More powerful executive eyed by NA board
Town administrator would get ability to appoint officials under proposals selectmen examining
BY AMY DeMELIA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Tuesday, February 3, 2009 2:17 AM EST
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Selectmen are taking a look at investing more authority in the town administrator as part of their discussions on government reform.
Selectmen looked last week at giving the town administrator the authority to appoint and evaluate department heads. At selectmen's request, Town Administrator Mark Fisher put together a series of organizational charts that show different models for appointing officials.
Currently, selectmen appoint some officials, such as the town administrator, police chief, veteran's agent and animal control officer. Elected and appointed boards appoint others, such as the conservation agent, town planner and health agent.
One of the three scenarios would have selectmen continuing to appoint only the town administrator and town counsel. All other appointments currently made by selectmen, including the veterans agent, building inspector and police chief, would be made by the town administrator. All elected and appointed boards would continue to make appointments as they do now.
Selectman Michael Thompson questioned the idea.
"Currently, these employees report to the town administrator, who does their reviews. What efficiency would we gain by having the board give up its authority to appoint people," he said.
Selectman Paul Belham said that having the town administrator appoint department heads will help foster a team environment and that full-time employees should not be supervised by part-time boards.
"He will know that he's appointed a person he can work with," Belham said. "We won't have two people not getting along because he will appoint the person who he feels is the right person for the job. There would be more continuity."
Selectmen Chairman John Rhyno said that centralizing authority has long been one of the aims of government reform discussions.
"The one thing this board said when we started is that we wanted centralized authority. We wanted somebody in charge. I think the thing we need to look at is how much in charge do you want that one person to be?" he said. "If we're afraid to give one person a lot of authority, you have to look at how that's going to affect a mayoral form of government."
In addition to placing selectmen's appointments under the town administrator, a second scenario would give the town administrator the authority to choose all department heads for all appointed boards, such as the fire commission, council on aging and conservation commission.
A third scenario would include one other step - allowing the town administrator to make appointments of department heads now working for elected boards, such as the planning board, board of public works and board of health.
The exception would be the school committee, which would continue to appoint the superintendent of schools as required by law. The chart did not make any reference to the electric commission.
Without commenting on the organizational structures, themselves, Selectman Mark Williamson said any changes should be geared toward improving the lines of communication and increasing accountability.
"We need the various boards that we have no authority over to agree to a communications protocol that will expect them to communicate with the town administrator," he said.
However, Thompson said the communication issues will not be resolved by changing the appointment process.
"Let's be honest, we have a problem getting information from certain boards. It's the boards telling their people not to talk," Thompson said.
The board will continue its discussions of government reform Feb. 5.
AMY DeMELIA can be reached at 508-236-0334 or at
ademelia@thesunchronicle.com.
