Resident calls for non–renewal of Town Manager’s contract

Jan. 2, 2019 | Carling Willis

Denise Menard.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo.

EAST LONGMEADOW – On Dec. 11 a Town Council meeting was held in East Longmeadow  to discuss topics such as the town’s trash contract, licensing matters, financial matters, old and new business concerns and public hearings. An aspect of the meeting that was called to attention by resident Jeffrey Bosworth, was a petition calling for non-renewal of the East Longmeadow town manager contract.

Denise Menard currently holds the town manager position. Menard was hired into the position in 2016 and she is the first ever East Longmeadow town manager. Before she was elected as town manager she held the position of the town’s interim manger.

At a town meeting held on Oct. 23, Bosworth and his business partner John Mazzarino of Williamsburg, expressed their constructive criticism for the town’s planning process. The business partners are applicants for a subdivision on Jeffery Lane in East Longmeadow. Their concerns at the October meeting regarded the town’s “slow planning process.” They had been working on this project with the town since April of 2018 and as of October had still yet to receive their project approval. Bosworth commented that although the town used to have an engineer, he has since resigned leaving the DPW to two people who are not engineers. At the end of that discussion Counselor Joseph Ford asked Menard to investigate ways to better the planning process.

At the meeting on Dec. 11 Bosworth read the petition aloud to the councilors, advocating them to not give Menard a salary increase stating that, “Under the town manager, numerous employees with positive assets to the town have left abruptly over the past few months,” and that,  “the town has gained a reputation of not being business-friendly.”

Bosworth continued to add that as a town, “We have a lack of confidence in her hiring practices, and she hasn't demonstrated fiscal responsibility when it comes to expending taxpayer dollars.” And that Menard has demonstrated a, “failure to take appropriate action based on complaints filed by residents and business owners in town.” A topic he had spoken to, two months prior.

The petition has over 100  signatures of residents in East Longmeadow who feel that the contract of town manager should not be renewed.

Bosworth closed out his public comment with a statement, “Just as a reminder, the Town Council responds to the voters.”

A subcommittee is in the process of putting together a performance evaluation. The results of that evaluation will be discussed at the town council meeting slated for Jan. 8. If the council decides not to renew Menard’s contract, it will expire in December of 2019.

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