by Frank Schroth
The Town Administrator search process is moving forward. An email communication with Mary McNamara, chair of the search committee provided an update. The committee received ~40 resumes in response to its ads. The committee is interviewing ~7 individuals. The interviews commenced last night and will continue with the goal of providing the Board of Selectmen with 3-5 candidates for them to consider. Their goal is to have those recommendations to the selectmen by the end of January. The other members of the committee are Leroy Walker, Bill White, Kevin Keating, and John Carroll.
The process to select a new town administrator has taken so many months to move forward that it would be advisable to wait until after the upcoming spring election for a new selectman to complete the process.
A new incoming selectman should have the opportunity to participate in the selection of that person if a change of selectman occurs.
Perhaps, it was a frivolous complaint by one of the three current selectman that he could not work with or communicate with the former town administrator who was appointed prior to his election. He implied that since he did not participate in that selection he could not work with him.
Anticipating that there may be a change in selectman after the spring election, that newly elected or reelected selectman should have the opportunity to vote on the person with whom she or he will have day to day communications.
This should eliminate the specious argument that since he or she didn’t vote for the new town administrator so they could not work with that person.
Better we take the time to get it right than incur avoidable problems in the months to come.
I would like to thank the search committee for doing this volunteer job of selecting three finalist for the town administrator position.
The previous writer above, Mr Yovino, fails to see that having volunteer citizens assist in this process is a great bonus to Milton. They will help the selectmen make a good choice for our town.
Instead of being critical of this committee and the process, let’s watch and wait for these volunteers to do their job.
Thank you volunteers!
Ms. White is misguided in her response to my comments.
My comments were in no way critical of the volunteers who have stepped forward to assist in the selection of a new town administrator. Rather, they were a comment on Mr. Sweeney’s comments that he could not communicate with the previous town administrator who was appointed four or five years prior to Mr. Sweeney’s election.
Mr. Sweeney term expires this spring. I do not know if he will seek reelection or not. If he does I believe several other citizens are planning to contest that seat. If Mr. Sweeney runs and is reelected the point is moot. However, if Mr. Sweeney chooses not to run or is not reelected to the selectman’s position in the spring election and a new person is elected that person should have some say and input in the selection of a new town administrator.
Continuing the process will not be a detriment to the town since the town administrator’s functions are in the very capable hands of Annemarie Fagan, the acting town administrator, who may well have placed her name into consideration for the position.
Again, if all three selectmen have an input in this new selection process which can only be affirmed post election it will lessen the potential for a contentious arrangement between the selectmen and the new town administrator. The citizens of Milton deserve no less Miss White.
I thank the volunteers for their effort but their job should not be completed until the election for a new or reelected selectmen is held this spring.