HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-17 ad Hoc - Town Manger Screening Committee Minuteso'sc ra i
Town of Reading
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Date: 2021-11-17
Building: Reading Town Hall
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: General Business
Attendees: Members - Present:
RECEIVED
TOWN CLERK
READING, MA.
1PLY
2922 MAR 15 AM 11: 29
Ad Hoc Town Manager Screening Committee
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: Select Board Meeting Room
Session:
Version: Final
Karen Herrick, Select Board Chair, Anne Landry, Select Board Vice Chair,
Alan Foulds, Town Moderator, Amy Lannon, Library Director, Greg Burns,
Fire Chief, Emily Sisson, resident/Town Meeting Member/Recreation
Committee Chair, Chris Feudo, resident/Town Meeting Member, Sharon
Flaherty, Community Paradigm, Bernie Lynch, Community Paradigm, Bob
Holmes, Reading Chronicle
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Anne Landry
Topics of Discussion:
The meeting was held in the Select Board room at Reading Town Hall and was available to view
during the open session via Zoom and recorded live by RCTV.
Document Used: 23 candidate resumes and cover letters
Karen Herrick, called the meeting to order and welcomed Bernie Lynch and Sharon Flaherty from
Community Paradigm. She then provided a short overview of the meeting agenda and asked the
members of the committee to introduce themselves.
Karen Herrick nominated Anne Landry to be the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee and the motion
was seconded by Emily Session.
Anne accepted the nomination and the committee voted 7-0 in favor.
As Chair, Anne requested a motion for a committee secretary. Karen Herrick indicated that she
would be willing to serve. Alan Foulds nominated Karen Herrick to be Secretary and this was
seconded by Amy Lannon. The motion passed 7-0.
Anne asked Bernie Lynch tp provide the committee with an update on the recruiting effort and the
employment market.
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Bernie shared that many Town Managers from the 1980s were retiring and that there were not many
new candidates in the pipeline. He described the recruiting process including interviewing
department heads, the Select Baud members, hosting a hybrid community forum to gather
community input used to create a position profile. His firm then advertised the position and directed
candidates to the position profile on his firm's website. Advertisement included postings on industry
websites ICMA, MMA, and the emerging leaders organization. Their approach was to use the above
organizations to aggressively recruit a diverse pool of candidates. They also reached out to potential
candidates and fielded calls from candidates about Reading.
Bernie then commented on Open Meeting Law and public records with respect to this screening
process. Per Bernie, the executive sessions must remain confidential even after the new Town
Manager is selected. The names of the candidates most remain confidential in order not to be
detrimental to the candidates still holding public roles. The resumes submitted are not to be
considered public documents.
Anne Landry asked Bernie Lynch for confirmation of the dates for the screening interviews are 11/22
and 11/23. Final times to be confirmed via email by Bernie Lynch to the committee after the
committee identifies the candidates. Community Paradigm will check references and schedule final
interviews for the Select Board after the committee has made its recommendations.
Karen Herrick asked for a summary of the candidate pool. Bernie Lynch noted that there were 23
candidates ranging from little experience or other significant hiring concerns to those serving as
current Town Managers. The candidate pool included applicants from across the United States with
a large number of women candidates and people of color. Bernie noted that for 80% of their firs
searches there are women candidates and that a woman is selected about 40% of the time from the
finalists.
Anne Landry made a motion to adjourn to executive session in accordance with MGL c. 30A § 21 and
not return to open session. Emily Session seconded the motion. The committee voted 7-0.
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