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Rockland Board of Health Plunges into Chaos Amidst Accusations, Podcasts, and Police Intervention
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Rockland Board of Health Plunges into Chaos Amidst Accusations, Podcasts, and Police Intervention

ROCKLAND – The Rockland Board of Health (BOH) is currently experiencing a period of intense conflict, marked by unprofessional meetings and escalating personal disputes among its members and with town staff. The discord centers primarily around Chairman Robert Stephens, Vice Chair Tina Gallant (his mother), Board Member Michelle Kennedy, and Health Agent Delshaune Flipp.

The Board of Health operates as a three-person elected body. A significant dynamic on the board is the relationship between Chairman Robert Stephens and Vice Chair Tina Gallant, who are mother and son and reside at the same address. This familial connection has led to allegations of a lack of independent decision-making, with Michelle Kennedy stating that votes are "always 2 to 1". Robert Stephens himself referred to a "party line vote" of two to one concerning an intern program. He has openly acknowledged the "potential 'conflict of interest'" of his mother serving on the board with him. Stephens also noted that his mother was elected as a write-in candidate, winning by four votes, and that proving Open Meeting Law violations is "the hardest thing to prove". Stephens himself secured his seat as an elected official in the 2023 municipal elections via a write-in campaign, not initially being on the ballot.

Chairman Robert Stephens frequently uses a podcast, "MMR Talks," to voice his opinions on town issues and, notably, to criticize and disparage Health Agent Delshaune Flipp, who reports to the board he chairs. In Episode 83, Stephens dedicated several minutes to personal attacks against Flipp. He questioned her educational background, claiming she "didn't even make it through a full semester of Massasoit" and possessed "nothing except a couple certifications". He unfavorably compared her qualifications to an interested intern candidate who had a master's degree.

Stephens accused Flipp of sabotaging a summer 2025 intern program by "recruit[ing] her minion, her crony, Mike Hugo," Director of Policy & Government Affairs at the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards (MAHB), to deny Rockland's application. He suggested Flipp "killed" the program because she "didn’t want the intern whose got a master’s degree" compared to her own qualifications. Stephens publicly discussed Flipp's retirement and vacation time, which Flipp stated he had "no right" to do. Stephens also claimed that Mike Hugo, whom he referred to as Flipp's "homie," inappropriately advocated for Flipp's raise during a meeting where he was supposedly advising the board. Stephens additionally expressed frustration about being "nixed" out of meetings between the MAHB president and Flipp.

On "MMR Talks," Stephens has also referred to Michelle Kennedy as "Crooked Michelle Kennedy". He made a "sugar daddy" joke about funding an internship for Rockland's Board of Health, asking for "Any sugar daddies out there, we need an intern in Rockland". Michelle Kennedy deemed this comment to be in "bad taste" for a chairman.

Stephens, reflecting on past events, mentioned having "successfully sued that bitch". He claimed she was a former vice chair who was "illegally hold[ing] on to power" by delaying the annual reorganization of the board, and she "folded" before being served with the lawsuit. He also referred to a past incident where the Health Agent had issues while working in the assessor's office.

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The tension erupted into a public incident during the June 17, 2025, BOH meeting when Michelle Kennedy's husband interrupted the meeting from off-camera, audibly upset with Robert Stephens. Michelle Kennedy confirmed her husband's anger, stating, "My husband's not happy with you period". She directly confronted Stephens, saying, "it wasn't appropriate for you to put things on your podcast about me being a crook and a cheater".

Following this meeting, an altercation occurred between Robert Stephens and Michelle Kennedy's husband, which required the Rockland Police to intervene. The police logs confirm a "Disturbance" call at "ROCKLAND TOWN HALL - 242 UNION ST" on June 17, 2025, at 19:13 (7:13 PM), with Emmanuel M. Kennedy being referred to summons for "ASSAULT AND BATTERY". Robert Stephens later referenced the police "showing up at my house for that bullshit". Andrea Davis, present at the subsequent July 10, 2025, meeting, notes her understanding that Chairman Stephens attended remotely because "he currently has a no trespass order at Town Offices related to an incident that occurred after the June 17 meeting". While the no-trespass order itself is unconfirmed by South Shore News, the police log entry and Stephens' remote attendance provide strong circumstantial plausibility for Davis's account, which she stated she’s attempting to confirm via public records request.

The Board of Health has now faced Open Meeting Law (OML) complaints and procedural issues. An OML complaint filed by Andrea Davis on June 20, 2025, alleged a "lack of sufficient information on the agenda" for certain items, hindering public understanding. The complaint also claimed Stephens allowed the June 17th meeting to "dissolve into personal attacks" that he "encouraged and participated in," rather than moving it productively. Stephens, however, denies this as "inaccurate," stating the video would show he "did none of that".

A significant point of contention has been the failure to approve meeting minutes in a timely manner. Delshaune Flipp noted Robert's tendency to table minutes, sometimes without clear reasons or after making last-minute revisions. For the July 10 meeting, Stephens admitted he revised the May minutes for a "correction and a typo" and emailed them only 20 minutes before the meeting, revisions which Michelle Kennedy and Tina Gallant stated they did not receive or review. Stephens states he often adheres strictly to the Charter, which Michelle Kennedy and Delshaune Flipp have criticized as a "guideline, not a rulebook". Stephens, for his part, maintains that charters are "extensions of state law".

Michelle Kennedy has explicitly stated her intention to sue Robert Stephens for his comments on the podcast.

During the May 20, 2025, Select Board meeting, Robert Stephens' conduct was also notable. Stephens attempted to speak after the acting chair denied his recognition, prompting him to be declared "out of order". This incident was later referenced by Michelle Kennedy at the June 17, 2025, BOH meeting.

During the Select Board's discussion of the South Shore Recycling Cooperative appointment, Stephens used the opportunity to disparage Health Agent Delshaune Flipp in a public forum. He questioned her residency, her handling of the internship program, and her reported busyness, implying she was not fulfilling her duties adequately. He argued that a resident should serve and that Flipp intends to retire in December, while he is "pretty enthusiastic about serving" the three-year term. Select Board member Steven O'Donnell directly confronted Stephens during this meeting, stating, "Delshaune is your employee... And the way you were talking about your employee is not right," and expressed "great trouble" with him representing Rockland as an appointee to the cooperative given his public accusations.

The conflict has reportedly impacted the operational efficiency of the Board of Health. Delshaune Flipp stated that Robert Stephens' failure to sign permits in a timely manner led to concrete negative impacts, such as Leisurewoods not being able to use their pool for two weeks.

With Robert Stephens up for re-election in April 2026, the ongoing tensions and public disputes within the Rockland Board of Health are likely to remain a significant issue for town governance.

Board of Health and Select Board meetings available via WRPS.

MMR Talks podcast available at MMR Talks.

Police logs and election results available via the Town of Rockland.

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