WEST NEWBURY – The town is looking for a new manager and two senior department heads. It is considering whether the SelectBoard should have five members, instead of the current three.
And last week, its hired consulting firm told the SelectBoard and its Governance Committee that much of the town’s operations are “inconsistent” with the special act the legislature passed almost a decade ago that moved it to a town manager form of government.
“The Town (General) Bylaws, Personnel Policy, SelectBoard Policies and SelectBoard Financial Policies contain numerous provisions that are inconsistent with the Special Act, which is the Town’s highest authority. Several of these conflicts are substantive rather than technical,” wrote Community Paradigm Associates.
The consultants’ report concluded that the inconsistencies, conflicts and weaknesses in the town government “do not diminish the strides West Newbury has made in implementing its form of government since 2017, nor do they have a major impact on Town services or on the quality of life of residents.”
The 92-page report, delivered to the SelectBoard by the firm’s founder Bernard Lynch and senior associate John Petrin, praised the town for its financial stability, professional staff and dedicated volunteers.
However, “Addressing the issues identified will enhance and improve municipal operations, and should be understood as a multi-year process undertaken strategically and thoughtfully. The arrival of a new Town Manager offers a natural opportunity to begin that work,” the report concluded.
Among the major inconsistences and weaknesses were:
– Lines of authority are not uniformly understood or accepted. “Tension persists among employees, boards, commissions and committees over appointing authority, contract authority and operational management authority, producing disputes, repeated requests for Town Counsel opinions and uncertainty about who directs whose work.”
– The Special Act itself has internal conflicts. “It designates the Town Manager as the Town’s chief administrative, operating and financial officer while reserving toe the SelectBoard authorities that reach into the day-to-day administration, including elements of the budget process and a 15-day period to reject Town Manager appointments and removals.”
– Human resources function is fragmented. “HR responsibilities are shared among several employees, departments and the SelectBoard, resulting in unclear and inconsistent hiring, onboarding, payroll and benefits processes and in delaying filling positions.”
– The Town’s structure is decentralized. “The current organizational chart is position-based rather than department-based, produces a large number of direct reports to the Town Manager and lacks defined departments such as the Department of Public Works and a Finance Department.
– Planning and Communication could be strengthened. “The Town had no formal Strategic Plan, and its Comprehensive Plan – last prepared in 1999 – is overdue for update, although a phased update is now underway. There are no regular all-staff meetings with the Town Manager, and internal, external and board-to-board communication could be improved.
The consultants made a total of 46 recommendations for improvements, including redesigning Town Hall, which it said contributes to some of the town’s issues. “Space could be better allocated across departments, particularly the placement of the Town Clerk’s office within the Town Manager’s physical office space.”
SelectBoard member Chris Wile questioned the consultants about whether the board should have five members. Lynch told the three-member board, which also includes Wendy Reed and Barry Fogel, said the majority of towns east of I-495 have five members, while those west of the highway tend to have three.
The consultants worked closely with the town’s governance committee, which included Wendy Reed from the SelectBoard, Ann Bardeen, the Planning Board Chair, Jennifer Walsh, resident employee, Gary Roberts, member of the prior Town Manger Search Committee and Tom Ellis, an at large member. ♦
