Northbridge selects Adam Gaudette, Spencer administrator, for town manager

 By Susan Spencer
Telegram & Gazette Staff 

NORTHBRIDGE – After interviewing three finalists Wednesday, selectmen voted 4-0 to appoint Adam D. Gaudette as town manager for Northbridge. The appointment is contingent on successful contract negotiations.

Selectman Daniel Nolan was absent from the meeting.

The first two of three candidates who interviewed with selectmen Wednesday for the town manager job spoke to the importance of teamwork and communication, but they came to this point from different directions.

The third, a longtime municipal management professional, spoke about getting a board of selectmen to think globally.

Eighty applications were received for the position. Nine candidates received initial interviews before the three finalists were selected.

Mr. Gaudette, a Sturbridge native who has been town administrator in Spencer for seven years, was returning to the town where he began his pubic administration career. Mr. Gaudette served as director of planning and community development from 1999 to 2002, before taking related private-sector jobs in land use management and returning to municipal government in Spencer.

Describing himself as “a guy who likes to get things done,” Mr. Gaudette discussed his proudest moments of getting a $19 million debt exclusion for comprehensive road work approved, and getting through a regional school district fiscal crisis - and related failed Proposition 2½ overrides - while maintaining morale and not losing department heads.

“It’s all about partnership,” Mr. Gaudette said. “I look at myself as a leader. ... I try to lead by example.”

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Meanwhile, back in Templeton the Gong Show continues. 

Neither finalist, Sheila Vaidya Dibb nor Willie Morales made the cut for the Templeton TA position. 

How much money has the town spent on the Town Administrator search to date?

From the Management Letter :

"This lack of consistent, strong leadership has severely impacted the Town's ability to operate financially at an optimum level; and this has directly impacted most of the Town's critical financial function. ...In fact, the Town has had four Town Accountants, three Treasurer/Collectors and three Town Administrators since 2012." Management Letter p.3, Tony Roselli, CPA April 25, 2017.

 

This failed attempt at hiring a town administrator began in January  2017.

Connect the dots.