ADAMS, Mass. — Town officials hope to start the search for a new town administrator by January.
Vice Chair Christine Hoyt said last week that she was preparing a request for quotes for consultants to aid in the search.
"The chairman did appoint me to put together a request for quotes to hire a consultant for our upcoming town administrator search," she said at Wednesday's meeting. "I've received a number of different RFQs from a number of communities who have just done this in the last year, and I'm just writing it up so that is tailored to the town of Adams."
She expected to have the document ready this week to distribute to the board in advance of the regular Nov. 20 meeting. The goal is to get it approved and posted by Nov. 22, and review any responses prior to the Dec. 18 meeting.
"Which would give us the opportunity to post the job for the town administrator in the month of January, which lines up with the MMA's Connect 351 conference," Hoyt said. "I think it would be to our best interest to have something in place in regard to a posting by that conference rolls around."
The Massachusetts Municipal Association's annual conference takes place on Jan. 23-25. Hundreds of elected officials and administrators attend the gathering.
Officials anticipate some time before getting a new administrator in place. Current administrator Jay Green, was selected as the new Lenox town manager, replacing Christopher Ketchen.
Ketchen had been manager there for a decade. He left when his contract expired in June to take a post with the state Division of Local Services, part of the Department of Revenue.
Green was offered the Lenox job on Oct. 11; he's departure from Adams is Jan. 15, giving a 90-day notice. Hoyt noted after the meeting that even if the town found a good match in February or March, it could take until June to get someone in place if they, too, have to provide a 90-day notice.
It's likely the town will have to appoint an interim administrator; the last two times the post's been vacant, Donna Cesan, the former community development director, had stepped in. It took the town a year before it hired Green in 2019. In Lenox, state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli is filling in as he did not run for re-election.
In other business last week, the board ratified a number of appointments, including the hiring of Ashley Satko as town accountant and finance director, to replace Crystal Wojcik, at a salary of $75,086.
Wojcik is the financial assistant and was selected unanimously out of five candidates by a search committee of Chair John Duval, Finance Committee Vice Chair Timothy Burdick and retired town accountant Mary Beverly.
She is pursuing an associate's degree in business administration and management from Berkshire Community College and received a certificate from the MMA's municipal finance management seminar. She's worked in the town's finances office for about a decade.
Selectman Joseph Nowak said he had been rebuffed when he asked see the resumes of the other finalists. Duval responded that legally "the board is not allowed to see the resumes, because the two individuals that were not selected may not want their names or resumes in the public eye" and that was explained in an email to him.
Nowak also asked about an audit but Duval and Satko said the town is audited annually.
• The town's counsel advised the board that an Open Meeting Law complaint related to a Sept. 18 meeting was both "untimely" and its subject matter did comprise a violation.
Resident Catherine Foster had filed the complaint on Oct. 16, alleging a committee discussed at the September meeting had not posted its meetings or taken minutes.
Attorney Michael D'Ortenzio Jr. of KP Law said the initial narrative was not submitted on the form required by the Attorney General's Office; it was resubmitted properly on Oct. 24, but beyond the 30-day deadline.
D'Ortenzio also said this wasn't a standing or ad hoc committee that conformed to the definition of a public body as being empowered. Rather it was a staff advisory group with a fluid makeup that provided information to the town administrator and community development director, who would then give recommendations to the board.
Nowak asked if the AG would review the complaint; D'Ortenzio said it would be sent to the office and, after a two-week "cooling off" period, Foster could ask for it to be reviewed. That, he advised, could take nine to 12 months.
• The board opened the warrant for a special town meeting for Tuesday, Dec. 10, which will include approval of a stormwater bylaw and adoption of a state law for enforcement and some zoning bylaw changes for definitions and home occupations. The warrant will close at 4 p.m. on Nov. 13.
During open forum, Caroline Scully asked for a discussion on creating a Greylock Glen commission at the special town meeting; Duval thought it would "make a lot of sense" to post it as a question. Scully was advised 100 signatures would be needed to post it on the warrant.
