EAST LONGMEADOW – Denise Menard, former first selectman of East Windsor, CT, was unanimously chosen to serve as interim town manager. She was one of two candidates interviewed by the Town Council at its July 26 meeting.

Menard previously applied for the interim town administrator position in December 2015, but was beaten out by former West Springfield Mayor Gregory Neffinger.

Town Council President Kevin Manley asked Menard what her plans would be for the first 30 days on the job.

She responded by stating, “My approach to any new position is to read and to listen. The interim town manager needs to be sensitive that the town’s employees have been through a time of uncertainty that will continue until the permanent town manager is on board. Keeping that in mind, along with provisions in your recently adopted charter, the interim will need to address immediate needs for keeping the business of the town moving forward.”

Menard said she would work to build relationships with councilors, Town Hall staff, and the East Longmeadow community.

“That will require a clear understanding of the Town Council’s priority and getting familiar with the budget and the governing documents that you have,” she explained.

Town Council Vice President Paul Federici asked Menard to share her background.

She explained she worked as first selectman of East Windsor for eight years.

The position is elected and functions similarly to a town administrator.

“I loved the day to day business,” Menard noted. “I didn’t like the politics as much ... I accomplished a lot in those eight years and built a tremendously efficient team. We were like a family and we worked hard. I have been called a workaholic. I don’t expect that of the staff, but it sometimes kind of rubs off a little bit.”

She added East Windsor’s bond rating went up under her leadership because improvements to the community’s finances were put into effect. Before she was hired to serve East Windsor, the town did not have a set of personnel rules.

“We didn’t even have a structure on how to interview people,” she noted. “If you were a cousin of so and so you could learn how to use the big mower. Well, it turns out so and so was allergic to grass ... I asked how he got the job.”

Menard explained she also has a background as a paralegal for 15 years. She also has a degree in business.

“I have a sensitivity to legal matters and a common sense approach to a lot of things,” she stated. “I don’t mind tackling hard decisions if I have to.”

Town Councilor Joseph Ford asked her why East Windsor’s police chief described her as “the best boss he’s ever had.”

Menard responded by stating she and the police chief both inherited “pretty broken organizations.”

She added, “He has the most awesome police department at this point and we were partners in getting my organization, the rest of the town employees, into that sort of organization ... When I started he told me there had never been a senior staff meeting before, that everybody was all solo.”

The other candidate to be interviewed by the council was former Rehoboth Town Administrator David Marciello, who also has more than two decades experience in municipal law.

The Rehoboth Board of Selectmen declined to renew his contract in 2011 after working for the community for nine and a half years. This subject was not brought up during the interview.

Town Councilor Eric Madison said after the interviews Menard was his top choice because she came prepared to interview as an interim town manager.

“I think one candidate appeared to be very sensitive to what the town’s gone through, both the employees and the residents,” he added. “The other, I don’t think he ever mentioned it. Both are very well qualified. Both have a tremendous amount of experience in municipal government.”

Manley said prior to the vote he believes the council should be sensitive to town employees in regards to the change in government.

“We have a lot of employees that are not really sure what direction they're going,” he explained. “Is the position going to be here tomorrow? Is it not going to be here tomorrow?”

He added he believes Menard’s personality fits with the role of interim town administrator and she would be sensitive to town employees.

Ford, who conducted informal interviews with both candidates, said he was most impressed with Menard’s humility. When asked to share stories of her success in the past, she told him success stories of people in various town departments.

“It’s a unique leader that does not take credit for other people’s successes,” he noted. “I was very impressed by that.”

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