Arena manager search underway
Published on January 7th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - Questions still abound concerning the choice for a Stoneham Arena manager, as town officials are in the midst of putting together a job description and collecting job applications from site manager candidates.
Arena Oversight Committee Chairman Eric Rubin, after meeting with Selectmen Charlie Smith and Bob Sweeney, crafted a job description this past week for the position.
Many of the players involved with the decision agree that there isn't a rush on a decision.
"We're already in the water, this isn't the time to see if we can swim," said Rubin of the current management team that is in place for this fiscal year. "There's isn't any urgency to this."
Both Rubin and Town Administrator Dave Berry felt that a manager could be in place for the new Fiscal Year in July.
"Since I was the Chairman of the Oversight Committee, Dave (Berry) asked me to write up a description for the position," said Rubin. "I'm not sure about the status, and whether we will be a part of the selection process or not."
A later discussion with Berry indicated that the Arena Oversight Committee is in "abeyance" and that a new group -- presumed to include Rubin, Selectman Charlie Smith, Selectman Bob Sweeney, and Unicorn Oversight Committee member Chris Abreu -- will act as a task force in concert with Town Administrator Dave Berry.
The task force, possibly along with some members of the advisory committee, will form a joint search group.
"I wouldn't say it doesn't exist per se, but as a group doing analysis and job description -- that's not the job of the Arena Oversight Committee," said Berry. "We have a task force forming the job description, and we would like to have a group that works with the Arena manager on a long term basis."
"We would like to maybe keep that group, or expand it, to help work with the arena employees to bring it up to snuff," added Berry.
According to Berry, the task force will consist of between 3-6 residents and will aid Berry in sifting through the applications and applicants. The job description and request for applicants will be posted at the Town Hall and the local newspapers.
"They will act in an advisory capacity, but ultimately the decision lies with me, as they will be working under me; hire, fire, whatever, it's up to me," said Berry.
"I'll have someone do it; I'm not sure if it will be members of the task force or members of the advisory committee. I think it will be some combination of those people," added Berry about the selection process.
In fact, the search for a manager sounds similar to the months of work completed by the Arena Oversight Committee in their search for a management firm that went up in smoke when FMC was tapped as the choice.
"That's how I would see it, too," said Rubin of the similarity between the two searches. "Dave is the ultimate authority on the decision."
"But I can't see this happening without a screening process," added Rubin. "I don't think this should be a political appointment; I think this should be the best qualified candidate for the job."
Rubin opined that his ideal candidate would be someone with a "history of success in business."
"We want someone that can come in and keep the arena from losing money every year," said Rubin. "Ultimately we'd like someone that can combine business sense with a knowledge of an ice rink, but we feel like someone can learn the ice maintenance portion of the job."
Rubin envisioned a scenario where the selected manager would come on-board, and learn the nuances of the Stoneham Arena from the current staff.
According to Berry, the job would be wide open and current manager June Scarpa -- months away from retirement -- would be welcome to apply for the position.
"We plan on completely putting the job up for grabs, and try to attract a good group of candidates," said Berry.
Selectman Charlie Smith did not return several phone calls for his opinion on the Arena manager search, but also bristled at politics creeping into the choice after a recent Selectmen meeting.
"This isn't going to be about getting this buddy or that buddy in there as manager; I won't let it happen," said Smith. "This is about finding the best candidate for the arena and the town. I think FMC was the best choice, but we blew that one."
Berry, for one, is hoping that all parties involved can come to some sort of harmonious convergence about an ultimate choice for arena manager.
"Hopefully we can come to come concurrence as a group about who to hire," said Berry. "Technically they'll recommend to me, but we'd all to agree to the person I'd like to hire...I hope."
"I've already heard all kinds of rumors," added Berry. "You hear about this person wanting that person for the job."
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