Finalists named for town manager
By John Fenuccio/STAFF WRITER
Wed Feb 25, 2009, 02:36 PM EST
WESTBOROUGH - A search committee tasked with finding candidates for Westborough’s soon-to-be vacant town manager position announced its finalists to the Board of Selectmen last night.
The finalists are Medway Town Administrator Suzanne K. Kennedy, Sturbridge Town Administrator James J. Malloy and former Uxbridge Town Manager Jill R. Myers.
Selectmen plan to conduct initial 45-minute interviews with each candidate next Thursday starting at 6 p.m., with a 15-minute break in between each.
After the first set of interviews, individual selectmen and members of the Finance Committee, Department of Public Works, police and fire departments will visit with each finalist. They will report their findings to the selectmen, who will conduct final interviews and open public sessions, one each night, on March 31, April 1 and April 2.
The Town Manager Search Committee was created in September and charged by selectmen with finding three qualified candidates. Former Town Coordinator Henry Danis is serving as interim town manager.
The committee received 31 applications, 25 of them from New England. It interviewed five from that field, invited four back for second interviews, and then narrowed the field to three.
“I want to assure the board tonight on behalf of the search committee that if we didn’t feel comfortable bringing three quality candidates forward, we would not have brought these three individuals forward,” said Search Committee member and Selectman Lydia Goldblatt.
Myers, the former Uxbridge town administrator, is also up for job of Hopkinton town manager. Her contract in Uxbridge expired last Friday.
Hopkinton named four finalists in its own town manager search on Monday.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
PROPOSED GOALS OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Proposed in October, 2007
#1 GOAL:
To improve communication…..
Between the BOS and the community by…
Encouraging residents to share their concerns, questions, and comments during Open Forum at Selectmen’s meetings.
Creating a pie chart of town expenses to be sent with annual tax bills to show residents how their tax dollars are being spent.
Through specialized meetings, seminars, and workshops, communicate specific information to specific groups (I.e. information on tax abatements at the Senior Center.)
Creating a feedback/general comment form on the Selectman’s website for residents to share their concerns.
Regularly update information on the Town’s website by working towards hiring a full-time IT person
Continue to advertise all available positions, both paid and volunteer, including developing a volunteer resource form.
Making as many town documents as possible available on the Town’s website.
Between the BOS and the rest of the town government by….
Discuss the possibility of having goal-planning meetings among different boards and departments.
Creating regular department check-ins for department heads to give overviews of the needs of their individual departments.
Fostering relationships with other boards, commissions, and committees through regular contact and by helping committees establish mission statements and goals.
#1 GOAL:
To improve communication…..
Between the BOS and the community by…
Encouraging residents to share their concerns, questions, and comments during Open Forum at Selectmen’s meetings.
Creating a pie chart of town expenses to be sent with annual tax bills to show residents how their tax dollars are being spent.
Through specialized meetings, seminars, and workshops, communicate specific information to specific groups (I.e. information on tax abatements at the Senior Center.)
Creating a feedback/general comment form on the Selectman’s website for residents to share their concerns.
Regularly update information on the Town’s website by working towards hiring a full-time IT person
Continue to advertise all available positions, both paid and volunteer, including developing a volunteer resource form.
Making as many town documents as possible available on the Town’s website.
Between the BOS and the rest of the town government by….
Discuss the possibility of having goal-planning meetings among different boards and departments.
Creating regular department check-ins for department heads to give overviews of the needs of their individual departments.
Fostering relationships with other boards, commissions, and committees through regular contact and by helping committees establish mission statements and goals.
TIM'S COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET
First of all, I would like to thank the Town Coordinator for his prompt completion of the budget, and for providing it to us last week, well ahead of tonight’s meeting. I also appreciate that, although there are some difficult cuts proposed, we still will be able to avoid an override, otherwise known as a tax increase. I look forward to the coming months, when the Finance Committee, and the community at large, will get a chance to review the proposed budget and the impacts of the proposed cuts. While I appreciate that all proposed personnel cuts will be handled through attrition and through elimination of part time positions, I feel it is still important that we discuss these positions thoroughly.
I would also ask that the budget overview sheet be made available on the town’s website, and that, if possible, full binder copies of the proposed budget be made available to the public, through the Town Manager’s office, and potentially at the library as well.
I do have two specific questions of budget consideriations that I was wondering if they were considered:
Purchasing: Many departments have listed budgets for “office supplies” under their “expenses” line item. I was wondering if any effort had been made to push for elimination of these requests, and to handle all office supplies requests, including paper and printer cartridges, through the central purchasing account?
Recently, the school committee has made a push to make the schools more energy efficient. We have also discussed how to make town buildings more energy efficient, and I appreciate the time that it will take to institute some of these program.s However, I was wondering if you, as per charter the custodian of all town property, has instiuded any energy saving measures, such as limiting the number of lights on at a certain time. I have seen this type of program save money in municipal budgets in other communities, and while it may sound trivial, I believe that we would be able to save some money by looking into this.
I would also ask that the budget overview sheet be made available on the town’s website, and that, if possible, full binder copies of the proposed budget be made available to the public, through the Town Manager’s office, and potentially at the library as well.
I do have two specific questions of budget consideriations that I was wondering if they were considered:
Purchasing: Many departments have listed budgets for “office supplies” under their “expenses” line item. I was wondering if any effort had been made to push for elimination of these requests, and to handle all office supplies requests, including paper and printer cartridges, through the central purchasing account?
Recently, the school committee has made a push to make the schools more energy efficient. We have also discussed how to make town buildings more energy efficient, and I appreciate the time that it will take to institute some of these program.s However, I was wondering if you, as per charter the custodian of all town property, has instiuded any energy saving measures, such as limiting the number of lights on at a certain time. I have seen this type of program save money in municipal budgets in other communities, and while it may sound trivial, I believe that we would be able to save some money by looking into this.
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