HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-05 Board of Selectmen PacketRobert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA Reading Town Manager Search
To: Dick Kobayashi and Mary Flanders Aicardi, Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management
Members of the Town of Reading Town Manager Screening Committee
From: Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA
Assistant Town Manager /Finance Director, Town of Reading
Re: Reading Town Manager Search
Date: January 1, 2013
Please accept this cover letter and resume as an indication of my interest in applying for the upcoming
vacancy in the Town Manager position in the Town of Reading.
For the past twenty years, in addition to technical expertise my last two positions have required a wide
variety of leadership and decision - making skills. First I will describe some of my activities at these two
positions as background information for my application; then I will briefly highlight how my
qualifications match those sought for the Town Manager position; and finally I will describe my
perspective on the challenges that a.re ahead for the Town of Reading.
Merganser Capital Management (1993 -2005)
Merganser was spun off from Polaroid in 1985 and moved just down the street in Cambridge, MA. As a
small investment boutique they managed about $2 billion of Polaroid and related assets, and were
jointly owned by the former Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer of Polaroid. They specialized in complex
asset - backed securities, an arcane corner of the investment world, and in 19931 joined them in a newly
created position to focus on corporate and sovereign credit securities to help diversify their portfolio
holdings. Two other investment professionals — each from Polaroid — did research and carried out
management instructions. The firm employed about fifteen people in total when I joined, and had not
had turnover in investment staff for decades.
Within a very short time I had gone against the introverted (and perhaps aloof) culture of Merganser
and established collegial relationships with a wide variety of Wall Street firms. Some large investment
banks had little interest in the small Cambridge firm, but many began to realize although they could not
directly profit much from dealing with me, I did possess a wide array of contacts and knowledge which
helped them with their larger and more profitable clients.
In retrospect I was a challenging employee as I did not view my role as one of sitting around waiting to
carry out instructions. I learned a great deal from my boss and quite liked him. He said he hired me
because of my curiosity and the fact I took nothing for granted. His reward was to spend the next few
years sharing a lifetime of investment experience with someone that asked lots of questions. I was
happy to take responsibility for mistakes and yield credit for success, and in exchange I earned a unique
level of trust and freedom at the firm. The fact that I alone could make decisions in the fast - moving
credit sector gave us a huge advantage. Our much larger competitors were often hiding in investment
meetings that seemed as much designed to shield accountability as to make good decisions. Wall Street,
always anxious to get to the next deal, often gave me the best price buying or selling because of my
accessibility and instant decision making freedom.
Unfortunately the relationship between the two Merganser owners soured and after some turmoil five
of us bought out the head of investments and thus I became a partner in the firm. We eventually moved
to Boston and I became more involved in the marketing and client service aspects of the business. My
ability to communicate was very helpful, as we had a range of clients from mild- mannered retired nuns
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Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA Reading Town Manager Search
to short- tempered union stewards. Each wanted the same thing, though — honesty, transparency and
steady investment performance. When mistakes were made, I was known as the person most likely to
stand up and admit it and explain why. One client brought us in after a small stumble, looking to
terminate us for mostly political reasons, although we did not know that at the time. Our marketing
person began and then after my 30- minute presentation was done there was an awkward silence. The
client's chief legal counsel finally stood and said it was the most honest presentation he had heard in his
forty -year career and he urged the union to retain us and instead add more funding. He concluded that
we might well make more mistakes in the future, but it would be such a pleasure to understand why! I
was just as glad that a second discussion like that one was never needed.
I also became involved in making final presentations — intensely competitive situations where a
prospective client would interview a few finalists in order to hire an investment manager. My firm liked
to give the same presentation in every situation, but I quickly learned to know when to shut the
prepared material and have an open two -way discussion instead. This approach of listening to the client
spurred our success rate at winning new business. Once in a rare violation of industry etiquette, a CEO
admitted we had by far the best presentation and he apologized that they were hiring someone's cousin
instead. The rest of his Board visibly paled at that announcement, and I couldn't help but chuckle and
wish them well. I appreciated honesty and transparency as much as anyone.
Today Wall Street is covered by lawyers and thorough electronic record - keeping, but twenty years ago
trading was very different. I traded tens of millions of dollars with a single brief unrecorded telephone
call. An industry saying of 'my word is my bond' meant that each a transaction was based entirely on
mutual trust. A trader's reputation for ethics took a long career to build slowly, but could be lost in the
heat of the moment under adverse circumstances. My abilities and judgment may have been imperfect
at times, but I made sure my ethics never came into question.
After decades of steady assets, the change in Merganser organizational structure combined with solid
investment results and an improved marketing effort built assets up to over $6 billion. The firm began
spending money as if the growth would never end, hiring staff and adding office space for the future.
My position also added the responsibility of managing two experienced credit analysts, who helped
balance my workload considering my increased travel schedule.
Success seemed to change some of the Polaroid culture and I increasingly found myself questioning 'our'
judgment on various business decisions. As someone charged with studying the credit worthiness of a
business, it was easy to turn that effort inward, and I didn't like what I saw for future prospects of
Merganser. I also realized that my main competitive edge as a money manager was my network of
information, and technology was starting to make that easier to replicate. Macro trends began to favor
larger global investment banks, and it was apparent that it would become more difficult to operate as a
small boutique. My decision to resign was a shock to the firm because no one shared my pessimistic
view of the future. Unfortunately many of the things I foresaw came to pass, and significant employee
and client turnover resulted during the next few years. Happily Merganser did survive and sell itself to a
larger domestic organization that seems to be a good fit. While the dreams of huge success of some of
my former colleagues were never realized, today the firm is doing well. In retrospect, I am glad I trusted
my instincts to leave early while 'still on top'.
Town of Reading
During the spring of 2005 1 learned that Reading's Finance Director had announced her retirement. A
chance meeting with a former School Committee member in a local grocery store got me to thinking
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Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA Reading Town Manager Search
about working in the public sector. My 1980s experience in New York City working for Wall Street
investment banks had been in municipal finance and after seven years on Reading's FINCOM I had some
idea of how the Town operated. I met with a few Town officials to discuss the organizational structure
and vision for the future, and I decided to apply for the newly created position of Assistant Town
Manager /Finance Director.
I was surprised to be offered the position and appreciated the fact that Town Manager Peter
Hechenbleikner went out on a limb to hire someone from the private sector. Later another screening
committee member discussed his objections to my hiring at the time, and laughed as he said he
ultimately told Peter "oh go ahead and hire him then — he'll be your problem and not mine!" During one
of my first days I was sitting at my countertop — desks being a luxury - and looked out the window
nearby that faced a brick wall. It wasn't exactly the prestigious view of Boston Harbor I had been
accustomed to.. I wondered how things would work out, but trusted my instincts that this was a good
situation.
About a month later Gail LaPointe was hired to replace the retiring Town Accountant. We quickly
realized that my background as a resident and member of FINCOM and hers in circa 2005 municipal
finance worked well together. Fortunately she was a good teacher and held up well to my constant
questioning. It wasn't long before I realized that all of my co- workers were very different — it was a
pleasure to work in an atmosphere of support instead of basic distrust. I stopped noticing the view
outside my window.
As a department head it was challenging to replace a local legend. Every manager has their own style,
and mine was quite different from that of the former Finance Director Beth Klepeis. I viewed my
responsibility as empowering the division heads to be the experts in their areas, and to make sure they
had all the support and resources they needed to succeed. We had a difficult transition process
including some needed staff turnover but we made sure that customer service levels always remained
high. Today the Finance department is exceptionally strong. All employees have a good grasp of the
mission and the big picture, and how they fit in. They have been trained to back each other up and not
be territorial, and they work together as well as any group in the Town of Reading. This is easily my
favorite accomplishment as a Reading employee.
I didn't appreciate it right away but gradually came to realize how lucky 1 was that Pete simply handed
off the budget and many financial responsibilities and rarely micromanaged. To be sure we didn't always
agree on things, but he was always patient as I learned. Very quickly Gail, Pete and I became a solid
financial team, each with our own strengths and unique perspectives.
As a former FINCOM member I immediately went to work on creating a formal budget process and long-
term financial policies. With all due respect, when Pete presented the budget each spring to FINCOM
sometimes it looked like things were put together in haste. As an 'insider' I would quickly learn the error
in my perception — the budget was always put together in haste. It was an enormous amount of detailed
spreadsheet work and the amount of hours needed left little time near the end for polish. I spent a great
deal of time with all Town departments to learn their perspective, and to understand what they needed
to improve the annual budget planning process. In some ways this was akin to quietly restructuring the
Finance department, empowering the department heads to be able to better plan for their financial
future. This was especially true in capital planning, as unmet needs for years had led to the subsequent
lack of requests.
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Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA Reading Town Manager Search
On the process side, one issue in particular had caused me great concern as a member of FINCOM. At
School Committee budget meetings it was typical for parents of Special Education students and parents
of regular day students to argue with each other about where the funding was most deserved. I was
determined to minimize the need for this type of confrontation and came up with the idea of paying
certain costs, such as the out of district SPED placements, first and then allocating remaining revenues
by formula between the Town and Schools. Thus began the notion of Accommodated costs, which have
reduced a great deal of internal friction between departments competing for limited resources.
On the policy side I created a FINCOM Cash Reserves policy that would limit the amount of annual
spending and ensure a savings account for a rainy day. Gone were the days of barley positive cash
reserve balances. FINCOM also agreed to a capital and debt policy that would ensure a minimum of 5%
of spending each year on infrastructure. Thus began a new thorough capital planning process that would
rely on a continuing funding mechanism, improve building and equipment maintenance and employee
safety, and slowly reduce the soaring growth in annual vehicle repair costs. In addition, the policy stated
that debt service of more than 0.25% of annual spending (about $175,000) must be considered outside
the tax levy. As a FINCOM member I had become concerned that large school projects had been done
inside the levy and had effectively crowded out other needed capital spending. Today we regularly
discuss mid -sized projects as debt exclusions without any political arguments, which is a credit to the
Board of Selectmen to have readily adapted to this approach.
Previous employment
My resume attached at the end of this document describes more of my work history. My first three jobs
(1980 -1987) were actually all related in that I was building some pioneering bond market research and
had to change jobs twice to further that project. While I was saddened when Lehman Brothers filed for
bankruptcy recently I was quite pleased that my then 25 -yr old research product was one of the assets
that had a salvage value and was sold to a British bank. This project began a career that always looked to
create value for the long -term.
Qualifications
As to my personal and professional qualifications the preceding discussion describes how important
integrity was to my career on Wall Street. I have always been known as someone who excelled at
communication with a wide variety of participants. At Lehman Brothers I became known as the rare
computer guy that understood traders and salesmen. At Salomon Brothers I was often mistaken as
being as smart as the brilliant PhD's I worked with, but in fact I was really just a good listener who could
then translate what I'd heard to other people that had different perspectives.
I am very comfortable in front of crowds of any size, and can speak on work - related topics without any
advance preparation. At Babson I was quite honored to be selected by my fellow students as graduation
speaker. Afterwards school officials wanted a copy of my well- received speech, so I handed them a 3x5
file card with a few words jotted down. A visible role as spokesman for Reading in and outside of the
community is not a concern - I have made extra efforts to not fill that role in my current position.
I am a big fan of the mission, vision and values of an organization. As a numbers person I am also a fan
of measuring and accountability. However when all of these are combined into a checklist the focus
shifts more to short-term task completion. While this works well for new initiatives, the bulk work of the
Town is the ongoing services provided to residents and businesses. I would like to change the task -list
goal measurement process to more accurately reflect the entire mission, vision and values of the Town
government. Two -way communication with employees is crucial and a fundamental reason that the
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Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA Reading Town Manager Search
Finance department operates at such a high level. Every Finance employee knows I value their input
because we have made many changes they have suggested. I have no interest in micromanaging Town
staff, but I do enjoy challenging them to think of ways that I could help them to do their job more
effectively.
Reading businesses and residents as a whole are quite reasonable when one takes the time to see their
point of view. I enjoy listening to their issues and can often provide immediate solutions, or else I admit
that I don't have the answer but will quickly find the right person in the organization that does know.
The Town puts a lot of effort into communication with the community, although I think improvements
can be made in delivering a more consistent message to a broader audience by organizing these efforts.
I have established a good working relationship with many area town and city leaders, and am familiar
with our local and state elected officials. At the same time I have steered clear of politics, as is also
required of the Town Manager position. I enjoy advocating for Reading although I am sensitive that in
regional arrangements the long -term relationships for all far outweigh any near term benefits for
Reading.
Challenges
The Town of Reading has been very well managed for over two decades. The first challenge for the
Town's second Town Manager will be to not ruin that past success, and the second challenge will be to
find different ways to carry that success into the future as the world changes. My fourteen years of .
Reading experience, first as a FINCOM volunteer and then as an employee of the Town, actually gives
me a far better foundation for both challenges than Reading's original Town Manager had when he
began in 1986.
My familiarity with Town personnel is also a strong advantage, as a particular style of communicating
with one employee or union may need to be quite different with another one. The positive labor -
management relationship in Reading has been built through transparency, mutual trust and familiarity
across the bargaining table built up over many years. I enjoy a good working relationship with all Town
unions despite the fact that my financial role has often cast me as the tougher negotiator.
As we navigate through ongoing difficult economic times, continuing to deliver local services within the
constraints of Prop 2 -1/2 will be a significant and permanent challenge. This is especially true because
Reading local government began the recent downturn as a lean organization without the cushion of
excess to trim, and the Town as a whole has a strong appetite for civic involvement and a high level of
local services. There is no magical simple solution other than to continue the disciplined financial course
we have been on in recent years, which has resulted in record levels of cash reserves, a robust capital
plan with infrastructure (aside from roads) being in excellent shape, a debt upgrade by the ratings
agencies because of the strength of the Town's financial management, and a team approach to
budgeting the scarce resources.
At some point in the next few years an operating override will be needed in Reading, and in my opinion
the main driver will be Public Education. Proportionally the Town has a high amount of school age
students, and the resulting value placed on education seems unquestioned in Reading, yet is not
universally true in many other communities. The next Town Manager will need to understand that the
School Department is one of the Town's strongest assets, a fact that I can easily attest to as a resident
and parent of two daughters that have attended the Reading public schools since Kindergarten.
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Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA Reading Town Manager Search
One last challenge that is somewhat hidden from the public is to spend more time and resources on
staff development. Town employees have faced increasing demands from the public and because of
dwindling state resources. Difficult budgets have caused staffing reductions which have exacerbated this
problem. To the credit of the employees there has been a sense of being in this all together, and the
resulting service levels have remained excellent. However the Town has a long -term duty to employees
to provide an environment that can elicit their best efforts, and it also has a long -term duty to the
residents and businesses to provide them services at a level that employees can reasonably expect to be
able to sustain.
Conclusion
I appreciate the opportunity to present my background and qualifications to the readers of this
application. While many will think it is natural for #2 to want to become #1, 1 took a considerable
amount of time and gave a lot of thought before deciding to apply for this position. I never dreamed of
being a Town Manager as a youngster, nor did I give that any consideration when I came to work for the
Town of Reading seven years ago. The thought of replacing yet another local legend is a bit intimidating.
My career interests have always been to build for the long term. I began with a vision for new and
complex research products, then progressed to sophisticated investment portfolios and now it is time to
extend that to a living organization that provides essential services. While the Town has a strong
foundation and does not need a major overhaul, I have many ideas as to small changes that will make a
positive difference. However I am experienced enough to realize that as Town Manager my best long-
term accomplishment will not be any of my ideas but instead my willingness to learn from others. We
have a strong team of department heads, staff and volunteers, and the role of the next Town Manager
should be to help build consensus on the best path forward and to provide everyone with an
environment designed to maximize their mutual success.
I will be pleased if I have an opportunity to discuss this application or my candidacy further, and to
provide references at that time.
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Robert W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA Reading Town Manager Search
Robert. W. LeLacheur, Jr. CFA
47 County Road
Reading, MA 01867
boblelacheur @gmail.com
Work Experience
Town of Reading Reading, MA
Assistant Town Manager /Finance Director 2005- present
Changed culture of Finance Department from top -down to strong two -way communication
• Replaced majority of division heads and cross - trained clerical staff as part of new focus
• Results- driven: strong independent division heads have produced excellent customer
service marks despite growing workload and staffing reductions
• Created and implemented first ever long -term technology plan to cover all of Town
government and include the Schools and RMLD in some projects
Created sustainable annual budget process that smoothed fluctuations in costs and revenues
• Eliminated divisive approach between Town departments seeking limited resources
• Reduced cost friction of Special Education versus Regular Day Education programs
• Established planning and long -term thinking in all budgets, including capital & debt
• Designed long -term FINCOM policies based on years of prior FINCOM experience
• Avoided service reductions or need for Prop 2 -1/2 override; free cash at an all -time
high; credit upgrade despite weak and deteriorating industry conditions
Served as Acting Town Manager during absences of the Town Manager
• Some saw this as the root cause for many subsequent natural disasters in Reading
• Ensure the Town's mission is carried out by directing resources to empowered
employees at all levels and then taking responsibility for and learning from any failures
• Dealt with a range issues ranging from resident concerns to employee HR issues
• Represented the Town at legislative, regional and state gatherings
Improved external communications with the Public
• Aware of Town issues - informal liaison to many Boards /Committees /Commissions
• Background as a Reading resident and volunteer helpful for many specific situations.
• Introduced convenience of 24/7 technological communications — and more is coming
• Thorough and sensitive communication important during difficult financial times
• Emphasized consistency in approach but flexible individualized customer service
Improved internal communication among Town departments
• Relationships were established but communication with Town Hall was sporadic
• Technology serving all departments increased need for team work across organization
• Established transparency in negotiations; earned labor's trust which shifted the
discussion from accuracy of finances to relative importance of issues
• Common labor negotiations approach improved consistency in settlements
Facilitated regionalization discussions
• Improved dialogue and transparency with vocational school serving 12 communities
• Excellent relationships with neighboring City and Town leaders and their staffs
• Success in Health, Veterans and Assessing
• Established shared visions in technology which will lead to many other successes
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Robert W. LeLocheur, Jr. CFA
Merganser Capital Management
Partner and Principal
Reading Town Manager Search
Boston, MA
1993 -2005
Managed credit risk exposure (up to $3 billion) for all clients
• Reputation for building relationships globally despite small assets under management
• Specialized in ability to use those relationships to act and react faster than competitors
Portfolio Manager exclusively responsible for all clients with longer -term investment objectives
Built portfolios substantially different than investment benchmarks
• Ten -year investment track record in top 10% of all domestic bond managers
Extensive Marketing and Client responsibilities due to small size of firm
• Best success rate for winning new business during competitive final presentations
• Reputation for excellent customer communication and individualized client service
Kenda Systems & Independent Work Boston, MA
Technology Consultant 1987 -1992
Completed systems projects for The Shareholder Services Group and State Street Bank & Trust
Designed strategic technology plan for Babson College cited by U.S. News & World Reports
Created PC -based foreign exchange risk system for Bose Corporation
Traded futures and options based on proprietary computer models for Avalon Investments
Salomon Brothers New York, NY
Vice President of Bond Market Research 1986 -1987
BMR group consistently voted as best in world; author of many Municipal Bond publications
Assisted Municipal desk with short-term trading strategies until firm exited business line
Lehman Brothers New York, NY
Vice President of Municipal Bonds 1982 -1986
Voted by Municipal Investors as best quantitative market analyst
Extensive domestic travel and client relationships
Created Municipal Bond Index which still serves as industry performance benchmark
Real Decisions Stamford, CT
Programmer 1980 -1982
Built several mainframe systems for Lehman Brothers
Worked closely with several African nations on debt - rescheduling systems
Education
Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) 1997
Babson Graduate School of Business (MBA —Wellesley Hills, MA) 1991
Colgate University (BA — Hamilton, NY) 1980
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JOHN O. D'AGOSTINO
175 BALCOM STREET
MANSFIELD, MA 02351
508- 339 -8057
508- 922 -7076 (cell)
jdagostino92257 me.com
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Richard Kobayashi
Senior Consultant
Edward J. Collings Jr. Center for Public Management
University of Massachusetts, Boston
Dear Mr. Kobayaski:
I am writing in response to your advertisement for a Town Manager for the Town of Reading,
Massachusetts. As you can see from my attached resume, I have the requisite experience
working in complex public sector organizations as a Town Manager. I have very strong financial
management skills, the ability to lead employees and work effectively with elected and
appointed municipal boards and committees. I am very capable of understanding the needs of a
community and marshaling the resources necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives of
the Board of Selectmen and the residents of Narragansett. As Town Manager, I view my
position as providing the necessary information the board and residents require to make the
mostanformed decisions possible for the benefit of the greater good of the community. I also
believe a team work environment with staff, boards, committees and the Board of Selectmen will
result in collaborative problem solving decisions.
As a leader, I will work hard to gain the trust and respect of my department heads, never asking
them to do anything I am not willing to do, myself. Leading by example and providing
department heads with the flexibiity to make department decisions in consultation with the Town
Manager is the best way to support, coach and provide insight to each department head.
Department Heads will take ownership of the decision and work collaboratively to implement
that decision to a highest degree of success. As a leader, I will be a very strong advocate for the
community, working with the State and Federal officials to ensure that Reading, Massachusetts
Is getting it's fair share of state and federal resources. I am a seasoned manager willing to lead
the community in a positive direction. The structures of government in Rhode Island and
Massachusetts maybe slightly different, however I can bring forth creative problem solving
techniques, an energetic vision and direction for the community and a very strong work ethic.
Management style is critical to motivating department heads, boards and committees to work
together to solve our problems The town can only succeed if the departments, board and
committees are successful. I view my leadership roll as a facilitator, willing to allow the
departments to make decisions even if the decision did not work out as intended. Allow
department heads to push the envelope and to learn from those decisions. As a creative
problem solver, I encourage the same from department heads.
I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you and the Town screening committee to discuss
my employment opportunities with the Town of Reading, Massachusetts.
Sincerely Yours
John D'Agostino
rep
John O. D'Agostino
175 Balcom Street, Mansfield, MA 02048
508- 339 -8057 (home)
508- 922 -7076 (cell)
jdagostino92257@me.com
Profile:
Strong background and extensive experience in public management
with strengths in fiscal planning, budget preparation /analysis as well
as contract negotiations. An innovative problem solver with a vision to
move the organization forward. A proven track record in motivating
staff and decision makers to accomplish organizational mission, goals
and objectives.
Accomplishments:
• Money Magazine named Mansfield Massachusetts one of the top 100
communities in the country to live and work in 2005.
• Recipient of the Tri -Town Chamber of Commerce President's Award
in 2007 for attracting new and emerging businesses and industries to
Mansfield.
• Implemented a new trash program in Abington saving $321,000
• Negotiated Health Care plan design changes in Abington saving
$312,000
• Successfully encouraged new companies to relocate to Abington and
Mansfield.
• Samsonite Luggage located World Headquarters in Mansfield
generating over $5 million a year to the local economy.
• Successfully balanced fourteen municipal budgets ranging from $42
million (Abington) to $82 million (Mansfield).,
Career History:
Town of Abington Massachusetts Apr. 2010 — Present
Town Manager
• Chief Administrative and Financial Officer, Town Population 16,400.
• Appoint Full -Time Departments Heads and set administrative and
financial policy for 20 departments. Responsibility for a total of 95 .
employees.
• Prepare, analyze, balance and manage a municipal budget totaling $48
million dollars.
• Present a balanced Town Manager's Budget to the Board of
Selectmen, Finance Committee and Town Meeting.
• Strong presentation skills.
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• Collective Bargaining Agent responsible for all union and non -union
contracts.
• Chief Procurement Officer for the purchase of all Goods and Services
bids and contracts.
• Prepare and submit five -year capital outlay plan for the Town of
Abington.
• Keep the Board informed on all operational, financial and personnel
matters impacting the town.
• When I assumed the helm, Abington had a negative free cash
certification of.$720,000 and $1,000 in Stabilization. Today, at this
fall town meeting, the town will have over $ 1 million in Stabilization.
We have balanced three consecutive budgets with free cash
certifications of $1,000,001.00 last year and a projected free cash
certification of $795,000 for this fall Town Meeting.
• Established a strong working partnership with the School Department.
• Worked with the Superintendent of Schools to keep the Friolo Middle
School from closing in 2010, helped provide funding for the high
school to re- establish accreditation at the High School.
• Implemented a fully integrated financial software program,
established sound policies and procedures to ensure financial
continuity and practices.
• Fiscally managed the turn around of Abington's finances.
• Implemented a municipal waste collection and recycling program
saving the Town an estimated $340,000.
Town of Mansfield Massachusetts Dec. 1997 —Dec. 2009
Town Manager
• Chief Executive and Administrative Officer, town population 25,000.
• Appoint, manage and set administrative policy for 24 department
heads with responsibilities for a total of 215 plus employees.
• Prepare, analyze, balance and present a total municipal budget of more
than $84 million to the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee and
Town Meeting.
• Collective'Bargaining Agent responsible for all contract negotiations.
• Chief Procurement Officer for purchases of all goods'and services.
• Establish long and short-term goals for the purpose of realizing the
vision set forth in the master plan for the town.
• Serve as a member of the Capital Improvements Committee.
• Seek and create opportunities to successfully manage the
unprecedented growth of the town.
• Address residential questions, concerns and comments on a variety of
topics and issues.
Town of Blackstone Massachusetts .Ian. 1995 — Dec 1997
Town Administrator
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• Administrative Officer for the Town of Blackstone with a population
of 8,200.
• , Supervise appointed department heads.
• Prepare fiscal budget of 25 million and present to the Board of
Selectmen and Finance Committee to be finalized for presentation at
town meeting.
• Chief Procurement Officer for purchases of all goods and services for
the town.
• Assist in Collective Bargaining Negotiations for final approval by the
Board of Selectmen.
City of Springfield, Massachusetts Feb 1989 —Jan 1995
Municipal Grants Manager
• Develop, compose, coordinate and submit municipal grants for
implementation.
• Secure Community Policing Grant Funds at both state and federal
levels
• Coordination and administration of a team of grant writer from various
departments within the city.
• Serve on the Board of Police Commissioners for the City of
Springfield with a population of 125,000.
Education:
M.A. Public Administration, University of Hartford June 1993
M.A. Human Resource Dev. American International College May 1990
B.A. (minor Political Science - Maxwell School of Citizenship)
Syracuse University May 1980
Affiliations and Membership:
-Massachusetts Municipal Manager's Association
-Massachusetts Municipal Personnel Administration
•1CMA (International City /County Management Association)
Past Chairman of the Board of the Southeastern Massachusetts
Health Group
References:
Furnished Upon Request
December 29, 2012
Re: Reading Town Manager Recruitment
Dear Selection Committee:
I am writing to express my interest in the position of Reading Town Manager. I currently serve as the
Town Manager for the Town of Lunenburg, and have since December 2007. In total, I have 7+ years'
experience serving as a Town Manager and an additional 13 years' experience serving in the capacities
of Assistant Town Manager and/ or Finance Director. I believe that my background and experience
make me an ideal candidate for the position.
One of my greatest challenges during my tenure in Lunenburg has been to bring a sense of
professionalism and competence to the position of Town Manager. Elected and appointed officials,
along with staff members and the general public had lost confidence in the position due to frequent
turnover and the manner in which some former incumbents had conducted themselves. Most recent to
my arrival, the Town had just gone through a failed override.attempt, where even many town officials
did not support the effort, because the data relied upon to determine the amount of the override had
been proven to be inaccurate. Because I began in December, I was early on, able to prepare a.detailed
5 -Year Forecast and FY2009 Budget Recommendation. Both were presented at a series of public
meetings and all questions asked, were answered directly, in detail, and accurately. In a short time, key
public players began to feel confident in my abilities. Confidence has increased throughout my tenure
through presentations at public meetings, and through a practice of being available and accessible to
town officials, staff and the public. At this point in time, I can confidently say that while not everyone
will agree with the decisions I make all the time, they are confident that decisions are made after a
thoughtful examination of options and discussions with interested parties.
Another challenge faced early on was improving relations with both School Officials and Union
Representatives. Both felt disenfranchised with town management due to a series of events, including
attempts to renegotiate health insurance co -pays. Through regular meetings with all players, where
consistent and reliable information was provided, good and productive working relationships were
established. These relationships have proven invaluable during the last few years as the Town has had
to make tough decisions with respect to service levels due to fiscal constraints.
On a positive note, these same fiscal constraints have provided the opportunity to further examine
regional service delivery. Lunenburg is somewhat unique in that, even prior to this most recent
economic downturn, many services had already been regionalized, including Animal Control, Tax
Assessment, Board of Health and some Inspectional Services. Interestingly enough, it wasn't easy to get
stakeholders to consider other opportunities, especially ones in which we would be considered
"trailblazers ". Even so, further advances have been made, both out of creativity and necessity. Most
notably, Lunenburg is a founding member of the Nashoba Valley Regional Dispatch District, with the
communities of Devens, Harvard and Lancaster. The establishment of NVRDD has been a long and
challenging process, but in the end, we will provide a more comprehensive service and a better working
environment for dispatch personnel, at a reduced cost, with all savings reinvested in our public safety
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departments. Further, the process has paved the way for additional regionalization opportunities. I am
proud to have played a key role in the creation and on- going management of NVRDD.
Another key accomplishment in my current position has been the creation of a Municipal Electric
Aggregation Plan for Lunenburg. The town is served by Unitil, which only provides transmission and
distribution service, while purchasing electricity from a third party. Unitil has no incentive to obtain the
best rate for the customer, as it doesn't make any money off supply. In working with a consultant, I was
able to prepare a Municipal Electric Aggregation Plan, which then allowed the Town to procure supply at
a competitive rate. This plan had to be approved by Town Meeting, the Department of Energy
Resources, and the Department of Public Utilities. While this type of program has been available in
Massachusetts since 1997, Lunenburg was only the second in the state to implement. The program has
been running since December 2011, and to date, has'saved Lunenburg residents an average of $30 per
month. For the period of July 1— December 31, 2012, Lunenburg has the lowest electric supply rate in
Massachusetts. Lunenburg's plan is now being emulated by several other cities & towns.
I am often asked why I do this type of work. I assume most people would find the work and the working
environment to be highly frustrating. For me, it's all about approach and perspective. I find the work
challenging, but highly rewarding. I view my role as providing the best, most thoughtful information,
either directly or through Department Managers, and to provide it in a way that decision makers- Board
of Selectmen, FINCOM, Town Meeting Members, or the general public- can understand and use it.
There are few things more rewarding than knowing that the information I have provided is the basis for
sound decision making.
There are many challenges that we in local government will face as a result of this most recent economic
downturn and the emergence of a new fiscal reality. It is important that local government leaders
understand these new constraints and that they are willing to be creative, to breakdown traditional
barriers and to engage decision makers at all levels to work collaboratively to solve all problems. I have
a demonstrated history of doing that and will continue to work in that manner.
1 was pleased to read in the profile that the Town is looking for an individual who is willing to commit to
a longer tenure. While some progress is made in a short term, generally all meaningful and sustaining
changes can only happen over a longer term, after significant public input and a thorough vetting
process. I am a seasoned professional with substantial tenure in my various positions. I am well
respected, well versed in all aspects of municipal government and conduct myself with the highest level
of integrity. For these reasons, I believe that I am a strong candidate for the position of Town Manager
for the Town of Reading. I look forward to the opportunity to further discuss the position.
incerely,
Kerry A. Speide)
�I
KERRY A. SPEIDEL
7 Ri_Rley Street N. Chelmsford, MA 01863 (978) 400 -1797
EDUCATION
Graduate: MPA, Public Administration, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, May 1991
Undergraduate: BA, Paralegal Studies, Notre Dame College, Manchester, NH, May 1989
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Town of Limenbure. Massachusetts
Town Manager December 2007 to present
Chief Administrative Officer & Chief Financial Officer responsible for all Town Activities in accordance with the Town
Charter. Report to 5- member Board of Selectmen. Administer and oversee $28M Operating Budget. Prepare 5- Year Capital
Improvement Plan and 5 -Year Financial Forecast. Serve as Chief Procurement Officer & Human Resource Director,
overseeing all personnel actions, including hiring & termination. Negotiate all Collective Bargaining Agreements. Work
extensively with several Boards & Committees, preparing long term plans and grant applications. Serve as Public Information
Officer and represent the Town in various intergovernmental relationships.
Town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Finance Director/ Treasurer- Collector August 2004 to November 2007
CFO responsible for administering $90 +M annual budget; performing financial planning, investment & debt management;
financial forecasting, including preparation of Town's first Financial Trends Monitoring Report; overseeing 4 departments,
including: Accounting; Tax Assessing; Tax Collections/ Treasury; and Management Information Systems. Serve as Acting
Town Manager in the absence of the Town Manager. Assist Town Manager in costing out union proposals. Serve as lead staff
person in implementation of GASB Standards, one of first in Commonwealth to commission GASB 45 Valuation. Pooled cash
to produce in excess $500K per year in investment income & premium for Town.
Also served as Acting Town Manager from August through November 2006.
Town of Sudbury, Massachusetts
Finance Director/ Treasurer - Collector September 2000 to July 2004
CFO responsible for administering $60M operating budget; performing financial planning, investment & debt management;
financial forecasting; overseeing 4 departments, including: accounting; tax assessing; tax collections/ treasury; and
management information systems. Prepared analysis which was the basis for obtaining special legislation for enhanced Tax
Deferral Program. Obtained AAA bond rating during tenure.
Town of North Andover, Massachusetts
Director of Finance & Administration/ Treasurer -November 1999 to September 2000
CFO responsible for administering $55M operating budget; performing financial planning, investment & debt management;
financial forecasting; municipal procurement; overseeing 5 departments, including: Accounting; Tax Assessing; Town Clerk;
Tax Collections/ Treasury; and Management Information Systems. Successfully converted tax billing software, obtained
approval of tax rate & issued Q3 tax bills within first 60 days of employment.
Town of Cave Creek, Arizona
Town Manager December 1997 to October 1999
Chief Administrative Officer reporting to a 7- member Council, in charge of all aspects of Town management, including
oversight of 5 departments with an annual budget of $7 million. Served as administrator for contracted Public Safety Services
through Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (Police) and Rural/ Metro (Fire).
• Public Works/ Engineering: oversaw design & construction of first WWTP; implemented first road management
system, both paved & unpaved in accordance with PM -10 regulations; constantly monitored programs for compliance
with EPA and ADEQ requirements.
TS
• Planning & DeveIopment: oversaw re -write of Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Regulations & General Plan;
development of Hillside Building, Streerscape & Native Plant Preservation Ordinances; instituted town's first
Development Impact Fees in accordance with commissioned study; and oversaw development of Geographic
Information Systems data base.
• Building Inspection & Code Enforcement
• Finance & Personnel: converted traditional line -item budget to performance based budget.
• Recreation: created department; hired first director; assisted in obtaining grant funds for programs.
Active participant in area Chamber of Commerce and Regional Planning Task Force. Maintained strong relationships with
state and federal delegation. Worked closely with area Land Trust and Senator McCain's office on preservation of Spur Cross
Ranch, a 2200 acre parcel, contiguous to Tonto National Forest, rich in archeological artifacts & specimen desert vegetation.
Town of Cave Creek, Arizona
Assistant Town Manager/ Director of Finance & Personnel May 1995 to November 1997
Chief Financial Officer responsible fqr administration of the following divisions/ programs.
• Budget/ Finance: prepare annual budget; assist auditors; manage A/P, A/R, GL, Payroll, production/ distribution of
monthly financials; and assure franchise compliance.
• Grants: provide grant writing and administration for various state and federal programs.
• Human Resources: oversee all personnel actions; conduct all recruitment activity; serve as ADA coordinator; assure
compliance with state & federal regulations; process worker's compensation claims; conduct annual review of benefits
programs; and conduct employee training programs.
City of Manhattan, Kansas
Assistant to the City Manager June 1991 to April 1995
Responsible for the following functions/ programs.
• Budget/ Finance: assisted in preparation of financial forecast and budget; served on CIP executive committee.
• General Management: grants administration; franchise compliance; directed production of City television show,
"Manhattan Matters "; and exercised administrative authority over various activities. Prepared annual Legislative Program
for presentation to State Delegation. Traveled to Washington, DC annual to meet with National Delegation (Senator Dole,
Senator Kassebaum & Congressman Slattery)
• Human Resources: administered City's partially self - funded health insurance program and proposed funding alternatives;
monitored and reviewed all personnel actions for adherence to City policies; facilitated ICMA's Effective Supervisory
Practices course for 18 supervisors; and participated as Management Representative in union negotiations for both IAFF
and AFSCME unions.
Served as Public Information Officer during 1993 Flood. Conducted daily press conference, managed call center and insured
efficient and effective distribution of pertinent information to print, radio and television media.
City of Clifton, New Jersey
Finance Intern May 1990 to September 1990
Produced City's fast Payroll Procedures Manual. Assisted Payroll Clerk with processing payroll for 800+ employees.
Assisted Treasurer in costing out proposals for 9 unions during labor negotiations.
Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
Research Assistant
Co- authored Business Retention & Expansion Reports for
Department Chair and other Professors on an as needed basis.
through Public - Private Partnership.
September 1989 to May 1991
three New Jersey municipalities. Conducted research for
Conducted computer training courses for municipal employees
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS/ ACTIVITIES
• International City /County Management Association: Government Policy Committee, 2006 -2009; Assistants Steering
Committee, 1994 —1997; Conference Planning Committee, 1993; & Conference Evaluation Committee, 1992.
• Massachusetts Municipal Management Association: Program Committee & Emerging Managers Committee
• Middlesex Retirement System Advisory Council, 2000 to 2007; Assessment Sub - Committee, 2004 to 2007
• Pi Alpha Alpha Public Administration Honor Society, inducted 1991
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS / RECOGNITION
• Water Infrastructure Financing Authority of Arizona, Executive Director's Honorable Mention , 1998
• GFOA Excellence in Financial Reporting, 1995 — 1998
• MA Public Procurement Official.
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
Bernard F. Lynch, City Manager
(former Chelmsford Town Manager)
City of Lowell
375 Middlesex Street
Lowell, MA 01852
Maureen G. Valente, Town Manager
Town of Sudbury.
278 Old Sudbury Road
Sudbury, MA 01776
James R. Pearson, Retired City Manager
(City of Manhattan, KS)
10130 S. Highway J
Stockton, MO 65785
David Eisenthal, Vice President
UniBank Fiscal Advisory Services, Inc.
39 Church Street
Whitinsville, MA 01588
Marc L. Terry; Attorney
1800 West Park Drive
Suite 1000
Westborough, MA 01581
Office: 978 - 9704000
Office: 978 -443 -8891
Horne: 417 -276 -2088
Office: 508- 234 -8112
Office: 508- 860 -1447