham as the director of finance and administration for four years. She previously worked with nonprofit Granite United Way and with the state’s Department of Resources and Economic Development.