Clark Needs A New Job

Clark Says He Lacks Votes For A New Contract

Alan Pollock, Cape Cod Chronicle
February 18, 2016

HARWICH — Saying he doesn’t have support from a majority of the board to extend his contract as town administrator, Christopher Clark is looking for a new job.

Clark said it’s the first time in more than 25 years in municipal government that he’s been shown the door. “I’ve always gotten along reasonably well with board members” in the other communities where he’s worked, Clark said. In a closed-door session last Wednesday, the board of selectmen discussed the town administrator’s request for a three-year contract extension. Board of Selectmen Chairman Peter Hughes said most of the hour-long executive session was devoted to this topic, though no formal vote was taken. After the board’s regular open session that followed, Hughes said he told the town administrator that it was his sense that only two members of the five-member board favored offering him a contract extension. 

Brewster Selectmen Pick Embury

Cape Cod Times

The Brewster selectmen acknowledged Tuesday that they could not clone Town Administrator Charles Sumner, who will retire in the fall after 29 years on the job, and then they voted unanimously to hire North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Town Manager Michael Embury.

Other candidates on the top of their list were Christopher Clark, the town administrator of Harwich since 2013, and Ronald San Angelo, town administrator of Hanson since 2013.

Embury became the clear leader after the selectmen reported results of their interviews with colleagues of the three finalists.

Selectman Patricia Hughes said the staff in North Kingstown said Embury had good judgment and good balance in his life. The town planner there said Embury gave him the tools to do his job and that North Kingstown was innovative in planning. 

Southbridge’s Axis Of Dumb

Ken O’Brien

Clichés are clichés precisely because they are true.

Hence, it comes as no surprise that back in August Salon Magazine ran an article titled “The definition of insanity” is the most overused cliché of all time.

For both of you unfamiliar with this aphorism, it goes, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”.

Southbridge has got to be the poster child for this particular bromide.

It seems that the town will never learn that giving in to political expediency always comes back to bite us in our collective asses.

Economically Developmentally Disabled

Ken O’Brien

Cassandra Acly

At Monday night’s sparsely-attended Town Council Meeting (only five councilors were present) Director of Economic Planning and Development Cassandra Acly made a presentation about plans to collaborate with the “South County Leadership Team”.

The essence of the presentation was about plans to cooperate with Quinsigamond Community College to develop training programs designed to prepare Southbridge residents to participate in the technologically advanced manufacturing environment of today. She mentioned areas such as education in operating Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) equipment.

She emphasized that she did not want to raise hopes unnecessarily, insofar as such plans were only in the discussion stage at present. 

Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot...

Reed Contract Still In Limbo

Ken O’Brien

An article posted tonight on the Worcester Telegram website indicates that the proposed contract between Southbridge and Robert Reed for the latter to serve as Acting Town Manager is still hung up over the issue of a town provided vehicle.

In the article titled “Car clause derails Southbridge town manager contract” Brian Lee reports, “After hitting a roadblock over use of a town-issued SUV, officials continue to negotiate with Robert T. Reed about serving as interim manager for six months, Council Chairman David S. Langevin said Friday.” 

[In another article, Brian Lee reports on the turmoil in the leadership of Southbridge Schools. See “Southbridge facing shake-up among principals”.]

December 23 - Happy Festivus (Video)

                                           Ken O’Brien

Are you feeling a little left out!? Are you put off by the crass commercialism of Christmas?  You don't celebrate Chanukah. Kwanzaa just isn't your thing. And, you don't even know what Divali or Ramadan is.

Then, come and experience the joy and the miracle of Festivus. One might say that the Festivus holiday is a miracle in itself.

Still not sure if Festivus is for you? It's non-denominational. So, everyone can partake. The Festivus slogan is "A Festivus for the rest of us!" And, that means you, too. So........... 

Reed Was The Wrong Target

Ken O’Brien

It is fair to say that last Monday’s Council of the Whole town council meeting was not their finest hour. As I’ve expressed elsewhere, I feel that they were bogged down in trivialities while failing to ask the most important question.

To a significant extent the shortcomings were not entirely their fault. While I feel that the final evaluation of Mr. Reed should have been televised (as has been the case with candidates for a permanent town manager) the details of his contract should have been ironed out in private. 

The Unasked Question

Ken O’Brien

A key point was ignored in the midst of all the posturing about hiring an Acting Town Manager at Monday night’s meeting of the Southbridge Town Council.

The question that not one councilor saw fit to ask was, “If we can get by for up to six months with a Town Manager serving 20 hours per week at $1,000 per week, why do we need a full timer at more than twice that amount?” 

Featherbedding And Ignorance At Southbridge Town Hall

Ken O’Brien

Featherbedding.

To those unfamiliar with the term it gained currency in the days when trade unions defended maintaining positions that were viewed as no longer necessary by the management of passenger and freight railways operators.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the term as follows:

The requiring of an employer usually under a union rule or safety statute to hire more employees than are needed or to limit production.

The Minutes Waltz: Update

Ken O’Brien

Yesterday The O’Zone published an article titled The Minutes Waltz (Or Is It Tap Dance?).

In it we contrasted the minutes of the DPW subcommittee as presented to council members and as read at Monday night’s council meeting with the way the O’Zone reported that meeting in our piece Really? Let’s Hope It’s A Trend!.

In response to a comment on Thursday’s article Evelyn Rivera, who prepared the subcommittee minutes, replied in part, “Minutes are just that "Minutes" not "hours" and therefore I do not write minutes verbatim. No one, I repeat, no one edits my minutes. If anyone is interested in the exact wording of a meeting they should attend such meeting otherwise an abbreviated version is all they are getting from me. I tape such meeting so that if anyone wants to sit there and listen to a meeting (whether it's a 5 min. meeting or a 5 hour meeting) they can do so. I am happy to provide them with a copy.”

The Minutes Waltz (Or Is It Tap Dance?)

Ken O’Brien

Last Thursday The O’Zone ran an article titled ”Really? Let’s Hope It’s A Trend!”.

In it we recounted the discussion in the prior evening’s DPW subcommittee meeting surrounding the second item on the agenda. That item read as follows:

“Vote to accept the agreement between the Town of Southbridge and Allan F. DiPietro Masonry for concrete masonry work at various locations in an amount not to exceed $20,000.00. Funding to come from Water & Sewer and DPW current budget accounts.”

Insofar as we had the contents of that article vetted by two members of the subcommittee who were present at the meeting, we felt reasonably certain that it reflected accurately the nature of the discussion on this item.

Eating Crow For Thanksgiving

Ken O’Brien

Councilor Nikolla’s words from the night of the vote on the Casella contract still echo in my ears. “I’ve read this contract. This is a good contract.”

I was among a number of those who disagreed with this assessment. The most ardent of the opponents were John Gatti, Jr., and Larry and Ann Beinema. We all suffered for our outspoken disagreement with the merits of that contract.

Monday night the chickens set loose by the decision to adopt the contract came home to roost.

Carpetbagged Again: The Southbridge Soap Opera Continues

Ken O’Brien

As we return to today’s episode, the semi-conscious residents of the whimsical town of Southbridge are victimized by ether waves that penetrate their tin foil helmets.

In contrast to their normal long-term loss of short-term memory the sinister forces of the O’Zone Vandals are beaming recollections of moments past into their vulnerable noggins. 

Breaking News: Clark Offered Town Administrator Job In Harwich

Ken O’Brien

 

Southbridge Town Manager Christopher Clark has been offered the position of Town Administrator in Harwich, MA.

The offer is pending contract negotiations.

The job has been vacant since James Merriam retired last June. Robert Lawton has been serving as interim town administrator.

Southbridge’s Fiscal Cliff

Ken O’Brien

I have to start with a slight explanation here. The town of Southbridge operates on a July 1 to June 30 Fiscal Year. The state operates on a January 1 to December 31 Fiscal Year. Thus, the state aid numbers in the FY 2013 town budget are derived from the FY 2012 state budget.

That having been said, with the inclusion of the increase of $100,000 in the FY 2013 town budget at last night’s town council meeting it is still $31,001 less than the FY 2012 budget.

Sunday Photo-'Toons 1.33

Ken O'Brien

Sunday Photo-‘Toons 1.32

Ken O’Brien

Sunday Photo-'Toons 1.30

Southbridge Police Union Accuses Town Manager of Misleading Statements

Ken O’Brien

After the little weather incident we had Monday, I went out to my mailbox yesterday.

Somewhat worse for wear from the ravages of Sandy was a letter asking for my dubious help in addressing a matter that should be of concern to Southbridge residents.

The letter, regrettably anonymous, addressed another recent letter relating to matters that have been simmering for some time as they relate to the Southbridge Police Department.