Select Board Hires TA Search Consultant

 HARWICH – The select board on Monday night voted to hire Groux-White Consulting LLC to assist with the search for a new town administrator, but the board was not quite ready to immediately dive into the effort.

 The board still has differing opinions on establishing a town screening committee and the number of members. Board members also want to develop a solid picture of the type of town administrator they are looking for before they engage the consultants.

The board approved a $12,450 contract with Groux-White for the search. Groux-White has been conducting such searches for a quarter of a century. Tom Groux is a  former town manager in Chatham and Richard White was a town administrator in Dennis, and Town Manager in Lexington for 20 years. White, a principal partner in the firm, will lead recruitment in this search.

White has told the board the search would take between 12 and 14 weeks. But there was a bit of reluctance to sign the contract because board members were concerned the clock on that timeline would start immediately. 

Select Board member Peter Piekarski emphasized the need for the board to come together with a description of the person they want to serve as the next town administrator.

“As much as we want to rely on our consultant, I think we need to make some decisions we can present to that individual,” Piekarski said. “He’s not going to tell us what we are looking for in a candidate.”

Among decisions was the salary range for the town administrator, type of experience, whether they want someone with lengthy experience and the type of experience.  

“We are at ground zero and need to discuss what the package and salary looks like,” said Select Board Chair Donald Howell.   

“I don’t want the timeline to pinch us into making bad decisions,” Parkarski said.

 Acting Town Administrator Meggan Eldredge said White has said he can be available within the next week, but she assured the board he would start on the board’s timeline. She said the contract is good for the year.

 The board has been wrestling with the appointment of a screening committee. The main question has been how many members sit on the committee; how they are appointed, and who should serve in that capacity 

Before the board voted on the contract with Groux-White, it was suggested they seek insight into those issues from the consulting firm. Howell said the consultants would not comment on these issues because they do not have a contract with the town. 

There are members who support a five member committee with each board member having an appointment. and others who would like a seven member committee with the two additional members coming from town staff. But the board has not reached agreement on how those appointments would be made.

With the board agreeing to issue the contract to Groux-White, there was consensus among the board to have White come in and relate his experience with the formation and workings of a screening committee.