Click 
to view the entire meeting or click any video icon below to jump to that section of the meeting.
REGULAR SESSION
SEPTEMBER 5, 2017
At a REGULAR SESSION of the Town Council of the Town of South Kingstown, County of Washington, in the State of Rhode Island, held at the Town Hall, in and for said Town on the 5th day of September 2017 at 7:30 PM.
PRESENT: Abel G. Collins, Vice President
Bryant C. DaCruz
Liz Gledhill
Joe Viele
1. A. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG 
The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag is given.
B. ROLL CALL
Roll Call is taken and four members are present. Council President Healy is absent.
2. NEW BUSINESS
A. Council Vice President Collins introduces S. Ellis Hankins of The Mercer Group, Inc., the firm hired to conduct a professional executive search for recruitment of a new Town Manager as a result of the announcement of the retirement of Stephen A. Alfred after forty-two years of service to the Town. Mr. Hankins speaks in regard to meetings he has held with the members of the Town Council individually, as well as several of the Town’s department heads relative to qualifications and characteristics desired in the next Town Manager. He discusses the Town Council/Town Manager form of government, the next steps in the recruitment process, and reviews a tentative time schedule for the search process.
The Town Council/Town Manager form of government works well in a number of communities of all sizes across the nation. It began as a reform in the early 20th century in the muckraker era, to have the group of elected officials choose a Chief Executive Officer, to serve at their pleasure, to run the administrative affairs of the town government on a day to day basis. The Town Manager has very significant responsibilities to the Council and the community, to hire and supervise the various department heads, to work with their input to develop a recommended budget for Council consideration and adoption and to administer that budget throughout the fiscal year and keep it balanced. It is also the Town Manager’s responsibility to work closely with the department directors to make sure they understand the Town Council’s long term visions, and goals and objectives for the community as they relate to land use planning, transportation, public safety, environmental protection, operation of the utility systems, etc.
Mr. Hankins believes that the best and most effective management style is for the Town Manager to pay close attention, and to expect to be kept well informed by the department directors, but he or she does not need to know every detail or be a micromanager and have department directors feel they can’t make sound professional decisions in the operation of their departments. It works best when the department directors with the right people in the right positions have been given by the Town Manager an adequate scope of authority, and the Town Manager holds them accountable and expects them to do the job well within the parameters, and under the policies established by the Town Council and Town Manager. The government belongs to the people, who elect the Town Council and then the Town Council selects a Town Manager.
Discussion ensues relative to the tentative timetable for the process to hire a new Town Manager, estimated to be completed with the selection of a new Town Manager by early December. Part of the Mercer Group’s contract is to assist the Town Council with a negotiated contract and then to work with the Town Solicitor on a written employment agreement. This timetable allows for the new Town Manager to give notice to his/her current employer and to begin work sometime in late December or early January. It also allows for the appointee to spend a little bit of time with the retiring Town Manager to take advantage of his wealth of knowledge.
Mr. Hankins notes that Steve is not here this evening because he wants everyone to know that this is the Town Council’s decision and not his to select his successor. He reports that considerable amount of time was spent today meeting with individual members of the Town Council and department directors to develop a list of preferred qualifications, experience and characteristics for the position of Town Manager. One of the first things was to develop a job posting which was posted in The Independent, The New England and New York State Municipal Leagues, the National League of Cities, ICMA, Master of Public Administration Program placement offices such as at Brown. As of today ten applications have already been received.
The next step is to draft a recruitment brochure to include information in regard to the community, photos of the community, the history, the cultural aspects, the economy, and the Town Manager’s position with the list of preferred qualifications, experiences and characteristics for the position of Town Manager. This recruitment brochure will be distributed broadly through the municipal government community and elsewhere. The Town Council is scheduled to adopt the draft of the recruitment brochure at its meeting on September 11, 2017 and then it will be distributed. The soft deadline for candidate applications is October 18th. A lot of time will be spent reviewing the applications and checking backgrounds. The Town Council will receive 12-18 applications with summaries by October 27 for review. Of those applicants, the Council at a closed session on November 6th will choose 5 to 7 semifinalists to interview. Subsequent to the meeting on the 6th of November, the consultant will send the 5 to 7 semifinalists supplemental questions to be completed in writing providing the Council with an opportunity to evaluate their management and written communication style.
Preliminary background checks will be completed prior to the interviews to verify employment history, criminal and motor vehicle violation checks and credit history. Interviews will be tentatively scheduled with the 5 to 7 semifinalists for November 28th. The consultant will assist with the questions. Of the 5 to 7 candidates interviewed, the Council may want to call 1 to 2 finalists back for a second interview as soon as possible after the initial interview. Then the Town Council makes the decision. The terms of appointment and the employment contract are negotiated and at an open meeting of the Town Council you vote to appoint the new manager and approve the employment contract. The new Town Manager gives a reasonable notice to their employer and then he or she reports to work and spends some time with the retiring Town Manager. The consultant will assist with the transition.
It is an option for the Town Council to keep the process confidential until they have made their decision, or to have some sort of public forum near the end of the process. Maybe when 2 finalists have been chosen the public can participate in a meet and greet with the department directors, so at least members of the public get to hear from those candidates.
Members of the Town Council make comments in regard to the process and the consultant’s proposal.
Mercer will never recruit from a client organization for two years after completion of a search assignment without the full agreement of the client. Also, if the candidate hired leaves the client organization for any reason during the 24 month period following the date of placement with the client, Mercer will assist in a process to replace the candidate, with payment of only their direct reimbursable expenses.
The following members of the public ask questions and comment:
Don Richardson
Susan Marcus
Marc Levitt
James Murdock
Mark Sgalia
Bob Votava
Leslie Chouinard
Dr. William Rosen
Vincent Murray
Karen Votava
Members of the Council comment on some of the characteristics that they are looking for in a new Town Manager including conservative budgeting, willingness to work with the School Department, willingness to take some risks, experience with affordable housing issues, and climate adaptation, willingness to work with and foster close relationships with URI, South County Hospital, recognizes ability of current staff and has the ability to motivate that staff, fosters team building attitude, and a willingness to stay 5 to 7 years.
Adjourn at 8:35 PM.
Dale S. Holberton, CMC
Town Clerk