TA group takes shape
Published on March 17th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - Last Wednesday, the town's Board of Selectmen appointed five citizens to head a screening committee that will review incoming applications for soon to be vacant Town Administrator David Berry's position.
According to the Selectmen, interested candidates will have until May 7 to submit their applications for the position, which will be advertised in The Boston Globe, local newspapers, and The Beacon, a government newsmagazine.
At that time, the new committee will review all the applications within the next two weeks and choose five persons they feel are most qualified to become Stoneham's new Town Administrator.
"Just for the record, this screening committee will only recommend individuals," explained Selectman Cosmo Ciccarello. "They won't be doing the interviews; we'll be doing that."
According to Ciccarello, who appointed Town Accountant Ron Florino, it took nearly six months for the last citizen committee to interview applicants for the town administrator position, which was ultimately filled by Berry. But with Berry scheduled to leave his post at the end of this fiscal year, Ciccarello believes the town can't wait that long for the committee to perform the interviewing duty a second time.
"I figured we'd want to get the process moving. Last time it took six months for this because they did the interviews," the seven-term Selectman said. "We'd like to make the appointment as soon as possible because according to the act, that position can't be left vacant for more than seven days," he added.
Despite the slight adaptation of the screening committee's duties, Stoneham resident John DeGeorge, a regular voice of dissent at Selectman meetings, disagrees with the notion of creating a citizen board.
"It's not fair to the applicant and it's not fair to the townspeople. You don't have to have any credentials to be on this committee," complained DeGeorge.
"How would you feel if you sent in an application and joe-smoe the storekeeper says, 'I don't like what this application says'...The only people who are competent enough to do this task are the people we elected who we can hold accountable," the Franklin Street resident added.
Although Selectman Tony Kennedy, who appointed Kevin Crowley to the committee, wanted to advertise the job at $80,000-$100,000, board members argued that the starting salary should be adjusted to $90,000-$110,000 given the fact that three years have passed since last being updated. While Kennedy would eventually agree to that starting pay increase in what would become a unanimous vote, the Selectman Vice-Chair adamantly opposed allowing candidates with no government experience to apply for the position.
"I initially questioned that because I thought someone working in government should have some government experience. And I don't agree that someone who has no knowledge of municipal government whatsoever should hold a position like this," Kennedy asserted.
"Just because you don't have any government service doesn't mean you shouldn't work in this job. This town should be run like a business," answered back Selectman Charlie Smith, who appointed Shelly McNeil. While Town Counsel Bill Solomon advised the Selectmen that business experience could substitute for a Master's degree, an explanation that satisfied the board, Kennedy remained skeptical of hiring a town administrator without experience in the public sector.
"I think we should cast a wide net, and then if that doesn't meet your criteria Mr. Kennedy, that's your prerogative and you can vote against the resume," remarked Selectman Chairwoman Mary Pecoraro, who appointed Linda Peterson to the screening group. Selectman Bob Sweeney appointed Chuck Decoste.
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