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Date: 6/28/2021
SOUTH HADLEY – The ongoing search for a new town administrator was discussed at the most recent Selectboard meeting on June 22.
At the meeting, member Chris Geraghty gave an update on the search.
On June 16, the Town Administrator Screening Committee had a total of 12 applicants. Four were interviewed and voted to move forward to a second round. From there, three were selected as finalists – all of whom have municipal management experience. Geraghty said they are looking for a date to go public with the names and the date to have interviews.
The meeting continued with Town Administrator Mike Sullivan giving the COVID-19 update. “For two weeks in a row, we had no increase in cases,” Sullivan said. “There were no traces of COVID. Again, that doesn’t mean there isn’t COVID in this community it just means the levels were low enough where they weren’t being traced.”
He went on to say, “This has all been positive news. As far as vaccines in South Hadley, 66 percent of people have at least one dose and the county is at 67 percent so there is some work to go. Other than that, it’s been a positive development. We really encourage people to get vaccines. For those that don’t get vaccinated, they should be using proper steps to protect others such as social distancing, wearing a mask and washing their hands.”
Sullivan also announced that Town Hall would reopen on July 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Throughout the meeting, the board had their tri-annual interviews virtually. Chair Jeff Cyr said the board made a decision two years ago to conduct tri-annual interviews for the various boards and commissions instead of addressing vacancies as they occurred on the various boards and commissions. Their current process allows people to apply for openings and refines their past practice to maximize the process.
“We as the Selectboard encourage residents to apply and participate on the various committees to help move our community forward,” Cyr added.
The applicants were as followed:
• Panela Peck – interest in joining the Tree Committee Bike Committee and Council On Aging;
• Renee Sweeney – interest in joining MPIC;
• Natasha Matos – interest in joining the Recreation Commission, Tree Committee and Bike Committee;
• Marilyn Ishler – interest in joining Council On Aging;
• Aldo Villani – interest in joining the Conservation Commission;
• Kathy Davis – interest in joining the Conservation Commission; and
• Ryan Kennedy – interest in joining the Golf Commission.
The meeting continued with the July borrowing vote where the board made a motion to authorize borrowing and set life expectancy of equipment.
There was an ongoing discussion on whether their next meeting on July 13 would be in-person or if they were going to wait and see what comes of more discussion from the State House. Board member Andrea Miles stated, “We shouldn’t be the last board that meets in person as a board of leaders and town leaders. As things are reopening, I think that we have an opportunity to model some best practices in that area. I don’t think it would be wise for us not to be moving forward in that.”
Vice Chair Sarah Etelman responded, “I’m not concerned whether we’re first, last or in the middle. I would rather make sure we’re doing our meetings as safely as we possibly can.”
She continued, “I’m not concerned with where we fall in who’s meeting first in person. I want to make sure that we’re doing it right, so if we’re not going to meet in Town Hall then what are our options? Are we going to meet at the senior center or in the library? I just want to make sure all of the mechanics of that are in place and are correct and ready for us before we jump into meeting.”
Etelman reiterated that she’s not opposed to meeting in-person, but she doesn’t want to be pressured to meet because another board is meeting.
Miles disagreed about not being concerned if they were first or last stating, “We’re an elected body and we are in charge of appointing the other boards and committees. We can take this as an opportunity to be the leaders that we were elected to be in this matter and to be actively looking for enough meeting space.”
Board member Carol Constant said there were details that would have to be worked out and didn’t know how long that would take. Such details included how to give the public access to the meetings, if cameras would be allowed, if the audience would be allowed to attend the meeting in-person or if participating from the public would take place via Zoom.
Eventually, the board agreed to have their July 13 meeting in person and they will have the details worked out by both Sullivan and the Administrative Assistant Kristin Maher.