Ritter mum on Sterling offer
Staff ReportTEMPLETON — Templeton Town Coordinator Jeffrey Ritter is remaining quiet about his future plans after being selected for the Town Administrator role in Sterling.
Despite numerous requests over the past week by The Gardner News for a comment, Mr. Ritter has yet to announce whether he will accept the Sterling position or stay in Templeton. Mr. Ritter was offered the position after Sterling’s Board of Selectmen voted 2-to-1 in favor of hiring him earlier this month.
Mr. Ritter, who has served as Templeton’s coordinator since 2011, said he applied for the Sterling job in order to advance his professional career.
“I took up town administration five years ago,” Mr. Ritter said in November. “If I’m going to complete my professional career in administration, I’d like to accomplish as much as I can in the time.”
Mr. Ritter previously served as town administrator in Hatfield and assistant town administrator in Harvard.
Sterling’s current town administrator of six years, Terri Ackerman, is scheduled to step down from the position on Dec. 31.
Templeton Board of Selectman Chairman Jeffrey Bennett said if Mr. Ritter decides to take the job in Sterling, officials would begin the process of searching for a new coordinator or administrator.
Earlier this year, Templeton voters approved implementing a town administrator role — a position that yields more authority than a coordinator. The board had been discussing whether to promote Mr. Ritter from coordinator to administrator when members learned he had applied for the position in Sterling.
Mr. Ritter was selected for the Sterling job from a group of three finalists, including Michael Szlosek, who has served as town manager and town administrator in various communities, and Carter Terenzini, who is currently the town administrator in Moultonborough, NH.
Along with reconstruction work on Baldwinville Road, the Gilman Waite playground and the land transfer for a new elementary school, Mr. Ritter said that he took pride in his efforts to improve municipal hiring systems, service and revenue during his tenure in Templeton.
Even though money is tight I feel we need to find a way to keep this man. How could anyone come into this town and have a understanding of what is taking place? I know the people can trust him, and that is the best quality a man can have. Many of our problems would have been avoided if he had the authority to oversee and make the changes a Administrator can make. Dealing with crisis after crises is no way to run a town. If Mr. Ritter leaves it will cost us to replace him, and no one will work for nothing, along with the fact that it will be hard to find a person as qualified as he is. I think it is in our best interest to negotiate with him, with the hope he will stay. Bev.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone even questioned the fact that maybe his leaving has nothing to do with the school? Maybe he saw this 505 coming!!??? After all, he was the "coordinator".
ReplyDeletePuffy,
ReplyDeleteYou know for a fact that he isn't leaving because of the nuclear option? Are you Ritter's BFF?
LOL. Which sounds more plausible? He leaves because the town finally got a reasonable tax rate with a little wiggle room for everyone to be able to do their jobs a little better & maybe start to move forward? Or a $505,000 bombshell thats about to drop that blows up everything?
DeleteGee Puffy,
ReplyDeleteYou sound more and more like a conspiracy theorist.
Ritter applied for the position in Sterling way before the bombshell dropped. Are you implying Ritter knew about the $505,000 shortfall a long time ago? That sounds like a devious plot worthy of Lenny Kopelman of Kopelman & Paige.
I'm pretty sure the nuclear option will be used again and again by the school community. There's nothing to stop it. I'm pretty sure it is a contributing factor in Ritter's departure.
Vote Mitchell for Selectman
Remember the past to ensure a better future.
The nuclear option should NEVER be used.
Merry Christmas!
How can you think someone's career choices are because of anything other than where is he going to be happier, healthier, better paid, less drama?
ReplyDeleteJeff, how is the in-fighting in Sterling? Do they are their own Hatfield vs. McCoy? Personally, I wouldn't look back, except to say those things your couldn't when you were in the middle of it.
Good Luck and Merry Christmas.
VOTE DIANE HALEY-BROOKS for Selectman. Remember the past don't make the same mistake with Mitchell
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletevote for Diane, she can't possibly do worse that who you've already elected.
Delete