Stoneham Arena finds new manager
Published on August 31st, 2005
Where a former Finance Board member found a "financial sucking chest wound", Winthrop native Louis Chiulli sees the North Shore’s crown jewel of ice-rink facilities.
Recently appointed the manager of the Stoneham Arena, Chiulli sees much promise in the ailing facility, which has been a consistent money-loser over the past few fiscal years.
"I’m very excited. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity to open up for a couple of years now. I believe this facility could be one of the best arenas on the North Shore," the new municipal employee said.
According to Town Administrator Ron Florino, who named the 20-year skating facility veteran to the position, Chiulli has already started proving his worth. Since his appointment as Town Administrator a little over a year ago, Florino has continually insisted that the aging rink needed a "hands on" manager to reign in not only the facility’s employees, but also to assist in maintaining the Arena’s capital assets.
And in Chiulli, the Town Administrator has found that manager.
"I’m very pleased with how he’s been performing on the job so far. He already has a good portion of this year’s ice sold. From what he’s told me, he has already sold more ice-time than last year," the Town Administrator said.
"He’s taking a different approach than previous managers in that he wants to be more involved in the busy hours. So he’ll be working on a scattered schedule," Florino added.
According to Human Resources Director Betty Luciano, she sat on a five-person screening committee chosen to interview and recommend a candidate for the Arena manager position.
Also including Selectman George Seibold, Open-Space and Recreation Committee member Chris Abreu, and citizens Dana Marek and Kevin Dolan, the screening committee chose from a pool of about 15 applicants.
Ultimately choosing 10 of those 15 original candidates to interview, that committee was able to offer the finalists an annual salary between $47,918 and $56,960. Ultimately considered the third choice for the job, as two other candidates had more job-related experience, Chiulli was given an approximate $55,000 starting salary after the other top picks turned down the job offer.
"We also chose two other people, but they declined the offer," said Luciano, explaining that the pair turned down the position for salary and benefit reasons. "But we were very happy with Mr. Chiulli. In the opinion of the panel, he was the most qualified."
According to the rink manager, who started working at Winthrop’s arena when he was 14-years-old, he heard many horror stories about the Stoneham Arena’s condition. But when he walked into the facility on his first official day, the former assistant manager at Saugus’ Kasabuski ice-rink was pleasantly surprised.
"As far as the condition of the Arena, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be when I got there," said Chiulli. "I’ve had people say to me, ‘this is the first time in years that I’ve been able to use the bathroom’".
Fixating his major concentration on the upkeep of the facilities major capital assets, such as the rink’s chillers and zamboni, Chiulli will also put controls in place to ensure that workers are at their scheduled shifts at all times.
Specifically, the Winthrop native plans to keep his scattered shifts in place so he can conduct "surprise visits" to check-up on his staff.
"I’m not afraid to get out there to edge and chop or even to mop the floors. I won’t ask my staff to do anything that I wouldn’t do. And hopefully within the next couple of years I’ll have all these cleaning projects done and all the maintenance up to date," Chiulli remarked.
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