TO:          Board of Selectmen

FROM:    Carter Terenzini, Town Administrator

RE:           Interim DPW Director

DATE:      July 19, 2018

CC:            N/A

Upon resignation of Alan Mayo as DPW director, I sent an email out to all area communities to ask them if they might be interested in exploring a shared administrative director (see exhibit A) Unfortunately, there was none.


Following that, I sent out an email to six firms seeking staffing proposals for an interim DPW director (see exhibit b). One responded with some interest and one referred a recently resigned Town Manager to us. The remaining four either did not respond or advised they were not in a position to propose at this time. At Alan's suggestion, I also reached out to the Bay State Roads program which offers technical training and support on local highway issues such as snow & ice control. They do not offer services on a consulting basis, but the instructor Alan spoke highly of does maintain a private practice in addition to his teaching responsibilities.

As a result of these efforts we have a mixed bag of proposals:


Don Jacobs Associates, a former Assistant Town Manager in Amherst and Town Manager in Southbridge and Plymouth and 30+ year professional in the business with a heavy concentration in HR matters would supply himself and Mr. Tom Woods, a 30 + year professional who worked his way up through the ranks in Leicester, MA and retired as DPW Director, who will undertake all of the assignments at $100.00 per hour.

Michael Smith, former highway Superintendent for Heath and instructor at Bay State Roads program, of Chainsaw Technologies who will undertake the snow & ice control analysis as he has done for Avon, Sudbury and Dover. His rate is $75.00 per hour.

Brian Palais, a Town Manager recently separated from the Town of Oxford as an outgrowth of a personnel matter he had to deal with that became controversial. He will undertake the assignments for $50.00 per hour.

While the most qualified proposer giving us the best overall review and work products would be Jacobs, his pricing would be virtually impossible to absorb within our current budgeting. Meanwhile, with the upcoming budget season rapidly approaching and a need to review our operational and capital needs for snow & ice control program, due to this being the last year of available sand from our pit; we have real needs within the department.

Accordingly, I seek your approval to engage Mr. Michael Smith, dba Chainsaw Strategies, in an amount not to exceed $5,500.00 to carry out an analysis of our snow and ice control operations as outlined in this proposal.

With respect to the interim DPW Director our only alternatives are to (a) keep going as we are, (b) try to do another round of inquiries, or (c) meet with your preferred candidate relative to any questions you may have on his background.