The Select Board will meet today at 5PM to hear from the Department of Public Works (DPW) director, David Hickox, about the effects of a 15% reduction in the DPW functions. I feel that the DPW is a core function of the town and some of the cuts to that department should be restored. That said, increasing DPW funding means cutting from somewhere else. Mr. Hickox will report on some cost saving measures that they have implemented and we will discuss what to do about the funding.
Despite news reports and my blog post, the Select Board has not voted ...
...to appoint Mr Iacaponi as interim Executive Administrator. The board will discuss and vote on that tonight, I assume.
Mr. Gagne has responded to the town's suit seeking a judgment on the legality of his contract. I will post the filing when I get a chance later today.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Select Board meets today at 5PM
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14 comments:
Thoughts on this meeting---I feel that the whole key to avoiding privatization is pension reform. If we could build a concensus with officials, managers and unions to pressure state lawmakers to allow us to offer defined benefit contribution retirement plans to new employees, we would all benefit by keeping the work in-house.
I agree with Nat that we should not be giving away the blue bins for free. People use them for things other than recycling. $2.50 for a bin is reasonable and we need the revenue.
I disagree with her when she says that Neighborhood and Fallon health care are not available here. We have been researching health care plans with the new requirements this year and they are available. They are also offering the cheapest plans in our circumstances that still comply with the new state requirements.
I agree with Diane and Nat that Joe should not have contacted the newspaper before the rest of the board members about appointing Ed I as the interim EA. Why does he feel the need to tell a reporter things before the board even knows what is going on?
I never agree with Nat, almost never with Diane, but they were both right tonight. Joe jumped the gun on this one.
The Select Board should slow down on this appointment.
Putting one of the prime architects of fiscal failure into the top position in the town is an awful idea, truly awful.
Sorry, I meant to say that we should offer defined contribution retirement plans to new employees, not defined benefit contribution.
Why is it an awful idea? It is only for a short period of time until the new exec. admin. takes over. He is not going to be making any major decisions or negotiating contracts. What is the big deal if it saves the town money?
What a tangled web we weave.
Of course he would be the logical choice. I agree there. Maybe I just can't get past those contracts and all involved in them, though. Sounds like all is forgiven and forgotten.
Really sounds like business as usual.
Disappointing.
I have personally lost 2 bins within the past 4 years...I have seen many flying down my street on a windy day....People wil be more responsible with their bins if they pay for them..first bins are free after that 2.50 i agree
I agree that Joe should have waited before going public with the Ed I. story, but I do think it was the right thing for Diane and Joe to ask Ed if he would be interested. This is being proactive. Let's not wait until Feb. 27 before we have someone to take the interim position. In my opinion, Michael should take a two week paid vacation...how about the last two weeks of February? Dartmouth cannot move forward while Michael is EA.
No one has forgotten the contracts and it is nothing like business as usual. It is smart business. We are already paying Ed. Sounds like you would have preferred Ed to go too but that would have created a problem for the new EA. He or she should have a say when the time comes to replace that position. The Select Board should not be making that decision or choice alone. The EA should take part in that process.
Anon 8:12, I agree, Ed is the best suited for the job, and I have no problem with that, per se. It is also the best course to take with respect to saving money. It is natural and logical that he step in.
It still doesn't dismiss the fact that his name is on the contracts.
Somehow, apparently no one involved with them thought anything was "not quite right," in even considering such provisions, particularly without the inclusion of a protective employer clause, as well, let alone drafting and approving them, not just with a potential conflict with the Charter or the MGL, but from the "decent thing to do" standpoint. I personally don't think there was anything "decent" about those protective provisions in
clause (b) and the automatic contract renewal language, but that's just my opinion.
It just seems that a few people stood to benefit immensely, at the taxpayers' expense. That, to me, is not looking out for the community. It is looking out for oneself, though.
It's actions like that that erode public trust.
Please keep in mind that it would not have been good business practice to not renew the executive administrator's and business director's contracts at the same time. Those contracts should not be dismissed but everything must be done in stages and not rushed into. I think most people would agree that none of the individuals involved should be let off the hook and hopefully April's election results will reflect that.
Yes, let's hope April's election brings new blood into town hall.
Once the judge rules on Mr. Gagne's contract, the others will go the same route. If they are void, all the others are also void.
These contract were not made public in any way. Not even voted on in open meeting. They were to be hidden so the public wouldn't know what was going on. The truth always surfaces, doesn't it?
These contracts are obviously bad and they are causing problems that are going to take awhile to fix. I agree that we need new blood on the select board in april. The new blood should replace Carney who was part of creating the contract problems. Gilbert should remain on the board since she is the one who exposed the secret contract deals.
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