HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-12-18 ad Hoc - Town Manger Screening Committee Minutes - 6pmo��prs o
Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes 1"
CLERK
MA.
Board - Committee - Commission - Council: 2024 MAR 20 PM 2: 37
Ad Hoc Town Manager Screening Committee
Date: 2023-12-18 Time: 6:00 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session
Purpose: Screen Applicants for the Town Version: Final
Manager Position
Attendees: Members - Present:
Jackie McCarthy, Select Board Chair; Mark Dockser, Select Board Vice Chair;
Chief David Clark; Amy Lannon, Library Director; Alan Foulds, Town
Moderator; Denise Baker, Resident; Chris Messing, Resident
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Bernie Lynch, Community Paradigm Associates
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Amy F. Lannon on behalf of Jackie McCarthy,
Committee Chair.
Topics of Discussion:
Call to Order Meeting called to order at 7:02 by Bernie Lynch
Introduction of Members
Committee members and Mr. Lynch introduced themselves as follows:
• Bernie Lynch of Community Paradigm Associates (CPA)
• Amy Lannon, Director of the Reading Public Library
• Denise Baker, Resident and works for the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA)
• Christopher Messing, Resident and principal/found of an executive search firm
• Jackie McCarthy, Select Board Chair and attorney
• David Clark, Chief of Reading Police
• Alan Foulds, Town Moderator
• Mark Dockser, Select Board Vice Chair, entrepreneur, and professor at Northeastern
University
Election of Committee Chair and Clerk
Clark moved to elect Jackie McCarthy as Committee Chair. The motion was seconded by Dockser
seconded and approved 7-0.
McCarthy moved to elect Amy Lannon as Committee Clerk. The motion was seconded by Dockser
seconded and approved 7-0.
Presentation by Community Paradiam Associates on the Town Manaaer search process. Open Meetino Law.
and Public Records Law requirement by Mr. Lynch
Lynched noted the majority of this work will take place in Executive Session. The Committee members bring
substantial expertise to the process. He reminded the Committee that Executive Session minutes are not
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released until the purpose of the information is no longer confidential. Some Executive Session minutes are
never released. This protects the confidentiality of the applicants.
Committee members and the Town are subject to Public Records Law. The process, including appeals,
generally supports maintaining confidentiality, but be aware that documents may be subject to Public Records
Requests. The Town of Reading wants to be associated with respecting the privacy of such applicants and
continue to attract strong applicants for all aspects of hiring.
Lynch reminded the Committee CPA conducted the search for the previous town manager, Mr. Fidel Maltez,
and this process will be similar. He also noted that this market is very competitive and estimated that almost
two-thirds of town manager/administrator positions have turned over in the last few years. He reviewed the
history of these positions in the Commonwealth, with many managers hired in the 1980s and 1990s now
retiring. He described the Town of Reading process to date that included learning more about the community
since the last search, reaching out to Department Heads, and getting support and input from the current Town
Manager's office, and meeting with the Select Board to discuss position priorities. Next, CPA created the
position statement and posted the document to sites like MMA and ICMA. CPA also contacted specific
individuals in their own database of 400 contacts and tapped area graduate schools that had public
administration majors such as Suffolk University.
Lynch reported that CPA received nineteen applications that included some very strong candidates. He was
pleased with the response.
Future meeting schedule
The committee will schedule interviews for the week of January 2, 2024
Executive Session
McCarthy moved to enter executive session at 6:23 p.m. in order to approve minutes of executive
session meetings convened pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21 (a)(8) to
review resumes and consider or interview applicants for employment or appointment by a preliminary
screening committee for selection of finalists to be presented to the Select Board for possible
appointment as Town Manager. Not to Return to open session. The motion was seconded by Dockser
and approved 7-0 with a roll call vote.
End Public Session 12-18-2023
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