Town Administrator and FNN Both Unfair
Re: Ms. Power’s article and the editor’s letter in the 8/25/22 issue of FNN. Both pieces are unfair and unbalanced portrayals, purporting to quell division but illuminating the root causes of Town Hall turmoil.
Ms. Powers’s glowing defense of the new Town Administrator, Angie Ellison, is overly exaggerated and disingenuous.
She makes assertions and presents them as “accomplishments,” when they are mostly Work-in-Progress goals. It is as though she copied the TA’s job description, embellished her tasks, and presented them as accomplishments. She would have the reader believe that the TA is superwoman when there is nothing extraordinary that would elevate her to such saintly status. And because she is writing as Select Board chair, it’s fair game to point out the one-sidedness of this hyperbolic piece.
Such over-the-top praise, premature at best, should make us question SB chair’s judgement, tantamount to gaslighting the public.
For example, she cites that the TA developed a process to “streamline” SB Goals and Objectives, yet the town’s web site only cites SB goals approved in 2019. If this were such an amazing accomplishment, why has it not been posted on the town’s website? Every claim made should be scrutinized and not swallowed whole.
If this were an objective and fair piece, she would have acknowledged the contribution of employees, boards, commissions, and the former TA, all of whom worked toward the same goals.
And there is no mention of the work ethic of Ms. Oliveira who devoted 12 years of service to Fairhaven and worked sometimes until midnight to take SB meeting minutes and faithfully complete them with admirable objectivity. Ms. Oliveira is a proven professional who performed her duties in an exemplary manner: efficient, knowledgeable, and hard-working. Her breadth of experience facilitated citizen inquires with respect and courtesy.
I have never heard any negative criticism of Ms. Oliveira. She was privy to confidential information and there has never been one whiff of a breach — until now. Likely a fabrication to justify her removal and widely perceived as retaliatory and punitive, ostensibly because the TA and Ms. Oliveira’s husband, the Historical Commission chair, disagreed.
Imagine the shock Ms. Oliveira must have felt to be so abruptly dismissed after her dedication to Fairhaven. No wonder she had a medical event requiring hospitalization. It is understandable that her husband, a former firefighter/ paramedic, insisted the TA get out of the way as her presence was interfering with necessary medical attention and causing further distress.
According to Beth David’s editorial letter, Ms. Oliveira’s dismissal “doesn’t matter” because it was an “at-will” position, but I believe it matters a great deal. It sends an intimidating message to all the employees, chills participation, and reduces employees to “yes” people. It further erodes trust which should be a two-way street.
Employees may not be in a position to speak up, but as a concerned citizen, I am. The TA is perceived as inebriated with her power and her heavy-handedness is creating controversy. Just because she is the highly paid “boss” doesn’t mean she has license to be tyrannical. Managerial style matters greatly.
The TA may be emboldened by her multi-year contract, but she should be mindful of the “Social Contract” which posits that authority derives from the governed, and as such, public opinion matters greatly.
Everyone had high hopes for the new TA and maybe upon reflection she can measure up to the professionalism of Ms. Oliveira. Perhaps she will realize the last thing Fairhaven wants is an autocratic bully — albeit dressed up with puffery.
Cathy Delano. Fairhaven, Concerned Citizen, Town Meeting Member
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Click here to download the entire 9/1/22 issue: 09-01-22 FireTruckFun
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