CCB MEDIA PHOTO
Barnstable Town Council members vote to hire an outside search firm to conduct a global search for a new town manager. Pictured, from left, Philip Wallace, Ann Canedy, Jessica Rapp-Grassetti, Jennifer Cullum, Sara Cushing and James Crocker.
BARNSTABLE – The Barnstable Town Council in a contentious split vote last night decided to hire an outside search firm to start a global search for a town manager.
Voting for a global town manager search were Town Council President Jessica Rapp-Grassetti and Town Council Vice President Ann Canedy, along with councilors Eric Steinhilber, Sara Cushing, James Crocker, Will Crocker, John Norman and Philip Wallace.
Voting against the search were town councilors Frederick Chirigotis, Paul Hebert, Debra Dagwan, James Tinsley and Jennifer Cullum.
Barnstable Town Manager Thomas Lynch’s contract expires at the end of June 2016. He has held the top job in town hall since 2011 when former town manager John Klimm was placed on leave. Prior to that, he served as Barnstable’s assistant town manager. Earlier in his career, he headed up the Barnstable Housing Authority and also served as a state representative.
In an interview earlier this summer, Lynch said he told Rapp-Grassetti that he was interested in keeping the job, but Rapp-Grassetti says she wanted Lynch to put his interest in writing. Without a letter expressing interest from Lynch, she opted to put a town manager search committee in place.
During last night’s town council discussion about his job, Lynch rose to speak but Rapp-Grassetti opted not to allow him to speak.
After the vote, Lynch said he intended “to clarify the point as to whether I had asked for a contract extension.” But he did not have the opportunity to do so.
Town Councilor Jennifer Cullum said she was disappointed with the lack of communication with the town manager.
Cullum asked, “Why couldn’t we walk across the hall, knock on the door and say, ‘Do you want a contract extension?’ Why are we sitting here waiting for him to come to us when we are part and parcel of the entire process ourselves?”
Town Councilor Fred Chirigotis said he was surprised that a global search was being discussed when the sitting town manager has received a positive evaluation.
“I look at this more like a vote of ‘no confidence.’ We had an evaluation of the town manager. We gave the town manager an exceptional rating. You suggested the town manager submit a CV. We know what his CV is,” he said.
Chirigotis expressed dismay to a letter sent to Lynch and to Assistant Town Manager Mark Ells inviting them both to apply to the job.
After the vote, when asked what he intended to do, Lynch, who was sitting with Ells, said, “Either we put our resumes in or we don’t.”
By LAURA M. RECKFORD, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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