The Board of Selectmen have been faced with a few decisions recently regarding the recruitment and retention of town department heads. Here are the highlights.
Southborough selectmen extend DPW chief’s contract through 2016 – from The Metrowest Daily News:
Selectmen have agreed to a three-year contract extension with DPW Superintendent Karen Galligan.
The contract, which runs from July 1 of this year until June 30, 2016, pays Galligan $96,772 in year one. That represents an increase of between 2 and 3 percent from her salary before July 1, Town Administrator Mark Purple said.
“She manages a very difficult department (and) she’s been doing a great job,” said Purple, calling the decision a “no-brainer.”(read more)
Police Chief search beginning
At the September 3rd BOS Meeting, Selectmen appointed a five person committee for the Police Chief search.
The role of the committee will be to work with the consultant (BadgeQuest) to screen candidates. They will determine the finalists to go through the assessment process.
Town Administrator, Mark Purple, proposed the committee members to the board. He characterized the group as “well rounded” with local, administrative and technical perspectives. Selectmen agreed and voted to appoint:
- Mark Purple (Town Administrator)
- Russ Millholland (Personnel Board representative)
- Steve Trask (Framingham’s Deputy Police Chief)
- David Flynn (former Marlborough Superintendent, longtime resident and active member of community)
- Claire Reynolds (former Advisory Committee member)
Selectmen also opted to require a residency requirement for the position: the new chief must live in a city/town that has a border within a 15 mile radius. This was described as consistent with the Fire Chief job requirement.
The position has been publicly posted on the town website. (Note: the posted description lists the residency requirement as 15 miles. I am seeking clarification.)
Building Inspector and Facilities Manager Search
At the September 3rd BOS meeting, Assistant Town Administrator, Vanessa Hale, updated Selectmen on the status of the Building Inspector search. The intent was to allow Selectmen to weigh in if they had any concerns. (None were voiced.)
Hale informed Selectmen that the town has already posted the Building Inspector position. They are also in process of looking for an interim Building Inspector.
Hale hopes to put together a “standing search committee” comprised of herself or Mark Purple, a personnel board representative, a department head, and non-voting expert to advise the committee (like a retired Building Inspector from another town).
Since the Town’s Facilities Manager, Phil Rinehart, will be retiring in December, the committee would screen candidates for both positions.
Once she has appropriate candidates for the committee, the item will be put on an agenda for approval at a public meeting.
Note: This doesn’t mean that inspections are on hold. Hale explained to me that Southborough does have people performing inspections in the meantime. There are inspectors from other towns who fill in during the absence of a Building Inspector.
