The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 6

4A www.burlingtonfreepress.com The Burlington Free Press Saturday, October 27, 2007 MAITLAND: Possible clue found in Montgomery POSTAL: Waterbuiy protests worker's transfer mm "I did shop at the store that was the brand that was on the pants," she said. "But she wore several different brand names, so I don't know." Kelley Maitland, who now lives with husband Bruce in Gouverneur, N.Y., said she had mixed feelings after receiving a call from police about a possible lead in her daughter's disappearance. "It's a no-win in a way," she said. "We've always said we want to know the truth, that's our goal. But if what we have here is hers, it's also sorrowful, it's sad.

But another false alarm would be hard, too." In the years since Brianna Maitland vanished, police have hunted down a variety of leads including alleged involvement with drug dealers and, in 2006, an alleged siting of her playing poker at an Atlantic City, N.J., casino. Contact Sam Hemingway at 660-1850 or Continued from Page 1A belonged to Maitland, it would be a major breakthrough in a case that has baffled police since she disappeared after finishing work at The Black Lantern Inn, a restaurant in Montgomery village, March 19, 2004. Her car was later found rammed backward into an abandoned house west of the village. Despite an extensive search by police and volunteers in the days and weeks after she went missing, no one was able to determine what happened to the teen. Flannigan said the site where the jeans were found was not one covered by police or volunteers in the earlier searches.

Kelley Maitland, Brian-na's mother, said she was notified Friday about the discovery of the blue jeans. She said police told her the brand name of the blue jeans and recalled that it was a brand, among others, that her daughter wore. 1 mm mmm The U.S. postal office in Waterbury. cost effective with one full-time clerk and three part timers.

Because another clerk in Waterbury had seniority, Bardin would have to be reassigned, Skulnik said. In court Thursday, Timothy Tomasi, an assistant U.S. attorney representing the Postal Service, said Bardin is an exemplary employee, but Postal Service rules and union agreements mean the least senior person, in this case Bardin, must be reassigned. "The sole controlling factor is seniority," he said. Tomasi said Bardin could return to the Waterbury post office if the more senior clerk retires.

Bardin's reassignment is scheduled to start today. In federal court, Bardin sought an injunction Thursday that would have postponed the transfer at least until her other legal claims are resolved. Sessions said Bardin would have to show she'd suffer irreparable harm, and would have to demonstrate she'd have a substantial chance of winning her lawsuit to win the injunction. Sessions suggested Bardin and Postal Service attorneys try to negotiate a settlement. After about four-hours of effort, no agreement had been reached, said Jay Cote, a supporter who has been acting as an informal advocate for Bardin.

Beyond her request to prevent her immediate move to Essex, Bardin, also filed a complaint in federal court demanding she keep her full-time position in Waterbury and that the hostility, discrimination and retaliation she alleges at work cease. Bardin's legal claim is against the Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union. She said union officials are ignoring her. Inquiries to the union were directed to Elizabeth Powell of the union's New York office. Powell did not return phone calls Thursday, and an employee on Friday said she was not in and nobody else was available to address Bardin's allegations.

Bardin has pursued her legal case without a lawyer because she said she can't find one who will represent her. Local activism Waterbury residents are lobbying on Bardin's behalf. Cote said about 1,000 people signed a petition asking that Bardin remain in Waterbury. Signs reading "Keep Ellen at our Waterbury, Vt. Post Office" have blossomed in town.

Bardin's supporters also the rnni RYAN MERCER, Free Press have gotten Vermont's congressional delegation involved. The joint letter issued by U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernard Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch supported Bardin, asked the Postal Service for a public meeting in Waterbury to explain the staffing decisions, and complained that responses to their inquiries were inadequate.

Skulnik said the Postal Service has been open. "All I can say is we have responded to every question from the congressional delegation in Vermont," he said. Bardin's supporters plan a demonstration on her behalf at 10 a.m. today in Waterbury. Contact Matt Sutkoski at 660-1846 or msutkoskbfp.burlingtonfree-press.com "V' to Famous Semi-Annual Sale! Ik? on ions the Where you'll see best lines Evetythmg At Both Open 7 Days 879-2998 51 Center Rte.

15 Essex UP TO $3800 Continued from Page 1A lington. She's battling to stay in Waterbury and is alleging a pattern of retaliation against her. In paperwork she submitted to the court, Bardin said trouble started shortly after she began working in Water-bury when a letter carrier inappropriately touched her, she wrote. Bardin said the post office resisted her complaints, and a manager vowed to never let her work in Waterbury. A commission ordered her returned to her job in Waterbury, but a pattern of harassment has continued since, she alleges.

Management has kept her out of training Bardin sessions, managers refuse to inform her of decisions and policies, would not allow her to speak with customers who asked for her, and changed customers' compliments about her to complaints, she said. Bardin said she has filed about 1,000 grievances about the situation since May 2000. Heather Payne, the Waterbury postmaster, declined to comment, saying she'd been told by supervisors to refer all media inquiries to the postal service's regional offices in New Hampshire. Bardin also declined to comment Friday because she said she was under the same orders. Court action In court Thursday, Bardin said she stays on the job because she loves her customers.

"Waterbury is my community, as corny as it sounds," she told Judge William Sessions III. Other reasons would also keep her in Waterbury, Bardin said. She doesn't have a car, and vision problems prevent her from driving at night, which she'd be required to do if she's reassigned to Essex. Postal officials paint a completely different picture of the situation. Because of business changes brought on by e-mail and a decline in the volume of letters, many post offices, including the one in Waterbury, were subject to an employee audit, said Todd Skulnik, a public affairs officer for the Postal Service's New Hampshire and Vermont district.

The audit was designed to determine how best to staff the post office. Waterbury has two full-time clerks, including Bardin, and two part timers. The study concluded the Waterbury post office would be more efficient and iiihihi turn fT TIN $51,675 For Route IrTlaccifioricA I So many items just in this one style, from chair to sofa to large sectional, slipcovered or not, that we can help you choose from over 10,000 possible designs for your home) States On Sale Now I Sales Ends Oct. 31 Open 7 Days 985-8776 3910 Shelburne Rd. Shelburne IN SAYINGS Geoffrey Inc.

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