ORANGE — The year-long search for a new town administrator has led to discord, ethics investigations and unproductive, emotional meetings for the Selectboard.
Acting Town Administrator Gabriele Voelker was not one of three finalists the Town Administrator Search Committee presented to the Selectboard last week, which Selectboard Vice Chairman Ryan Mailloux and Selectwoman Jane Peirce took issue with.
This week, Selectboard Chairman Richard Sheridan revealed he has contacted the State Ethics Commission to conduct investigations on Mailloux and Peirce, whom Sheridan alleges showed “improper” favoritism to Voelker.
“It was obvious last week that the individual in question was being promoted by (Mailloux),” Sheridan said. “This process now is very muddled.”
Mailloux had asserted “integrity could not have been used” in the selection process after seeing the three finalists’ resumes that Chief of Police Craig Lundgren, who is the Search Committee’s chairman, presented.
Mailloux said he objected to the exclusion as a finalist of Voelker, who is the current Orange finance director and treasurer, and has acted as town administrator since previous Town Administrator Diana M. Schindler’s leave of absence and resignation last year.
Mailloux added Voelker has proved her dedication and abilities, while the other candidates have not, and that her level of education exceeds at least two of the three possible finalists. He called the absence of Voelker among the finalists as “a slap in the face” after reading the names provided by Lundgren.
Now, Sheridan claims Mailloux’s actions were inappropriate, and the Selectboard should not advocate for or against candidates they have charged the search committee with screening. Mailloux defended his actions as looking out for the town’s best interests, and questioning why a highly qualified candidate was excluded among the finalists.
But Sheridan disagrees. Since last week’s Selectboard meeting, one of the three finalists withdrew her candidacy. Sheridan and Selectman Tom Smith speculated that she may have withdrawn because of the tempestuous nature of the Selectboard’s recent discussions.
“The reason I did that, was because what happened last week, again I think the proof is in the pudding,” Sheridan responded when asked why he contacted the State Ethics Commission. “We had a person withdraw who was very excited to be interviewed. She said it the night before and then she withdraws because of the controversy.”
Peirce was surprised when Sheridan indicated that he had filed a similar complaint to the one against Mailloux against her. Pierce was elected to the Selectboard on March 5.
The Selectboard had planned to interview the finalists the five-member search committee presented, and has the final word on who will be hired. Peirce had suggested, as a common courtesy, interviewing Voelker — in addition to the other three finalists — because Voelker has invested “a fair amount of time and energy” as town administrator.
“I’m gathering from the way you are looking at me that you also filed a complaint on me,” said Peirce to Sheridan, who confirmed her suspicion.
“I would first like to congratulate you on your awesome leadership and team-building skill, because you had the opportunity to call me and let me know this before this meeting, so that I could’ve called the ethics commission and just said ‘What is going on here?’” said Peirce, adding that she felt “blindsided.”
The meeting revealed the names of two of the three finalists for the position, who were selected by the Town Administrator Search Committee and presented to the Selectboard last week, causing disagreements among the board members.
Candace Ouillette Gaumond of Ware, who is the administrative assistant to the town administrator and Selectboard in Wilbraham, and Johanna Swain of Barre, who is the executive secretary and acting town administrator in West Brookfield, were the finalists named.
The third finalist whose resume was presented to the Selectboard last week, was not named because of her withdrawing her application.
“I would like to know, maybe we’ll never know, why she decided not to take the position,” said Tom Smith, who was elected to the Selectboard on March 5.
“There was no need for your outburst,” said Smith to Mailloux, who called Mailloux’s behavior “drama” and “an absolute embarrassment to the town of Orange.”
Mailloux and Peirce expressed that they are unworried concerning the investigations, and Peirce said she is comfortable with all of her statements, which are on record.
“Read the newspaper, watch AOTV,” Peirce said.
Mailloux did add, however, that he has “struggled” with his use of the word “integrity” in lambasting the Search Committee’s decision. Members of the Search Committee read statements objecting to Mailloux’s comments.
Jeffrey Cole, also on the Search Committee, blasted Mailloux for his comments to a “highly respected public figure” like Lundgren.
“I would like to go on record with my disgust,” Cole said.
In an emotional moment, Planning Board Chairwoman Mercedes Clingerman, speaking as a citizen, addressed the Selectboard in tears, hurt by the combative discussion.
“We are going to have a next generation that inherits our garbage because we can’t get along,” said Clingerman, alluding to the problems in Orange as a microcosm of the national political atmosphere in the U.S.
Cautiously, Selectboard Clerk James Cornwell said that more time and research is needed before making any decisions on how to proceed, in order to ensure everything is done legally. Cornwell even suggested it might be necessary to hire an independent body to assess the situation, rather than the Selectboard doing so itself.
In conclusion, the Selectboard decided to reconvene Wednesday, April 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Hall, and asked for Lundgren to once again come to the meeting to discuss how to proceed.
Voelker told the Recorder Friday that she was originally a member of the search committee herself, but stepped down after she was encouraged by members of the public to run for the town administrator position. She submitted her application, she said, with hopes that she would be able to continue the job.
“I love the town of Orange,” Voelker said.
The April 4 meeting will be the third meeting in three weeks with a discussion on how to proceed on the agenda, and there is no guarantee they will reach a decision.