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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-07-11 Board of Selectmen Minutes BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES July 11, 2011 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Daniel Lanen called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM at Town Hall Meeting Room. ATTENDANCE: The following were present: Daniel Lanen, Chairman; William F. Gordon, Clerk; Tracy Watson, Licensing Chairman; Rosemary Connelly Smedile, and Donald Stewart. Also in attendance was the Town Manager search committee Carrie Crouch, Peter Kooken, Linda Routhier McHugh, Ted Tripp and James Xenakis. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OLD BUSINESS: Town Manager Search Consultant and vote on contract The Board asked Consultant Thomas J. Groux multiple questions about how to handle the Town Manager search regarding recruiting, advertisement, timeline, salary suggestions, confidentiality, residency requirement, education, and collection of resumes. Mr. Groux said he would handle initial screening of resumes and determine which ones meet the Town's criteria and would send his recommended candidates to the Search Committee. He would then work closely with the Search Committee and would give strong recommendations about candidates. He would work with the Search Committee to recommend a pool of approximately 8 candidates that would be considered as semi-finalists but their identity must be treated as confidential. Selectmen would only interview the top 4 candidates. Groux also said he would send all resumes to the Board's designated person to hold on file in complete confidentiality. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to authorize Human Resources Director Cathy Darby as the designated keeper of the resumes for confidentiality. Vote approved 5-0. Mr. Groux encouraged the Board to advertise online national publications as well as the local MMA online website. Groux estimated that most searches take 18 weeks, but he believes he can do the North Andover search in 14 weeks. Groux suggested a salary scale of$130,000 - $160,000 to be competitive with other communities, but salary should not be included in the advertisements. Mr. Groux said that if an out-of-town candidate was selected for an interview, the candidate should pay for their own travel, but if asked to a second interview the cost of travel and hotel would be on the Town. Chairman Daniel Lanen said he would prefer a candidate familiar with working in the Bay State, but Selectmen would not rule out an excellent qualified out-of-state candidate if recommended by Mr. Groux and the Search Committee. All finalists would be subject to financial background check as well as Cori check done by the Police Chief and kept confidential. Groux and Associates contract proposal for full service recruitment is a fixed fee of$8,000; additional expenses for round trip travel invoiced at $75.00 per trip and advertising cost estimated at$750.00; and an assurance guarantee that if a recommended candidate and appointed by the Board of Selectmen did not remain on the job for whatever reason for one year, Groux&Associates would repeat the recruitment process without charge of fees charging (only expenses). Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile, to approve the Groux&Associates contract proposal including fees and additional expenses. Vote approved 5-0. Board of Selectmen Minutes July 11, 2011 2 NEW BUSINESS: Town Manager Search Committee Meeting with Consultant and Selectmen Mr. Groux drafted a Charge and the Clerk William Gordon read the Charge to the Town Manager Search Committee. Overall Charge To assist the Board of Selectmen and consultant in reviewing applications for the Town Manager position and make recommendations of finalist candidates to the Board of Selectmen. Specific Charge 1. Become familiar with the role, responsibility and authority of the position of Town Manager as described in the North Andover Home Rule Charter. 2. With the assistance of the consultant consider, in confidence, applications and resumes submitted for the position; compare the experience and qualifications of candidates against the qualifications listed in the Charter and a further established by the Board of Selectmen. 3. Recommend, without ranking, finalist candidates to the Board of Selectmen that the Committee deems most qualified and suitable for the Town Manager position. 4. Treat all applications in complete confidence and not divulge the identity or resume information on any applicants during and following the screening and selection process. Committee is not authorized to conduct reference or background checks on candidates. 5. Respect that the Board of Selectmen is ultimately responsible for selecting and appointing a Town Manager. 6. Recognize that the consultant has been engaged by the Board of Selectmen and is expected to make direct recommendations to the Board regarding candidates that may, if necessary, differ from the recommendations of the Committee. Mr. Groux drafted an advertisement and asked the Board to review it and make edits as needed so this could be sent out next week. Mr. Groux said that the Search Committee should expect to meet in about 8-10 weeks to start the process of narrowing down the resumes. Mr. Groux and the Search Committee left the open session meeting to discuss the process over the next few weeks and to determine a future meeting date. Note: Daniel Lanen and Rosemary Smedile recused OLD BUSINESS: Police Chief Search Update William Gordon said that the consultant Mark Morse of MMA Consulting Group would be administering an assessment center process this week to the eight applicants for the position of Police Chief. Individual scores would be accompanied by a narrative of each candidate's strengths and weaknesses and a rank each candidate for a finalist interview by the Board of Selectmen. The results would be available by July 19, 2011. Selectmen requested Human Resources Director Cathy Darby contact the consultant Mark Morse to give them finalist candidates in alphabetical order and unranked so they would not be influenced or persuaded to a certain candidate. Because the results of the Assessment Center would not be available before the Board's next meeting Selectmen decided to cancel their scheduled meeting for next Monday, July 18, 2011 and reschedule that meeting to Monday, July 25, 2011. Selectmen also decided to schedule a special meeting on Tuesday, July 26, 2011, to interview the finalist and a possible announcement of the new Police Chief. Note: Daniel Lanen and Rosemary Smedile returned. Board of Selectmen Minutes July 11, 2011 3 LICENSING COMMISSIONERS: Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile, to move into Licensing. Vote approved 5-0. The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission Advisory passed a new law effective on July 1, 2010, authorizing local liquor licensing authorities to allow M.G.L. c.138§12 licenses to sell alcoholic beverages at 10 a.m. on Sundays. The Local Licensing Commission would have to accept the new law. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, that the North Andover Licensing Commission vote to accept General Laws Chapter 138, Section 33B to authorize licensees under Chapter 138, Section 12 to sell alcoholic beverages between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on Sunday and to amend the last line of Section BA of the Licensing Commission's Alcoholic Beverages Regulations by changing 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. Vote approved 5-0. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to move out of Licensing. Vote approved 5-0. ADJOURNMENT: Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 p.m. Vote approved 5-0. Adele J. Johnson Administrative Secretary William Gordon, Clerk of the Board