Sewer rate hike OK'd

Sunday, September 20, 2009
By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE
sconstantine@repub.com

SOUTH HADLEY - The Selectboard has opted unanimously to increase the household sewer rate for the current fiscal year from $225 to $240 and from $240 to $265 per household for fiscal 2011, the following year. Last year, the town increased the sewer rate from $175 to $225 per household.

Officials approved the most recent increases Tuesday on the recommendation of Department of Public Works Superintendent James M. Reidy. He said a survey shows that even with the increase this year, South Hadley's sewer bills when compared with those of 21 surrounding communities as of Sept. 11 will be the second lowest. The study has South Hadley's rate tied with Ludlow's as the second lowest bill with the lowest being West Springfield at $200. The survey put the highest average bill at $663 in Belchertown.

Reidy proposed instituting increases over this year and next year instead of all this year to avoid rate shock.

"We want to spread these increases out so it isn't so painful," the public works superintendent said.

Selectman Marilyn G. Ishler asked Reidy how he is progressing on the switch to a system whereby bills will be based on usage. Under the current system, all households pay the same rate regardless of usage.

"There are some hurdles. I don't foresee doing that in the near future," Reidy said, adding that there are issues with software he needs to resolve and that he needs to set the rates now.

Reidy said the rate changes will help deal with increases in wages and retirement costs as well as to assist in paying down the debt service on $4.5 million in loans taken out for improvements completed this spring at the wastewater treatment plant.

Selectman Carlene C. Hamlin, who is also the town's clerk-treasurer, said the wastewater treatment plant account is taking a major reduction as part of writing off losses in the town's investment portfolio.

Selectman Robert G. Judge made the motion to increase the sewer rates.

Sewer bills will be mailed out sometime before Oct. 1 along with second quarter property tax bills. The sewer bills will be due Nov. 16 and the property taxes Nov. 1.

Selectboard OKs merit pay raises

Saturday, September 19, 2009
By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE
sconstantine@repub.com

SOUTH HADLEY - Town Hall and other municipal employees who recently formed a union will soon get raises of 1.5 percent, 3.25 percent or 6 percent depending on job performance.

Most of the employees will receive the 1.5 percent increase, and only department heads were found worthy of the 6 percent raise, a point criticized by one member of the Selectboard.

Youth services librarian Marguerite A. Clancy, a leader in the workers' years-long fight to form a union under the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the lowest raises are still below increases in the cost of living. "We are losing money working for the town," Clancy said.

The Selectboard recently approved the increases by a 3-2 vote after considerable discussion. Selectboard member John R. Hine made the motion to award the raises, which was seconded by Selectboard member Marilyn G. Ishler and supported by Selectboard Chairman Gregory R. Sheehan. Selectmen Robert G. Judge and Carlene C. Hamlin voted against the increases.

The system of raises based on job performance allows for raises of 1.5 percent for the 35 employees meeting expectations, 3.25 percent for the 28 employees sometimes exceeding expectations and 6 percent for the six employees often exceeding expectations. The raises, which are retroactive to July 1, will be funded from $80,000 approved for that purpose by Town Meeting.

Hine said the new system of awarding raises at a much a much higher spread than in recent years is an improvement. Last year, the town gave out raises of 3 percent, 3.5 percent and 4 percent annually depending on merit after several years of giving out raises less than those received by the town's unionized employees.

"I think we are better off than we were before," Hine said.

Sheehan said he likes the system allowing for a greater spread between employees just meeting expectations and those exceeding them.

Hamlin criticized the evaluations that showed only department heads often exceeding expectations.

Split vote nets raises for South Hadley employees

From the Daily Hampshire Gazette:
-------------------------------------------------
By STEPHEN C. HILL
Staff Writer

Friday, September 18, 2009

SOUTH HADLEY
The six top performing town employees, all department heads, will receive a 6 percent raise this year.

Selectmen in a split vote Tuesday approved the merit pay increase plan as proposed by the Personnel Review Board. Board members Carlene Hamlin and Robert Judge objected to the plan. Hamlin voted against them because no employees other than department heads were rated by the review board to "often exceed expectations" and Judge because he is concerned about reduced town revenues in coming fiscal years.

The review board's report, based on evaluations from supervisors, rated 35 of the 69 nonunion town employees as "meeting expectations," 28 as "sometimes exceeding expectations" and six as "often exceeding expectations." Those meeting expectations will receive a 1.5 percent raise, those sometimes exceeding will receive 3.25 percent and those often exceeding expectations a 6 percent raise.

"It just doesn't send a good message to me and to the employees," said Hamlin, after learning that all those rated as often exceeding expectations are department heads. "This will breed confrontation," she said.

As a new department head after being elected Clerk/Treasurer in May, Hamlin said she knows other employees to be outstanding. Most department heads are evaluated by the town administrator and with Barry Del Castilho serving part time as the interim administrator this year, he had less opportunity to observe their performance, she said.

Department heads, therefore, "all probably had a lot of input on their evaluations," Hamlin said. When told two of the six department heads were evaluated by the elected boards that oversee them, she said "I rest my case."

Although board chairman Gregory Sheehan voted for the merit raise plan, he agreed with some of Hamlin's points. "How can a department head be a superstar without some of his staff being superstars," he said.

Judge said state aid will likely be reduced in the coming year and the current budget is not in balance because Town Meeting rejected the local option to increase meals and rooms taxes. "This is not the time to increase your wage base," Judge said.

Town Administrator - Daily Hampshire Gazette - September 12, 2009

Town Administrator Town of South Hadley Town Administrator position; responsible to a five-member Selectboard; representative Town Meeting is legislative body; independent water, fire and electric light districts. Manages and directs town activities, departments and projects as the Chief Administrative Officer. Bachelor's Degree in public administration, planning or business management or related field plus five (5) to seven (7) years experience in a municipal, business or related field is required, or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Municipal or business management experience as a Chief Administrative Officer is strongly preferred. Master's Degree in finance, public/business administration or related field is strongly preferred. Experience with Massachusetts General Laws, collective bargaining, personnel administration, and the town meeting process is desirable, as well as experience with economic development. Salary depending on qualifications. Send letter of interest, resume and current salary to: Selectboard 116 Main Street South Hadley, MA 01075 or selectboard@ southhadley.org by 9/30/09

"Town administrator responsibilities set"

Monday, September 07, 2009

By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE

sconstantine@repub.com

SOUTH HADLEY - Selectmen have agreed in principle to not add the responsibilities of handling personnel and procurement functions to the job description of town administrator.

Officials reached that conclusion during a working session of the board Thursday and are expected to vote to approve the job description when they meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.

Selectboard Chairman Gregory R. Sheehan argued in favor of returning the personnel and procurement functions to the top municipal post. They were split off from the town administrator's responsibilities several years ago and have been handled on a part-time basis by Personnel Officer-Procurement Officer Jennifer L. Wolowicz. She has served as interim town administrator as well as having her usual responsibilities since June 1.

Sheehan argued that that shows all those responsibilities can be handled by one person.

However, Selectman John R. Hine said that that does not necessarily demonstrate all those functions should be performed by one person as there could be things that are not being done now that will make for problems later on.

Selectmen Marilyn G. Ishler and Robert G. Judge also said they lean toward keeping two separate positions.

South Hadley has not had a permanent town administrator in place for any substantial length of time since Patricia A. Vinchesi left the position about two years ago to become deputy director of the Springfield Finance Control Board. Michael A. Szlosek, Ludlow's former town administrator, served as the town's top administrator for three months in 2008.

Selectmen are in the process of putting together an advertisement to attract candidates for the town administrator job as well as forming a selection committee to help with filling the job.

Although some residents have expressed interest in making the position of town administrator more like that of a town manager, who could have direct authority over appointed department heads, selectmen on Thursday opted to not go that route.

Judge said that the proper way to go about making that change would be for a commission to be formed to seek the necessary charter change.

Town Administrator Search Committee

The South Hadley Selectboard has established a new a Town Administrator Search Committee that will have nine members. The Committee will screen applications for the position of Town Administrator, interview selected candidates, and recommend finalists to be interviewed by the Selectboard. The Committee’s work will occur mainly in October and November.

Four seats on the Search Committee have been reserved for the Town Moderator/Town Counsel and representatives of the School Committee, Appropriations Committee and the business community.

The Selectboard invites expressions of interest from South Hadley residents to fill the remaining five seats on the Search Committee. Send to 116 Main Street, South Hadley, 01075 or selectboard@southhadley.org no later than Wednesday, September 23. Appointments will be made on September 29.

Please let me know if you are interested in serving on the Committee. If you have a question, please feel free to contact me at BobJudge@comcast.net or at 413-532-5792.

Thanks for your attention!

- Bob Judge

Town Administrator or Town Manager?

August 26, 2009

Dear Editor:

Before the Charter vote last April, many South Hadley residents said that town government should be changed. Some of those residents said that the Town should replace the current Town Administrator position with a Town Manger position that has greater authority. This month, still more residents have told members of the Selectboard that the Town needs a position that is stronger than the current Town Administrator position.

The Selectboard voted on August 25 to establish a Committee to help us to hire a new Town Administrator. That Committee will have an interesting job and I encourage residents to volunteer to serve on it.

The Selectboard will change the current Town Administrator job description in September. However, changing that job description will not by itself make a significant change in how town government operates. To accomplish that, the Selectboard and others involved in town government would have to change how they work. So, we should consider other changes besides the Town Administrator job description. For example, a special-purpose committee earlier this year suggested that the Town should "consider removing (certain) positions from the elected process," to become appointed positions instead.

The best way to try to make significant changes in our town government is not by changing job descriptions, but through the establishment of another Charter Commission.

Do you want to help hire a new Town Administrator? If so, consider volunteering to serve on the Town Administrator search committee. Do you want to go further, to help make significant change in the very structure of our town government? If so, you and the other citizens of South Hadley should work to establish a new Charter Commission.

Robert Judge

Duties of town post reviewed

Thursday, September 03, 2009

By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE

sconstantine@repub.com

SOUTH HADLEY - Selectmen hope to amend the job description of the town administrator at a meeting today at 7 p.m. to possibly give the position more responsibilities.

They are not expected to take any votes when they meet in Town Hall, but hope to hammer out a job description to be voted on at a subsequent meeting, Laura Krutzler, the board's administrative secretary, said Monday.

The town has not had a permanent town administrator in place for any appreciable length of time since Patricia A. Vinchesi left the position about two years ago. Michael A. Szlosek, Ludlow's former town administrator, served in the position locally for three months in 2008. Retired Town Administrator Barry L. Del Castilho has helped out by serving two stints as interim town administrator, most recently until June 1. At that time, Personnel Officer/Chief Procurement Officer Jennifer L. Wolowicz took over as interim town administrator with Del Castilho doing some consulting.

Officials had decided to delay a search for a permanent replacement until after the summer months and recently issued a call for residents to serve on a search committee. The town administrator is currently responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the town and carrying out policies and procedures set by the Selectboard.

Among the residents interested in expanding the responsibilities of the town administrator is former Selectman Linda W. Young. She was one of the leaders of a campaign that in April defeated a ballot question calling for dropping the town meeting form of government in favor of having a mayor.

At one of their recent meetings, selectmen talked about the possibility of adding duties and responsibilities to the town administrator job description so it will be more like a town manager. However, Selectmen John R. Hine and Marilyn G. Ishler said that such a change would require a charter change, a process that can be started with a petition.

Selectboard Chairman Gregory R. Sheehan said he would not be opposed to adding procurement and personnel functions to the job.