Town Administrator Hiring Process Failure
Fairhaven: Are you paying attention to what’s happening nowadays? Town Administrator is a highly skilled professional position critical to the operation of any town. To be effective this role needs to be qualified, impartial and free from political influence. Hiring our next Town Administrator is arguably one of the most important responsibilities of our Selectboard; and they are completely botching it.
First Mr. Freitas appoints himself to the screening committee against all professional guidance and past precedent. Then after the board interviews the three highly qualified candidates, Mr. Espindola is ready to follow the proper procedure and vote. Instead, Mr. Freitas and Mr. Silvia move to ignore the qualified candidates and vote to interview an underqualified candidate who the screening committee voted not to move forward.
To me this looks underhanded and an intentional snub of the screening process they themselves voted to create and follow. Now we have nothing. This is outrageous and unacceptable. If Mr. Freitas and Mr. Silvia can’t salvage this, they need to resign or be removed from office. Fairhaven can’t afford this level of ineptitude and favoritism, and we as voters shouldn’t allow it to continue.
Phil Washko, Fairhaven
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