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Date of Meeting: Monday, May 21, 2012
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:25 PM
Present: Chairman Kenneth Sydow, Members James Wood and Matthew Mecum; Stephen Madaus, Town Counsel; Martin McNamara, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant; Others as listed on the attached sheet.
Highway Superintendent Replacement:
Mr. McNamara proposed three options:
(1) (Recommended) Appoint an Interim Superintendent/Working Foreman from within the department for a three to six month period. This will allow the Board more time to review the needs of the Department and give time to evaluate the Interim Superintendent for possible permanent appointment. During this period, Fire Chief, Joe Flanagan, and Mr. McNamara can review the operation of the Highway Department and make recommendations to the Board. Don Parker has offered to help in any way.
(2) Consider appointing a Superintendant and a Working Foreman. The administrative aspects of the position have increased over the years and there is a critical need for experience in grant writing, budgeting and administration.
(3) Appoint an Interim Superintendant to enable time to get a permanent Superintendant on board.
- Ken Sydow asked if it would make more sense if Marty was appointed Interim Superintendent to oversee administrative duties.
- Jim Wood recommended appointing Steve Mero as Interim Superintendent until December 31, 2012. He feels three months is insufficient time to learn the job; he would like to have some winter months in the program to see Steve shine.
- Matt Mecum said the six months to December 31 is very close in time, so that doesn’t bother him. He feels it is important to have someone from Town in the position; it’s what people want. He would defer to Marty’s expertise in Human Resources and take his recommendation. There is a lot to learn; Steve will pick up a lot as he goes.
- Jim said Steve is also on the Fire Department and the Light Board. There’s more to him than just working in the Highway Department. And he’s a Town resident; all of which carries weight with him.
- Ken said we owe it to the taxpayers to review all alternatives. He agrees with Option No. 1; six months could be okay, but he feels that during that time Marty would mostly be the Superintendent while getting things to function as they should. Whoever takes the position, we want them to be successful. We will also want to look further and possibly see what can be done to improve some things. Ken is fine with it, but feels Marty would be Superintendent, while Steve would be the Working Foreman. Marty’s signature would be on everything. We also need to take another look at the job description.
- Matt said if Steve is appointed Working Foreman, he would advise a three-month period to have a quicker resolution. We should be able to answer any questions we have within that time. If he is appointed Interim Superintendent, then it requires a longer time of six months to allow him time to dig in and learn.
- Jim said he would like to go with the Superintendent position and let Steve make it his own. We will all be there to help him. Joe Flanagan can help with grants, etc.
- Ken asked Marty if the job should remain as an annual appointment, or be a contracted position. Going into this, we need to look at advantages/disadvantages for the Town and the employee. Marty said contract or yearly appointment can vary with the Board that is in place. A Superintendent should have a period of time to be able to depend on a job; recommends contract.
- Don Parker said he wouldn’t have a problem with a contract but he does have an issue with the position not being appointed as Superintendent, which would have more “clout” than Foreman. Six months would allow an evaluation while the contract is agreed to.
- Ken feels that Marty, as Superintendent, would deflect some of the calls and administrative work while Steve learns the job. If it is understood as an interim thing, that’s fine with him. If, at the end, the Interim is something other than Superintendent, how does that look? It wouldn’t be fair to that person. Marty doesn’t feel Superintendent versus Foreman title is a big deal. He is fine with it either way. He agrees that, if the interim person is not the Superintendent in six months, it wouldn’t be fair to demote him. Whereas with the Working Foreman title, he could remain as such if a new Superintendent came in.
- Ken said we can give him an increase as Working Foreman and then, if appointed as Superintendent, we can give another increase. If Marty is Interim Superintendent, he can take the heat in the meantime.
- Matt said he is not a big “title” guy. However, for purposes of marketing the Town, if we don’t have a Superintendent in place, it might be a big deal if we are dealing with incoming businesses that want to deal with a “Superintendent” versus “Foreman”.
- Ken said he has spent some time in HR; if a person is not the final Superintendent it gives the appearance of a demotion. If increased as a step, it will be two promotions. Marty said whoever accepts the interim position will need to understand that it is interim and anything can happen at the end of six months.
- The most important thing is that the Board and the Town Administrator are 100% behind this position.
- Marty recommended the Board appoint him Interim Superintendent for a period of three to six months.
- Regarding salary, Ken asked Marty to come up with a stipend, possibly in addition to a Working Foreman grade, so that if the person winds up being a Working Foreman, there is still room for financial growth. Also, be sure it is in writing and understood that the position is Interim.
Jim Wood made a motion to appoint Steve Mero Interim Superintendent until end-November 2012.
Ken recommended a period of three to six months so that, if we make an evaluation/decision before that time,
we are done.
Jim restated his motion for an appointment up to six months.
Ken restated that it be backed up by Marty McNamara and Joe Flanagan. We need to authorize the TA to
make an offer.
Jim Wood made a motion that the Board of Selectmen authorize the Town Administrator to negotiate with the
existing Highway Department employee to be appointed as Interim Superintendent/Working Foreman for a
period of three to six months. Matt Mecum seconded the motion; voted all in favor.
At 7:25 PM Jim Wood made a motion, seconded by Matt Mecum and voted all in favor, to adjourn.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Esposito,
Administrative Assistant
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