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Date: 8/20/2015
EAST LONGMEADOW – The Board of Selectmen agreed to extend another invitation for letters of interest for an anticipated opening on the Planning Board.
The selectmen unanimously agreed at its Aug. 18 meeting to advertise that letters for the position that will be vacated by Planning Board Chair Alessandro Meccia would be accepted until Aug. 27.
The discussion was spurred by an invitation extended to the selectmen by the Planning Board to a joint meeting on Aug. 25 at which three candidates who submitted letters of interest would be interviewed with the intent of naming a replacment. The selected party would serve in the position until the April 2016 Town Election.
However, Selectman Angela Thorpe pointed out and Town Counsel James Donahue concurred that a change could not officially be made until Meccia vacates the position. Meccia, who announced his intentions to resign as a result of the selectmen’s decision to stop offering town health insurance to elected officials, is due to step down Sept. 1.
Donahue added the Planning Board may interview the candidates from whom they have received letters of interest at the scheduled Aug. 25 meeting, but it should be done in order to make a recommendation at a future Board of Selectmen meeting. He also noted “the candidates for the office are not restricted to those interviewed by the Planning Board.”
Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Federici said overall he was comfortable with the Planning Board taking the driver’s seat in this matter.
“They’re the people who are going to work closest with whoever is chosen,” he said.
Selectman William Gorman, however, had concerns. Primarily, he questioned the process through which the public was notified of the vacancy. Donahue said the town is not compelled legally to post the position in any particular fashion.
“This is an informal process being followed,” Donahue said. “The law doesn’t require the town to give notice to anyone.”
Interim Town Administrator Greg Moyer noted Planning Director Robyn Macdonald had issued a press release regarding the vacancy. Donahue added there was nothing to prevent the Board of Selectmen from also soliciting candidates.
With that said, Gorman continued to criticize what he deemed a lack of transparency in the process.
“What’s happened in the past is all this underhanded stuff where you get your buddy to apply for [a position] and nobody else knows about it in the town,” Gorman said. “It should be an open thing to the public so whoever wants to can apply for it to be fair to the taxpayers. We’re getting back into the same baloney with what’s going on in this town.”
Donahue said he was not aware of any previous underhanded events taking place with regard to filling vacant positions on boards and committees.
Thorpe suggested the board develop a firm policy regarding the advertisement of openings for vacated positions via press release.
The board later directed Moyer to issue a press release advertising the position. Letters of interest should be sent to the Board of Selectmen, 60 Center Square, East Longmeadow, MA 01028 or email greg.moyer@eastlongmeadowma.gov.