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Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Templeton has no interim town administrator candidates to interview

Templeton has no interim town administrator candidates to interview
After being unable to find Town Hall, the only applicant withdraws

Christine Smith
News Correspondent

TEMPLETON  Only one candidate had expressed interest in taking over the job as interim town administrator due to Robert Markel’s departure, but the Board of Select­men did not even get a chance to hold the interview

After first being delayed by traffic from attending the selectmen’s meeting on time and then being unable to locate Town Hall after a further hour of searching, the candidate withdrew in a phone call to Markel during the board’s meeting on Monday.

Selectmen immediately voted that they would assume the duties until an interim or full-time administrator could be hired.

Selectman Chairman John Caplis and other members commented that “em­ployees need direction and support” and that “somebody’s got to be in charge of this ship.”

Markel, whose resignation from the position was effective at midnight on Monday, promised selectmen that he would make further attempts to locate candidates willing to take on the interim post and forward these names to the board.

Markel said there was a difficulty in getting commitments from those he had already contacted because typically around June 30 resignations increase and candidates to fill interim posts are in larger demand.

“It is the time when quite a few communities are changing administrators or managers,” he commented.


“The market is tight.” Selectmen also plan to interview two consulting firms at its meeting on July 25 to determine which to hire in the town’s search for a new full-time administrator.

These include Tom Groux, a private consultant based in Chatham on Cape Cod who conducts executive searches for the public sector, and recruitment experts from the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

According to Markel, the Collins Center provides a full service that could cost the town somewhere between $15,000 and $16,000 for the search.

He said they also offer a partial service for a fee of about $8,500, but would require town officials to supplement the research and interview process.

Markel, who has been interim town administrator since 2014, said he leaves much still to be done and that the town needs someone in that post on the job more than two or three days a week.

He pointed out the positive advances made by the town during his tenure, including town approval of the new Templeton Center School which he said will attract young couples with children to the community and increase property values.

He also noted that the economy in Templeton “is growing again,” a trend he suggested continues from last fiscal year, and that employee salaries have been aligned with others in the region.

He said the town has the ability to “prosper” through development and expansion and that “there is no reason the town should be pessimistic or cynical about its future.”

Both Chairman Caplis and fellow Selectman John Columbus thanked Markel for his service.

Columbus praised Markel for bringing “grace” and “professionalism” to the job, as well as instituting a higher level of professionalism to the town’s entire governmental structure that he hopes will continue after Markel’s departure.

6 comments:

  1. I read this article and kept thinking, are you kidding me. How can anyone say "good job" when the people of Templeton are left with no audit back to 2013. Over 50 million in new debt without a bond rating, an administrator who quits half way through his accepted term.

    I'm disgusted with every single level of government we have in this country. We need change. The systems are broken and Templeton will pay dearly for this mess.

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  2. Just another note. If the candidates we are interviewing are of such high standards that the guy cannot find our Town Hall that is 1/4 mile from the Highway on the exiting rd, well, maybe we are better off without one!

    Seriously, this almost sounds like a joke!

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  3. That was kind of my thought when Markel said the person said the job was just not meant to be. Hard to make this stuff up.
    Only in Templeton again!
    So the last thing done was add a executive session to the agenda after the meeting started and deal with the Highway/Sewer union contact.
    No news yet?

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  4. Templeton has no verified audit since 2012. We have no certified free cash. Our taxes at there highest rate and our town decided this is the best time to borrow $50+ million dollars to build a school in a stupid location and fix/replace neglected water tanks.

    I find it hilarious that the town described above town administrator resigns months into his year contract and the guy who somehow impressed someone enough to gain an interview couldn't even find the Town Hall!

    Can we please change this system? Can we hire managers and get away from this small town BS that allows for a tiny portion of registered voters driving us down the Rabbit hole.

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  5. we have had in the past, and I believe have now, people "serving" the town that couldn't find their butt with a map and a flashlight!!! such as people working out 40 year notes for the town to be saddled with. I this person can't find a building on a state road, we don't need them anyway

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    1. I am so angry at Markel, it took all I had to be civil. I did say to him " oh your still here !" When I came in the door on Monday night. In my opinion he did us no favors. His found money, and playing with the budget is no joke. Our fire chief did not have to be let go ! He got set up when Markel took money from his budget and then lied, saying it was a double entry! If we do have a 8K deficit like I have heard, we are not out of the woods. Bob M. Is right, we can not afford the school right now, and surely not where it is going.

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