Board of Selectmen, January 6, 2014
HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 6, 2014
6:30PM Memorial Hall
Present: Chairman Robert Lavigne, Kenneth Lipka, Anthony Renzoni,
Mark Ferguson, Jeremy Kurtz
Others Present: Jacquie Kelly, Town Manager
Peter Lukes, Assistant Town Manager
Elizabeth Helder, Recording Secretary
Chairman Lavigne opened the meeting at 6:30PM. The Board participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Licenses – Appointments – Permits
There were no licenses, permits, or appointments submitted for approval.
- Selectmen Subcommittees
Sel. Lavigne: Winter Festival Committee: Has not met.
EDC: Reorganized in late December and Sel. Kurtz is the new Chairman.
Sel. Renzoni: Water/Sewer: Will meet in January.
Veteran’s Committee: Next meeting is February 2014.
Sel. Lipka: Municipal Light Department Advisory Board:
Affordable Housing: Has not met.
Sel. Ferguson: Not currently serving on a Committee.
Sel. Kurtz: EDC: Reorganized in late December and Sel. Kurtz is the new Chairman.
Memorial Day Parade: Next meeting is in the next two weeks. Sel. Renzoni asked that the Committee look into rededicating the Johnny Harkins Memorial in 2014.
- Selectmen Minutes
There were no minutes submitted for approval.
- Town Manager Miscellaneous
- Town Manager Kelly informed the Board that over the past several weeks she had been considering the process to hire a new Police Chief. She said there are pros and cons to the various procedures available within the Civil Service System. The overall goal is to hire the best candidate who will provide effective leadership to the Police Department and maintain the Department’s integrity and high standards of conduct and job performance. She said in her opinion, there is a need to hire an individual who will maintain the morale of the Department. To meet all these objectives, Ms. Kelly said she felt the best mechanism to hire a new police chief for the Town is to use a promotional assessment center as the sole ranking device.
The use of Assessment Centers in Civil Service Promotions (rather than strictly hiring on the basis of an exam) provides a mechanism to identify strengths and desirable traits among candidates that would not be readily determined from the selection of the candidate who scored the highest on the Civil Service Test. Ms. Kelly outlined the three options for the use of an Assessment Center to hire a new Police Chief under the Civil Service Unit of the MA Human Resources Division: 1. Post-List Establishment – Use of an Assessment Center would provide a mechanism to garner reasons for selections of someone other than the highest ranked persons. This option has no effect on the relative ranking of the individuals on the eligible list; 2. The Assessment Center as a Weighted, Graded Examination Component – The results of this process could have an effect on the relative ranking of individuals on the eligible list; 3. Assessment Center as the Sole Ranking Device – There will be no participation in the HRD’s examination process and the results of the assessment center are the sole ranking device to establish the eligible list. Ms. Kelly said that she would use process number three to hire the new Holden Police Chief.
Because the Chief’s position is classified under Civil Service, the process is prescribed and overseen by the Human Resources Division. The town will hire a qualified consultant approved by the HRD to work with the appointing authority and HRD to: 1. Determine the attributes to be evaluated by Assessment Center which are based on job analysis data; 2. Design, develop, and construct the assessment center exercises; 3. Administer and score the assessment center exercises, which includes the determination of an appropriate scoring scheme and training of assessors; and 4. Establish the eligible list.
Once the Assessment Center is competed, a list of eligible candidates is devised by the consultant working with the HRD. The eligible list is forwarded to the appointing authority that would select and appoint the best candidate. Ms. Kelly said as the appointing authority, she felt this process would result in a list of qualified candidates for the Chief’s position and if successful, will provide other members of the Department opportunities for professional advancement.
Sel. Ferguson commented that he agreed that the Town Manager is the appointing authority for the Police Chief. However, three years ago a committee was formed by the previous Town Manager to study the civil service process. This Civil Service Study Committee agreed that the position should remain in this process but be open to all members of Civil Service in the Commonwealth and not just those qualified from Holden. He said the Town Manager’s method to select the new Police Chief is contrary to the determination of the committee. He asked if the search was only limited to members of the HPD or was it open to all Civil Service candidates across the Commonwealth? The Manager responded that the process will only be open to members of the Holden Police Department. Sel. Ferguson said he felt that the opinion of the Committee should be considered and that the town was doing the “polar opposite” of the Committee’s recommendation.
Sel. Ferguson also commented that he felt the Town was spending money to hire a consultant when the town has a Town Manager and an Assistant Town Manager to conduct the search. The Committee’s ideas and values should be considered in a collaborative approach. Ms. Kelly said she was supportive of all the town’s boards and committees and her decision to follow the guidelines of the Civil Service process does not mean she does not respect their hard work or opinion.
The Chairman said the purpose of the Committee was not to dictate the hiring process but to determine whether to keep the Police Chief’s position in Civil Service. He said he did not see fault in the approach being taken by the Town Manager. If this process does not work out, a different hiring approach can be taken.
Sel. Ferguson asked if anyone in the HPD is eligible to take the test or is it only available to those who have achieved the rank of Sergeant or Lieutenant. Ms. Kelly responded that it was only open to those who have achieved the rank of Sergeant or Lieutenant. Therefore only five or six eligible candidates will be eligible to take the test from the HPD. The Town Manager said she was the hiring authority and that while she acknowledged Sel. Ferguson’s point, she had made the decision to proceed in this manner.
Chairman Lavigne reminded Sel. Ferguson that when the Selectboard hired the Town Manager, Sel. Ferguson did not want to go external when a qualified candidate was already in the position. Sel. Ferguson went on to explain why he would like to see an expanded search for the next Chief of Police. He said “When you hire civil service, it is next to impossible to remove somebody. Ok, a Town Manager you can remove. We’ve shown that. Ok?” Sel. Ferguson went on to state that he would like to see the next Police Chief require residency. Currently, he stated, none of the HPD officers eligible for the position reside in Holden. He stated as a reason for the residency the potential of serious event. Sel. Ferguson continued with “when we do have crime or horrific incidents such as the Paxton Police Chief, who was assassinated, you want your person that is in charge there as quick as possible.” He wanted to make a motion to require residency of the next Police Chief. Chairman Lavigne said he did not have the authority under Town Manager’s Miscellaneous to make this type of motion. It is not an agenda item open for discussion. Chairman Lavigne countered that the Board was encouraged to promote from within to hire a Town Manager when they hired Ms. Kelly last year. He said that Ms. Kelly was doing the same at the HPD.
- The Manager reported some good news for the New Year. According to Sharon Lowder, Treasurer/Collector, Standard and Poor’s Rating Services raised its long-term and underlying ratings on the Town of Holden’s general obligation bonds from AA- (double A minus) to AA (double A) based on their review of the town’s finances in the fall of 2013. The S&P rating reflects an assessment of the following major factors: Holden’s economy is considered to be strong, with a projected per capita effective buying income at 135% as a percent of that of the US, and a per capita market value of $102,000; Budgetary flexibility remains strong. The Town has increased its reserved to $5M of 13% of general fund expenditures in audited fiscal 2012; Budgetary performance has been strong overall with an operating surplus of 3% in general and total governmental funds in fiscal 2012; Supporting the Town’s finances is very strong liquidity with available cash as a percent of total governmental fund expenditures at 22% and as a percent of debt services, more than 214%; The Town’s management profile is rated positively as having standard policies and practices; and lastly, the Town’s debt and contingent liabilities profile is strong. Overall debt as a percent of market value is low at 1.8%. Ms. Kelly said that the Town received an outstanding rating and it will further enhance the town’s position in the borrowing market when it issues long-term debt such as the Mountview Middle School project. The Town’s finances are strong due to the smart decisions that have been made over the last several years, the reserves built up in town funds, including the general and enterprise funds, and prudent fiscal management practices. This is a result of skilled and insightful financial planning and budget implementation by the town’s management team.
Chairman Lavigne concurred with Ms. Kelly’s statements adding that this achievement is reflective of Ms. Kelly’s work as a Town Manager and her 15 years as an Assistant Town Manager in Holden. Sel. Ferguson said he would like the town to go out and refinance town debt and asked if the town debt has been reviewed lately. Ms. Kelly said that town debt is always under review. This new rating will reflect positively on future borrowing efforts.
- The Board reviewed the monthly Revenue and Expenditure Reports for the period ending November 2013 as prepared by Lori Rose, Town Accountant.
- The Manager informed the Board that each week she publishes a blog on the Town’s Web Site. The blog contains information and observations about town and community issues.
- Citizens’ Address
Mr. Otto Lies, Salisbury Street, said he was puzzled as to why the board was having a heated discussion about the hiring of a new police chief when it was not scheduled on the agenda. He served on the Civil Service Study Committee that unanimously recommended in 2010 that the town remain in the Civil Service system when hiring a Police Chief in the future. However, the Committee also recommended a more collaborative approach of other Boards and Committees, residents, and town departments during the hiring process and that the search should be open to all eligible Civil Service candidates and not exclusively from Holden. In no way did Mr. Lies suggest that the Selectmen micro-manage the hiring authority (Town Manager) but to work in a collaborative approach together.
Mr. Mark S. Ferguson, Bailey Road, addressed the Board to protest the continued presence of a police officer at Selectmen’s meetings. Mr. Ferguson explained, simply put, there is no need, there is no threat, there is no violence, there is no need for a police officer. He said he does not want to hire a consultant to conduct a search for the next Police Chief, adding that the use of in-house talent by the Town Manager and Assistant Town Manager to conduct the search. He also asked that whoever is hired to fill the position move to the town. If you’re going to be the captain of the ship you should live on the ship.
Kelly Maxwell, Holden Street, would like the hiring process to be “open” and asked that the Administration consider the research and opinion of the Civil Service Study Committee during this process. It is no wonder that the Town has a difficult time getting residents to volunteer when their work is not valued.
- Follow Up to Citizens’ Address
Chairman Lavigne said he gave Mr. Lies a copy of Town Manager’s Miscellaneous so Mr. Lies could understand where the civil service discussion originated at the beginning of the meeting.
Sel. Renzoni said it was the decision of the Town Manager how to proceed with the hiring process for the Police Chief.
Sel. Renzoni also commented on Mr. Ferguson’s comments during Citizens’ Address regarding the residency requirements for the new Police Chief. He referenced comments made by Sel. Ferguson earlier in the meeting supporting this action in case of future threats against the town. However, he said Sel. Ferguson has repeatedly stated he doesn’t feel it’s necessary to have police presence at Sel. Meetings because there is no violence in town.
Sel. Ferguson commented that he felt the efforts of the Civil Service Study Committee were a waste of their time. He said “If I may for the benefit for some of you new tourists that might have moved to town rather recently, um, there was a Chief of Police from Paxton who was assassinated.”
Both Chairman Lavigne and Town Manager Kelly responded that it wasn’t fair. Ms. Kelly added that Sel. Ferguson was misinterpreting her comments.
- Selectmen Miscellaneous
Chairman Lavigne: 1. Announced that the Board would attend the annual MMA conference on January 24 and 25 in Boston. Sel. Ferguson said he would not attend because he felt it was a waste of taxpayer money to attend “this junket.”
2. The Town Manager will forward the current snow and ice budget removal to the Board.
3. Christmas Tree chipping is available at the DPW on January 11th.
- Adjournment
Motion by Sel. Lipka, seconded by Sel. Renzoni, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN THE JANUARY 6, 2014 MEETING AT 7:19PM.
Approved: _March 17, 2014_as amended__