EAST LONGMEADOW – Interim Town Administrator Greg Moyer will continue in the position until the April 12, 2016 Town Election after the Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed to renew his contract during its Oct. 27 meeting.

Moyer’s continuation as the interim town administrator came with two stipulations; the first is that if he decides to leave the position he must give the town a 30-day notice and the second agreement is that Moyer will be allowed to return to his home of Broken Arrow, OK, during the holiday season in December and will continue work remotely. His pay would be 50 percent of what it is normally during this time.

Board of Selectmen Chair Paul Federici said the 30-day notice was included in the original contract. He also said he would have been willing for the town to pay Moyer the full amount of his wages while working from home.

However, Moyer suggested the 50 percent pay rate, which had been implemented during similar circumstances while he was working as a town manager in Alaska.

Moyer originally suggested changing the 30-day notice from two or three weeks notice.

Selectman Angela Thorpe said she believes that 30-day window would be more beneficial to the town.

“If it comes down to it and he did have to leave, at least we would have 30 days,” she explained. “I think that’s the best package for the town.”

Ultimately, Moyer agreed on continuing the 30-day notice.

Moyer said he’s most interested to see whether the town would change its form of government when the Charter Commission brings its recommendation before voters during the 2016 Town Election.

The Charter Commission recommended a seven-member at-large town council for the legislative branch of the government, which would eliminate Town Meeting. The executive branch would consist of a town manager, according to the draft charter.

This recommendation saw mixed reactions from residents during the commission’s second public hearing on Oct. 15.

He added that he might consider applying for the permanent town manager position if there is a change to the local government in that respect.

“I would talk to my wife about this – when my son graduates Dec. 11 – about me and her moving here and we’d call this home,” Moyer said. “That’s another subject; another line item right below us here. I think the election would be something that would be determining as far as whether I continue or not. Even though you’ve been helpful and understanding, towards the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding], the form of government would have to change for me to stay on past that time.”

Previously, the selectmen agreed to expand Moyer’s powers and responsibilities via an MOU between the two parties that was finalized in September. The MOU granted Moyer the powers of a town administrator rather than an executive secretary, which the roles and responsibilities were more in line with. The MOU also stated that Moyer’s four-month contract would have ended on Nov. 6.

Moyer said prior to the selectmen’s decision that he was also looking for other interim positions elsewhere, but nothing has been finalized at this point.

“There are things coming up in November that may tell the tale as far as another interim position,” he added.  

Federici said during negotiations that Moyer has been proactive in the town since he began as interim town administrator.

“We did give you a little more power and I think that’s where it got well with the department heads and with the town in general,” he added.  

The board also discussed whether it should begin the process of looking for a permanent town administrator, he added.

Federici said, “I don’t think we should – not that it’s set in stone; now that we’ve got [Moyer] for a little while longer – I would consider not doing anything about the permanent town [administrator] until the first of the year because I think we’re going to get a better idea of how everybody feels about the new form of government; if there’s going to be one.”

Thorpe and Selectman William Gorman agreed with Federici’s opinion. Although, a vote was not taken regarding this issue a consensus among the three selectmen was made regarding delaying the search for a town administrator until the start of 2016.