HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-08-20 BOS Packet - Released SELECTMEN'S MEETING
Monday,August 20, 2018
Town Office Building, 1625 Mass Ave. Selectmen's Meeting Room
3:30 PM
AGENDA
ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION
1. Preparation for Interviews of Town Manager Candidates 3:30 p.m.
2. Interview Town Manager Candidates 4:00 p.m.
. 4:00 p.m. Stephen Crane
• 5:00 p.m. Peter Lombardi
• 6:00 p.m. James Malloy
3. Deliberation and Potential Vote to Select New Town Manager 7:00 p.m.
4. Discussion of Schedule and Steps for New Town Manager Contract 8:30 p.m.
ADJOURN
A Board of Selectmen meeting, related to Town Manager Selection, is scheduled for Tuesday,
August 21, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, 1625
Massachusetts Avenue.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Monday,August
27, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, 1625
Massachusetts Avenue.
Hearing Assistance Devices Available on Request �
All agenda time and the order of items are approximate and IlJ � 111a
subject to change. Recorded by LexMedia
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
LEXINGTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
AGENDA ITEM TITLE:
Preparation for Interviews of Town Manager Candidates
PRESENTER: ITEM
NUMBER:
Alan Gould, MRI
1.1
SUMMARY:
Review procedure for interviewing candidates
SUGGESTED MOTION:
N/A
FOLLOW-UP:
DATE AND APPROXIMATE TIME ON AGENDA:
8/20/2018 3:30 p.m.
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
LEXINGTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
AGENDA ITEM TITLE:
Interview Town Manager Candidates
PRESENTER: ITEM
NUMBER:
Board Interview
1.2
SUMMARY:
Interview Candidates for the Town Manager.
SUGGESTED MOTION:
N/A
FOLLOW-UP:
DATE AND APPROXIMATE TIME ON AGENDA:
8/20/2018 4:00 p.m.
ATTACHMENTS:
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Stephen J. Crane, M.P.A.
July 8,2018
Lexington, MA— Town Manager Search
Alan Gould,President
Municipal Resources, Inc.
120 Daniel Webster Highway
Meredith,NH 03253
To Whom It May Concern:
I write to apply for the position of Town Manager for the Town of Lexington. As the enclosed resume
shows, my combination of skills and experience in government over the past 20 years,including 9 as a
municipal manager,uniquely qualifies me to be the next Town Manager.
Throughout my tenure as a municipal manager, I have consistently pursued excellence and demonstrated
progressive leadership. Like Lexington, Longmeadow is a premier community with world class schools;
an educated, engaged citizenry that cares deeply for the community and has high expectations of its local
government; a high bond rating; and a talented team of municipal employees who are committed to serving
the town to the fullest extent of their abilities. The similarities of the two communities are many but
Longmeadow has the added challenge of being a direct suburb of Springfield--a challenge I have met by
forming strong regional partnerships and close working relationships with municipal leaders in
neighboring communities. Additionally, my prior legislative experience helps me serve open Town
Meeting, as well as volunteer boards and committees, and facilitate their important roles in local
governance.
In addition to my role as Town Manager, I also serve as Director of Planning and Community
Development for Longmeadow. In this capacity, my significant experience in economic and community
development from managing major projects in both Lowell and Worcester has enabled me to ensure that
planning and redevelopment projects benefit the community while maintaining Longmeadow's character.
Of note is the recent creation of the first District Improvement Financing (DIF) district in western
Massachusetts and the first DIF to include two towns in the history of the program. Educating the
community about this project, and many other important initiatives,has been aided by the total overhaul of
the Town website and Facebook page as well as the positive working relationships I have forged with local
media outlets--including the Springfield television stations.
Like Lexington, Longmeadow is continually striving to innovate and plan for a brighter future while
celebrating the town's rich history. It takes a special Manager to consistently succeed in that environment
and fulfill those high expectations. I look forward to discussing how I have been successful in
Longmeadow and why I will be a great fit for Lexington.
Sincerely,
Stephen Crane
Enclosure
Stephen J. Crane, M.P.A.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The Town of Longmeadow,Massachusetts Longmeadow, MA
Town Manager April 2013 to Present
• Perform Chief Executive Officer duties including appointment and management of all Town
employees,negotiation of contracts, and the administration of all day-to-day operations.
• Responsible for dissemination of public information,intergovernmental relations,planning and
community development, risk administration,procurement, and collective bargaining.
• Prepare and submit to the Select Board the annual municipal budget, capital improvement plan, long-
term financial plan, and other fiscal policies.
The City of Lancaster,Wisconsin Lancaster,WI
City Administrator June 2009 to March 2013
• Performed Chief Administrative Officer duties including management of all City employees,
preparation of City Council agendas, coordination of procurement including direct approval of
expenditures up to $25,000, and the administration of all day-to-day operations.
• Responsible for economic development initiatives, dissemination of public information,
intergovernmental relations, strategic planning,personnel matters, and collective bargaining.
• Prepared and submitted to the City Council the annual municipal budget, the five-year capital
improvement plan, the long-term financial plan, and other fiscal policies.
• Provided stewardship of City assets including the Lancaster Municipal Airport, the Lancaster
Municipal Golf Course, and the Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Utilities.
• Served as ex officio member of and administrative support for all City boards and commissions.
The City of Worcester Executive Office Worcester, MA
Of Economic and Neighborhood Development December 2006 to June 2009
Economic Development Division
Special Projects Coordinator
• Coordinated the planning, design, and construction of special projects including the Worcester
Blackstone Visitor Center,the Blackstone Gateway Park, the Blackstone Valley Heritage Bike Trail,
and the Blackstone Canal replication.
• Facilitated the creation of economic development policies for the City including the North Main
Economic Development Strategy, the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy(CEDS), the
Greenwood Street Landfill/Quinsigamond Village Taskforce, and the Economic Development
Division Strategic Planning project.
• Represented the City Administration on committees with other governmental agencies and private
organizations including the Blackstone Valley Partnership, the Utility Coordination Committee, the
MBTA Advisory Committee, the Central Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory
Committee (Co-Chair), and the Route 146 Citizens Advisory Committee.
• Assisted with the implementation of the South Worcester Industrial Park project by negotiating the
acquisition and disposition of real property on behalf of the City, managing City-owned assets,
facilitating the abatement of hazardous materials and environmental contamination in the project area,
and developing an expedited permitting process for priority development sites.
The City of Lowell Office of the City Manager Lowell,MA
Division of Planning and Development August 2001 to December 2006
Urban Renewal Project Manager
• Managed two urban renewal plans, the Acre Urban Revitalization and Development Plan and the
Jackson/Appleton/Middlesex(JAM)Urban Revitalization and Development Plan, and the
redevelopment of the Tremont Power House.
• Promoted development opportunities in the City and coordinated development efforts with other
governmental agencies and private organizations.
• Negotiated acquisitions and dispositions of real property on behalf of the City and represented the City
Administration in public meetings.
• Identified,pursued, and managed funds for the urban renewal plans and administered contracts for
professional services related to plan implementation.
• Prepared reports,budgets, memoranda, correspondence, and other documents as required.
United States Representative Gerald D.Kleczka Washington, DC
Legislative Assistant June 1998 to May 2001
• Responsible for tracking legislation,responding to constituent concerns, and briefing the Member on
issues including banking, crime, defense, education, foreign affairs, housing,immigration,judiciary,
privacy, small business, and Social Security.
• Assisted the Member in developing legislation and drafting amendments on major policy issues of
interest to Wisconsin,particularly in the area of personal information privacy.
• Represented the Member in meetings with constituents, Congressional committees, Federal agencies,
and lobbyists.
• Worked with press secretary on the dissemination of information through press releases,newsletters,
and columns appearing in local newspapers.
Government Relations,Inc. Washington, DC
Legislative Associate January 1997 to June 1998
• Represented clients in Congressional hearings, meetings with Members of Congress, Federal agencies,
and various state and local governmental associations.
• Tracked legislation, advised clients on the impacts of legislation, and worked with Congressional staff
on developing appropriate policies for clients of the firm.
• Researched and prepared weekly and monthly reports on relevant current events, especially with
regard to technology,the environment, transportation, and infrastructure.
United States Senator John F.Kerry Washington, DC
Legislative Correspondent July 1996 to January 1997
United States Representative Martin T.Meehan Washington, DC
Intern June 1995 to June 1996
EDUCATION
Master of Public Administration, The George Washington University 1997
Concentration: Managing State and Local Organizations
Awards: Career Development Award, Faculty Alumni Scholarship
Bachelor of Arts, Syracuse University 1995
Major: Political Science; Spanish Language and Culture
Awards: Dean's List 1993-1995
AFFILIATIONS
• International City Managers Association(ICMA)
• Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association
• Chair, Board of Directors, Western Massachusetts Emergency Communications Center
SKILLS
• Highly developed leadership, communication, management,negotiating, and analytical skills.
• Computer skills include GIS; Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint; Wordpress; and Adobe InDesign.
• Proficient in the Spanish language.
CRANE
LEXINGTON, MA TOWN MANAGER RECRUITMENT ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. The Town of Lexington has an intriguing mix of development initiatives geared towards providing
additional commercial tax revenues while striking the balance of maintaining the culture, historic
heritage and high quality of life desired by its residents. Through some creative and targeted zoning
initiatives, Lexington has become a regional leader in attracting world class life science companies,
adapting its downtown streetscape to enhance and entice small business development and aggressively
pursuing visitor tourism dollars by accentuating and promoting its historical prominence in
Massachusetts. Please provide us with your experience, if any, in taking a leadership role in each of
these initiatives in your work history and if not please discuss how you would immerse yourself in the
role of advocating for and advancing this evolving and challenging long term economic development
vision in the community.
One of the many benefits of having worked in rural, suburban, and urban environments is a
breadth of experience, as well as a history of success,in planning and economic development that is
uncommon. I have successfully facilitated economic development projects and master planning
initiatives in every municipality where I have worked. The types of projects cuts across the
development spectrum: historic preservation, community visioning, artist live/work space, municipal
facilities,neighborhood stabilization, industrial redevelopment, streetscaping/complete streets, airport
expansion,urban renewal,business development, and more.
The approach I will take as Town Manager will be informed by the almost-20 years of
experience in local government and enhanced by my leadership, communication, and design skills.
Most importantly, I will build on Lexington's amazing success in maintaining its character by
managing change,not preventing it. Central to this approach will be developing collaborative
relationships with stakeholders from the business community,regulatory boards and committees,
regional economic and municipal partners, and local realtors who often have valuable insight into the
factors that help sustain property values.
In my experience, economic development, like master planning,takes on different forms and
meanings in different communities. In Lowell and Worcester, attracting employers and residents to
urban centers was a primary goal and therefore much of the effort went into "live, work,play." In
Longmeadow,where I also serve as Director of Planning and Community Development, home sales
are the primary economic activity so the quality of the school system is a focal point. For all
communities,the local government must provide consistent,high-quality services and maintain
infrastructure assets to set a solid foundation upon which the right economic development strategy can
be built. One essential ingredient is developing strong partnerships with the private sector to both
support and retain current businesses; many private businesses repay that support by being a resource
for the Town as it works to advance broader community development goals.
One recent example in Longmeadow is the creation of a District Improvement Financing (DIF)
district in partnership with East Longmeadow. A new medical office building is being constructed and
a managed care facility is being expanded on the adjacent parcel. The town line crosses between the
two projects so at project inception, I led the effort to have the Planning Boards of both towns work
jointly to review the site plans as if they were a campus and no municipal boundary existed. The new
tax revenue generated will fund a major corridor improvement, which has been needed for many years,
which impacts both communities. The DIF district is the first in Western Mass and the first two-town
DIF in the history of the program.
2. Lexington has a strong commitment to promoting and engaging its diverse social and economic
demographic in its local government, institutions, community organizations and social affairs. To that
end, the current Town Manager and most recent School Superintendent established a Diversity
Advisory Task Force, with the strong support of elected officials, to bring this issue into the public
discourse within the community. As the new Manager, how would you embrace,promote and
implement this concept in Lexington? What would be your plan of action to diversify the Town's
workforce to better reflect the evolving demographics of the community?
As a freshman at Syracuse many years ago, I was nominated to be a founding member of a
group of students who studied and discussed multiculturalism as a means of building understanding.
From that formative experience through today, embracing cultural and personal differences has been a
both prominent and rewarding part of my career. As a manager, I strive to promote diversity in the
organization whenever possible. When hiring, it's important to appoint the most qualified person
regardless of demographic characteristics. Therefore, it is essential to attract candidates from diverse
backgrounds for consideration,which can be challenging even when advertising for jobs in a diverse
city like Springfield. I also strive to maintain an open and welcoming work environment, which has
helped Longmeadow establish a reputation as a desirable employer.
When providing customer service, employees must respect and embrace the different
perspectives of both residents and coworkers. As the Lexington Town Manager, I will work with the
Superintendent and the Diversity Advisory Task Force to achieve a deeper understanding of the
expectations and perspectives of our customers. That understanding will inform techniques to provide
more responsive services in way both large, such as holiday observances, and small,including
translations of official documents. I will also continue to be an approachable,respectful person and
use the lessons learned many years ago about diversity to develop strong relationships with coworkers
and community members.
3. As stated in the Challenge Statement issued by the community, Lexington is a very desirable
community to live, raise a family and work. This "desirable" status has provided a challenge for the
town in maintaining and in some respects increasing services to a population that is experiencing the
"aging in place" conundrum many Boston suburbs are facing. A growing school population,
inflationary impacts on housing prices, lack of affordable housing options for senior residents seeking
to downsize and overall infrastructure needs going forward are driving the tax burden on all
Lexington residents. Explain 3-4 initiatives you have undertaken in your current or prior positions to
improve the efficiency of Town operations or provide services to that segment of the community that
may have limited income.
Like Lexington, Longmeadow is also a desirable community; indeed,it is the premier
community in Western Mass. The property values are not comparable to Eastern Mass but,because
the town is mostly built out and has a small amount non-residential development, the tax rate is the
highest in the Commonwealth. Therefore,the pressure to provide excellent services in the most cost
effective manner is intense. Facilitating the ability for seniors to remain in their homes stabilizes the
real estate market, maintains the fabric of the community, and mitigates the expansion of the school
budget.
Over the past five years, I have worked closely with the senior community to study,plan, and
design a new adult center, for which voters approved$14 million in June. Another initiative that I am
leading is an effort to combat loneliness and isolation in the senior community. Even in a town with
relative affluence, there are those who are living in desperate conditions that are only discovered,
unfortunately,when there is an emergency situation. By working with local houses of worship and a
prominent senior living facility, I hope to connect those who are living in isolation with their
neighbors and,if necessary, municipal services before their living conditions deteriorate. This effort
will complement the Age and Dementia Friendly programs that Longmeadow is currently
implementing.
As noted above, Longmeadow must make careful choices to sustain its quality of life with
limited taxing capacity. Fortunately,its history of sound financial management has earned an
excellent bond rating and allowed Town Meeting to support needed investments. These include the
new adult center, a new DPW facility, a new, state-of-the-art high school that opened in 2014, and an
operating budget that supports the highly ranked school district and provides excellent municipal
services. The cumulative effect of these factors is a stable real estate market that preserves the wealth
of seniors who have been in their homes for many years.
4. The Lexington Town Manager has the responsibility to recommend an annual operating and capital
budget as well as a financing plan to the Board of Selectmen and then to the Appropriation
Committee, Capital Expenditure Committee and Town Meeting Members. In order to understand the
breadth and depth of your municipal budgeting experience would you please describe your
philosophy, approach and/or background relating to the following:
A. Developing revenue forecasting models for one year and five years,
As noted above, Longmeadow has the highest tax rate in the state and is approaching
the mil rate cap of$25 (not including excludable debt). Using conservative budget and
valuation assumptions, I worked closely with the Finance Director to develop a spreadsheet to
model the next 10 years of levy projections. The model currently shows that Longmeadow will
hit the cap in 2023, so we developed the document to have the flexibility to show how changes
in property values and expenditures could impact that date. The model was developed in
conjunction with the creation of the Tax Ceiling Task Force comprised of members of the
Select Board, School Committee, municipal unions, the Finance Committee, and residents.
The focus on the impending tax ceiling helped create consensus that annual tax increases need
to be less than the 2.5% allowed under the law.
B. Developing an operating budget, enterprise budgets, within the constraints of Prop. 2 '/,
The Town Charter requires the Town Manager to prepare the Town budget and submit
it to the Select Board for consideration; the Select Board's Town budget is placed on the
Warrant for Town Meeting's consideration. The last budget presented to Town Meeting that I
did not prepare resulted in a conflict between the Select Board and School Committee. The
budget was amended on the floor by a resident to give additional funds to the Schools without
any offsets so Town Meeting was dissolved with an unbalanced budget. After observing that
conflict, I committed to working with the School Superintendent so that the Town Manager's
budget would be submitted to the Select Board with the needs of all departments carefully
balanced within the limits of Prop 2'/z. I also instituted the Government Finance Officers
Association (GFOA)budgeting best practices that have earned the Town an award from GFOA
three years running.
Additionally,the budget process begins in October with a joint meeting of the Select
Board and School Committee. At this meeting, a presentation of budget assumptions is co-
presented by the Finance Director and the Assistant Superintendent for Business. This
meeting,which started as part of budget process changes I initiated, starts everyone on the
same page. Not surprisingly, this collaboration has resulted in no operational overrides being
proposed during my tenure in Longmeadow. Most recently,the FY19 Town Manager's budget
was submitted to the Board using less than the full levy amount for the first time in many years
to slow the growth in the tax rate. The budget was presented to Town Meeting unaltered and,
like the two prior budgets, approved unanimously.
With limited new growth and very little general fund flexibility, enterprise funds and
service fees play an important role in Longmeadow's finances. Although Longmeadow
operates a water and sewer utility,the Town is a customer of the Springfield Water and Sewer
Commission so the wholesale rates are outside of the Town's control. The Select Board, which
sets the rates for Longmeadow's customers,prioritizes maintaining reasonable reserves and
minimizing both rate increases and fluctuations. Last year,the Town established a stormwater
enterprise fund that will absorb some of the current costs associated with stormwater
management currently borne by the general fund. The Town also operates an EMS service that
generates revenue that, among other things, funds Fire Department vehicle replacement. With
all of these funds, I employ sound business practices to ensure tax payers and rate payers alike
are getting the maximum value for their money and that the funds enhance the Town's
financial health.
C. Developing an annual capital budget and a five year capital improvement plan,
Like the annual budget,the Charter requires the Town Manager to prepare a both a five
year and an annual capital improvement plan for review by a volunteer Capital Planning
Committee (CPC)that recommends the annual plan to the Select Board. The capital plan is
governed by a Select Board policy that establishes the percentage of general fund revenue that
should be committed to projects and sets priorities. The biggest challenge with capital
planning in a community with open town meeting is the limited opportunities to receive
appropriations,which leaves little margin for errors in the planning process. Projects with bid
amounts higher than the appropriation may be delayed for months until the next Town Meeting
and projects that run into unexpected cost overruns may need to either use funding already
allocated to another purpose or require a special town meeting. Another challenge, especially
in developing the five year plan,is the displacement of scheduled needs by equipment failures,
infrastructure collapses, and other emergency situations.
To better meet these challenges, I have worked closely with the CPC to implement
several reforms to the capital planning process that have reduced budget shortfalls and cost
overruns,improved the accuracy of the five year plan, and more effectively managed surprises.
Longmeadow has also adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA) that has contributed
significantly to maintaining and improving parks,playgrounds, and historic municipal
buildings. Another innovation has been close collaboration between the CPC and CPA
Committee so important projects are funded and resources are used efficiently. Like the annual
budget, the capital plans presented at Town Meeting closely match the Town Manager's plan
and have enjoyed overwhelming support from voters.
D. Knowledge of and experience with capital planning and financing,particularly Prop. 2 '/
Debt Exemptions, school construction projects and the Massachusetts School Building
Authority, etc.
At the time of my appointment in Longmeadow,the new high school was under
construction so I immediately stepped into a decision-making role for the project as a member
of the School Building Committee. My project management experience was valuable in
making a seamless transition to the Committee. From reviewing and approving change orders
to negotiating the final payout to the general contractor, my efforts positively impacted the
project despite joining it at the mid-point. I have also supported the School Department in the
preparation of a Statement of Interest(SOI) for a new middle school by updating condition
assessments for the current facilities that were last done in 2008.
With regard to debt exclusion votes, as noted above voters approved $22 million for a
new DPW facility in 2017 and,in 2018,voters approved$14 million for a new senior center.
Once again, my project development and management experience was essential to helping the
dedicated volunteer committees, along with the Select Board,bring both efforts from concept
to construction. Each project is distinct but both included controversial site selection
processes, substantial public education about the importance of the DPW and Council on
Aging, and responsible management of the design process to ensure that the buildings will
meet Longmeadow's needs today and into the future.
E. The Selectmen have the goal of a balanced and sustainable budget, without a Prop. 2 '/
Operating Override, how would you develop a budget to address this request?
As mentioned, despite constant fiscal pressure,the Town has successfully balanced the
needs of all departments, maintained current service levels and, in some cases, expanded them
without negatively impacting the budget and without an operational override. I have also
presented several new options for revenue including the aforementioned stormwater utility,
leasing a Town parcel for a new cell tower,increasing the number of grant awards, and
reviewing the fee schedules annually to keep current with inflation. Additionally, I have been
a regional leader in pursuing shared services,including the formation of a regional dispatch
district,bidding the solid waste/recycling contracts in partnership with other communities, and
the DIF district mentioned earlier. Looking ahead, I will continue the GFOA best practices to
preserve Longmeadow's quality of life by not funding recurring expenses with one-time
revenue,by maximizing value in all municipal operations, and by applying sound business
practices to evaluate current service levels and options for both insourcing and outsourcing.
S. The next Lexington Town Manager will follow in the footsteps of a municipal professional who is
retiring after 13 years. As the new Manager how would you:
A. Establish your own leadership and management presence?
In many high profile jobs,the next person is often compared to their predecessor. Asa
result,there will be the temptation for some to think an approach is wrong if it is merely
different. The most important thing for the next Manager to do is to honor and learn from the
prior Manager's performance but avoid trying to be someone they are not. In my case, I am
confident that I have the technical competence to serve as the next Town Manager;
nevertheless, I hope to learn how to be a better Manager by following in my predecessor's
footsteps while highlighting my own strengths. Also, I have been fortunate in my career to be
surrounded by a cadre of deeply committed, seasoned department heads. I have also had the
opportunity to develop and mentor first-time department managers. I have established my
leadership position with both types of managers primarily by asking questions, deferring to
their judgment on technical issues, and publically supporting them.
B. Evaluate the senior management team that is in place?
The work of a Town Manager is complicated and demanding. Managers do not often
enjoy the luxury of a probationary period or"freshmen orientation" during which time he or
she could develop trust with the department heads and other key staff. Therefore, I place my
trust in my coworkers upfront and work every day to maintain that trust. My relationship
with the department heads, as well as all employees, starts with clear, consistent boundaries
and expectations. In Longmeadow, I meet frequently with department heads to ensure that
those boundaries remain intact and concentrate on both how and how often I communicate
with them. It is through that direct communication that I will get to know my coworkers
personally and observe how they handle challenges, opportunities, and each other.
C. Address any conflicts brought to your attention within your first 100 days?
On my first day in Longmeadow I was asked to impose a multi-day suspension on an
employee I had never met based on the recommendation of the supervisor and department
head. In collecting facts about the incident, I asked many questions, listened intently to the
answers, and carefully read the collective bargaining agreement that covered the employee. I
engaged the managers in a dialogue about the merits and risks associated with a range of
approaches to the issue. Perhaps most importantly, I asked them to tell me their preferred
option. Lastly, I trusted my moral compass and made the difficult but necessary decision. This
approach, which has been highly effective, is the foundation I will use to address conflicts both
early in and throughout my tenure in Lexington.
D. Engage with and get to know the needs, wants and desires of the Lexington community?
There are many common traits among communities even if they seem very different.
Because of my many years of municipal experience, I can quickly identify the characteristics
that Lexington shares with other communities and assess the variations that are unique. I will
endeavor to be an approachable presence in the community and get to know the specific
expectations people have of their local government. In my experience, detailed conversations
with community stakeholders are one of the best ways to get to know a town's personality. I
will also research how community priorities have been reflected in Town Meeting decisions,
budget trends,boards/committee missions, and local media coverage.
E. Establish your "on boarding"plan for your first year
In my first year as Town Manager, I will prioritize getting out of the office regularly
and meeting both employees and residents where they are. I will also establish regularly
scheduled individual meetings with the Board members,the Superintendent, large employers,
community associations (Chamber of Commerce, CPA, etc), and attend meetings of board and
committees, especially the School Committee, Appropriation Committee, and Planning Board,
to both introduce myself and build a strong collaborative relationship. I would also request a
special meeting to review the Selectmen's goals so I can fully understand why they are
important, what goals have had success, and what goals have encountered obstacles. I will also
create a work plan similar to the one I have developed in Longmeadow that ranks tasks, assigns
responsible parties, and sets deadlines.
July 7, 2019
Lexington,MA Town Manager Search
Attn:Alan Gould, Municipal Resources Inc.
To whom it may concern,
Thank you for considering my application for the Lexington Town Manager position.With its well-
established reputation as one of the pre-eminent municipalities in the region, Lexington is distinguished by
its participatory governance ethos and its exceptional school system. As an organization,it is widely
respected for its integrity and professionalism. These qualities,among others, are what sets Lexington apart
and what would make building on that legacy such an honor.
I have always lived and worked in the communities in our Commonwealth that have a shared commitment to
showcase and preserve their natural beauty,unique history, and rich cultural heritage. Lexington
exemplifies these ideals,which is why this opportunity is so personally compelling. I am passionate about
the prospect of leading an organization that reflects a community's values and makes a positive,lasting
difference in the lives of its residents. I value communication and collaboration and I would give high
priority to these core values in my role as Town Manager. I believe that my leadership style and professional
competencies are well aligned with this landmark opportunity to serve the Lexington community and uphold
its tradition of progressive municipal management.
Financial Management
In developing Wenham's $19M annual operating budget and leading it through to approval by Town
Meeting,I employ a consensus-building approach involving all relevant stakeholders. Working within the
budget constraints of a predominantly residential community,I have instituted a long-range forecasting
model that is annually reviewed at the start of the budget building process to establish expectations and set
priorities. As a member of a two-town regional school district,Wenham's budget process has been
structured to balance increasing financial pressures resulting from a recent shift in student enrollment with
trying to ensure that the district has sufficient funding to continue to deliver the exceptional educational
services and programs for which it is renowned. Within this context, I have prioritized open,honest, and
frequent communication with school officials,while continuing to adhere to a conservative budgetary
approach and without sacrificing our overall commitment to excellence.At the same time, recognizing the
financial burden that our local taxes have placed on our most vulnerable residents,I have successfully led an
initiative to significantly expand and enhance our property tax relief programs for seniors and veterans.
In line with my previous work in Newburyport,where our budget document was recognized with a
Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association in each of my
three years there,I have updated Wenham's budget document to be much more thorough and accessible,
consistent with these best practices. Under my leadership,Wenham now has a comprehensive and dynamic
five-year Capital Improvement Plan that accounts for the current and future infrastructure needs of the
Town. Since initially adopted,this plan has been updated annually and Town Meeting has consistently
approved reasonable funding requests to maintain or upgrade key equipment and facilities. We have also
adopted a series of financial policies establishing baseline operational principles to safeguard the integrity of
our financial systems and to provide increased public confidence in our management of resident tax dollars.
Strategic Planning
To ensure that Wenham's leadership is focusing its efforts in a manner that is most representative of the
community's broad interests and needs,I have worked with the Board of Selectmen to address several
longstanding deficiencies in our strategic planning. As a result,Wenham is about to submit its first update to
our Open Space and Recreation Plan since 2001,has completed an Affordable Housing Needs Assessment
and Action Plan,was recently awarded funding to update our Hazard Mitigation Plan through the
Commonwealth's Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program,and is actively engaged in developing our
inaugural Age- and Dementia-Friendly Community Needs Assessment and Action Plan. The realization of
these collective strategic planning initiatives has positioned the Town to prepare its first Master Plan so that
our efforts on these various fronts are properly prioritized and coordinated. Having actively participated on
the Newburyport Master Plan Steering Committee and having co-chaired two of the subcommittees for that
project, I understand the many benefits that this holistic planning process and the resulting document can
provide in giving the organization a roadmap to orient the services,programs, and projects undertaken by
the municipality so that they align with the community's vision and values.
Human Resource Management
Given Wenham's limited staffing resources,Town employees and officials regularly rely on my expertise and
guidance in addressing the myriad issues that arise on a daily basis. To encourage improved
interdepartmental coordination,I have organized our Department Heads into subject-area leadership teams
that meet on a monthly basis to address issues that intersect and overlap. Serving as the lead negotiator in
Newburyport and Wenham, I have successfully settled all expiring contracts with each of the various unions.
Balancing employees' interests with those of the municipality, I have maintained solid relationships with
staff throughout the negotiation process and in administering the collective bargaining agreements.
After commissioning an audit of Wenham's Human Resource policies and procedures, I have since addressed
a number of key findings and will soon present the Selectboard with the first comprehensive update to our
Employee Handbook since 2001. In addition,over the past few years,we have made great strides in
ensuring that our employees are paid fairly and equitably. The Board adopted our first compensation and
classification plan that established grades and salary ranges for all non-union employees and,acting on my
recommendation,we recently instituted a merit pay program for those employees based on the results of
annual performance evaluations. Recognizing the value that each individual brings to the organization and
the importance of fit in creating and promoting a positive and engaged work environment,I am directly
involved in the selection process of every new hire. This hands-on approach has resulted in a sea change in
the culture of Town Hall, one that is more responsive,friendly, and cohesive.
Citizen Engagement
As stewards of the public good,we must also be thoughtful in our approach to community outreach. In
Wenham,I have successfully led a concerted effort to improve our citizen engagement efforts. To move
these initiatives forward,we now offer innovative technologies such as the SeeClickFix mobile application to
our citizens so they can more easily access their local government,and we will soon be launching the Visual
Budget platform so residents can more readily understand overall budget trends and how their tax dollars
are being allocated. We will be conducting our first comprehensive resident survey later this year,and we
have employed more homegrown strategies to hear from and connect with residents. From organizing a
Citizens Leadership Academy similar to Lexington's to partnering with the local paper to publish a monthly
series profiling the work of our various departments, I have made positive advances in improving our
transparency while encouraging greater community participation in Town affairs.
Management Style
I believe in teaming with others to joint problem-solve,find common ground, identify creative solutions,and
strengthen our capacity to deliver high quality municipal services. My participatory management style,
strong moral compass, and balanced approach are invaluable attributes that I will bring to the Lexington
Town Manager position. As evidenced by the relationships I have established in the communities where I
have worked, I pride myself on building trust among and being responsive to employees,local elected and
appointed officials,regional partners,and,most importantly,the residents we all serve. I am confident that I
will be able to effectively lead the organization, engage all stakeholders,balance process with results, and see
initiatives through to completion.
I have included my resume for your review and appreciate your consideration of my candidacy for the Town
Manager position.
Sincerely,
Peter Lombardi
PETER S. LOMBARDI
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Town Administrator 201S-PRESENT
OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN-WENHAM,MASSACHUSETTS
• Lead administrative and operational functions of full-service municipality
• Supervise,direct, mentor,and support department heads to ensure the continued delivery of
exemplary resident services while making targeted enhancements to better meet community needs
• Partner with Board of Selectmen to develop and achieve short-range goals and long-range strategic
planning initiatives, continually striving to implement best practices in municipal governance
• Deliver impartial information and provide policy recommendations as requested to boards and
committees,facilitating communication and coordination between Town volunteers and personnel
• Develop annual operating and capital budgets in collaboration with Board of Selectmen, Finance and
Advisory Committee,Finance Director, and department heads
• Advance multi-faceted citizen outreach and engagement efforts,serving as the Town's Public
Relations and Communications Officer
• Direct human resource functions -conduct recruitment,hiring,disciplinary,evaluative,and
promotional processes,recommend updates to Town's personnel policies and procedures, and
engage in collective bargaining and oversee contract administration processes
• Manage procurement activities,including assembly and distribution of solicitation documents and
review of bid submissions, serving as Chief Procurement Officer
• Orchestrate interdepartmental projects,providing guidance and oversight to assist department heads
• Cultivate strong regional partnerships to identify and leverage mutually beneficial opportunities to
build organizational capacity and improve services
Director of Policy and Administration (Chief Administrative Officer) 2012-201S
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR-NEWBURYPORT,MASSACHUSETTS
• Managed and supported department heads in the daily provision of municipal services
• Acted as principal liaison between Mayor and eleven-member City Council
• Developed$71M annual operating budget and five-year capital budget in coordination with Mayor,
City Council,and department heads
• Facilitated responsive constituent service efforts, connecting with residents to better understand
their diverse perspectives on issues and working to attain consensus and achieve resolution
• Evaluated policies, offered solutions that were consistent with the goals of the Mayor and City Council,
and oversaw effective and sustainable improvements to City procedures,programs, and services
• Led labor relation activities and had primary responsibility for negotiating all union contracts
• Guided human resource management and participated in selection process for leadership positions
• Directed and ensured compliance with procurement processes, serving as Chief Procurement Officer
• Planned and supervised the implementation of regionalized services with surrounding communities
• Organized and administered interdepartmental initiatives to meet ongoing community needs
• Drafted press releases, updated website content, and coordinated media communications
• Actively participated in the following committees: Cable Advisory Committee,Economic Development
Action Committee,Emma Andrews Library/Community Center Commission, Master Plan Steering
Committee,Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Mayors and Managers Coalition,Merrimack
Valley Regional Transit Authority Board, Parking Advisory Committee,School Building Committee,
and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
Grants Administrator 2010-2012
OFFICE OF THE TOWN MANAGER-WINTHROP,MASSACHUSETTS
• Researched grant programs and other cost saving opportunities,and offered innovative approaches
to fund capital needs and address community development challenges
• Drafted grant submissions for priority projects in response to relevant solicitations
• Awarded over$1.5M in grant funding and orchestrated related implementation activities including
project oversight,quality control, and reporting
• Partnered with department heads in managing the procurement process for grant-related projects
• Coordinated interdepartmental projects in support of the goals of the Town Manager and nine-
member Town Council
• Conducted analyses and made recommendations to the Town Manager, department heads, and
elected officials to address various operational and administrative matters
• Assisted the Town Manager and Police Chief in the collective bargaining process
• Communicated with appropriate constituent groups, acting as a liaison between the municipality and
outside stakeholders including members of the press
• Served as representative member on the North Suburban Consortium Board, allocating federal
funding to targeted development projects to expand affordable housing options for local residents
Management Intern 2010
OFFICE OF THE TOWN MANAGER-WINTHROP,MASSACHUSETTS
• Identified regional benchmarks and best practices within various policy areas, including municipal
cable contracts,building redevelopment,health insurance, and open space and recreational planning
• Evaluated organizational effectiveness,considered human resource implications, and assisted in
preparing final report regarding consolidation of Town and School administrative staff
Legislative Intern 2010
OFFICE OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR 8T"ESSEX DISTRICT-BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS
• Performed policy research, advised legislator on pending issues,and assisted in crafting legislation
and drafting amendments to address constituent needs
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND &PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Master of Public Administration 2011
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY
• Outstanding MPA Student Award recipient
• Pi Alpha Alpha, National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration
• Graduate Fellow for the Academic Director of MBA Programs
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History 1999
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
• Editor for the University of Vermont History Review
Memberships, Certifications, &Service
• International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Suffolk University ICMA Student Chapter Alumni Mentor
• Massachusetts Municipal Management Association (MMMA)
MMMA Future Managers Committee
• Massachusetts Association of Public Purchasing Officials
Massachusetts Certified Public Procurement Of
• Massachusetts Government Finance Officers Association
• Suffolk University Pi Alpha Alpha Chapter President
PETER S. LOMBARDI
LEXINGTON TOWN MANAGER - RECRUITMENT ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. My experiences in Newburyport are most transferrable to Lexington's current strategic land
use challenges and opportunities. Working in tandem with our staff in the Office of Planning and
Development, I was highly involved in economic and community development efforts across the
City. I served on the Economic Development Action Committee (EDAC) alongside many of the City's
prominent business and non-profit leaders. This committee included representatives from the
downtown business district and the industrial park who regularly met with City officials to share
information and discuss major development projects. At the time,the City was undertaking the
first comprehensive review of its zoning ordinances in 30 years to try to more closely align them
with the prospective vision for the community and sought the input of EDAC in vetting these
proposals. Much like Lexington,we were sensitive to striking the right balance between
maximizing development opportunities (thereby growing the tax base and meeting the demands of
the housing market) and retaining the community's historical character and residential aesthetic.
These proposed zoning changes primarily targeted the then-recently rebranded Business
Park,which had already begun attracting more biotech and clean energy companies. While these
proposals were not on the same scale as Lexington's current vision to reinvent Hartwell Avenue
over the next decade,they did touch on similar principles such as shifting to smart growth and
transit-oriented development of underdeveloped parcels zoned for commercial or light industry.
They also looked to expand the definition of uses and reduce height restrictions in the Park, and
even sought to create a new medical marijuana overlay district. In addition,these comprehensive
zoning changes proposed revisions to overlay districts in the downtown that aimed to encourage
mixed use development and increased density.
Of course,central to many of these conversations,particularly around downtown
development,were concerns about traffic. My involvement in Newburyport on that particular issue
was two-fold. At my suggestion and based on my proposed charge,the Mayor formed a Traffic
Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) that was broadly tasked with evaluating traffic concerns and
related public safety issues. I chaired this committee,which was comprised of key City staff and
officials, meeting on a monthly basis to hear resident concerns,discuss potential solutions,and
implement City-wide improvements. In addition,as the City's representative on the Merrimack
Valley Regional Transit Authority(MVRTA) Board, I was able to secure key federal funding for a
proposed parking garage designed to alleviate downtown parking and traffic concerns-a project
long seen as the lynchpin to downtown redevelopment and currently under construction. In my
dual roles on TSAC and MVRTA,I ensured that a comprehensive analysis of the anticipated impacts
of the garage was conducted and potential traffic pattern changes were explored.
In Wenham,the entirety of Main Street(also a state highway,Route 1A) is located within
the Historic District,much like Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington. Still very much a bucolic
suburb that has retained its small town pastoral identity,Wenham currently has just a single traffic
signal. However,higher traffic volume along 1A created by regional economic growth has led to an
increase in motor vehicle accidents in the past several years,raising public safety concerns. In
response,I was able to secure technical assistance from Central Transportation Planning Staff to
assess the need for and feasibility of signalizing our downtown corridor,and I have marshaled
broad-based community support for this planned project. Preliminary designs include adding new
turning lanes and traffic calming measures,which will serve to make our downtown business
district safer and more pedestrian friendly. The extent to which municipal officials fully consider
resident concerns about the traffic impact of development projects such as what is proposed for the
Hartwell Corridor will likely be one of the key determinants of that initiative's ultimate success. As
Town Manager, I would bring my cumulative experiences and broader perspective related to traffic
issues to those ongoing discussions.
Given the particular importance of Newburyport's downtown in attracting tourists to the
City, comparable in many ways to the draw of downtown Lexington, I was in regular contact with
the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that our collective efforts were in synch. Having just
implemented a paid parking program as well as a local meals tax,we directed half of those new
revenues into downtown beautification efforts and infrastructure projects that matched the
interests of the City and the Chamber. Under my leadership,we partnered with the Chamber to
pilot weekend shuttle service during the summer months,which provided scheduled direct
transportation connections between the commuter rail,the downtown retail stores and
restaurants, and the beaches on Plum Island. As the Birthplace of the US Coast Guard, Newburyport
amplified its maritime legacy and generated greater national interest after being designated as a
Coast Guard City in 2012. I also worked directly with the Chamber to attain and promote our
Cultural District designation status, and I laid the groundwork to design and install new wayfinding
signage to make it easier for tourists to navigate our downtown.
During my tenure in Newburyport,we also initiated a review of and update to the City's
Master Plan for the first time in over a decade. Given the significance of this comprehensive
planning exercise, I was an active participant on the Steering Committee and co-chaired the
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Transportation Committee and the Public Facilities and Services Committee. We held a series of
public meetings seeking resident feedback and conducted an online survey targeted to reach out to
the community to get their input as well. In this way,we emphasized the importance of proactively
engaging all stakeholders throughout these parallel and complementary planning processes. I
know that Lexington has taken some initial steps in developing a new Comprehensive Plan for the
first time in 15 years and applaud the efforts of Town leadership in hosting a series of panel
discussions on the central elements of the plan (housing,transportation,and economic
development) this past spring, clearly seeking to engage residents early and often on these topics.
As Town Manager,I would be actively involved in this particular initiative and would continue to
encourage efforts to ensure our residents are invited to participate in these important planning
processes.
To address land use issues in Newburyport that were more administrative in nature,the
Mayor and I also convened a Zoning Working Group which was comprised of the Building
Commissioner,Building Inspector and ADA Coordinator,Director of Planning and Development,
Chair of the City Council's Planning and Development Committee,Planning Board Chair,and Zoning
Board of Appeals Chair. This group met to resolve code enforcement questions and to ensure that
Newburyport continued to provide a regulatory environment that was coherent and supported
investment in the community. We also held monthly Technical Review meetings in which all
relevant City staff discussed potential development projects and provided their direct input to
developers on utility and permitting considerations. While comparable systems likely already exist
in Lexington,the next Town Manager will have to ensure that these efforts continue to be fully
integrated and public facing.
Few elements of local government touch individuals'lives more directly and personally
than issues around land use. In Wenham,we were presented with the Right of First Refusal on
prime Chapter 61 land a few years ago,a 9-hole golf course situated at the one of our key gateways
to the Town,a situation that polarized the community. In weighing the benefits and costs of various
economic development opportunities,the Town Manager should act as a facilitator,making sure
that all parties are communicating,independent of personal positions or opinions on a particular
project. As Town Manager, I would strive to ensure that policy decisions were sensitive to the
considerations of abutters,responsive to the needs of the larger community,and reflective of the
vision of the Town's leadership.
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2. Through the work of the 20/20 Vision Committee and their Subcommittee on Asian
Communities in particular, Lexington's leadership has made tremendous strides in shining a
spotlight on the impacts of changing social and economic demographics within the community and
presenting a number of ways that local government can be responsive to this burgeoning dynamic.
The best practices identified through this fact-finding project seem to have a demonstrated track
record of success in other communities around the country that are experiencing similar issues of
diversity. The next challenge for the incoming Town Manager and newly hired Superintendent of
Schools is to work with the Diversity Advisory Task Force to implement some of the key findings
from this preliminary report.
In considering what recommended policy and program solutions should be prioritized,this
committee may want to identify some short-term goals that are more easily achievable to try to
build on the initial momentum of this work. In particular,we could organize and conduct diversity
training for Town and School employees. Doing so would not only provide front-line staff with the
skills and expertise to better serve the residents they are interacting with on a daily basis,
especially by revealing and addressing issues of implicit bias,it would also signal the importance of
this issue to the entire organization. On the Town side,the Recreation Department could pilot a
non-traditional program specifically aimed to meet the needs of the Town's underrepresented
populations. Depending on the results and feedback of everyone involved,this kind of low-risk,
high-reward initiative could lead to more thoroughly integrated recreational programming options
for Lexington's minority residents.
I know that Lexington has already successfully used a variety of outreach techniques,
including their Citizens Leadership Academy,to promote greater representation of Asian residents
at Town Meeting that is more in line with their presence in the community. To maintain higher
levels of engagement,those efforts need to be sustained. As Town Manager,I would also work with
local civic organizations to educate their leadership about these issues and encourage them to be
similarly proactive in considering the importance of diversity in their respective organizations. One
of the most practical recommendations of the Subcommittee's report was the power of personal
connections between individuals in helping to build bridges to underrepresented communities. As
a well-known public figure,the Town Manager is obligated to try to develop these kinds of
relationships in order to set an example for the rest of the organization and to encourage other
Town officials to follow his/her lead. In addition,the work of cultivating greater inclusivity will be
fluid and ongoing and should, accordingly,be embedded into the organizational culture. As the
findings of the report suggest,the only way that this initiative will be truly productive in the long-
Lombardi 4
term is through a systems approach. Therefore,transitioning this group from a task force to a
standing committee is vital to its sustained success. I would look forward to leading this initiative
in my role as Lexington's Town Manager.
The challenge of attracting and retaining a diverse municipal workforce is certainly not
unique to Lexington. What is unique is that Lexington is already very engaged on this general issue
of diversity and is,accordingly,well positioned to leverage those opportunities. I would expect that
many of the communities contacted by the Subcommittee struggled with similar issues and would
hope that at least a few were able to pinpoint some effective strategies that Lexington could learn
from. Some other initial suggestions to try to diversify the Town's workforce would be to reach out
directly to the many local colleges and universities regarding Lexington's overarching goal of
attracting more minority applicants and notifying them when specific job opportunities are
available. This outreach could be tailored specifically to Asian Student Associations within those
institutions or could cast a wider net, reaching out to other like entities to promote our nascent
culture of inclusivity.
The Town might also consider drafting a community profile that specifically references
Lexington's interest in building a workforce that better reflects the Town's evolving demographics
and include it in their standard job postings. Relying on less traditional mediums to post Town jobs
(think LinkedIn instead of the MMA job board) might broaden the target audience as well. These
combined efforts should serve to broadcast Lexington's intention to make its workforce more
reflective of its resident population. Ultimately,progress on this front may well come when
Lexington hires a few minority employees who embrace an expanded role as champions of
diversity and are excited to get the word out about the opportunity to make a difference for good in
the community and work for a professional organization that respects both their proficiencies and
their perspectives. Before moving forward with any of these suggestions,the Town Manager and
Superintendent could lead a brainstorming session with the members of the Diversity Advisory
Task Force and/or Subcommittee on Asian Communities to get their input on these ideas and elicit
their own recommendations, as their feedback would be most instructive.
3. As a similarly desirable suburb of Boston,Wenham faces many of the same challenges that
Lexington is experiencing in trying to balance the sometimes competing demands of providing
sufficient affordable housing options, meeting the needs of both seniors and young families with
school-aged children, and being sensitive to the impact of the tax rate on all residents. I grappled
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with comparable issues in Newburyport as well. My approach to help address these challenges has
been multi-faceted.
Wenham has long been at the forefront of regionalization. As the Town has demonstrated
over the years,these partnerships can be effective and sustainable if thorough planning is carried
out, extensive buy-in is achieved,lines of communication are maintained,and an iterative cycle of
evaluation and implementation is undertaken. Prior to my tenure,Wenham had joined a regional
veterans district,and had partnered with Hamilton on a joint Recreation Program and the only two-
town library in the Commonwealth. We continue to actively manage and refine these initiatives to
ensure that these services are still cost-efficient and provide the level of service our residents have
come to appreciate and expect.
Since my arrival,we have updated regional agreements with Hamilton and the Hamilton-
Wenham Regional School District to share an Energy Manager and maintain school grounds. Under
my leadership,we are about to launch a new,shared inspectional service program with Hamilton.
This particular initiative is the culmination of over a years'worth of planning efforts and will
enhance our capacity to deliver high quality services. This past year,we partnered with Hamilton
on a joint solicitation for employee health insurance and also established the foundation for sharing
IT infrastructure and support services with Hamilton and Danvers. Wenham has been a member of
the Essex County Regional Emergency Communications Center since 2012,a move that cut our
regional dispatch expenses by more than 50% at the time. We are currently focused on both
improving that model and considering the feasibility of other regional dispatch options. We have
engaged in preliminary discussions with Hamilton around sharing Council on Aging transportation
resources and fire apparatus as well. In short,given Wenham's limited staffing resources,the best
method we have to improving our organizational efficiency is through regionalization with
neighboring communities. This holistic approach to embracing the shared service concept is
anathema to many municipalities in the Commonwealth,but could prove to be a useful lens in
evaluating where Lexington might potentially benefit from these kinds of partnerships in the future.
In Newburyport, I also successfully designed,brokered, and managed two new regional
partnerships, in animal control and veterans services. Both of those regionalization efforts
originated from comments made by Department Heads about the challenges they experienced in
trying to meet the needs of the community with limited resources. These shared service
arrangements resulted in operational savings and improved services for the City. The impacted
Department Heads worked alongside me throughout the planning and implementation stages of
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these regionalization efforts and were, accordingly,advocates of partnering with departments from
neighboring communities,with their support contributing to the success of these initiatives.
A principal element of leadership is being able to evaluate organizational processes to
accurately gauge what works well and what can be improved upon,and to determine how and
when to go about making necessary adjustments. It is equally important to exercise patience and
discretion,and to solicit input from all relevant stakeholders in conducting these analyses before
implementing change. Employees and officials are often well suited to identify opportunities to
consolidate, enhance, or expand services but may lack either the resources or the knowledge of how
to take the necessary steps to shape change. It is the municipal manager's responsibility to seek out
and illuminate these types of new opportunities so that those individuals feel empowered to take
risks. That is the standard that I have set in Wenham and Newburyport and what I would look to
continue to do in Lexington.
In parallel to my efforts to make the organization more efficient in Wenham, I have also led
initiatives to expand tax relief to seniors and understand how the Town can better meet the needs
of our aging population. Over the past few years,we have dramatically increased participation in
the senior tax work-off program by improving the assignment process, conducting more extensive
outreach, and maximizing the abatement amount under the statute. This past year,Town Meeting
voted to move forward with the acceptance of the modified senior circuit tax breaker program
(Clause Forty-First C 1/z) to significantly expand eligibility from less than 1% of our lowest income
seniors to approximately 5% of that population. While the Town will need to increase overlay
reserve funding to account for the projected increase in exemptions,these changes were
unanimously supported in recognition of the importance of trying to help our most vulnerable
residents to continue to be able to afford aging in place.
Along with these tax relief efforts,Wenham has recently been designated by the AARP as an
Age- and Dementia-Friendly Community.This initiative is based on a model originally developed by
the World Health Organization,and is designed to foster the exchange of experiences between
residents and to pay increased attention to environmental, economic,and social factors that
influence the health and well-being of older adults. In the past few months,our Council on Aging
has conducted community outreach to gather resident feedback,hosting two well-attended
listening sessions to date. In trying to build a more inclusive model,we have termed this effort
"Wenham Connects".We plan to disseminate a survey in the next few months and will hold
additional public forums later this fall. To move this project along, I secured Community Compact
grant funds to complete a needs assessment and develop an action plan, so that the Town can
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understand where our challenges lie and what our priorities should be, and then systematically
plan for how we intend to meet those needs over the course of the next five years. Ultimately,the
goal of this program is to reinvent the traditional Council on Aging model by developing local
initiatives that raise awareness and by providing personalized services that directly improve the
quality of life of our senior population.
A final crucial policy area that I have been involved in to varying degrees in each of the
municipalities in which I have served is affordable housing. In Winthrop,where I was the Town's
representative member on the North Suburban Consortium Board, I successfully secured significant
federal funding for two separate projects that enabled a vacant elementary school and an
underutilized temple to be renovated and re-imagined, creating nearly 70 new units of senior
affordable housing. These projects both included some local preference,thereby creating new
opportunities for Winthrop seniors to age in place. Since Winthrop had no Town Planner, I also
helped the development teams for both of these projects by coordinating neighborhood outreach
and navigating the local regulatory process. In addition,although working with limited funds, I
managed a housing rehab program in Winthrop that allowed income-eligible residents to upgrade
their homes at no cost to the town.
In Newburyport,the Affordable Housing Trust completed both a Housing Needs Assessment
and an updated Housing Production Plan during my tenure. Both of these planning documents
were integrated into the City's broader land use initiatives. And in Wenham,we recently completed
our own Needs Assessment and our first Affordable Housing Action Plan. Through these planning
processes,critical demographic data and resident feedback was gathered. This information will
serve to inform our decision making processes as we seek to strategically add new affordable units
over the next five years that will both count on our Subsidized Housing Inventory and meet the
community's larger housing needs. As Lexington's Town Manager,it will be important to prioritize
a dual focus on both improving internal efficiencies to maximize the return on residents'tax dollars
and providing targeted supports and services to residents who are most in need of our assistance.
4. Taking the lead in bringing a more strategic approach to the budget building process,I
instituted a forecasting model in my first budget cycle as Town Administrator.The first of its kind
in Wenham,the model looks at multiple prior year actuals,future contractual and debt obligations,
and projects in various stages of the development pipeline to estimate revenues and expenditures
for the next fiscal year. These projections, generally conservative in nature, now directly inform the
policy direction given by the Board of Selectmen to Department Heads at the start of the budget
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process. While the primary focus of this forecasting tool is on the ensuing fiscal year,the model
projects out five years so that the long-term impacts of decisions made today are better understood.
Utilization of this tool has provided Town officials with key data points to engage in
productive dialogue about overall school spending trends and the Town's ability to accommodate
our regional district assessment within our levy limit separate from the monumental financial
impact that demographic shifts in student enrollment have on the Town's assessment. In addition,
Wenham officials are also now more reticent to use one-time funds to mitigate the tax rate increase,
a well-established past practice prior to my tenure. The Selectboard and Finance and Advisory
Committee both recognize that diverting those funds to stabilization accounts similar to what
Lexington has done over the past decade plus is a sound fiscal strategy that would better position
the Town to weather financial crises and pronounced student enrollment shifts.
One of my primary responsibilities in both Wenham and Newburyport has been the
development of the annual operating budget. Although these processes have taken place in
different governance structures, I have employed a similar consensus-building approach in both
communities in assembling the budget and leading it through to approval. As a result of our
forecasting model, Department Heads clearly understand the Town's fiscal capacities and
limitations when they craft their budget proposals. In Wenham,the Board of Selectmen also
convenes an annual goal setting session at the start of the budget process. As I meet with the
Finance Director and Department Heads to review their requests,we seek to align their goals and
objectives with the priorities established by the Selectboard for the coming year. In both Wenham
and Newburyport, any request for deviation from a level service budget must be accompanied by a
reasoned written rationale.
In Wenham,our budget building process is intentionally iterative,with Department Heads
making multiple revisions to their budget submissions based on my preliminary feedback and the
input of the Selectboard and Finance and Advisory Committee before the budget is finalized and
presented to Town Meeting. As a result of our adherence to this deliberative and participatory
process,only a handful of holds have been placed on budget line items by Town Meeting during my
tenure in Wenham and not one amendment has been made to any of those proposed budgets.
I have encouraged our Finance and Advisory Committee to be more actively involved early
on in the budget process,a divergence from the past practice of the Board of Selectmen and Finance
and Advisory Committee operating in seemingly separate but related orbits. While the Selectboard
continues to provide the policy framework under which the budget is developed,the Finance and
Advisory Committee is now invited to attend several key meetings during the initial development
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stage so that they are better informed when they begin their due diligence leading up to Town
Meeting and to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts of everyone involved.
Due to the budget pressures resulting from the current student enrollment shift
(dramatically down in Hamilton and modestly up in Wenham),which has resulted in a 29%
increase in Wenham's assessment over the past four fiscal years,I have frontloaded our budget
development process so that Town officials are more thoroughly prepared to accurately present
our relative ability-to-pay to School officials before they begin their budget process in earnest. For
the first few years,this approach was effective in convincing the district leadership to collaborate
with the Town to develop a school budget that fit within Wenham's levy limit,thereby avoiding the
need for an operating override. For FY19,having delivered a level service budget the previous two
fiscal years,School leadership ultimately adopted a budget that required an operating override,
which was subsequently approved by Town Meeting and at the ballot. In spite of this perceived
setback, our more interactive approach has made the Town and School budgeting processes more
reciprocal while also helping to avoid the same level of discord and zero-sum mentality from
dominating the public discourse around these issues as was previously the case.
In Newburyport, I was responsible for managing the entire budget process and took the
lead in responding to questions and concerns raised by City Councilors about specific items. As a
result of my systematic and reasonable approach to the budget building process,very limited cuts
were made at the Council level to the proposed operating or enterprise budgets. I also served on
the School Building Committee in Newburyport,overseeing the construction of a new lower
elementary school and major renovations to our combined upper elementary and middle school.
Working closely with School leadership,both of those MSBA-funded projects were delivered on
time and under budget.
While thoughtful and sustainable budget development is essential, it is crucial for this
information to be clearly and succinctly communicated to our residents so that the financial
implications of the budget are readily understood. Newburyport's budget document is both
thorough and accessible,and was recognized with a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by
the Government Finance Officers Association for the three years that I was directly responsible for
its creation. In Wenham,we have aimed to meet the same level of nationally recognized best
practices in our budget document and have greatly improved the format and content of the Annual
Town Report that is delivered to all residents prior to Town Meeting. We have also been working
with Visual Government to create a new website that will be solely dedicated to communicating the
financial impact of the Town's budget on individual taxpayers in a clear and transparent format. In
Lombardi 10
addition, once it was confirmed that a school operating override was on the warrant for Town
Meeting this year,we scheduled a stand-alone public forum separate from the standard warrant
hearing where the Finance and Advisory Committee walked residents through the major budget
drivers that collectively contributed to the Town's current financial status. In these ways,we have
tried to be more proactive in our outreach to residents about the budget.
Consistent with our commitment to adhere to best practices in capital planning through the
Community Compact program,Wenham has developed a five-year Capital Improvement Program
(CIP) that accounts for the future infrastructure needs of the Town. Since initially adopted in 2016,
this plan has been updated annually to reflect current needs and cost estimates,and Town Meeting
has consistently approved the use of approximately 20% of available certified Free Cash to
maintain or upgrade key equipment and facilities. To avoid debt issuance costs,we have also
entered into multiple lease-to-own agreements as a means to invest in larger equipment without
crowding out other departmental needs. Looking ahead, as Wenham's debt obligations are retired,
we plan to utilize this additional capacity to issue new debt in order to maintain the same level of
commitment in funding our capital needs. Although constrained to a certain extent by factors
outside of the Town's control,this overall strategy is similar in practice if not in scale to Lexington's
approach to capital planning. In Newburyport,where a five-year CIP was already in place,I
followed a similar annual evaluation and revision process, and worked with Department Heads to
identify priority projects that could be addressed in a given fiscal year based on available funding.
In both Wenham and Newburyport, I also worked to develop financial policies,the first of
their kind in both organizations,that established baseline operational principles to safeguard the
integrity of our financial systems and to provide increased public confidence in our management of
resident tax dollars. Adoption of these policies contributed to Newburyport's upgrade to AA+
midway through my tenure there and Wenham's continued AAA/Aa2 bond rating.
5. Due to Lexington's strong professional culture and organizational stability,your next Town
Manager can focus on continuing to build on that foundation,making incremental improvements
over time once fully acclimated. From day one, it is essential for the new Town Manager to ask
employees and volunteers for their input and to respect their institutional knowledge and
expertise. I would begin in Lexington by meeting first with members of the Board of Selectmen and
then with committee chairs to understand their perspectives on the community and organization.
As part of my initial orientation meetings with the Department Heads in Wenham,I asked each of
them to respond to the following four questions:
Lombardi 11
• What is the community/organization doing right?
• What should the community/organization start doing?
• What should the community/organization stop doing?
• What is the most important project/issue that needs to be addressed?
Their honest appraisal on these points and the dialogue that ensued was instrumental in
formulating my initial assessment of the organization and community,and in helping me to
understand their personal perspectives on issues and how I could best support them. In the
months ahead,as I had opportunities to follow through on many of the issues that had been brought
to my attention during these sessions,I was able to establish a baseline level of trust. I would plan
for a similar onboarding strategy with the Lexington management team and would be particularly
eager to engage with the new Superintendent of Schools to hear her feedback as well.
Organizations are only as strong as the people who comprise them. There is no greater
asset than the human capital that we have working and volunteering for our communities. In
Newburyport,I inherited a highly competent team that we further developed with several key
additions in my time there. In Wenham, I was tasked with replacing a number of important
leadership positions and developing a new management team. To encourage interdepartmental
coordination, I formed subject area Leadership Teams (Public Safety,Finance, Community
Development, and Social Services) that I meet with on a monthly basis. In both Newburyport and
Wenham,I have also been a major proponent of encouraging staff to take advantage of professional
development opportunities as a way to build internal capacity and support employee motivation
and engagement.
Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the senior management team in Lexington will
be key to understanding its organizational assets and areas for improvement. It is essential for the
incoming Town Manager to clarify expectations upfront and empower employees as well as hold
them accountable. From the start, I would express that our top priority is continuing to provide
superior customer service to the people of Lexington -that we are all working together to serve the
best interests of the community and its residents. Thankfully,Lexington's employees as well as
local elected and appointed officials already seem to be united around a common mission and have
a sense of purpose driving their collective efforts. Accordingly,it will be important for the Town
Manager to communicate with staff and officials that any changes to the status quo will only be
considered after much thoughtful deliberation and working in partnership with the Selectboard.
While there is always room for improvement in every organization,my evaluation process will be
measured and comprehensive,and certainly won't seek to effect change for its own sake. I employ
a participatory management style that invites and responds to feedback. I am viewed as someone
Lombardi 12
who is approachable and responsive,listens attentively, and acts prudently. My approach as the
Town Manager in Lexington would be no different as I work to establish my own leadership style
and evaluate the organization and my management team in those beginning months.
Competent and committed employees,dedicated volunteers,and an active citizenry are key
to successful local governance, as those individuals have the most pervasive impact on the
community on a daily basis. From the research I have done,Lexington does not seem to be lacking
for any of these. The best leaders realize that municipalities are more than the sum of their parts,
reflecting the ideals of the community and the cooperative efforts responsible for realizing those
ideals. I believe that in order to be effective as a municipal manager you have to assimilate input
from a broad array of constituencies and balance a focus on process with achieving results that will
benefit the community in both the short-term and the decades to follow. Your primary role is to
orchestrate,communicate,and facilitate,but you must first listen.
As the Town Manager, I would make a concerted effort to become fully immersed in the
community, recognizing that residents need to feel that their voices are heard in the policy-making
process. While representative Town Meeting ensures that a strong level of connectivity exists,it
would also be immensely important for me to make myself available and attend community events,
meeting with residents in more informal settings to get an accurate sense of what is important to
them. Reaching out to existing regional partners,the Town's legislative delegation, and key civic
and business leaders early on would also be a top priority. The more voices that I hear from as
Town Manager,the more well-rounded my perspective will be.
To lead an organization as complex as Lexington and be successful at doing so, I must be
attuned to the norms and values of the individuals with whom I work every day. This is especially
important in seeking to effectively identify and implement the Selectboard's vision for the
community. I know that the Lexington Selectboard has a well-established annual goal setting
process that memorializes the organization's priorities over the next two years, and I would look to
continue to build on that tradition. Developing a rapport and camaraderie with staff is also
imperative. As the newest member of Lexington's leadership team, I know how important it will be
for the Town Manager to develop relationships that are based on experience and grounded in trust.
I have cultivated these kinds of solid professional and lasting personal relationships wherever I
have worked. People know that I can be counted on to be levelheaded, genuine,and reasonable. I
can be firm or flexible depending on the situation,but I am always reliable and conscientious when
it comes to my responsibilities as a leader, co-worker,and friend. Public service can be particularly
invigorating when you are surrounded by people you know well and care about. It would my goal
Lombardi 13
to encourage this kind of culture in Lexington.
The Board of Selectmen and Department Heads in Wenham rely on my expertise and
guidance in addressing the myriad issues that arise on a daily basis in managing a Town. Members
of other boards,commissions,and committees also regularly seek my advice when it comes to
conceptualizing,formulating,and enacting policy and in responding to constituent questions or
complaints. While all managers work within an inherently political environment, my position in the
Newburyport Mayor's Office was particularly so. Situated between the executive and legislative
bodies of local government, my primary responsibility there was to provide the Mayor and the
eleven-member City Council with the information that they needed to help navigate the proper
course for the community. It was a role that necessitated strong mediation skills.
I recognize the complexities of local governance and look at each issue through a critical
lens. As would be expected,individual members of the Wenham Selectboard are not always in
agreement on every issue or project,but such differences of opinion have not derailed positive
progress on important initiatives over the past several years. In the end,there have been just a
handful of 2-1 votes. When handling situations that may cause conflict, I take a deliberative
approach,present all parties with the relevant facts,work through the issues,mediate as needed,
and try to come to some definitive resolution. One of my best attributes as identified through my
annual performance evaluation process with the Wenham Selectboard has been my ability to find a
middle ground,achieve consensus, and"get to yes". As Lexington's next Town Manager,I would
balance the differing viewpoints of various constituencies,take a proactive approach to managing
conflict,and provide leadership to move the community forward- core competencies that I have
refined in my time in Wenham and Newburyport.
Having lived and worked in neighboring cities and towns on the North Shore my whole life,
I am very familiar with Lexington's reputation as a dynamic residential community recognized for
its progressive leadership,vibrant downtown, exceptional public school system,and unique place
in history. I also understand that every town has its own identity based on its culture and the
people who have worked to bring their community to where it is today. As Town Manager, I would
be deliberative in learning more about the town's heritage and its current operations, and I would
use that knowledge to inform my decision-making in seeking to both lead the organization and
create public value.
Lombardi 14
June 18,2018
Alan Gould,President
Municipal Resources,Inc.
120 Daniel Webster Highway
MeredithNH 03253
RE: Town Manager—Lexington
Dear Mr.Gould:
Please accept this letter as my interest to be consideredfor the Town Manager's positionfor the Town of Lexington;
I have enclosed my resume for your review and consideration. I have 30 years of successful local government
management experience infour communities in Colorado,New York and Massachusetts withthe past 24 years in
two Massachusetts communities. Since 2009,Ihave served as the Town Manager for Westborough and from 1994
to 2009 I served as the Town Administrator for Sturbridge. I hold a Masters Degree inPublic Administration,am an
ICMA Credentialed Manager and served as the Northeast Vice President of the International City/County
Management Association(ICMA).
During my career,I have:
• Maintained strong financial management in all of the communities that I have worked for with the first two
communities being in severe financial distress whenI was hired,but with balanced budgets and reserves at the
end of my tenure. In Sturbridge,during two major economic downturns that included major state aid reductions
we were able to maintain balanced budgets within the Proposition2'/2 levy limit without service cuts. Since
starting in Westboroughwe have developed comprehensive fiscal anddebt management policies that have
strengthenedthe Towa's financial position,providing substantial reserves,excess levy capacity,balanced
budgets and reduced debt burden leading to an upgrade in the Towa's bond rating from AA to AAA.
• Taken leadership ro les in local,state and national organizations with a collaborative management style with
excellent communication skills.
• Worked with an engineering consultant and Cambridge Water Technology in the development of a new
technology for wastewater treatment systems whichproved better than conventional technology and saved the
Town in both construction and operating costs. This was a first of its kind system with the national pilot for the
EPA at the Sturbridge Wastewater Treatment Plan.
• Played a major role in economic development. Ihave served on a federally funded regional economic
development council and currently serve onthe Westborough EDC. In Sturbridge and Westborough,both
communities became Economic Target Areas during my tenure which allowed the Towns to negotiate tax
increment financing agreements to attract new businesses. I developed the proposal and negotiated the purchase
of a large portion of Old Sturbridge Village's property at a time that the Boston Globe indicated OSV was about
to declare bankruptcy. The acquisition allowed OSV to restructure their finances and the organization continues
to thrive today. This was amajor success givenOSV's synonymous association with the Town and local
businesses dependence onthe tourist traffic generated by OSV. In Westborough,I have negotiated several Tax
Increment Financing agreements with various companies that have generated approximately 2400 jobs inthe
past 9 years. Additionally,in Westborough I played a key role innegotiating the purchase of 100 acres of the
former Westborough State Hospital from the Commonwealth of MA allowing the Town to drive the
redevelopment of the property while at the same time setting aside land for recreation and future municipal
uses.
• As part of the redevelopment of the State Hospital property,I initiated and saw through completion,passage of
a special act of the State Legislature to allow the Town to establish a Capital Stabilization Fund with the new
property tax revenues generated by private ownership of the property to provide for a legacy fund for future,
planned capital improvements including new schools,a library and community recreation center without having
to seek a Proposition 21/2 debt exclusion or having an impact on the General Fund.
• Worked in two council-manager forms of government(Alamosa,CO and Monticello,NY)and two Town
Meeting forms of government(Sturbridge and Westborough,MA). Both Alamosa and Monticello were diverse
communities with low to moderate income residents. Alamo sais home to Adams State College(3500 students)
and the Great Sand Dunes National Park;Sturbridge is home to Old Sturbridge Village and Westboroughhas
one of the highest proportions of Commercial/Industrial property to residential property inMA.
• In Sturbridge,I facilitated a strategic planning initiative termed,"Dialogue for the Future"for the Board of
Selectmen,which included community engagement processes and interactive meetings with all Boards,
Committees and Commissions in the community. In Westborough I've worked with the Board of Selectmen to
develop a community-wide strategic planning process that came out of discussions during a retreat in2017,
with funding and a consultant recently selected to start the process with the initial kick-off occurred in May
2018.
• In both Sturbridge and Westboroughhave obtained funding and created professional development opportunities
to improve the skills and knowledge of staff to better serve the public,retain staff and provide succession
planning.
• Created a Diversity and Inclusion Committee operating out of the Town Manager's office to reviewtown
services and ensure all members of the community are being equally served and represented,in a community
that has in the recent past become extremely diverse with approximately 25%(2010 Census)being of Asian
descent(with current estimates between30-35%.
• I currently serve as the Chair of the Fiscal Policy Committee for the MA Municipal Association(MMA).
My professional experience and involvement in state and national municipal organizations has provided me a broad
knowledge base and in-depth understanding of a wide range of municipal operations. Ihave a history of success in
the highly demanding government structure of OpenTown Meeting by serving in a collaborative manner with other
town officials and through my personal integrity,professionalism,ethics,transparent and honest communication
style providing quality informationto the public. I believe I have the experience,leadership skills and knowledge to
successfully lead the Town of Lexington.
I look forwardto hearing fromyou.Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
James J.Malloy,ICMA-CM
James J.Malloy,ICMA CM
Background Summary
Progressive,collaborative and creative professional local government manager with thirty years of experience as a
Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Executive Officer in municipal governments including positions as Town
Manager of Westborough,MA;Town Administrator of Sturbridge,MA, Village Manager,Monticello,NY and
County Manager,Alamosa County, CO.
Professional Experience
2009 to Town Manager,Westborough.MA
Present (Population 2 0,000)
I serve as the Chief Administrative Officer and am responsible for the administrationof all town departments and
functions(except schools,library and planning). These responsibilities include the administrationof a$115 million
operating budget($45 million schools)and approximately$65 million capital budget with 160 town employees(560
FTE including schools),finance,labor relations andpersonnel administration,purchasing,program development,
management of the capital program,public works,police,fire,water,sewer,planning and other departments.
Specific accomplishments during my tenure include:
• Negotiated the purchase of the former 100-acre Westborough State Mental Hospital property for$2.2
million and managing the process to redevelop the property,selling 40 acres for$7.0 million and retaining
60 acres for open space and recreation for the Town. Initiated and worked with our State Legislators to
pass a Special Act to allow the Town to deposit all new property tax revenues generated by private
ownership of the property into a Capital Stabilization Fund that will provide funding for two additional
school renovations,anew school,constructionof anew library and constructionof anew community
recreation center.
• Developed sound financial policies that resulted in a bond rating upgrade in 2011 from AA to AA+ and in
2014 from AA+to AAA (one of only 40 communities in MA). This included a specific debt management
policy that helped gain voter approval to begin improving town facilities withthe replacement of afire
station,renovationof the Town Hall and the Town Hall annex as well as several school projects. Ihave
served ontwo School Building Committees that have worked on MSBA funded projects and locally funded
projects to address increased student population(4 school projects in total). Under my management,the
Town has built its reserves from$2.8 millionto$12.6 million and built its excess levy capacity from
$95,000 to$12.7 million while continuing to provide excellent services and address long-term outstanding
infrastructure issues.
• The constructionof anew fire station($11 million),renovationof the Town Hall($8 million),servingon
two School Building Committees($45 millionto date)and the renovation of a Municipal Annex($15
million).
• Renegotiated health insurance benefits with 13 collective bargaining units in 2010 and a secondtime in
2013/14;athird plan design change in FYI and fourthin FYI 8 estimatedto have cumulatively saved over
$30 millionand at the same time allowedthe Town to begin partial funding of its OPEB ($1.1 millionper
year)obligationwhich was considered as part of the bond rating upgrade (approximate balance $5 million).
• Established the Town's first long-term(five year)financial forecasting of revenues,expenditures,estimated
assessed valuations and tax rates to ensure that the Town was operating in a sustainable manner as well as
establishing a long-term capital planning process and street/sidewalk management system to improve the
overall budget process.
• Negotiated specific deals to assist the Town in encouraging economic development,including various tax
increment financing arrangements,an agreement with CSX Rail and the Commonwealth of MA as part of
the CSX move out of Brightonto improve MBTA commuterrail service onthe Framingham-Worcester
line,as well as several large 250,000 s.f.+commercial properties nearthe Route 9/I-495/I-90 interchange.
• Successfully initiatedamunicipal electric aggregationprogram that reduced residential and business
electric costs by obtaining one of the lowest electric rates formunicipal aggregation in the Commonwealth.
The Town has also installed solar systems at the wastewater treatment plant and has worked with two large
solar farms to reduce overall electricity costs throughnet metering.
• Developedthe Town's first Personnel Policies(toreplace aPersonnelBylaw)and have negotiatedlabor
contracts with all town unions (non-civil service).
1994 to Town Administrator,Sturbridge,MA
2009 (Population 10,000 Seasonal 25,000)
1 served as the Chief Administrative Officer and was responsible forthe administrationof all town departments and
functions. These responsibilities included the administration of a$28 millionbudget,finance,labor relations and
personnel administration,purchasing,program development,management of capital programs,public works,police,
fire,water,sewer,planning and other departments. I served as the appointing authority for all town departments and
multiple member bodies,except those electedunder the town charter.
Specific accomplishments during my tenure:
• Working with the Board of Selectmen,served as the Facilitator of the strategic planning process termed
"Dialogue for the Future"which resulted in the strategic planusedto guide the Town for years.
• Assisted in coordinating the activities of the Community PreservationAct Committee and proposed and
completedthe largest acquisition of open space using CPA funds in Massachus etts whereby the town acquired
826 acres of land from Old Sturbridge Village with 50%of the cost of acquisition coming through a grant from
the Federal/State Governments.
• The development and construction of approximately$55 million in capital infrastructure improvements related
to roads,bridges,water/wastewater services to meet growth demands of residents and businesses as well as
addressing issues related to aging infrastructure. This included an upgrade to the town's wastewater treatment
plant to increase capacity by 50%in 1994;and the replacement o f the wastewater treatment plant with a$20
millionplant upgrade in 2009,whichutilized a new, innovative `Bio-Mag"technology that reduced the cost of
plant construction over other technologies and provides improved environmental performance at lower
operating costs. Additionally,this project included a five-phase sewer line construction project that expanded
the customer base from 400 to over 1900 customers as well as upgrading and expanding both the water supply
and distribution systems.
• Developed and updated annually a five-year financial forecast of revenues,expenditures,proj ected tax rates,
capital budget and road management plan. I also developed comprehensive fiscal policies regarding reserves,
debt management and capital management. The Town's finances remained stable despite the economic
conditions inMassachusetts in2002 and2008/09. The town also obtainedover$15 millioningrant funds
toward various projects and s ervic e s.
• Workedon several capital projects,including serving on the Burgess Elementary School Building Committee
that rebuilt(partial renovation,partial new construction)the local elementary school.
• Revised the Town's Personnel Policies and developed and implemented a merit-basedpay plan that was in
place for 13+years. We conducted an annual salary survey of 10 similar towns and developed personnel
policies to ensure the Town remained competitive to retainthe best staff(these same 10 towns were used for
comparative analysis with all collective bargaining units).
• Successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements with the Town's five unions.
1992 to Village Manager,Monticello,NY
1994 (Population7,500)
Monticello is afull service municipality with Police,Fire,Public Works,Sanitation,Water and Wastewater
Systems,Parks&Recreation,Code Enforcement and administrative divisions. I served as the Chief Executive
Officer of the Village and was responsible for all management functions.
Specific accomplishments during my tenure:
• Improved the financial and budgetary management of the Village to address an inherited General Fund deficit
of approximately$1.5 million and to improve fiscal controls.
• Re-established internal grant management to improve management control of forthcoming grants after years of
grant administrationby the county.
• Conducted a re-codification proj ect of the Village Code to reflectthe changing needs of the community and to
provide a more user-friendly code by removing ambiguities and making an easy to understand for residents and
businesses. The re-codification was undertaken internally to improve availability and future electronic
modifications.
• Negotiated contracts withthe five collective bargaining units,handled all grievances and personnel issues in
civil service system.
• Computerized all administrative and financial components of the Village.
• Proposed the creation of aCity Charter Commissionto study and write a city charter in an attempt to become
the first new city in New York in over 50 years. Served as an ex-officio member of the City Charter
Commission and drafted the City Charter that received approximately 90%approval of the vote in the 1994
election. The Charter was forwarded to the State Legislature for approval and would result in the generation of
new revenues through sales tax,which would have provided the opportunity for the Village to reduce property
taxes by approximately 80%.
• After a racial incident involving the Police Department,worked with the U.S.Department of Justice on a
community reconciliationprogram and wrote the ordinance creating the 131h Human Rights Commission in
New York to complete the reconciliation and worked with the initial Human Rights Commission to assist the
Commission in establishing and understanding their role and responsibilities.
1988 to County Manager,Alamosa County, CO
1992 (Population 14,000)
I served as the Chief Administrative Officer for afull service county government(policing,public works,etc.)and
was responsible for all management functions and executing the policies of the Board of County Commissioners.
This included development of the annual budget,personnel administration,daily administration and other duties
related to the management of public works,social services,landuse and planning,public health and other
departments. I also worked with and provided professional assistance for the elected offices of the County Clerk,
County Assessor,County Treasurer and County Sheriff. I coordinatedthe County's efforts with Adams State
University and the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Specific accomplishments during my tenure:
• Successfully implemented abudget reduction program to ensure sustainable practices and directed expenditures
as finances improved to meet goals set by the Commissioners.
• Developedthe County's first comprehensive personnel policies and conducted a salary survey to ensure the
County was competitive.
• Developed a capital planning process and implementedthe first long-term capital planning program for the
County.
• Identified public improvement projects to address the County's needs,including reconstruction of the social
services building after an arson fire,the renovation of the county courthouse to address overcrowding issues and
the constructionof a several mile long new roadway that connectedthe Great Sand Dunes National Park with
another roadway leading to the downtown area.
• Improved intergovernmental relations betweenthe City and County to address problems relatedto joint
services,including the airport,library system,landfills,ambulance,parks and recreation.
• Reorganized the County's public works road management from maintenance of gravel roads to an annual
paving program for approximately 250 miles of paved roads,maintenance of 500 miles of gravel roads and the
conversion of gravel roads to paved roads.
• Served on a regional Economic Development Council andwas instrumental in redirecting the focus of the EDC
programs which includedmoving to Adams State College and a collaborative effort betweenthe college,the
Colorado Electric Company and the Economic Development Council inth creation of alocal"mini-MBA'
program for local businesses.
Additionally,increased citizen involvement;improved relations with the media; and coordinatedthe implementation
of a county-wide E911 system.
1987 to Assistant to the County Manager& Budget Intern
1988 Arapahoe County,Colorado
(Population 410,000)
I was responsible forprojects and project management as directedby the County Manager in an urban regionthat is
the southpart ofthe Denver metropolitan area. Projects included coordinating a more efficient process for
managing the property assessment grievance process(over 20,000 petitions per year);coordinationof arural
grievance program;overseeingthe County Commissioners'quarterly newsletter and other programs as the County
Manager requested. I also worked as abudget intern(1987)andwas responsible forvarious projects inthe budget
department including developing the County's first five-year financial forecast.
1987 Legislative Aide,Representative Bill Owen
Colorado State Capitol
Legislative Aide to a state legislator. Responsibilities included constituent services and coordination of constituent
surveys,monitored house and senate debates and developed reports for the Representative.
Education
1987 Master o f Public Administration(MPA)
University of Colorado
1984 BA Political Science
Mesa College,Colorado
Additional Information
2017—Present Serving as the Chair of the ICMA Baltimore Conference Planning Committee
2014—2017 Served as the Northeast Regional Vice President of the International City Managers Association
(ICMA), elected to serve through September 2017,served as the Board Liaisonto the Task Force
on Improving Diversity and Inclusionin the Profession,the ICMA Strategic Planning Task Force
and Finance and Business Operations Sub-Committee,which chaired in 2017
2003-Present ICMA Credentialed Manager
2001—Present Serving on the Massachusetts Municipal Association Fiscal Policy Committee(2017—Present as
Chair)
2005-2013 Served as the Chair of the ICMA Boston2013 Conference Host Committee.
2010 2011 Served as the President of the Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association
2009—2010 Served as the Vice President of the Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association
2006-2009 Served on the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association,
Massachusetts Municipal Association and Local Government Advisory Commission(2006-11).
2001-2003 Served on the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association
James J. Malloy
Question 1
In relation to zoning, I have had the opportunity to work on a variety of issues based on the
specific needs at the time in those communities.
In Westborough, I have been involved in zoning in numerous ways. As the official who works
most closely with new businesses, I pursued undertaking an Economic Development Self-Assessment
Tool (EDSAT)through Northeastern University to identify the areas that Westborough was not
competitive in relation to business development and have worked with our Planning Department to
address issues in our Zoning Bylaws to facilitate appropriate and beneficial development in the
community. Additionally, as the Town Manager, I am responsible for all town-owned property,which
includes the Westborough State Hospital property the Town purchased from the State. As such, I served
as the Vice-Chair of the State Hospital Re-Use Committee which developed zoning proposals and made
recommendations on which portion of the property should be retained by the Town and which should
be sold for redevelopment purposes. The proposals developed by the Committee focused on the
Town's recreational needs, protecting land around the lake front for environmental purposes and
redevelopment the remaining parcel based on the best long-term revenue generation as well as
development that would benefit the community and require the least amount of municipal services. As
part of our process, we utilized a zoning charrette, at my suggestion, to obtain community input into the
type of zoning and future vision the residents had for the property. As a result,the zoning developed
allowed mixed uses which included corporate offices, retail only as an accessory uses and residential
only as over-55 housing. The Town retained 60 of 100 acres and sold 40 acres (at a profit)which is in
the permitting process for redevelopment.
In Sturbridge, I was the official responsible for working on economic development projects and
worked with several businesses throughout the time that I was there. With Old Sturbridge Village (OSV)
at the center of the Town's economy as well as high technology and fiber optic,the Town was focused
on maintaining a look on Main Street which would complement OSV while at the same time providing
the opportunity to create larger developments on the east and south sides of the community. I served
as the Chair of a re-zoning committee that re-zoned a 7 mile stretch of Route 15 when it went from a
no-access state highway to a Town road,where access to properties through new curb-cuts would be
allowed. Over a two-year period, our committee developed a zoning proposal (which was approved by
Town Meeting)that was the largest rezoning in the Town's history which divided the zoning into an area
that would allow residential development at the southernmost part of the area and a Planned Unit
Business Development zone in the northernmost part of the area. The goal was to provide the
community the ability to develop attractive large-scale businesses but also provide for future residential
development. The process included several opportunities for resident participation including a planning
charrette in which approximately 200 people attended.
In Monticello, I not only served as the Village Manager, but also served as the Village's Zoning
Official. The community at the time was very unattractive due to the number of eyesores, dilapidated
structures, unregistered non-working vehicles, etc. During the time that I worked in Monticello, I
developed an approach to improving the community's appearance by putting together a "Zoning
Enforcement Team"that comprised the Village Manager(as the Zoning Official),the Building Inspector,
the Police Chief and Director of Public Works. As a team,we divided the community into quadrants and
visited every street in the community identifying zoning violations that if corrected, would result in
buildings being repaired or removed, unregistered vehicles being removed as well as many other
eyesores being corrected, simply through enforcement of the existing Zoning Ordinances.
The role of Town Manager has changed over the years and the position is principally responsible
for the economic development activities within the community. I have had the opportunity to serve on
Economic Development Committees in Alamosa and Westborough and filled this role in Monticello and
Sturbridge. I have found the two aspects of economic development that need to be addressed for
success are to (1) develop zoning that allows for the type of business development that the community
wants and to have a process that assists the Town in identifying how residents are interesting in seeing
their community develop; and (2) develop zoning and permitting bylaws and processes that are clear,
understandable and provide a consistent process consistent with a master plan and is aimed at
facilitating permitting through a coordinated process involving all departments involved in the
permitting process (in Westborough we refer to this as the Technical Review Committee).
I envision that I would remain immersed in economic development and would work with all the
departments involved in the permitting process to ensure successful economic development to maintain
a strong commercial sector.
Question 2
Very similar to Lexington,Westborough has a diverse population including a large Asian
population. In Westborough, the Asian population was approximately 25% in the 2010 census and
based upon the student population in our schools, is now estimated to be closer to one-third of the
town's population. Recognizing the rapidly changing demographic base, in 2016 I requested that the
Board of Selectmen authorize the creation of an Administrative Committee through the Town
Manager's office, called the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. This Committee's charge is to review
town services to ensure that all of Westborough's population is being equally served and,that to the
best of our ability, we resemble the community's composition. Westborough has a bylaw that requires
the member of most Committees to be residents of the town, however, the Town Charter allows the
Town Manager to create Administrative Committees if approved by the Board of Selectmen, and these
Committees are not held to the same constraint. This has allowed me to appoint people of color(which
include the President of our Police Officer's Union as well as a former NFL Player), representatives of the
LBGTQ community, representatives of our large Asian community including Indian and Pakistani
members, representatives of the Jewish community, as well as a variety of people in different age
groups.
I believe our society is going to be ever increasing in its diversity and as local governments, we
should strive to ensure that the level of government that most effects people's lives is able to serve all
the members of our communities in the best way to suit their needs. In Westborough, our Diversity and
Inclusion Committee is Chaired by my Assistant Town Manager and has dealt with issues such as the
development of the Town's first new cemetery in our 100 years and how best to develop it with all
residents in mind. While some individuals had initially suggested developing a cemetery with separate
areas for individuals with different beliefs,the Diversity and Inclusion Committee recommended
development in a mixed manner to represent the unity in the community. Additionally, the Committee
has worked with our Police and Fire Departments to develop sensitivity to how some members of our
community view these services based on their experiences from their home countries. Our Diversity
and Inclusion Committee also has worked with our School Department(there is a representative on the
Committee from the School Department) in developing cross training on sensitivity for our employees.
As a Vice President for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), I served
as the liaison to ICMA's Diversity and Inclusion Committee which sought to develop techniques to
increase the diversity of our profession to encourage a broader based membership that reflected the
realities of our communities.
Lexington, much like Westborough, has a diverse community comprised of a large Asian
population. While I would like to believe that we could increase representation among our workforce,
the reality is that many of these individuals work in the high-tech and pharmaceutical industries in both
communities. In both Westborough and Sturbridge, I created a Citizen Leadership Academy to engage
and educate residents on Town government and encourage their future involvement. In both cases, it
leads to numerous individuals serving on a variety of Committees and engaging at Town Meeting in
ways that they had not previously. In Westborough, the first class of the Citizen Leadership Academy
consisted of approximately 60%Asian residents interested in learning more about their new community.
This same class now has two sitting members of the Board of Selectmen -one is Pakistani and the other
is a member of the LBGTQ community.
I have found that engaging in a friendly, learning atmosphere is a wonderful way to encourage
new members of the community who might not otherwise get involved, to learn how Town government
works and to actively encourage their involvement has led to many residents becoming involved in a
very positive manner. This program is led by myself, our staff and several the Chairs of various Boards
and Committees and it educates residents on all aspects of Town government. I "teach"the first and
last class and make sure these residents are comfortable volunteering for various town Boards and
Committees. I have found this to be a successful way of engaging residents that might not be looking to
work for the Town, but who can participate in ways that utilizes their expertise and brings their
perspective into the decision-making process, resulting in decisions that takes many points of view into
consideration, which ultimately results in better decisions. As the same time,this program has been
very educational for the town staff as they have had the opportunity to interact with individuals with
diverse backgrounds. All staff have reported back that they found it enjoyable and energizing.
I don't know that I would be able to diversify the workforce due to the similar demographics
that Lexington has with Westborough, where the Asian population base has been attracted to the
community due to the high tech industry (these residents are not necessarily looking for public safety,
public works or other municipal positions), but I would strive to work with the Selectmen and members
of the staff to develop and promote a Citizen Leadership Academy program to encourage residents to
become more involved in the governance of the Town.
Question 3
In seeking to improve efficiency, I have targeted administrative costs to provide additional
services. Generally, I have also targeted large ticket items such as health insurance to seek to gain the
most in savings. Since 2010, Westborough has had an ongoing negotiation with its 13 unions (town and
school)to seek savings, fund a portion of the OPEB liability and still provide good health insurance
benefits. During the past decade, we have saved approximately$20 million in health insurance costs
through plan design changes, higher deductibles and by putting health insurance out to bid on a
frequent basis. We have also targeted lesser administrative costs to reduce overall costs such as moving
from weekly to bi-weekly pay periods and going to direct deposit to decrease overhead costs. We have
also used our IT department to implement changes in several different areas to provide greater
efficiency.
Regarding Senior Citizens and others that have access to property tax exemptions,the Town of
Westborough has continued to increase our exemptions as permitted by the State to the maximum
amount allowable,with the understanding that it benefits the community to have seniors remain in
their homes.
Westborough has also begun extending an affordable housing requirement of 20% of total units
to several distinct types of residential development and is just beginning to have discussions regarding
extending this requirement to all residential subdivisions.
Question 4
A. Throughout all four positions I've held over the past 30 years I have developed both revenue
and expenditure projections as well as projected assessed valuations and tax rates and the
impact of taxpayers. In the past, when I have started a new position, I have put together a 10-
year history of revenues and projections and then undertaken a forecast based on past trends.
Then I met with the financial team (which now consists of myself, the Assistant Town Manager,
Finance Director, Chief Assessor and Treasurer/Collector)to review the basis for projections to
make sure there is a reality check on accuracy. Once this has been completed, each year I
update the revenue projections while the departments are assembling their annual expenditure
budgets so that I know where we stand when budgets are submitted to me for review.
B. I have developed balanced budgets each year(since 1994) that have been within Proposition
2%. When I started in Westborough, the Town was approximately$95,000 under the
Proposition 2% levy limit and my predecessor had developed a budget with approximately an
$800,000 shortfall (I started on July 1). By the fall of 2009, 1 had worked with our unions and
staff on health insurance plan design changes and other reductions in budgets (as well as fee
increases)to balance the budget. The Board of Selectmen had a goal for the Town to build its
financial capacity, and as a result, in 2010, 1 proposed budgets that were based on a 2.0%
increase without counting the impact of free cash. Since that time,Westborough has increased
its excess levy capacity from the$95,000 in 2009 to over$12 million in FY18. At the same time,
the Town has increased its reserves from approximately$2 million to $13 million (in FY18). This
has provided the Town the financial flexibility to take on several large capital projects (both
town and school)without the need for a Proposition 2% debt exclusion or override.
C. I have developed both annual operating budgets and capital improvement plans for 30 years
(since FY88). Westborough's total current budget is approximately$115 million, and the capital
plan is approximately$1 million per year plus major capital projects (currently a municipal
annex building, and 4 school projects). I have always provided a balanced budget for
consideration divided into the following sections: Executive Summary, Budget Summary,
Detailed Budget (backup documentation), a 5-year capital improvement plan and a street
management plan. The Capital Improvement Plans I have submitted have been based on a
priority-based system rated by several individuals to ensure the capital being replaced is the
highest priority and meets the needs of the Town. Early on, I developed comprehensive fiscal
policies that provide guideline on the percentage of operating budget that the capital plan
should be, and we have made recommendations on the annual capital plan funding levels based
on this policy.
D. I have extensive experience in capital planning that includes numerous building projects, water
and wastewater projects and both town and school building projects under the former school
building program, as well as three projects funded under the new MSBA program and locally
funded school projects. In Sturbridge, we had 3 projects that were funded through debt
exclusions; in Westborough we have not had any debt exclusions projects (since 2009 when I
started) although we have built a new fire station, renovated town hall, renovated the Junior
High School (MSBA), renovated the Town Hall annex building, built a stand-alone Pre-K,
renovated two elementary schools and currently are in the MSBA pipeline for a new elementary
school. As part of the comprehensive fiscal policies that I wrote,Westborough maintains its
debt at 7% percent of the total General Fund Operating budget. As such, I have provided
recommendations on funding timelines for various future projects including a new library and
community center and the future elementary school projects to maintain the 7% level.
Additionally, in the redevelopment of the former State Hospital property, I recommended (and
the Selectmen agreed as did Town Meeting)to request Special Legislation to allow Westborough
to deposit all the new property taxes derived from the redevelopment into a Capital
Stabilization Account (without further appropriation)to allow the Town to begin paying debt
directly from this account for future projects and lessen the burden on the existing taxpayers for
future projects. It's estimated this will generate approximately$6 million per year for debt
service which is sufficient to pay all the local costs associated with the new elementary school,
community center and library.
E. Every community is different which requires analysis and discussion about what will work in a
specific time and community. In Westborough, as stated above, the Town was approaching the
need for a Proposition 2%override and I was asked to develop an approach that would forestall
that need. My recommendation was to build budgets for several years based on increasing
revenue estimates at 2.0%without accounting for new growth, which allowed Westborough to
back off its levy limit and develop a large excess levy capacity. It also required several years of
patience to allow the Town to build its capacity. The result has been that the Westborough
went from AA to AAA bond rating due to its solid financial policies and financial flexibility.
Currently, the Town can absorb large capital projects and deal with annual budget fluctuations
without difficulty.
Question 5
A. I have a very team-oriented approach to management with a goal of working with staff to
identify how I can help them succeed. This has worked in every position I have held in
developing a tightly knit management group who takes initiative and appreciates the efforts
that I make on their behalf. Mostly, I have a very open-door policy and staff are comfortable
speaking with me and I try to make the workplace an enjoyable and fulfilling experience.
B. Evaluating the senior management team that is in place takes time. I can review prior
performance evaluations, achievement of goals, etc. but I believe I need to work with a team for
at least a year to develop a good understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, develop
work-arounds were possible to help them succeed and provide whatever tools I can, including
additional training opportunities to ensure they have an ability to succeed. I would meet
individually with each department head, as well as staff in my own office for an initial meeting
to develop any type of plan and set goals for the first year and then stay in close contact with
them throughout the year to ensure they are progressing.
C. I would address any conflicts brought to my attention within the first 100 days the same way I
address all conflicts. I would investigate, review both sides of an issue, speak to all involved and
decide on how to proceed. My decision could be based on additional discussions with
management staff as well as potential discussions with the Board of Selectmen (depending on
the situation). I am very upfront and willing to discuss uncomfortable situations but have a non-
confrontational management style that allows me to have these types of discussions in a
productive manner.
D. I would speak with Selectmen and staff, both the management staff and staff within the office
to identify people who are highly involved in the community and reach out to introduce myself.
I know from experience that many residents will seek out the new Town Manager to introduce
themselves and I have found this is a terrific way to make a positive first impression by inviting
people into my office and taking the time to listen to them. I would also attend as many
meetings as I can initially within the community, including meetings at the Senior Center,
schools, etc. Additionally, I would also reach out to the business community through the local
Chamber as well as direct outreach to the leaders of large businesses in the community.
Further, in reviewing the wants and desires of the community, I would review any recent
strategic planning or master planning documents to gain an understanding of the community's
needs. If these documents are not recent, I would recommend that Lexington investigate
developing a process without external consultants so that we would truly be addressing the
needs, wants and desires of the entire community, not just those of a potential vocal minority.
E. My onboarding plan for the first year would include (because they all need to be happening
simultaneously, these are not in a prioritized order):
• Read every document I can obtain,this includes gaining a deep understanding of the
Town Manager Act, General Bylaws, Zoning Bylaws and any other regulations or policies
adopted by the Town.
• Take the time to develop a trusted relationship with the staff in my office and get to
know them and understand their needs.
• Get to know each individual department head and work with them to set goals and
determine how I can help them and determine whether there was anything specific as
far as training they or their department needs.
• Review all the Town's fiscal management practices and make determinations on
recommended improvements.
• Reach out to the Presidents of every labor union in town and meet with them
individually to set the tone for our future interactions (from my own experience I
believe they will reach out to the union equivalents in my current community which, in
my case, will provide a good tone to start out).
• Meet with the School Superintendent to develop a relationship that will be built on trust
and mutual respect with an understanding of the Town's finances and how both sides of
the budget "aisle" need to work together for the benefit of all residents.
• Attend other board and committee meetings to get to know other players in Town.
• Have an earnest discussion with the Board of Selectmen on the duties and
responsibilities of both the Board and the Town Manager, develop processes to ensure
the Selectmen's expectations are being met. Working with the Board, develop a series
of mutually agreed upon goals for the first year with measures and work with Selectmen
to improve processes between the Selectmen and Town Manager to identify areas to
hat would allow the Selectmen to be more productive.
• Meet with the Town Moderator to discuss processes I've used and what he would like to
ensure Town Meetings proceed as smoothly as possible.
• Review the status of all ongoing programs, projects and organize my office for
efficiency.
LEXINGTON, MA
TOWN MANAGER RECRUITMENT
ESSAY QUESTIONS
PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS THOROUGHLY AND CONCISELY, LIMITING EACH ANSWER TO NO MORE
THAN 2 PAGES(1.5 LINE SPACING, WITH 1"MARGINS).
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSES IN PDF FORMAT WITH YOUR NAME AT THE TOP OF THE DOCUMENT TO
RECRUITMENT@M IGOV.COM BY 8 AM EST ON MONDAY,JULY 23RD
1. The Town of Lexington has an intriguing mix of development initiatives geared towards providing
additional commercial tax revenues while striking the balance of maintaining the culture, historic
heritage and high quality of life desired by its residents. Through some creative and targeted zoning
initiatives, Lexington has become a regional leader in attracting world class life science companies,
adapting its downtown streetscape to enhance and entice small business development and
aggressively pursuing visitor tourism dollars by accentuating and promoting its historical prominence in
Massachusetts. Please provide us with your experience, if any, in taking a leadership role in each of
these initiatives in your work history and if not please discuss how you would immerse yourself in the
role of advocating for and advancing this evolving and challenging long term economic development
vision in the community.
2. Lexington has a strong commitment to promoting and engaging its diverse social and economic
demographic in its local government, institutions, community organizations and social affairs. To that
end, the current Town Manager and most recent School Superintendent established a Diversity
Advisory Task Force, with the strong support of elected officials, to bring this issue into the public
discourse within the community. As the new Manager, how would you embrace, promote and
implement this concept in Lexington? What would be your plan of action to diversify the Town's
workforce to better reflect the evolving demographics of the community?
3. As stated in the Challenge Statement issued by the community, Lexington is a very desirable
community to live, raise a family and work. This "desirable" status has provided a challenge for the
town in maintaining and in some respects increasing services to a population that is experiencing the
"aging in place" conundrum many Boston suburbs are facing. A growing school population, inflationary
impacts on housing prices, lack of affordable housing options for senior residents seeking to downsize
and overall infrastructure needs going forward are driving the tax burden on all Lexington residents.
Explain 3-4 initiatives you have undertaken in your current or prior positions to improve the efficiency
of Town operations or provide services to that segment of the community that may have limited
income.
(Continued on next page)
Municipal
4. The Lexington Town Manager has the responsibility to recommend an annual operating and capital
budget as well as a financing plan to the Board of Selectmen and then to the Appropriation Committee,
Capital Expenditure Committee and Town Meeting Members. In order to understand the breadth and
depth of your municipal budgeting experience would you please describe your philosophy, approach
and/or background relating to the following:
A. Developing revenue forecasting models for one year and five years,
B. Developing an operating budget, enterprise budgets, within the constraints of Prop. 2 %,
C. Developing an annual capital budget and a five year capital improvement plan,
D. Knowledge of and experience with capital planning and financing, particularly Prop. 2 % Debt
Exemptions, school construction projects and the Massachusetts School Building Authority, etc.
E. The Selectmen have the goal of a balanced and sustainable budget, without a Prop. 2
Operating Override, how would you develop a budget to address this request?
5. The next Lexington Town Manager will follow in the footsteps of a municipal professional who is
retiring after 13 years. As the new Manager how would you:
A. Establish your own leadership and management presence?
B. Evaluate the senior management team that is in place?
C. Address any conflicts brought to your attention within your first 100 days?
D. Engage with and get to know the needs, wants and desires of the Lexington community?
E. Establish your "on boarding" plan for your first year?
Municipal
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
LEXINGTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
AGENDA ITEM TITLE:
Deliberation and Potential Vote to Select New Town Manager
PRESENTER: ITEM
NUMBER:
Board Discussion
1.3
SUMMARY:
The Board will deliberate and potentially vote on its preferred candidate for the Town Manager.
SUGGESTED MOTION:
Move to authorize Municipal Resources Inc. (MRI)to make a conditional offer to
for the position of Town Manager, subject to a satisfactory background check,
and successful negotiations of terms of employment, and to authorize Selectmen(X and Y), working with MRI
and Town Counsel, to negotiate the terms of employment with The final terms of
employment shall be approved by the Board.
FOLLOW-UP:
Selectmen and Municipal Resources Inc.
DATE AND APPROXIMATE TIME ON AGENDA:
8/20/2018 7:00 p.m.
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
LEXINGTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
AGENDA ITEM TITLE:
Discussion of Schedule and Steps for New Town Manager Contract
PRESENTER: ITEM
NUMBER:
Board Discussion
1.4
SUMMARY:
The Board will discuss the schedule and next steps for the New Town Manager Contract.
SUGGESTED MOTION:
FOLLOW-UP:
S electmen
DATE AND APPROXIMATE TIME ON AGENDA:
8/20/2018 8:30 p.m.