New TA appointed, David Berry will take reins in August as Town
Published on July 25th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - The decision
Selectmen voted four to one to appoint David Berry of Maynard as the new Town Administrator of Stoneham.
Selectman Mary Pecoraro voted for David Owen of Bedford, but she subsequently supported a motion made by Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello to “vote unanimous support of Berry.” These votes were taken at the July 24 Selectmen’s meeting.
Before voting the Selectmen thanked the TA Screening Committee and then called for and got a round of applause for the Herculean effort turned in by Ron Florino as Acting Town Administrator. It was a tough job, and Ron had to do it. The Board thanked him for doing it well.
Berry will start in late August after the details of his contract are negotiated, assuming he takes the job. Selectmen Chairman Tony Kennedy placed calls to Berry’s home and office after the vote, but Berry didn’t answer.
The interviews
Before the final interviews, Robert Markel took a job in Norfolk, and Joseph Gregory withdrew his name for unconfirmed reasons.
In the end, it came down to two. Two lone men found themselves comprising their own elite group, as the number of applicants being considered for the position of Stoneham's next Town Administrator, at one time numbering around 35, had ultimately dwindled to a pair.
David Berry of Maynard, currently the Town Coordinator in the town of Bolton, and David Owen of Bedford, who is finishing up his post as Interim Administrator for the town of Douglas, each fielded questions last week and did his best to convince the Board of Selectmen that he was the right person to help move Stoneham forward in filling the position vacated by Jeffrey Nutting in March.
Both candidates were abreast of the town's hot topics, including the development of the former Boston Regional Medical Center property and the ensuing problems with neighboring towns regarding those plans.
While both agreed that communication among the parties involved in the controversy is critical, Berry stated that sitting down with all parties, including legislators, to discuss the issues is essential since common ground can often be found in cases such as this. Building on that common ground, he added, is likely the key to resolving the issues on both sides.
He credited his experience with site plans, negotiation, and mediation, along with his technical skills used in planning, as assets the town would benefit from as it works toward its goal of seeing that development come to fruition.
Drawing on his development experience in the town of Burlington, particularly with the massive Sun Microsystems project, Owen stated while negotiations might not totally satisfy the opposition, offering concessions as a way of addressing residents' and neighboring cities' concerns might be enough to settle the issue amicably.
Filling two key positions in Stoneham is an immediate challenge for the new Town Administrator, as Police Chief Eugene Passaro is scheduled to retire in October, and the town's first Planner, Steve Sadwick, has left.
With regard to replacing Sadwick, the Board first queried each candidate on whether or not Stoneham needs to fill the position. Both answered with a resounding "yes."
Berry said that such a position would pay for itself in grant money.
In addition, he called the town's Community Visioning Project excellent and stressed that it should be taken to the next level with implementation of some of the document's recommendations.
Owen called it "absolutely essential for a community of this size and complexity" to have a full time planner.
Both men have extensive planning backgrounds.
Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello queried both candidates as to their position on hiring from within versus hiring an outsider to a town position.
Berry said the first requirement is to follow the hiring procedures, bylaws and union contracts regarding the position.
Both agreed that when possible, when all qualifications are relatively equal, hiring from within is the best policy.
"However, there are times when an organization needs someone from the outside," Owen conceded.
Owen has some experience with drainage problems, an issue that arises in Stoneham with each heavy rainfall. In Burlington, he instituted an annual stream cleaning weekend, an event which originally received approval from Burlington's Town Meeting and has since been funded yearly as a budget line item.
Each year, according to Owen, a large section of stream, designated by Burlington's Conservation Commission, is cleaned. After each cleaning, residents living in the area of the stream are put on notice that they are to maintain the condition of their section of stream.
"Streams are nature's own drainage system," he stated, adding that when they are plugged up, problems arise. The program has been very successful.
Bolton also has had drainage problems. Berry has just recently set in motion an application for securing grant money to alleviate the burden that the problems have caused.
Selectman Mary Pecoraro asked each candidate how he would balance the budget if faced with a $1 million budget deficit on first pass.
Owen stated that making unilateral decisions would be a mistake. He would involve all necessary parties. Talking early on in the budget process is key, he said, and when necessary, he would draw on his "cutback management" skills.
Some strategies Berry would use to offset such a deficit would be to find alternative sources of revenues, such as grants; increase existing revenues by investigating whether fees are being used effectively; strengthen tax base through redevelopment; and to be conservative in forecasting, while drawing on the expertise of Stoneham's Town Accountant, Summit Committee, and department heads. He also stated that fair, honest and equitable contract negotiation is necessary.
Owen surmised that among the town's immediate goals are securing Chapter 70 money for education, redevelopment of the BRMC property, and town planning in general.
"I feel totally in sync with those goals. They are all things that I embrace. I feel capable ... in moving the town's agenda forward."
Berry called Stoneham a "dynamic" town and stated that, as he sees it, Stoneham has a momentum going that is keeping it vibrant and once on board, he would work to keep that up.
"It is really an exciting town."
— Al Turco reported on the decision.
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