All right, it is 5:46. Uh, I'd like to open the board of selectman meeting for today, Tuesday, July 1st. Um, I would like to start by how we always start a meeting, guys, with the pledge of allegiance. If that's okay. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. All right, so for tonight's meeting, uh kind of a small agenda. We have
basically one task tonight. We have two candidates coming in, um candidates for our interim town administrator position. And uh I guess to start, we have our first candidate coming in at 6:00, our next one coming in at 7. Uh each one will run Cody, do you think about 45
minutes or so? Um and we'll uh we'll ask some questions and get some feedback and then I think the hope uh the goal we should have maybe is to uh come up with some sort of decision by the end of the night. Uh so we can have our town interim town administrator in place um
by the end of this evening. Obviously pending u contract negotiations. Is that safe to say Cody? It is. Yeah. So we do have an executive session planned for at the end of the meeting. So if you make um a conditional appointment, we'll go into executive session to discuss the
parameters of the contract. Um welcome. Excellent. Um we have some great questions here that uh we brainstormed. Actually Cody helped us out too with a lot of these. U fellas, how do we want to approach this? Do we want to I see there's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven kind of different um arenas
maybe. Do we want to have each one of us take one of the arenas and go through each question and kind of rotate through or do we want to rotate through question to question? How how do you guys want to handle? I say just go from group to group to group. Uh anybody have any inkling on
any of them or just you want to just go right down the line? So I'd recommend Jonathan on it. It's, you know, it's good you start, introduce the board. Y um and then it then makes sense for you to start with kind of the first set. Sure. Then however you guys want to deviate time, but you know, just an introduction of where we are, where the
town is, where the board is, and obviously issues. You guys can go down the line issues like yourselves. Sure. All right. So, I'll take the leadership and experience. Um Tom, you want to go down to governmental and knowledge? All right. Bill, you want to do financial management seeing you're our fincom guy?
Yeah. All right. Um, I'll jump back to interpersonal skills. Um, operations and oversight, Tom, that okay? Yep. All right. Communication and transparency, Bill? All right. And then,
uh, the last two I'll jump on if that's okay. Adaptability and planning. Awesome. Is there anything you guys don't see on here that you you'd like to ask? So, it's important that you ask each of the candidates the same set of questions. Now, if one of them says something and it it sparks some further
interest, that's fine. You know, go in and dive more into a question based on that. But generally, you want to have the same questions to start with. And then there may be more based on their responses. And I'd recommend at that time, so even if Tom, even if you're asking a question, if if the bill if the
candidate says something that Bill, you know, wants to know more, oh, Bill Fil, you know, jump in, get that information. Um, but is there anything in here that you think tried you just pull some? You had a question on here about what is your management style? This
was on the people before. Yeah, you did have a management style question. I remember reading it. Descri Oh, four. Describe your leadership style and how you build trust with staff, boys and Oh, okay. No, that's not mine. It's a double for his
double force. Oh, two fours. Oh, sorry about that. That's okay. So, so the first four. Yeah. Category one, question four. Yeah. Sorry about that. That's okay. You're out of here soon anyway. So, all right.
Excellent. Um, you want to take a recess until 6:00? You can. Is there anything else you guys Anything else we want to go? I feel like we're ready to roll. All right. All right. All right, we will take a recess uh till around 6:00 when
our first candidate will be entering. So, see you at 6. Like a meeting for uh Tuesday, July 1st. Uh joining us right now is our first candidate for interim town administrator, Mr. Bob Fennennessy. Do you like Bob? Is that okay? Bob, how you go by? Yeah. Okay, Bob, thank you
for coming. Thank you. Uh my name is Jonathan Celig. I'm the chair of the board of selectman. Guys, want to introduce yourself? Uh Tom Pratt, a member of the board of selectman. Bill Smith. And you've already met Cody, our town administrator. So, first and foremost, thank you so much for coming out. It's a little sticky tonight, but uh hopefully we won't make you sweat too
much here. Um I guess before we start, is there any questions you have for us here? Uh before we ask our questions of you? Um no, as we go along, maybe pop up that um but no questions of off the top. Yep. All right, great. So, yeah, if you
don't mind, we'll jump right in if that's okay. Y um and I drew the the first draw here. So uh my my section is under leadership and experience and uh if you could Bob just tell us about yourself. It's an easy one and why you're interested here in the position. So in leadership and experience that's
kind of where where my forte is. Um I've been throughout my career uh starting way back way back uh before I retired. I was the police officer with the MSPA law enforcement. I was I was put on the department statewide organization uh
special state police officers. I worked my way up from officer to sergeant to uh prosecuting officer which I did the court work which kind of kicked in my mind gez I'd like to be a lawyer someday you know because I'm prosecuting this figured I was the lowest paid person in
that room getting than doing the prosecutions. So I ended up going to law school my later in my career with the MSPCA, got my degree uh and passed the bar and at that time I became deputy chief of the department. So I was a
deputy director statewide. Uh so I did that for a few more years and I thought well I just spent $100,000 for a law degree. I better do something with it. My father was yelling at me and um so I did. So, I went out, put up a shingle,
waited for clients to come and sat there and then and then they started coming. Uh, and and it's been a good a good run on that. In the meantime, like you guys, uh, you you you do something to better your own town. Uh, I became a selectman.
I first I went on the finance committee to get a sense of what municipal municipal work is like. Then I went on the conservation commission and I did two terms on there. I was on the cable advisory committee and then I thought, you know, I'm going to run for selectman. I became the youngest
selectman in the town of Planeville at that time. Somebody a 21-year-old uh took it recently, but so so I I started doing that. I did six years of that while I was an MSPA officer and took
four years off to go to law school. So I stopped being a selectman then went to law school, got out and after law school I went back into being a selectman, ended up serving six terms. So I was elected twice against against uh people
running on an open seat and then then four times running against me or or no contest. So So I enjoyed it. I mean that's that's where I cut my teeth in municipal work. Um, like you, you're probably thinking, "Oh, this would be a great job, you know, doing town
administrator." So, I uh I went in to become a town administrator in Boilston, small town, 4,000 people. Um, and I stayed there and before I started my law practice and then started my law
practice. So over the years I ended up becoming a professor at UMass Law School teaching municipal law, teaching animal law and teaching employment law and those were the areas of my law practice too which I enjoyed. But I enjoy
teaching and um so I so I was doing that contemporaneously with all the other things, all these balls in the air plus having kids and having a family and uh and and it and it was great. I enjoyed it. Well, it came to to um my last my
last town administrator position was Cber right around the corner. Before that, it was Kingston down the street. Um, and in Carra, I went in as an interim town administrator. They had an ad for an interim. I thought, you know what? I really loved town administrator
in Kingston and in Boilston. I'm going to do that now that I'm semi-retired. I can do that. So, I put in for the interim. I got that. And during that interim period that everybody kept saying, you gota you got to apply for the full-time. You got to stay. here.
So, I foolishly did. I got to be careful because they're on the same cable committee. Yes, they are. So, I did and um and I loved it there. I loved it. I just didn't want to be committed to 12 months a year of doing doing the job and I had some other things going on with
family and medical things with family. So, so you know, I decided to retire out of there. So, and since that time I went to uh became a a senior project manager consultant with Capital Strategic Solutions and Cody, you may know who
they are. Yeah. Uh great organization. So, I've been in four or five towns since then doing various things. The biggest thing that I've done is in city of Brockton. I was the HR director for an interim position for two to three
months. Stayed six months. again they asked me please submit your application and caveat there you have to live in Brockton to to work there. So, um, so anyway, uh, here I am. Um, I have a a ton of background in in my management.
Um, I have a kind of a collaborative management style. Uh, make people feel respected and appreciated for what they do. Uh and I think I learned that from being a selectman mostly thinking that you know you we're all here working for
the town for the betterment of the town not for the betterment of an individual person or an individual company or but but for the betterment of town. Sometimes those coincide and that's great you know when when it helps a town and it helps a business too or it helps
a person or a group. So, so that's that's kind of where I come from in my management. I I look at managing not managing people, but bringing them on board so that so they feel respected and they feel whether you're whether you
work for highway or or you know being a custodian or a department head or a committee member, board member or even a volunteer. I mean, you got to bring them to you and bring them into the fold or else they're going to be bucking you all
the way. And that's that's how over again over 40 years. That's what I learned and that's how I that's how I operate. Oh, it's a great I'm sorry it was so long, but it's a long a long history of it's a it's a lot to cover. No, that was great. I appreciate it. U and you actually answered I had a couple
more follow-up ones, but you kind of touched on it. Um let me see if I that one was already covered. What experience do you have serving? I think that's pretty pretty clear. Um, oh, here we go. Here's a good one. How have you managed transitions particularly in a town
administrator role? So, where you're uh coming new to the scene. How is that transition period? I mean, thankfully we have Cody for another week or so. No way. Um, so how how do you handle that transition time, you know, before the the seat is yours, I So if I came in uh
the first thing I would do is get a lay of the land, you know, meet the staff here and and short time and this is what I did in Carver. A short time later, I'd make sure we had a department head meeting to go through what what is going
on as a group and then I'd meet individually with all the department heads and get a sense of what their department needs are, what the issues are, uh what has to happen. In the meantime, you know, I I look at being an interim a lot differently than I look at
being a permanent. I mean, a permanent, I'm thinking, you know, three three years down the road and what what it's going to be like. Uh interim, I want to make sure they know that I'm here to support the board and support the the staff and make sure that they know that
um that they can count on me to take care of things that come to my attention. So it's not it's not making major changes in the way things are done. Although I gotta say in Cabra it I did make some major changes because they
needed to be made and it was it was well welcomed by both the staff and the board of selectman. So so I I I would do that if it if there was something that fiery that needed to be done. Um so that's
that's the first thing I I get everybody in together, get them to know me. Uh, it doesn't take long to know me because I'm very open and very collaborative and, you know, working with people and all that. So, I don't think there'd be an
issue with with unless there's issues with people, you know. So, so that's the first thing. That's that's what I would do for the transition and and then work with well Cody won't be here but work with the board to to bring on a really
good town administrator for your for your permanent because that's that's the key here. You know, you're going to sign that long contract with with a permanent. So, and I've been in your situation as a board member in Planeville when we were looking for a town administrator. I ended up doing the
interim town administrator work in Planeville because we couldn't find one. You know, fortunately now, you know, there's a number of us out there doing interim work. Um, so, but the key, you know, is to find the the right fit for
you guys as the permanent town administrator. So, I'm going to veer off a little bit. You brought up um, you know, you like to stay the course essentially, right, as an interim, but you said you did make some major changes over in Carver. who feel free to share changes with us or they're personnel
issues so I probably wouldn't you know. Okay. Um and you did mention leadership style. Uh would you consider yourself kind of an open door policy kind of go back on your leadership style and expand on that if you if you don't? So my leadership style is to again bring
everybody into the fold, you know, uh get them to understand where I'm coming from. So it's not like you'll do this, you'll do that. No, you're in trouble. Not a top down thing. Yeah, it's not. We're all again, we're all for the betterment of the town and equal. That's
how I look at it, you know. Um I don't think you guys are better than me. We're equal. No, I don't think I don't think I'm better than them. I mean, I think everybody plays a role, you know, in in the town and in town government and governance
and um and I think that's important, you know, that you play a role, but you still have to be a people person, you know, to be able to get the work done properly and with with vigor and with great Bob. Yeah, I'll take care of that.
And that's what it's like in Cabra. I mean, I left there sadly because it was running like a like a top, you know. So, and and I I suggest if anybody can call any of the department heads over there
or any of the administrative staff and just talk to them about me, you know, you'll get a good sense of who I am if you need to do that. But, thanks. Thanks, Paul. All right, that's all I have here for leadership and experience. Tom, you want to jump on to yours? Yeah, excuse me. So I have um government and
legal knowledge. So um could you touch upon your experience experience with mass municipal law, open meeting law and public records requirements? Oh, public records requirements. So much fun. Fun stuff. So you know, obviously, you know, you have to have the minutes done in
time. I think it's three three meetings or or six weeks or something like that. I don't have it in front of me, but you know, that's a big thing. and and public records requests. It's a bane on every community, Mhm. you know, because you
have to do it and you have to do it timely. Um I noticed online that you have in the minutes. I read all your minutes from February to now and um I noticed that you have me and Talaman, me and Telman
and Jay Talon. Have you met him? Yep. Yeah. Yeah, we met Jay. So I I work closely with him both in in uh in Kingston and do you know Federof Kate Federov? I work with her in Brockton.
Oh, great. And so you know well they they're great resource for you. Um I don't know if you have the the one price fits all with them. Uh so they're not our lead council. No, they're I think labor, right? They're labor. Yeah.
Uh Brooks and Durantis is our lead. Okay. And they're good for him too. Yeah. Brooks and Denis. Framingham. What's that? Framingham and Nate out that way. They have in Boston. Boston. Oil. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know them. Yeah. And um and then
HR we still have at the moment we still have Lighthouse. Yes. Yeah. As a consultant. Yep. We have we consult out our HR services. So that's how we're set up. Okay. So yeah. So, I'm well aware of all the the laws relating to municipalities. Um, I can understand
them. That's a big part of it. You know, a lot of times town managers can read something and don't understand really what it means and what they're doing and you know, but but be having a legal mind that I have, I can I can read something and instantly meander through it and
know what we have to do and and you know, I throw it out too. and worked in Cber, that could save some money for legal fees. So, you're not having a town administrator who has to call legal counsel all the time. You know, you have an in-house person who can get to that
first level and then then it's up to that that town administrator to say, "Okay, I'm going to call because this is like the MBTA litigation." And that's not something that a town administrator will do, you know, that's something for your legal, you know, your legal
concerns. Great. Um, how do you ensure compliance with state and local bylaws and regulations during a time of administrative transition? Um, compliance with the staff or local bylaws. State state regulation, local
bylaws. Yeah. So, so local bylaws are being violated. I would contact the whoever the department is that it's violating. So if it's if it's the wetlands, do you have a conservation agent? We do. Yeah. So you have that person get involved, report to me, you
know what what's happening. Um I'd be an overseer of those things, not a not a firsthand going out and saying, "Okay, you're in violation." You know, that's for the police, the conservation agent, the building inspector, you know, any ordinance that's on the books. Um,
but I think it's important that I know what the ordinances are, you know, so that I can then be the overseer of those, but it's not something that I would enforce myself if that was a question. Got it. Sure. Yeah. Okay. Bill,
I have uh fiscal management. Uh, can you describe your experience with municipal budgeting and fiscal forecasting? Okay. So, fiscal forecast. Uh, so obviously being a town administrator, I've done the
budgets for every single town. Um, fortunately in Cab, we also had a finance director. In Kingston, we had a we had a finance director, but one who left and then there was a lot of turmoil on getting somebody in. So, you rely on your finance director also to work with
you on your finance committee to put together a budget. Now, I know you had town meeting already, so you got the budget in place for this year. Do do you have a timeline? And this might be one of my questions. Sure. Do you have a timeline of when they start the budget?
And would that fall within my realm of I mean, ideally, I don't speak for the whole board, but I think ideally we'd love to have a a full-time candidate in before our our budget kicks in. Yeah. But in the meantime, I think what I would do is get get everybody together,
start working on their budget. And I know there's financial difficulties here. Financial difficulties in Kingston and Carver and everywhere. Plainville, even though we have the casino in Planeville, there's fi financial issues. So, so the you want to have them look at
ways. If I put out that we might have to cut 10%. Tell me how you're going to do it. and and saving staff and saving saving services, you know, and see where the where where if there's any fat there. I'm sure by now you're cutting
into bone. Pretty much down to bone, Bob. Unfortunately, I know. Um, so that's and again, I lived all that. you know, every every city and every town community has those issues, especially now now after many years of two and a
half and many years of education costs rising and health costs rising and and you're still locked in at that two and a half, you know, have you had an override? That's I was just going to ask you, Bob, have you been in a community that's gone through the override process? Planeville, we had an override,
okay, when I was a selectman. Okay. um that um Cara we haven't uh Kingston I don't Yeah, we in Kingston either. There was talk about it for a police station in Kingston. Um never went through. That's why we still have the old police
station there. Y yeah, I won't say there's a possibility for one next year, I think. But I mean, if that's, you know, while I'm here, you know, to start the ball rolling to get I think Do you have a committee or something that you Well, yeah, we were talking about forming a an override committee just to
start kicking tires. That's good because then you're pulling from each correct area. You know, the worst thing to do is pull one out and and it's only one design for school or something. Yeah. It's only my office. You got to have you got to have buy in, you know, the but so
I've done all the budgets and worked with our finance committee and finance uh directors and all that. Got them on online. We had in Cabra they'll tell you real quick. We we were going through the budget process in the early stages
September October and the finance director said we have a major deficit. We have a $600,000 deficit. like what and and if you're listening ka don't quote me on the 600,000 might have been
550 I would turn off right now please but you know it it and and it floored us I had to bring in all the department heads and say you know we have to look to cut deeply and they and they were beside themselves you know and and um turned out there was an error on some
calculations and that dropped down to like 113,000 which was manageable for a big town like car. I mean, you know, we have 16 five and people 16,500 and a pretty big budget. So, so there
was a lot of room to maneuver where smaller towns like Planeville like Halifax, not much room to maneuver, you know, and before you before you're really hitting something. Yeah. So, so that's you kind of get my second question also. Oh, I talk too much. All
right, that's okay. I'll jump down if you don't mind, Bob, to interpersonal skills. How do you manage uh let's say you're the interim here. How do you manage uh relationships between the select board members that may have different priorities between the three of us? And that's a good question because I like I was on a three- member
board. Yeah, I like three member boards because there's three. You're not dealing with five. Five. There's always so much. It's very difficult with five. A lot with three. And and what I did with the five, I would meet with them individually. Yeah. and talk about their
desires and their goals and and and it it got difficult at time because sometimes there were clashing goals, you know, and and well, Bob, you know, put this through. Let's get this working. And, you know, okay, but, you know, if we do that, we're going to have to cut
here and take take out something here, you know, and um I'll give you one example um real quick. Um there was a desire to put in uh bike lanes from one of the select board
members and you know all over town and you know and the cost of that you think oh you just paint in bike lanes. No, you have police details, you have road closures, you have you know paint, you have probably overtime on personnel to
to put it in off hours a little so you're not you can't do it in the in rush hour time either. And um and that doing that would cost a lot of money that we would have to cut from somewhere else. And one select person didn't like
that. You know, they wanted to get this done. And and another one's like, we're not doing that. We can't do that. We can't cut to have a bike lanes. You know, this is Craber. This isn't Cambridge or Brooklyn or something. You know, I'm from Cambridge originally.
Cambridge Republic. So, so it it it's hard, you know, I would I would meet with you individually and talk. Um, you know, I hear you're a good cohesive board anyway, which is a great thing to hear. So, um, so it'll probably be pretty easy for the three months that
I'm here. Yeah, I think I think not to toot our horn, we're pretty collaborative. Yeah. You know, and I think we all three of us put our heads together. So, I don't know. Hopefully, knock on wood that wouldn't be too much of an issue. Um, back to my questions here. All right, here's a good one. Bob, describe a time when you had to mediate
a conflict between departments or stakeholders and and what was your outcome with that conflict? Mediate a conflict. Yeah. So, you're not talking about personnel issues. Personally, um I don't know if I'd go personnel or Well, I'll leave it open to
you though. What do you conflict? You had a big conflict and you res you fixed it. How did what did you do? How'd you do it? So in terms of a conflict of interest in in personnel there there's always grievances filed you know through the
police or through you know other unions and and a lot of times the grievances I find are grievances more that somebody is getting something and they didn't that they oh well why did you let that person go home at 2:00 you know because
well because that person had a need to go home and a need to be and that's my call you know and but but they get into this whole n you know that they got that I want that too you know and and so working again working through them
talking to individually and saying you know we if this happens to you then obviously I'd do the same thing for you but we're not going to make a blanket policy because we have to give a accommodation to one person or two
people and and then that can sometimes work into a conflict where where people stop talking to each other. So I bring them in to my office, have a coffee and kick back and just say, "Look, oh yeah,
just let's just get this out." You know, because the longer you let this fester, it's going to get into the town hall and get into other things and and it fers well. You know that. Um, so you got to you got to take care of it like that, you know, get them get them on board.
And again, I I don't want to keep using that phrase, but but that's the key. And and that's how I do it. And that's how I've done it. I can't think of a in in car. It was pretty easy on um my capital capital plan. We had a certain
amount of money and fire department wanted a breaker truck for fire breaker. police needed their four cruisers and this needed that and and and there wasn't that much money there and I brought them all into together and said
okay well yeah yeah say what wait I don't know why don't we talk about who can go without this year well I'll give up my break I don't need that I'm going to get my other one renovated or rehabbed and so I'll I'll take that off the list it's $125,000
off the list you know so so we work through that way and get them to. So, it's their idea and they they're the hero because they pull back, you know. Have you ever had this is a hypothetical, have you ever had a department say I don't want to say go rogue, but a department where um you
don't feel like they're buying into the the team collaborative and how have you handled uh let's say it goes with a whole department. How would you handle something like that for a whole department? Yeah. Um, it comes from the top, you know, the te
from the the manager of that department. Yep. Um, so I'd first work with the manager to see why they're like that and, you know, and and and try and break it down, you know, is there one leader in there that needs to come in and, you
know, be called to the carpet sometimes, you know, because it's having an effect on everybody. And that's what I would do it. Bring them in. And I mean, I I don't I don't brag about this, but I've had to fire people. I've had to lay off. I had to I hire I you know, all those things.
It's not fun. Yeah. It's not you know, but sometimes that's the only way you break that that tension that that bad apple, you know, is is to move on. And you know, that's and you know, and again, that's the last resort, but it is
a resort that, you know, we all have to go through. Now again being an interim that probably wouldn't happen in that short period of time you know unless the answer have you have you watched how basketball I did watch one meeting I should
probably watch some more um so my I have two questions this and this perfect segue actually uh probably no accident there uh operations and oversight and I'll just skip down to the second one of the two um to start what is your approach to working with department heads and ensuring
accountability during your tenure here. So you touched on earlier about having meetings with department heads fairly early through the door, get to know each other. Would you care to revisit that or expound upon that? And then secondarily, um, how would you assess and approve operational efficiency and whatever short-time sty leadership role that you
have here? Okay, so that's good question. Um, so on operational efficiency, I'll go with that first. Um, I'd look at the budget, make sure that everybody's in line where they should be. I mean, it's early in this budget season, obviously. It's just this the
first week of it. Um, but I want a history too of where they were last year. Did they need money at the end of the year? Did they pull from the reserve? Did they did they were the transfers inter departmental transfers and other things to see if they're able
to manage that budget with what was allotted? And if not, it's the earlier the better to start making the changes on the budget on on to get that operational efficiency. And I like that word. I want to use that someday. Um Oh,
it's not Estonium. It's that much credit. It's a trademark, right? Um, so but I think you know that's that's how I would do it is to to make sure that they're online where they're going as we get into August, as we get
into September, maybe October. You know, by then we'll have a handle with the first quarter of where they stand and what they might have to do. I mean, they may have to furlow somebody if if they're heading out to a deficit for the
end of the year, you know. So, and what was Ella for? Well, you kind of touched on it earlier about your um through the door style with department heads. The official question is what is your approach to working with department heads and ensuring accountability during your tenure? Okay. So, you mentioned early on accountability on their
department to make sure that they're overseeing their department because one person can't oversee all the departments every day. You know, we we hire department heads to do that. That's that's their job, you know, is to manage their department.
When it comes to my level, there's an issue, something there that came to my level that's not getting managed by the manager. So, I would work with that manager again and guide him or her and work with him or
her to see to manage that department itself. Um, yeah, and I think I talked about that earlier. Yeah, these are good questions really. Next one is uh communication and transparency. So, how
do you communicate with residents, boards, and staff to maintain transparency and public confidence? So, every meeting I see the town administr does a town report, right? I don't know if you have a town report
that goes online like you know how you see those nice three-page things that people have time to do. Um but I think that's one way is getting things out. We have a Facebook we you have a Facebook page, right? Yep. Yeah.
So getting it on a Facebook page too of things that are that are going on um so that the public has a sense of what's going on in town and doesn't hear from Joe or Mary or something and it gets skewed, you know. Uh I think that's
important, you know, to get that out that way. That's one way I would give a a town administrator's report. Um, I've always given kind of a lengthy one because I somewhat verbose and and I like to cover a lot of things,
you know, so that way it doesn't come back and with questions like what what what did you do on that? Well, I just that's in my report, you know. So, so I would do that. I would give you guys a uh kind of a in-depth uh report of
what's going on so that you know because you're the mouthpiece at the meetings. you know, they people listen to you. They they don't often listen to the town administrator, town manager, they want to hear from the board, you know, and how often how you know, given your given
the interim status, how would that be a monthly report or something like that, give or take? Yep. And just to to touch base on that, Bob, will you mention like Facebook and social media? Do you view that as a bulletin board or would you look to actually interact with people on the
social media world? I think it's important to do it as a bulletin board. Y just to put out there because you don't want with with social media these days, you know, it changes then you got to pull it down because people are putting things on there inappropriately. Um and you know they got their own
websites that they put that stuff on. You know, uh we learned that from the Karen Reed trial, right? There was no accident. There was no accident. There was no accident. So anyway, um yeah, that's I would I would keep it as as I think that's what
it is now. Yep. And that's what odds are, you know, in Planeville. The next one is um what is your approach to handling public inquiries, media, and public criticism in a small town? Um, my approach is to be upfront with
them unless it's something of personnel and confidential nature is to get it out from my words or your words. Uh, rather than have somebody else say something and it gets it gets its own legs and becomes, you know, this big thing in
town. So, so I've always worked with the media. Um I in Kingston and in Craber I did routine uh meetings on on cable. Um and I probably would do that here. I don't know if I would in the short term.
We had Cody's Corner for a while. Yeah, he does. Oh, you do? You have one? Cody's I had coffee Kingston coffee and conversation. Oh, there you go. That's That's got to love the alliteration. Yep. I know. You know, it's all about the
All right. Uh my next section here is adaptability and planning. So Bob, I know you've been an interim um you know, multiple times in multiple different positions. How how do you how quickly can you get up to speed, you know, here in Halifax? Um especially where you kind
of have to hit the ground running. Yeah. And I'm ready for that. I mean, you know, it's only been well, it's March, I think last March, April when I left Cabra. I went shortly thereafter I went to to Brockton. I've been there since
for 6 months. So So it's only been a couple of months since I've been out. Um I I that's I How long would it take me? It take me a week, you know. I mean nothing cuz I know the I know the work, you know, in the game. Yeah. And uh and
I know there's issues and you know, and it's just getting all that. Um, I've always been able to compartmentalize things in my brain, you know, that this is this and this is this and this is this and I have to do that. Again, that
might be my legal background. Uh, so so that's easy for me. Um, shouldn't be a concern for you, but and I know you mentioned before um you're interested strictly in the interim TA, not the full-time. But I will ask you about availability. You know, it's a fluid
situation. We we could have a a knockout candidate come in for the full-time gig this month. It could stretch on a little bit. Um I don't know what your availability window is for us. It's it's till the end. Till the end whenever you want to end. So So it goes into say October if it goes to December. Okay.
Yeah. Yeah. And it's funny um Cara advertises a sixmon interim. Wow. They didn't that's how they advertise. That's what drew me in. Okay. you know, like, okay, I'll get my hands here and, you know, I'll be in for 6 months and, you know, I like that, you know, um, so I
don't know if you'll get somebody in 3 months. It's a it's a lot, you know, it's a lot to go through. Sure. And, uh, I I do want to say that in September, um, we have a vacation to the Greek islands that we put off in 2021 during
COVID, we were supposed to go. So, so that's um in September. Okay. But right after Labor Day. Okay. So, but you know that that shouldn't be a problem by then for me to just even take away and then
come back and continue. You know, if I could just ask a question uh kind of piggybacking on that a little bit just to double check and um in your cover letter you mentioned 28 to 38 hours per week for the duration. Yeah. What does that look like? Is that a 4 day 4 days a week kind of? So, that's what I'm
thinking. Yeah. Um uh what wind showers here on Friday? So we're closed Fridays. Closed Fridays. Yeah. So it would be four days you could hash out those hours. And what times the hours for Well, we have kind of changes
depending on the day. So Tuesday is our late day. Tuesday we're here till what are we Cody? 6 6:30 on Tuesdays. Um and the rest are 4:00. 4:30. Sorry. Thank you. Um, and then I guess part of that too would do you see yourself attending
meetings at night? You know, you have that availability if uh um you know uh Fincom, although most of our Fincom is Zoom. Um so there's that. But if you did have a a need for for popping into a meeting at night, you think you'd be available there as well? Of course. Did
that my whole career. Okay. Okay. All right. I like being I like being away. No, I know. Oh, careful, honey. I didn't mean that. Yeah, your family's watching, too. Um, all right. I think guys, anything else
for Bob? Is there again, I know I asked you at the beginning. It's probably unfair to ask you right out of the gate, but is there anything else you have for us uh about Halifax, about the board, about what we're expecting? So, I I you know, did my research? Yep. You know, as
I should, and I got a good sense of the board. I got a good sense of the issues with new gen and MBTA and other things that are going on here. Um, Sunday my wife and I came to Halifax. We drove around and stopped in a few places
and just meander through. Uh, and and again when I was way back when I was with the MSPCA law enforcement, a number of the officers lived in Halifax. There was Bill Curran who was became the chief of the department. He was in Halifax. Walter Kilroy, he became the chief of
the department. He lives in Halifax. Don Mat, he was one of the corporals. He lived in Halifax. So I was always down here as a captain because we would have meetings and come down and see, you know, get together and all that. Um, so I feel comfortable with Halifax feel and
in fact I I applied to another town had an interim um in Paxton and they called me for an interview. Uh, but I pulled out of that because I'd rather be in this area. I'm comfortable with Kingston,
with Cabra, with Plymouth. My daughter lives in Plymouth and they just had a baby girl. First Oh, congratulations. You know, one of my third grandchild, but first for them. So, we go there a lot. So, like my wife was saying, "Oh,
well, I can go babysit while you go to work." I said, "Yay. What about me? I want to see." It's a great little town. It's The people are great. We just had our fireworks over the weekend. They were terrific. So, it is. It's a great little slice of America. I love it. That's what it's got. It's got that
feel. Yeah, it does. You know, that little town feel. And I hate to say Planeville used to have that. Sure. But then the casino came in and, you know, and this came in and that came in and now they're building these big box storage units all over the place near us and, you know, it's different. It's a
different feel. Sure. Um, but the casino bought us a new town hall. Beautiful town hall. A new police fire station combination. Zero for the for the for the uh people. Yeah. But how much of your paycheck does
it take every week? That's the question. That's true. That's true. Yeah. We have to fill it with new fire trucks and new police cars and new people. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, great. Well, Bob, it's been awesome to meet you. I appreciate you. Me, too. you know, I hope I'm chosen. I think if
you choose me, I think you're getting more than one person. You know, you're getting a legal mind, you're getting a HR mind, you're getting a a TA manager's mind, and and and especially against somebody who has a personality that and
somebody who's not going to leave because they applied for another job and it came through or permanent one. Bye, Halifax. I'm dumping you. I'm going elsewhere, you know, because I got this job. So, so that's what's good about being an interim. If you're a true interim, you know, you you're doing the
job and for the municipality, you know, help the municipality get through that interim phase and then then you you move on and they they move on with their new town administrator. So, so I hope I'm chosen. I appreciate your time. Before I let you go though, Cody, I I know you're
up here. Any any questions you have for Bob at all whatso? Okay. And when when's your last day? Uh July 8th. But you know what? Like I've said to the But I know who you are. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not planning to go any phone number. Yeah. I want to make sure
that the transition is good. It's a great group of um department heads and staff as a whole here. I think if you um look at where the town was two and a half years ago to where it is now, um it's not even it's not close to the same community. The culture is totally
changed. all positive. The culture is different. The collaboration is different and um and it's not because of me. It's because of the team that we have. Oh, you had a little bit to do. Oh, but it's but it's because of the team. It's just like you said, the collaboration is is key. So, uh but if
selected, I'm a resource for you. Awesome. Happy to meet and um anything I can do to help the transition. Great. Thank you. Yes. Thank you, Bob. Appreciate it. Okay. Thank you. Thanks for coming in. Yep. Huh? Yeah.
Oh, duplic. Yeah. He's a great guy. He is. You got to shake. I'll shake you again. That's all right. I'll shake you again. Great meeting you, Bob. Yep. And just so you know, Bob, um, we hope
to make our decision this evening. Okay. So, it shouldn't be, we're not going to string this out as, you know, any longer than we have to. So, as soon as a decision's made, we'll reach out and let you know one way or the other as soon as we can. Good. Thanks. All right. Yeah. No worries. And Pam's been very nice. Yeah. All
right. Yeah, we got a good crew. Yeah, you know, we really do. All right, see you later. Take care. Thank you. All right, so we have a little bit of time uh before our next candidate, Cody. Is it okay to recess for a little bit or Yeah. Cal or something? Yeah, maybe want to give you a nice parting gift on your
way out the door. Um yeah, so we'll take um probably about a 15-minute recess straight that way. Uh 15-minute recess. Uh it is 6:44, so right around 7:00 for our next candidate, and we will see you guys then. All right, let me just uh reopen the meeting. We're in a brief recess, so I'll just officially reopen
the uh voter selectment meeting uh at 7:05 here in the great hall. Uh we are continuing our interim town administrator interviews. Um and joining us right now is Mr. Ari Sky. Um Ari, you met the board here. You know Cody, familiar. Um if it's okay, we'll jump
right into questions. Please. Before we get to that, is there any you have for us off the off the cuff or would you like to maybe wait towards the end? I want to see I don't want to cover I don't want to pre I want to presuppose what you're going to cover. So absolutely sure I totally understand. Yeah. All right. So first one's an easy one. Kind of tell us about yourself and
why you're interested in this position here in health. Okay. Great. Um so uh I've been involved in government pretty much my entire career since uh since I graduated from college at Brandeise in the late 80s. Worked on Capitol Hill for a little bit and then uh u went back to grad school got a masters in public
administration and spent much rest of my career pretty much in local government. um um focused mainly on finance but also management here and there. Um I was a burough manager for small town outside Philadelphia. Um recently I was a town administrator for Lakeville. Um I've been the CFO for for New Bedford and so
on. And um I it's work that I enjoy. Um I've committed my entire career to it. Um and I hope I enjoy it. and uh the um uh the what I'm what I'm hoping to when when when I unders when I learned that your position that you were looking for
an interim town administrator was a good fit for me. I um the position I have in or had in Watertown recently got um eliminated by the city council. Um it was just uh they basic the city manager proposed proposed my proposed continuation just the city council
decided they wanted to force a reorganization um for for various reasons. I'm not sure what, but it was not performance based and my my uh supervisor and uh the city manager will be happy to talk to to you if you looking for reference or information. Um so I'm kind of at a point now where I'm
where I'm available and looking around a little bit. Um what appeals to me about an interim TA position in from a generic standpoint is that since I am this all came on kind of suddenly. Uh, it gives me an opportunity to kind of, you know, still do some good work, but also take a little time to kind of figure out, you
know, where I want to orient myself for this part of my career and what I want to do next. And it seemed like a good a good kind of good bit of synergy and good fit that way. Uh, so um when um uh when Bernie Lynch mentioned to me that that Halifax is going through through the transition, I said maybe I can help
out as far as the interim goes. Yeah. Um I um uh as you as you look at my resume, you'll see that I have a a long experience probably more heavily towards the financial side, but um but but you know, I have I have worked in local government in all aspects in
Massachusetts and I'm certainly familiar with smalltown government and what it requires and how that how that works. My recent in Lakeville is probably relevant in that respect. And um uh you know, we're coming into a I think we're all coming into a very challenging period
right now. Um the state has passed a budget which um well they trim it back a little bit in the conference committee but they they're really not ant it's really not a budget that's structured for um the kind of cuts that Congress is talking about right now when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid. So um you know it
seems to me that you you have a potential vulnerability here in this period when you have an interim TA where you could get hit with 9C cuts or you could get hit with some type of retrenchment forced upon you. I mean you you're I believe uh between chapter 70 and unrestricted age probably about 10%
of your budget 10% of your revenue. So it's a uh it's a fairly sizable portion. Um and that's the kind of thing I've dealt with um in my in my prior positions when I was in uh um most relevant would probably be my position in Fauler County, Virginia in the in
2008 2012 13. Um that was all during the 2008 crash and um I started there in September of 2008 and had to go through the process right where I started eliminating about 35 positions. It was ugly and terrible and you know people weren't happy with the new budget
director and it was just kind of kind of challenging but um but but it is there is there is a method to that process that you can go through to try to kind of minimize the service impact. Figure out what where your what your your your points of least pain are. Um, it's always going to be a m matter of sort of finding the least pain because there's
always going to be pain because these are people's lives you're dealing with. And um, and you know, I think it's important for for you as a board selectman to kind of feel comfortable that you have staff on board who's capable of helping you sort of navigate through that. Um, I don't know that's going to happen, but I think you should
think about what if it does. You make sure you have the right people there to do that. Beyond that, I have um a great deal of experience in developing um sort of management structures and maintaining maintaining processes. Um I would, you know, the thing that I'd like to be able to do for for you all is to create a
situation where you're able to um transition to the next person and um not have like stuff things backed up, you know, piled up, things like that, you know. Um not necessarily new initiatives, but kind of just keeping the train running properly. um this is a
good time for you to be going through this transition other than this with with the possibility of the federal government in terms of this in terms of your annual schedule. Um I mean you have fall town meeting coming up in five months something like that four months. We don't do a we don't you don't do a
fall time. We just do spring. Well then that's really good. Yeah. Um I know you've talked a lot about needing to look for look at an override for 27. Y you need to pre-preping for that. Y that's you again that's another example of where you probably want to look for somebody who you know can handle things
for on the financial side um and u while still being a decent manager knows how to work with his people and I I certainly showed that ability in New Bedford where we built a uh a back a business operation team from scratch um I was the first CFO that New Bedford ever had and there had been no structure
like that before. So, so went on a little bit there, but Oh, no. That's okay. It's all right. We kind of we locked you out and then peppered you with questions. So, I mean, that's it's it's completely on us. Um, so talk to me again. I know you you have a a very varied resume. Um, experience town
administrator wise and maybe lessons you've you've learned through your town administrator specifically experience. Mhm. So, um the challenge that I found as a town administrator both in our town Pennsylvania as well as in Lakeville is the importance of being able to you kind
of have your head not not not just on a swivel but kind of up and down at the same time as well. You're managing up and managing down, managing sideways and you have to kind of think a little bit ahead about um what the implications of whatever's happening mean to you. Sometimes that means that your staff is going to have a narrow focus and you
need to kind of be able to broaden you know take that take that narrow focus which is understandable because that department they're dealing with whatever whatever it might be and um but make sure you're you're able to kind of work those implications. thing I found um in Lakeville and in Yayen actually in New
Bedford as well most was important um uh uh aspect of that of the job of any job senior management job like that is communication and um just you know it's it's it's not it's not your job to make sure that um that you that that you know
everything that's going on. It's my job to make sure that you guys know what's going on and um it's it would be you know the town minister interum or otherwise responsibility to make sure that you know that you feel well informed. You're not surprised. Um let's the the sort of the the cliche I always
use as my staff coming whenever I'm coming into a position first thing I say to them is that no surprises. Bad news is fine. I don't love it but I get bad news is fine but I want to hear the bad news from you. I don't hear bad I want to hear bad news about you from somebody else. I won't be surprised. and um and that's that's that's really important.
So, you know, maintaining those lines of communication, which is, you know, uh an organization is like a garden, you have to really tend it and till it and and and nurture it. And um if you don't have that man that over that management, it's really good that you've had it that you're putting an interm in place because if you don't have that kind of
churn going on in that process, regular staff meetings, conversations, check-ins, things like that, then um things calcify, the organization becomes stovepiped and becomes, you know, mo most people most people are introverts. Most people kind of want to sit down there and do their job. They have to be kind of coaxed out and encouraged to get
to to to talk to uh to to be proactive with information and so on. So talk talk to me if you can Ari, about the the transitional aspect of this job where you're you essentially kind of have to hit the ground running and and get up to speed as quickly as possible. How how adept you feel like you are at, you
know, that Yeah, I think that aspect is similar to other cedar management jobs. The only difference is that this one has a time limit and um and it's also you know you want you want it to be less a footprint and more of kind of a corridor
to kind of like you know move the or keep the organization moving through to get to where to the next phase. You want things laid out well for the next person. Um and uh that means you know um as I as I implied before regular communications um one thing I would do
init right off the top of the bat is make sure that I that I that I connect and and and meet with all of the department heads we don't understand what we're we all understand kind of what what what's going on and what and what issues they have. Of course, I'd be talking to Cody on the way out and probably after he leaves, too, about um
what uh you know, what what to look out for, what you things to look out for. Uh and um and uh and also keep an eye on kind of the calendar. Um I um I know the state just passed their budget, which is kind of a miracle. They passed before
July 1. Uh first time in 10 years, is that right? Something like that. Um but the um you know I I don't have confidence in in the staying power of that of those numbers through through the year given what's what seems to be happening in Washington. So um you know
given all that sort of being aware of what's going on um I made it a habit in my um all of my prior positions including Watertown to um uh have good connections with legislative de delegation to understand you know so I can really understand what what's
happening and in in Lakeville I was very you know we were lucky in Lakeville we had Mike Rodriggs as our senator um who is what probably second most important person in the Senate. So, um, so we really knew what was going on. He he was he was very straight with his with his, uh, with his, um, constituents. Um, I
would, you know, I think is it Brady here? Is that right? Yep. Yeah. Yep. So, um, it would, you know, I would imagine needing to build the same kind of relationship. Um and um and and just just sort of keep that that that that that chain of communication going um
line of communication going so that um if things are coming I don't hear about you know 9C cuts in the newspaper or the press conference. I say yeah I hear I have the member say you know hey this is coming. That way I tell you guys hey this is coming and so we know you know maybe maybe we get a couple days notice or whatever but we kind of know
something's coming. Yeah. So yeah. No, I I feel like I get a really good grasp on your your financial acumen. Seems very very impressive. I want to switch gears a little bit to leadership style. Um if you're named the interim town administrator here, how would you describe um your leadership style here
at town hall? Um it tends to be collegial. Um I like, you know, I I um I I like to I want the staff to feel like they can talk to me and and and come to me with issues that they may have and um and that they're they're comfortable doing that. Um because I've seen
situations where staff isn't comfortable doing that and things get bad for everybody. Um I think that the workplace should be a an enjoyable place to be and um that doesn't mean you know kind of just fussing around. It mean but it mean it means you know having having a
workplace that people feel you know motivated to work in and comfortable working in and they feel like everybody's got each other's backs and so on. Um I've been in I've worked in office in work environments where you know where it's kind of everybody in the foxhole together to um everybody out
everybody everybody you know out for themselves every man for himself and um I prefer A to B and I think it's better for the organization as well um in the long term that's what keeps an organization healthy and and functioning. So, um, I would do what I can to facilitate that. And that would
mean, you know, very basically it means, like, as I said, regular regular check-ins with with department, you know, in in Lakeville, I had check-ins with my department heads every other week. We we generally did like every other week check-ins and then we had staff meetings in the week in between, something like department head. So, every week I'm talking to somebody at
least. That doesn't mean I'm only talking to them then. It just means that that's what we had that we we were sure to have formal times in there. So if things got crazy, we always knew we had a standing time. And um you know, I I don't like to sit around my I don't like to be the kind of person that kind of stays behind his desk all the time. I'm
out there and kind of going around office to office, make sure everybody's doing okay, checking what their issues are. Um I'm aware that we focus a bit on finances, but but you know, I also am aware of, you know, the issues when it come especially when it comes to a small jurisdiction with with rural interests.
you know, a lot there a lot of similarities between Halifax and Lakeville in certain ways. Um, so I'm familiar with some of the um, you know, some of the the the development issues and um, you know, preservation land and so on that um, that are all, you know, come sort of play into this as well. Um,
you know, not knowing too much about how your planning board functions and that kind of thing, but just kind of, you know, in general trying to keep that train running. Great. Great. Well, that was my leadership and experience section. Tom, a couple questions. Yes, I have a government and legal knowledge. Uh just two quick ones. Um what is your
general experience with Massachusetts municipal law, open meeting law, and public records requirements? Probably something that you've had at least some experience a lot. Sometimes more than I'd like, but yeah. Um you open meeting law is um uh Massachusetts open meeting
law is pretty aggressive and um you know there are people out there there are private there are actually private parties out there that are you making sure that you're doing it right and we'll we'll get you if you're not. Um, so you have to be aware of that and the last thing you want to have is embarrassment for the organization or the board. Um, so I'm I'm pretty well
versed in open meeting law. Is your council KP or do you have some who's your who's your We have uh well our general is Brooks and Densus. Okay. And then labor is uh Toler and me. Okay. Yeah. And then we contract out for uh for HR as well. Okay. So it's it's
there's that's a little appropo of nothing except that it's useful to make sure that you have that relationship with um your leg with your legal counsel in case things come up. um you know uh especially when it comes to um uh uh
information requests. Um I have I I do not hesitate if I get asked a question for ask some open-ended request to talk to council about how we should be structuring that response and clarifying. Um is your clerk the uh your records officer or who's your is it or
you town administrator. So you so you're the record be wearing that hat. That's fine. That's fine. Yeah, that's fine. um link we had the clerk do it but it's totally fine and um the um uh so I'm very familiar with the requirements for mail okay um sorry yeah what about what
about ensuring compliance with like local bylaws bylaws are a hot topic around here local bylaws state regulations you're familiar with you'd familiarize yourself those bylaws and and work towards uh and how would they look how would that look during the transition um well I would um want to
ramp up making sure I I I you know have a working knowledge an understanding. Um probably um have conversations with Cody as well as the department heads about what might be hot topic issues right now. Um and um and then just make sure in general that I'm familiar with
requirements of the bylaw bylaws. Um I don't believe you have a charter, right? You don't have a charter. You don't have a charter. So um so it's it's pretty much all the bylaws and um yeah, that that's that's same thing we had in Lakeville. It was all by just a quick question. You mentioned this is kind of branching off on a different topic but
I'm just curious burrow manager back in Aen burrow is that similar is that a similar job as a TA is that all related manager very similar yeah I mean it's a structure Pennsylvania government structure differently Pennsylvania government the bureaus
you have an elected mayor and you have a burough council okay and the mayor does not chair the council the mayor but the mayor runs the police department and um the council IL runs everything else. But when they have council meetings, they all meet together. So
like what open meeting? Well, every state's different, but you your experience in open meeting law, municipal law, that extends as far back as the borrow manager. It was very different back then. Pennsylvania is also very different. P Pennsylvania, it's um uh I don't know if it's change. I think it's changed some since then, but but in
general, Pennsylvania is um a lot more permissive. Got it. Okay. Towards locality. Got it. Yeah. Okay, Bill. My topic is going to be financial management. Uh, can you describe your experience in municipal budgeting and
financial forecasting? I've been doing that my entire life. You know, I I I so I started uh my career after grad school um in Arlington County, Virginia as an analyst for um the as as a the management and budget analyst for the um
Department of Public Works in Arlington. Um so I started as a department analyst and that and they're obviously responsible for preparing their budget their capital plans so and all that stuff working that through the the budget office because it's a large it's a large government and yeah and so on and um actually let me go back a little bit before that I when I was in grad
school I remember asking my uh my department chair what do you think I ought to go into and and I I done well in the in the stats classes and finance classes anyway and he said you really ought to go into budgeting because if you go into budgeting you'll touch on every part of the organization you'll see and he was right. So um so that that
so Arland so I started with Arlington. That was that was that was one example of that. Um I became a burough manager in Yayen. That was um an interesting challenge of of an organization. Had some issues. um uh went back to came back to Virginia mainly because we
wanted we felt Virginia was home at the time and um uh worked for Lowden County and worked up through their budget office and Lowden County is in you know there I was I was in the central office and if you know anything about sort of northern Virginia county is an extremely fast growing
county at the time was one of the fastest growing in the country when I started there in 1997 they had 120,000 people population by the time I left in 2008 the population was about 270,000. It's now it's now almost half a million. Wow. It it just, you know, they had a
CIP that consisted of over 30 schools. Wow. Just just massive. During that time though, we managed to get them to AAA, you know, to AAA bond rating. So, I mean, it it's a and I was part of that team. So, I kind of, you know, I I I learned a lot through that process about um not just budgeting, but kind of sort
of managing your information delivery and and and how you handle that. Um uh during my time in Lden, I also became an expert on uh you performance measurement and management planning and things like that. And that was all stuff that we that we that we uh brought into uh to
Arlington and and and sort of accelerated. Um after Arlington, um I was the director of management and budget in Fauler County, which is a neighboring county, but small a little smaller, but it was more senior position. And then um the job became open after five years later in New
Bedford where we transfer to gave up back up to New England and there I was the first CFO the city ever had. And there I I had to build I mean it was literally they had never had a CFO before at the time. They they had a budget at the time that was over about $300 million. Um it's closer to 500 million now. And um everything was
stovepiped. You know they had they had auditor's you see the auditor's office and treasur's office and assessor's office. And you know neither nowhere do the tw do they meet. Yeah, except maybe in the mayor's office. Uh, so there's no kind of sort of strategic management of the of the business operation and um
that was that was my job. We we built a lot there over the over the eight years that I was there. So um so and then you know obviously in in Lakeville you know bu so I've been doing so the point is that I've been doing working on budgeting and and reporting and structuring and forecasting and all
those things for you know decades. Right. What steps you take to address any unexpected financial challenges during your intern? Well, I think we alluded to that a little bit. Um, you know, I am I
am concerned about um where things are going to head in terms of um the state budget and hence indirect well federal budget, state budget and indirectly local and what how that rolls down to local budgets because you know we all know what rolls downhill and it just kind of you know it just it just it's
inevitable. It's gravity. So, um, you know, I I I just, um, you really really need to it probably be advisable for the for the organization to kind of maybe you you don't want to cause panic in the organization, but you do want to have
everybody kind of thinking about, you know, being austere and um, and you know, being prepared for the possibility that maybe some retrenchment and how you going to go about doing that. So, so that people aren't, you know, so at least you're not having people's kind of head world turned upside down in in a
shocking moment. Um, and you know, I I I think that's probably an advisable stance regardless, especially for an organization that depends on state revenue to a reasonable degree, which you you know, there there are places that depend on it more than you do. My my former employer New Bever certainly does. Um, and there are places that
depend on less. Former employer Watertown probably less. So um it you guys are somewhere in between. Um so it's a um and then there's of course not only that but sort of the you know I think you know the economic
picture is kind of uncertain right now in terms of where things are going to go and what that means you know I think everybody's seeing slowdowns in building permits and development um and that obviously has an effect. um you are already in a position where you've talked about needing to have an override for 20 or plan for an override for 27.
That means you really got to start you got a couple things you got to do. You really got you you have you have a you probably have a sense of what that's going to look like more or less but you know there's a lot of public information to do a lot of kind of outreach doing and education and the public really needs to believe that you guys you know
that the organization is especially the board selectman is is hold keeping the reigns as tight as possible and um you know you have to be able to do that without s you know pull back without choking the horse and that that that that's kind of a that's kind of an art kind of a challenge. Ari, switching
gears a little bit. Um, interpersonal styles. You'll see, you know, if you do get the position, we're a pretty collaborative board up here. Great. But let's say, um, you get different directives from different select members here. How do you handle um that delicate
balance between different uh different forces on a on a select board like So, TA doesn't work for one board member. I mean the chairman probably is the first among equals in terms of day-to-day sort of coordination direction but but there there really needs to be consensus. So
um you know and and this by the way was a a challenge that I ran into in in other places. Um you know um is this meeting being recorded? Yes it is. Just so you know this is recorded. All right. Thank you. um in other places. So um you
know it's it's important to set to to kind of establish from the outset the understanding that um that you understand that you know listen as your I'm your town administrator but I am you the board of select one's town administrator and um I will do every and
my my primary client um is this the board of selectman as an entity and then also the town um as a corporate entity um it is not you know any one of you. So um what what you know there needs to be that kind of mutual understanding that
um yeah it's okay to you know give a call ask a question say you got a concern whatever that that that's fine you know of course you can't do that but in terms of like saying you know trying to think like a specific policy direction that really ought to be handled you know through through the through the uh the the formal board
process. Okay. And then dovetailing on that um can you give us an example of some conflict resolution that you've done and um what kind of you can speak in generalities if you need to but what conflict did you face and how did you see your way through it? So, it's been
my experience that if you um allow something to fester without confronting it, and I don't mean confronting it in a hostile manner, but but without addressing it, um then um it generally just gets worse. Um because
everybody kind of retreats to their corners, physicians become calcified, and everybody's kind of, you know, everybody's in their the bunker throwing rocks at the other side. Um, so, uh, I believe in kind of open honesty and transparency. If I had, you know, board member A telling me, I want you, you
know, board member B is wrong. I want you to do this. The board member B says, I want you to do that. Bo A is wrong. Then the next thing then then what I'm going to do is say to the board, you know, um is is um probably in a in in a start by doing in a reasonable discreet
manner with a with an email or something to the board that says, okay, so we have this issue here, some disagreement on this. How do you want to handle this? Um talk to the chairman. So if you want to handle it through a through a you know you have open meeting law requirements so you don't want to you do things private secretly. So you hand you know
if you want to handle it on the through a um through the meeting if it can be handled executive board that's fine but if not then you know then you have to talk about it and that's okay. That's democratic process. So um but it's not you know it's the worst thing that can
happen is to is for a town administrator any town administrator to allow it to be kind of fall upon their shoulders that they have to be the one to act that they are responsible for um you know sure they're responsible for facilitating it but everybody everybody's should be a grown-up I guess is what I'm trying to
say and then in the same vein Ari let's say you not it's not with the board let's say we have a department that's not buying in or you know putting up walls how would you handle um that situation if you had a a department say that's not buying into the the team you're trying to. So it it probably
depends on whether we view that as a performance issue or whether we view that as just a kind of a counseling issue just talking you know um this person doesn't like that person whatever and how you know I my my strategy is basically the same. I want to, you know,
it's a little easier in that case to get them two two of them together in a closed with the door closed and say, you know, let's talk this out, figure out how we're going to deal with this because, you know, we're a small organization here. We don't really have room for a lot of extra baggage when it comes to things. So, um, we need to find
a way to kind of address it and move forward and resolve it. Um, I have had situations where I've had to put two department heads in a room and I said to them, "We're not leaving until we figure this out." you know, and and eventually they do because nobody likes to sit in the room with someone they like don't like for very long. They want to go home. Yeah.
So, I I have a couple of questions kind of actually good segue. Uh operations and oversight and I'll skip ahead. Um you mentioned I just want to make sure I understand. What is your approach to working with department heads and ensuring accountability during your tenure here? I think you mentioned that you like to be out and about every other week, twice a month, something
like that. You have department meeting heads and in between the staff meetings and that sort of thing. Yes. So um regular staff meetings um and yeah this I don't want to presuppose what works best for this organization but what has worked well for me in the past is um
sort of bi-weekly meetings every other week with the with with individual department heads interpersed on the on the off week with regular staff meetings. The staff meetings are important because you because again you're trying to get everybody to collaborate. So you got to get you should you need to get everybody around the table together. One-on- ones don't
work for that. But one-on- ones are important because you want to be able to kind of, you know, know what's going on. Have make sure everybody's communicating with each other. They, you some things ahead doesn't want to share with the entire group. Why would they? I don't blame them, you know. So, and get make sure they have that that that channel to
me if they if they need to have it. Um hopefully, you know, eventually that becomes I I I I always have those meetings but but in some ways hopefully they eventually become a little bit um a little bit pass because people just
talk anyway. Sure. But um you know and the staffing I think over time the staffing has become more and more important because you know you just you know the the the the director of aging and the police chief or the fire chief maybe don't talk as much as they should. you know, that kind of thing. Even
though they have may have issues that need to cross collaborate on and this you want to make sure that h that happens. And how do you assess and approve operational efficiency? You're a numbers guy. How do you maximize efficiency and and tight times and staffing issues and how do you improve operational efficiency? Um, you know,
it's it's to a certain degree it's an ROI question. It's return on investment question. Um, so you know, a lot of organiz Sometimes in an organization you'll have um staff that does things the way they
do things because they've always done them that way. And um that's usually where your greatest opportunities for efficiency come from. Um there could also be uh because those sometimes those avoid those you know ignore technological changes. They'll they'll
ignore um uh you know changes in the staffing profile, skill set, you know, and so on. And so you may have opportunities there to kind of cross trainin and get people to you doing things a little bit differently, more efficiently. Great. Um and that just requires an active pioneer making sure
and you know making sure that you have department heads who are engaged in that as well because you know um well I don't know you guys don't have a DPW. I know you have we do not but I was going to use a DPW example because that's always a good example. DBW is a good example because DBW because DBW guys deal with
you know you know big equipment and so on and they usually have a lot of cross training opportunities and things like that. Um but but but but any department where you have um something like that where you can kind of gain efficiency sometimes you can't sometimes you need
to have you just need to have this many cops on shift. You just have to because that that's the only way you're going to have security and safety and coverage. And if you if you reduce the you know your shift by one officer you know that could be that could be a real problem. Fire is the same way. You can't staff an
apparatus you know whatever. But um but but there are usually things you can do to try to kind of you know by cross trainin people especially at the kind of white collar clerical level and maybe the trades level which where where isn't really the same type of you know
you know public safety kind of thing. then you can you can find ways to to bring about efficiencies. Next section is going to be on communication and transparency. So how communicating with residents, boards and staff to maintain transparency and
public confidence? Well, the first thing I'd want to do is get a sense of what has been in place to date because I don't want to, you know, again, especially even if I was not an interim TA, I still want to do that. But as an interim TA, I really don't want to, you know, this
there's it's not good for the organization to blow things up and have them blown up again. Reinvent the wheel. Yeah. Yeah. Um things are done in a way that they're done because it's worked well for a community and community is used to that. So if there are are outreach um notification systems that
you have in place now, whatever they may be as far, you know, whatever you use on Facebook or wherever social media and posting and whatever else, then um you don't just blow those up. So you get a sense of what people are doing. Um you look for opportunities for outreach. You try to get a sense from your from you
know your managing from your board selectment to where you think shortcomings are and what areas need to be addressed. So if you feel like you know if the board were if members of the board say to me listen I don't think we get out there enough on you practically with the public to kind of engage them
on like understanding what government does then um then you know then that was something I would look at. Um in Lakeville we did a series of welcome to Lakeville town government videos that we did. They're like you I think you still see them on Facebook. Um that uh were
little tours. They're like mini tours of you know town hall and the fire department, the police department and public works and so on. Trying to get people kind of a sense of this is what we're doing. This is the kind of work you know. Um those are kind of nice we did through the public access. And um you know if if that if that's something
if that kind of outreach is something you feel that you feel is useful to do probably would that be a good thing to do. It's probably not the kind of thing I would feel um empowered on my own to do as an interim TA but if there's a consensus that we want to go there then that that's fine. um
you know uh if there are other ways to kind of do outreach notification on social media and so on I would certainly be well willing and ready to engage on that but I want to get a sense of what you know kind of work you all have been doing the what the the different boards have been doing what you know Cody's been doing and so on
what uh what is your approach to handling public inquiries media and public criticisms in small town so Um, I mean, I'm used to dealing with media. Um, if if I were to get a media inquiry,
the first thing I would do is probably notify the board that there was a media inquiry about something or other. Um, um, at least the chairman depending on what your dynamic is and what how you all but make sure that's communicated because um, that's important. The again, no surprises. You don't want to, you
know, um, you don't some weird story on channel 4 popping up, you know. Um the um uh I have many times in my life had sit downs with members of the public who are concerned and complaint about something
or other. I always try to give them uh an an open form to talk and discuss. Um I will generally you know I will generally shut it down eventually if it's something that's just not reasonable and makes any sense or something out there. Um, have you just
curious, have you all had First Amendment auditors come by at all? No. Like your tongue. Yeah. Oh, we're recorded. I shouldn't have said anything. Okay. So, so I've dealt with that. We dealt with that in Watertown. We deal with that in Lakeville and so on. It's It's not It's Yeah, some people
are a little It's not as bad as it sounds. There generally just people that want to come around and and film everything. And as long as you label what are considered employees only, they can't go back there and then and you're fine. as long as you prepare for that. Um, so yeah, I'm I'm very accustomed to
dealing with the press and and members of the public on things like that. All right, switching gears on Yari. Um, how quickly would it take you if you were named our interim to get up to speed? You know, I know it's a challenge because you essentially have to hit the
ground running, but how could you uh I guess coordinate? We have Cody, you know, the luxury of Cody for another week. Um, how do you see that process of Well, first of all, I'm available right now, so there's that. Um, I uh um I
don't have any obligations in that respect, you know. Okay. Um I uh uh I would imagine that Cody and I would do some Vulcan mind meld and and sort of get things, you know, download what what I need to know and so on. Um and um you
know I I would so that that'd be one answer to that. I think the basics of the job you know what a TA does. I know what a TA does. So I kind of know so well I may not know the answers. I know what the I know a lot of the I know a lot of the questions. So I think you know within a
week or two I think I probably know what's going on. Great. Um the the the biggest challenge I think would be for for anybody whether it's me or or anyone else in in an intera position would be the thing that's like a like a treadmill you have to like a moving treadmill to
jump on is the is the the the board meeting process. Um because just there are things being worked on right now for a board meeting next one or the one after that that I that that I don't know about and um
the the the and I don't want to be an impediment to the process. So some things kind of have to be allowed to move their own accord in the way in the way they they're plann to do so. So it's a little bit like jumping on a treadmill, you know, but it's a good
analogy. Yeah. Um, and then circling back, I think you believe uh I think I believe you said that you're not at this time interested in the full-term, right? Um, position, full-time position, excuse me. Um, and then, uh, how are you as far as being able to commit to us to a time
frame? You know, hopefully we have a amazing candidate walk in, right, and and and bang it out of the park and and we can and move on. But I, you know, it's a fluid situation. So, I guess my question is is availability and Yeah. I mean, I I so I don't have the limitations that you'd have for someone
who's retired. Mhm. I don't have that. Um, and I I don't have another position. I'd be lying to you if I didn't tell you that I'm that I'm I we'll get around to looking at permanent positions, but I also understand that if I were to, you know, take on something like this that
I'm committing to you all for some period of time. Sure. So, I think we have to have the conversation. I think I believe the advertisement said 3 to five months. Y um I salute you if you're able to get this done that fast. And maybe you will, maybe you are. Maybe you'll get great, but that would be that'd be
pretty good. Yeah. In three to five months. So, um you know, if you're able to do that, great. If not, then you know, I'll do the best I can to kind of keep going, but Portugal. So, just to clarify, you think you'd be able to be here, you know, 3 to 5 months to to hold
the position. Okay. And then as far as hours, have you thought of as far as hours work? The only the the only cabin I make on hours is that um I it's a bit of a distance for me. I live in Denim. Yep. So I don't know that
getting here at 7:00 in the morning is realistic. Yep. Um maybe more like 8 or 9. That kind of thing. Okay. Um other than that, I don't see really see a problem. And we don't we don't work Fridays just so well the building started Friday. So there's that as well. Yeah. Yeah. But other than that one
thing of I don't particularly want to leave my house at six in the morning. Um, it's it's probably fine. And then as far as let's say there's an important meeting coming up that night, of course, you'd be able to be able I've been doing this for decades. It's it's Yeah, I understand that. All right. Every two
weeks we have the board meeting. I know. Yeah. All right. Um, that's all I had here. Does the board have any other questions for Ari? Ari, do you have any I mean, now that we've kind of circled, that's much. I think we you know I I coming into this coming into this interview I was thinking to myself what areas do I want to emphasize as far as
you know what I think are things to to concerned about I think we touched upon most of them the financial side especially I'm I am concerned about that that's what's been happening lately um and uh and then kind of being able to act as a facilitator to to keep the ball
moving forward um I I think one of the challenges for all of us will be for and whoever you hire in this position will be um to make sure that things are not stagnating but also not but also
that that things that should be left to the next administrator are left for the next administrator and that may take conversations should this be left to the next administrator or you know we can't work that through um you know I am flexible and available and and committed and um I think that uh this could be a a
good sort of mutual little synergy here in terms of where I am and and where and what your needs are. So great, great. And just to let you know on timeline, we we do hope to make our decision this evening. Oh, so we don't want to string anyone along. So as soon as uh you know the board uh discusses, we will uh have
a decision to you uh one way or another by the end of the evening tonight. Wonderful. Okay. Okay. Wonderful. All right. Well, thank you guys. Thanks, Ari. All right. Time for the second handshake. Sorry about the door. I know. Tuesday, July 1st, uh 2025. Uh we are reconvening
after a quick bathroom break. Uh we had two of our candidates in for our interim town administrator position. Um and now the board we will essentially um deliberate and debate here as to which candidate we like and which candidate we think will be a good fit for the town of
Halifax. I don't know how the board wants to proceed. You want to have have at it or what do you guys want to do? I mean I I could open unless you want you want to open. Go ahead. I I was encouraged by the two candidates. Uh each uh independent of the other. I
thought they both had their strengths. Um I liked a lot of what they had to say. Uh I believe they both touched on um not they didn't say this, but not rocking the boat, steering the ship, steadying the tide was the general message I heard
from both. Mhm. I also liked um when Ari said that um you know some things some decisions might be better left to the permanent town administrator. Mhm. Uh some changes might be better pushed off till there was somebody permanent in place. They both touched on that aspect.
Um I thought they were both strong with different strengths. I think uh I was obviously quite impressed with Ari's financial background. um some of the experience in town government, the HR aspect, the legal aspect, um I thought Bob was quite strong in um his
background in in the police uh police background, the legal background, the HR background, a lot of different hats. Uh but but I did prefer Ari on the financial side of things. I think the one thing that I'm weighing out in my mind is the longer the search goes, the
longer process it takes. I would lean one direction. Whereas if it was a shorter timeline, I might lean in the other. Um I think it's no secret that although there's a million issues in town, every town has a million issues. I think the the budget is pretty big. Um
if this administrative search was expected to to last until the spring, I think that sways the conversation one way. If it's more short-term, I'd probably lean the other. So that was kind of just my general thoughts. Okay. Uh Bill, do you have any any thoughts yet or I thought three candidates and I
echo what uh Tom said. My concern is though if it does drag on uh he could I could leave be stuck again and three to five months is a short period. Sure. Yeah. That's the probably
best case scenario. Yeah. Yeah. And I again I think they're both solid candidates. And I think Tom, you're right. I think for different reasons. I was really impressed with Ahri's financial acumen. You know, you could see it all through his resume. Um, the guy seems very cerebral, very, very
cerebral. Um, and then you had Bob, who again is, not saying that he's not a cerebral guy, but just has a different approach to things. Um, and maybe a couple of different positions on his resume that rounded him out a little bit. Um, I think both would be fine. I
think we're in a good position. It's like picking your favorite flavor ice cream here. Um, but if I had to make a decision uh going forward, I I think I would go with Bob. That's what I was looking at. I think it's going to be a long it's going to be
a long haul. Okay. I mean, I'm hopeful um that the that the process is on the shorter side and uh Bob Bob would be um I think you know they're equally capable in different areas I said, but sure the financial acumen I for Ari is is kind of
weighing me in a one way. Uh, I would lean a slight lean towards Bob, but I would have no problem offering it to either. Yeah. Um, again, I the the financial aspect, which is first and foremost on my mind. Not that there are not more important issues, HR and so
forth, but where where we're headed as a town, I think we could really benefit from that, the timing of it is such that I'm hopeful that we have somebody permanently in place long before that financial action that needs to keep set in motion. Sure. If this was October, November, and we needed someone to start
the budget process, I think that would be Bob's wheelhouse. I'm sorry. Ari's wheelhouse. Yeah, sure. I think I'm I'm hopeful that with a permanent position on the shorter horizon, I'm hoping uh I'm hoping that we can get somebody permanent in place for those budget cuts. And um and again, both C I can't
say this enough, both candidates are great. I I I did like with Bob where he he's familiar with the lay of the land. I mean, he was around the corner in Carver and up the street in Kingston. um he did have experience with a a regional our own regional school committee uh school region, you know, with Silver
Lake. Um so I kind of like the the thought of that as well. Um but again, two solid candidates and I will say uh it's such a breath of fresh air compared to, you know, Cody mentioned two and a half years ago. Um, it just makes me feel good in my heart to know that we're
getting candidates like this as opposed to what we were getting 3 years ago is kudos to kudos to Halifax. That's that's awesome. So, all right. Do we want to make a a formal vote here? Um, I'll entertain a motion to um offer the position. I want to make
sure I get his name right here. would appoint um a motion to appoint Barbara Pettysy as interim town administrator subject to successful contract negotiations and reference the background check. So moved. Second. All right. Uh can we just roll call or do we
just voice vote? Voice. All right. All those in favor? I opposed. Passes unanimous. All right. So we will uh enter into executive session tonight. Yep. So a pursuant to me general law chapter 3A section 21 A2 to conduct strategy sess sessions in preparation
for negotiations with non-UN personnel and turn administrator. So move second. All those in favor I call oh roll call executive. Will we return? We will not. We will. All right. So sorry. Roll call vote. Bill. Yes. Tom. Yes. Myself is a yes. Passes unanimous. Thank you guys.
Take care. Thank you to both candidates. Yes. Thank you. News of