WINCHESTER — For the
fifth time in eight years, Winchester officials will search for a new town
leader.
Town Administrator Joan Morel plans to leave her job in February after
submitting a letter of resignation last month. Selectmen accepted the letter
with regret at their meeting on Dec. 11.
Selectmen Chairwoman
Roberta Fraser said this morning the board plans to advertise the position
starting Saturday, with applications due this month.
“We’ll be taking
applications, and then going from there with interviews,” she said.
The position will remain
the same as it has been for the past four years, with the town administrator
also handling town assessor responsibilities, she said.
Selectmen haven’t yet
discussed whether to hire an interim town administrator if the position isn’t
filled by the time of Morel’s departure, but Morel has agreed to stay on if
needed past her scheduled last day of Feb. 8, Fraser said.
Morel was out of the
office and unavailable for comment.
In her resignation
letter, Morel said she appreciated the opportunities she’d been given, and
wished the town well in the future.
“I love the job and
everyone I work with, but have reached the point where I need to stop working
fulltime,” she wrote.
Morel became Winchester’s
town administrator in October 2010, making her the fourth person to be hired to
the position since 2004. She replaced Robert N. Gray, who left the job in fall
2010 after deciding to move with his wife to Arizona. He was named town
administrator in December 2008, replacing Amy Lewis, who held the position for
about three months.
Lewis was hired after
voters at town meeting in March 2008 decided to eliminate the town manager
position for a town administrator post.
A town administrator
works under the direct supervision of the selectmen, while a town manager
oversees all town departments, property and business affairs involving the
town, and the expenditure of funds from the town budget, according to the Local
Government Center, an organization that advises municipalities in the state.
The vote to eliminate the
town manager job came during the fourth consecutive year the question had been
on the town meeting ballot. At the time, John H. Stetser had been town manager
since December 2004. He left the job in April 2008.
Stetser replaced Town Manager Anthony F. Simon, who resigned in January
2004 after six months on the job
8 comments:
Town needs new leader! Is that a joke? The town never had any leaders. Just run-a-muck town.
It will be very interesting to see who applies for the job. No one in their right mind would want this position, it is a thankless and hopeless job no matter how good the hours and pay is!
The the job could pays very well over $50,000.00 and The Shermanator and Beaver Dam Gus Ruth will find a like minded person to fill the position. Maybe Margaret Sharra could use the money. The town hall is nothing but a circus big top within is a dog and pony show.
Margaret Sharra will most likley get the job to complete the circle.
Margaret cant take that job, it might take more that 3 hours a day. Now that she is full time it might be 3 1/2 hours a day, is no one watching?
Another 3 day work week coming up for the chosen few.
I'll be thinking of them when I'm headed to work Monday. How many 3 day work weeks do the CHOSEN FEW have a year, around 20?
Check out the parking lot a the town hall, Tue at 7AM and see how many employees are late to work. Seems like working only 3 days a week, getting to work on time wouldn't be a problem.
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