WESTBROOK — Criminal trespass notices have been issued to the city’s former finance director and her son in response to allegations that they harassed Mayor Colleen Hilton and her family, according to police.

Hilton was granted a temporary protection-from-harassment order last week against Susan Rossignol of Westbrook, whose employment Hilton terminated in January.

Two days after police served Rossignol with the protection order and the criminal trespass notice, police issued a criminal trespass notice to Rossignol’s son, Eugene Dunn Jr. of Westbrook, police Capt. Tom Roth said.

According to Hilton’s complaint on March 22, Susan Rossignol has been showing “increasing and elevating anger” toward her and, in one instance, toward her family.

Rossignol, 60, is to appear for a hearing in Portland District Court on April 26. She was the city’s finance director for 32 years.

The protection order bars Rossignol from having contact with Hilton or being around her home or workplace. The criminal trespass notice prohibits her from being at City Hall for a year.

Dunn, 24, was issued criminal trespass and cease-harassment notices March 24, after the mayor’s husband, Bill Hilton, reported that he was driving back and forth in front of their home and squealing the car’s tires, Roth said. Dunn is prohibited from harassing the mayor and her family.

Neither Rossignol nor Dunn has been charged in any of the alleged incidents. Neither could be reached for comment Friday. The Hiltons were out of the country and could not be reached.

On Jan. 4, Hilton announced in her inaugural address that she was not reappointing Rossignol.

In February, Rossignol was told that she would not be hired as the city’s chief financial planner, a new position to oversee the finances of the city and its schools.

Hilton’s complaint accuses Rossignol of repeatedly disrupting the work of city employees and then showing up one weekend in February to speak with the mayor to plead for her job back.

In mid-March, Rossignol got a letter from City Administrator Jerre Bryant about her severance. The letter also said that she was welcome at City Hall when she had business to conduct, but that other visits could not continue.

“I expect your full compliance with this request and that further action will not be necessary,” Bryant wrote.

A couple of days later, according to Hilton’s complaint, Rossignol was at City Hall with a question about benefits and stayed in the building after being told to leave.

Rossignol was defensive and argumentative with Hilton, frightening the mayor with her raised voice and trembling, according to the complaint.

Rossignol verbally accosted two other employees before she left, the complaint says.

That weekend, Rossignol accosted the mayor and her family at the dedication of Westbrook Middle School, according to the complaint.

Rossignol had a “loud outburst,” saying Hilton’s family had ruined her life, the complaint says, and family members had to shield the mayor’s elderly father from Rossignol.

“I feel threatened and frightened by her actions and manner of speech,” Hilton wrote in her complaint.

 

Staff Writer Ann S. Kim can be contacted at 791-6383 or at:

akim@pressherald.com

 

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