Lynch Hired As Interim Manager

Lynch Hired As Interim Manager
Unanimously picked for post

Damien Fisher
News Staff Writer

WINCHENDON  Lowell’s former city manager is being offered the job as Winch­endon’s interim town manager after selectmen voted unanimously Monday night to hire Bernie Lynch.

“On a short-term, he will be the best candidate,” said Select­man Barbara Anderson, who also served on the interim town manager search committee.

Filling the position is a top priority for the Board of Selectmen, with all new members ele­ct­ed last month.

The Massach­usetts Department of Revenue pushed the board to hire an interim town manager with strong financial skills in time to close fiscal 2015 at the end of this month.

Mr. Lynch will serve for at least three months, and possibly six, to help get the town’s budget under control. Mr. Lynch has expressed no desire to take the job in the long-term.

“Interim means interim,” commented Chairman Michael Barb­aro. “It means let him get our house in order, let him get us up to speed.”

Mr. Barbaro will negotiate a contract for Mr. Lynch, along with the town’s labor attorney, to get him started as soon as possible.

Bernie Lynch

While selectmen were united in backing Mr. Lynch, the search committee offered a split recommendation. The committee voted 3-2 in favor of Mr. Lynch, with Ms. Anderson, Selectman Audrey Labrie and Bob Guenther behind him. Search committee members Dave Romanowksi and Mary Harrington wanted to see former Deerfield Town Administrator Bernie Kubiak get the job.

Though all on the search committee felt Mr. Lynch comes with the strongest financial skill set, Mr. Kubiak was not far behind. He won favor among search committee members for his human touch and desire to help rebuild morale at Town Hall.

But with the town still sorting out a $3 million loan through the state to cover it’s deficit, and likely to need more, Mr. Lynch’s sharp fiscal approach won out.

Mr. Lynch served as Lowell’s city manager for more than seven years, turning around a situation where the city had an $8 million deficit, without any reserve funding, and was on the DOR’s watch list. When he left, the city had increased its bond rating and had about $30 million in reserves.

Mr. Lynch runs a consulting practice and teaches college-level courses on government for UMass Lowell. He plans to work in Winchendon part-time and bring in a part-time finance consultant to assist in getting a handle on Winchendon’s finances.