March 25, 2015

MOULTONBOROUGH ⎯ Town Administrator Carter Terenzini has resigned his position effective April 1.

Terenzini tendered his resignation last Tuesday, and a formal announcement was made at Thursday's selectmen's meeting.

Terenzini has served as Moultonborough's town administrator since March of 2008. Previously, he served as the town administrator of Spencer, Mass. for nine years, the city manager of Mount Morris, Michigan, and the town manager of Castleton, Vt.

Terenzini's resignation came following controversy over some of his actions.

In 2013, removal hearings took place against planning board members Josh Bartlett and Judy Ryerson following their rulings on the matter of Bear's Nest Trail LLC. Terenzini was instrumental in this process. At the hearing, the selectmen voted against removing Bartlett from the position and voted to discontinue the hearing for Ryerson.

Later that year, a petition signed by more than 200 people was submitted to the selectmen asking them not to renew Terenzini's contract due to the planning board removal hearings and a number of other grievances. The board did renew Terenzini's contract until 2016.

Petitioners then brought forward an article on this year's town warrant to remove the town administrator position effective on May 1. Petitioners said the article was an action of no confidence against Terenzini. Voters rejected the article at town meeting amid testimony that removing the position could be detrimental to town business.

The board of selectmen issued a press release on Friday announcing Terenzini's resignation with comments by now former board of selectmen chair Jonathan Tolman.

"The Board thanks Carter for his dedicated and passionate service to the community during his seven years as Town Administrator," Tolman stated in the press release. "We appreciate the depth of his knowledge and skill set and recognize the many contributions he has made to the town, from successfully leading us through our first negotiation, unionization, and collective bargaining agreement to helping the town to establish neighborhood input meetings and standards of practice for public works projects. During his tenure, Moultonborough was able to institute an affordable, quality health insurance plan for the benefit of our employees, all while saving the town over $200,000 per year. Carter also partnered with the community stakeholders to reduce areas of deficit, particularly in the Visiting Nurse Services. For this we are grateful."

According to the statement, Terenzini's resignation resulted from the board of selectmen's "philosophical shift as to the role of the Town Administrator's position in the operations of the town."

"Mr. Tolman said that Mr. Terenzini recognized the possible disruption to employees, volunteers, and organization by continuing in the employ of the town without the support of the full board membership and decided to resign in the best interest of the community," the statement read.

According to the press release, the future of the town administrator's position, including any filling of the position in the interim, will be the subject of coming board discussions.

"I want to thank the staff that I've had an opportunity to work with," Terenzini said at Thursday's meeting. "We've got some great folks."

Terenzini also thanked those who have called or emailed him.

He said he is certain he will get "as many things wrapped up as we can."

"I'd like to thank you for everything," said current board chair Chris Shipp.

Other members of the board gave Terenzini thanks as well.

posted by Jeff Bennett