POWERS IS OUT: Town Administrator's Contract Won’t Be Renewed

HARWICH – Town Administrator Joseph Powers’ days in Harwich are numbered. 

Select board Chair Jeffrey Handler announced Monday that by mutual agreement, Powers’ last day as town administrator will be June 30, the day his contract expires. 

 “On behalf of the town, the select board would like to thank Mr. Powers for his dedicated service and many contributions to the town as town administrator,” Handler read from a prepared statement.

Handler said Powers looks forward to shepherding the town through the annual town meeting and the remainder of the fiscal year. In the statement, Powers offered his appreciation to the board, department heads, town employees, and countless volunteers that serve the community whom Powers was honored to have worked with during his time in Harwich, Handler read.

 “This is the only public statement either the board or Mr. Powers will make on this matter, as additional public commentary will only distract from the joint efforts to ensure continuity of service and smooth transition,” Handler’s statement concluded. “The board will discuss its plans for a new town administrator search in the near future.”

When asked for a comment after the announcement, Powers said the statement made by Handler was his only comment. 

Powers was promoted from assistant town administrator after the departure of Town Administrator Christopher Clark in November 2019. Powers served as the interim town administrator for a little more than a year and was issued a three-year contract by the selectmen in February 2021. After it expired, the select board agreed to extend the contract for an additional year, through June 30.

During Powers’ tenure, the town experienced a number of staff and department head departures. “It seems like the doors at town hall have an exit sign on them,” select board member Donald Howell said. He cast a dissenting vote on the one-year renewal of Powers’ contract extension.

Over the past several years Powers has applied for town administrator and town manager positions in several towns and was a finalist for administrative positions in Yarmouth, Foxborough and Bellingham, where he withdrew his name from consideration in December.