Four years after his firing sparked staff resignations and yard signs across town, former Andover Youth Services Director William Fahey will finally get his day in court. A jury trial begins July 27 in Essex County Superior Court, with Fahey seeking up to $10 million in his wrongful termination lawsuit against Town Manager Andrew Flanagan.

Fahey had run Andover Youth Services since founding the program in 1994. Flanagan fired him in May 2021 after an outside investigator, hired at a cost of $13,425 to taxpayers, found he had overstepped professional boundaries. Fahey sued months later, alleging wrongful termination and defamation, with his attorney claiming Flanagan held a personal vendetta against him. Separately, the Essex County District Attorney's office investigated the underlying allegations and found no criminal conduct.

The firing didn't go quietly: the entire AYS staff resigned in protest, and residents planted yard signs supporting Fahey around town.

In August 2025, a judge denied the town's motion for summary judgment — which had included more than 200 pages of exhibits, including Facebook posts and texts Fahey exchanged with a former AYS client — ruling that key facts remained in dispute between the two sides. That kept the case alive and heading toward this month's trial.

The Select Board held executive sessions the week of July 7 to discuss litigation strategy, though details remain confidential until the case wraps up.

The Select Board renewed Flanagan's contract in 2025 with a five-year deal at $262,000 a year, up from $235,000. Board member Kevin Coffey cast the only dissenting vote, saying it "went a bit further than necessary."

The trial starts Monday, July 27. The Select Board's next public meeting is Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m. at 36 Bartlet Street.