Chief Takes Acting Role To fill in during interim search

Chief Takes Acting Role
To fill in during interim search
Damien Fisher
News Staff Writer

WINCHENDON  Police Chief Scott Livingston will step into the role of acting town manager as Toy Town works to find a full-time replacement for James Kreidler.

Selectmen voted this week to appoint Mr. Livingston, the only candidate who stepped forward after the board asked for current town employees to volunteer for the position.

“He said he would do it reluctantly,” said Board of Selectmen chairman Michael Barbaro.

Mr. Livingston will continue to serve as chief of police while also serving as the acting town manager. He will perform all of the duties of the town manager, and has set time for office hours in Town Hall, until the board hires someone to replace him.

Under the town charter, the board may appoint a person to be a temporary town manager for up to three months. This term may be renewed once for another three months by a vote of the board.

It is unlikely Mr. Livingston will serve for six months. The board has formed a seven-member search committee to hire an interim town manager. Once the interim town manager is hired, the board will set about looking for a permanent town manager. Candidates from the Massa­chusetts Municipal Associations and other sources are being funneled to the search committee, Mr. Barbaro said.

The Board of Selectmen is made up of all new members, following the recall and regular elections that saw all five seats turn over. This will be the first annual Town Meeting for the new selectmen, and they will do it without the benefit of having a town manager in place.

“We’re going to do the best we can,” Mr. Barbaro said.

Mr. Kreidler left his position on May 1 after securing a release agreement from the town. The town’s fiscal crisis sparked a political action committee, Stand Up For Toy Town, which was dedicated to having Mr. Kreidler fired. Despite the Massachusetts Department of Revenue stating that Mr. Kreidler was not to blame for the crisis, the group elected four candidates to the board.

Voters did not allow Mr. Kreidler to be fired, however. Instead, in April, they voted to fund a release agreement for him for about $300,000, or 18 months of salary and benefits. This vote came after the town’s labor attorney stated that if SUTT candidates fired Mr. Kreidler the ensuing lawsuit would cost the town millions and Mr. Kreidler would more than likely win.