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Date: 8/13/2015
EAST LONGMEADOW – The Board of Selectmen may vote at its Aug. 18 meeting to give interim Town Administrator Greg Moyer more authority in his position, including the ability to recommend hiring and firing employees to the board.
The board met with Moyer during its Aug. 10 meeting to discuss a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) that Moyer submitted to the board on July 20.
Town Counsel James Donahue said under Massachusetts General Law Section 23A the board is allowed to expand Moyer’s authority without Town Meeting approval.
Moyer stated in the MOU that the town administrator position currently has the same responsibilities as an executive secretary to the selectmen’s office.
Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Federici said he believes expanding Moyer’s authority would be beneficial to the town because the Charter Commission is currently examining different forms of government with a single managerial figurehead.
If Moyer’s additional powers were approved, it would be a step toward this possible change in government, Federici added.
“I think this may be a good time to implement change,” he noted.
Selectman Angela Thorpe said she believes it would be a good idea to grant Moyer more authority for day-to-day operations rather than waiting for a proposal from the Charter Commission to come before voters in April 2016.
“If we can save some money and we can do things more efficiently, why wouldn’t we do it right away?” she added.
Selectman William Gorman said the board should give Moyer “full authority” because the board is unable to complete its task in a timely manner with three part-time members.
He added that the town is a “free for all,” due to town employees not notifying the board or town administrator regarding use of personal or vacation time, employees frequently arriving late to work, and fighting between the departments due to the pay differences of its employees.
Gorman said he believes giving the town administrator more authority would improve these issues within the town.
Federici proposed that the board meet with the department heads to discuss the changes to Moyer’s position within a week after Aug. 18.
Moyer later told Reminder Publications he would entertain the idea of serving as the interim town administrator until April.
According to the MOU, Moyer signed a four-month contract with the town, which expires on Nov. 6.
He added if the board approves his expanded role, departments with elected boards such as the Department of Public Works, would maintain decisions to hire and fire employees, to make policy, and to discipline employees.
“The way I wrote it is basic to what a real town administrator would do as far as direction and supervision of department heads that work under the offices of the Board of Selectmen,” Moyer said.
During the meeting, Donahue cautioned the board about relinquishing too much of its power to the town administrator position by allowing the town administrator to hire and fire employees.
“You’re elected officials,” Moyer said. “You can go where you want to go [with this decision] … You’re still representatives of the people. I don’t want to hinder that.”