By Beth David, Editor
At the Fairhaven Select Board meeting on 9/18/23, Town Administrator Angie Lopes Ellison announced a restructuring of the Finance Department and the new position of Assistant Town Administrator, as a way to solve the stubborn problem of filling the Finance Director/Collector/ Treasurer position.
Ms. Ellison had tried to change the position from being all three, but Town Meeting did not approve it. The position has been difficult to fill and has been vacant for almost a year, with personnel in the various departments filling in to fill the roles, in addition to their regular jobs.
Ms. Ellison said that Anne Carreiro, who was the town accountant is now the Assistant Town Administrator of Finance. In the treasurer/collector office, they shifted some people around.
Ms. Ellison said that promoting from within was better than trying to find people to fill the role from outside. They will train for the finance role, she said, and hopefully, will stay with the town of Fairhaven for a long time.
She also created a clerical position that is a floating position. The person will move across all departments, filling in where necessary.
SB chairperson Leon Correy commended Ms. Ellison for being “creative” in solving the staffing shortage.
Ms. Ellison said it was the “brainchild” of everyone, and singled out Human Resources Director Cameron Durant.
The bottom line, said Ms. Ellison, is that if they are going to be doing the job anyway, they might as well get the title.
She said having Ms. Carreiro as the Assistant TA “will set the tone for the entier department because she is incredible.”
SB member Bob Espindola asked about the salary reserves and where the money would come from, noting that the Proposition 2 1/2 override did not pass.
Mr. Espindola also said he wanted to make sure another position was not advanced that the board did not vote on. He said he wanted to remind the board that the Town Administrator Act says that the TA has appointing authority provided the Select Board approves it.
“We should be approving any changes,” he said. Structural changes or new positions, “should be voted on by our board.”
Ms. Ellison said they were not appointments, they were promotions. She said her predecessor never brought any promotions before the board, and he never brought any appointments before the board, and she named a few.
“I almost feel it is a double standard,” she said from what the previous TA did. “My openness is being penalized.”
Mr. Espindola said he was on the board and he recalled that the board did indeed vote on appointments. He said they were also informed of structural changes, promotions and appointments.
He said the town also just went through a Proposition 2 1/2 override attempt that failed, and the salary costs are not clear.
Mr. Espindola also said he has brought up the point of policy decisions in general, and the roles of the board and the TA.
Ms. Correy said the “scrutiny” started before the override attempt, so Mr. Espindola should not try to use that as a justification.
Mr. Espindola said the question is, are they all 100% sure the money will be in the budget and they will not be asking for budget transfers at the end of the year.
Also, he said, do his fellow board members feel they have a role or not in approving appointments. He said what happens now, is they are told afterwards.
“It’s not our job to look over her shoulder and micromanage her,” said Mr. Correy.
He said if she does not do a good job, they can penalize her at the end of her contract.
SB member Keith Silvia referred back to Mr. Espindola’s reference to a promotion by the town hall custodian to facilities manager. Mr. Silvia said he already had saved the town money by doing work that would have been contracted out.
SB member Stasia Powers compared the structure to a business, saying Ms. Ellison is the Chief Executive Officer. The CEO makes adjustments, said Ms. Powers, she makes things happen and lets the board know about it.
Ms. Powers said the board has oversight of the TA, but does not micromanage.
She said the finance staffing situation has been difficult and Ms. Ellison put together a team, and the finance team has a lot of pressure on them to do things they are not structured for.
“I commend her,” said Ms. Powers, on taking the steps and making the changes necessary. “This is a huge step.”
She noted that the former TA forced major budget cuts across all departments. Ms. Powers, who was on the School Committee at that time said, “and it hurts.”
Mr. Espindola said he did not disagree with any of that. The point is, he said, that the Town Administrator Act says with the approval of the Select Board.
“We should be having discussions on those things before they are implement, not after,” said Mr. Espindola.
He said when he asks questions about the salary reserves, he is just trying to understand.
He said if other board members do not believe they are appropriate questions, “I disagree.”
Ms. Powers said it does not come across as Mr. Espindola “just asking questions.”
It coms across, she said, as Mr. Espindola always questioning Ms. Ellison’s choices.
Ms. Ellison said the board vote is more of a veto power.
Mr. Espindola said he did not think of the board vote as a veto. He believes, he said, that they should be allowed the opportunity to review and discuss those kinds of changes.
“I though that was our role as a board,” said Mr. Espindola.
“Let’s move on,” said Mr. Correy.
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