LONGMEADOW – The Select Board unanimously agreed to renew Town Manager Stephen Crane’s contract for three years at its Dec. 5 meeting.

The contract was during approved by a 3 to 0 vote. Selectmen William Low and Richard Foster were not available for the meeting.

Crane later told Reminder Publications his renewed contract is retroactive to July 1 and includes pay raises during the next three years. His current salary under the new contract is $134,000 and would jump to $138,000 in year two and increase to $140,000 in year three.

He added his salary for fiscal year 2016 was $125,000.

When asked if he believes his relationship with the Select Board  has improved during the past year, he replied, “I think it definitely has improved … We really spent a few minutes talking about the positive direction things have been moving in and I talked about it’s kind of been a bumpy ride and this agreement really reflects all of the work the six of us, the Select Board and I, have put into making sure that we better understand our roles and responsibilities; that we work better together; that we communicate more effectively; that we show that we went through all that effort to bring in a facilitator to help us get to this place and this contract extension and negotiations were a clear sign that process was productive.”

Select Board Chair Marie Angelides said the board initially renewed Crane’s contract for the year in January and the negotiations focused mostly on the terms of the renewed contract.

“I think we worked very hard on this for several months reviewing several other town manager contracts throughout the Commonwealth and have approved something that is beneficial to the town,” she added.

Crane received low ratings from the Select Board during the first year of his contract and during the review on June 4, 2014 the meeting devolved into conflict and raised voices over the division of power between the board and town manager. Crane received mixed reviews the following year and for his third year performance evaluation he ranked higher with a 3.9 out of five – a meeting expectations rating.

Crane was also a finalist for the town administrator position in Tyngsboro in October 2014, but was not offered the position.  

“I think that the contract is certainly a demonstration of the Select Board’s commitment to me, which is really the most meaningful demonstration of that so far,” he explained. “It’s no secret that I have looked at other places, but I think we really turned a corner and this contract represents a real bright spot for me both personally and professionally because it does give me so stability.”

Crane said both he and the Select Board came into negotiations for the renewed contract “looking to be reasonable.”

He added, “We did go back and forth quite a bit, which is what your supposed to do. They did their job and I did mine. But I truly think that it is a fair and reasonable agreement and so I wouldn’t pick out one thing or another. I’m very happy with the end result. It protects the town’s interest and it helps me protect my family’s interest.”  

Crane said he looks forward to continue serving the town, specifically with helping to tackle issues in the community such as a new Department of Public Works (DPW) facility, the Adult Center project, and a new middle school.

“The number one thing I’ve said, I think from the day I got here, is the DPW facility,” Crane noted. “I think the feedback that we’ve received from the community throughout the site selection process has been invaluable and I do sense that the community really understands the need for a new DPW and, at least their comments to me, expressed the commitment to do it.”

Crane said he believes the potential Adult Center and middle school projects would be next in line after a DPW project.

He added under his leadership the town created a new personnel manual and emerged from a major transition a year and a half ago when the heads of the DPW, Fire Department, and Police Department all retired.

“From an internal standpoint, making sure that we keep building a first class organization that serves the community very well – that’s my number one priority every day, but that’s going to continue to be a focus,” Crane said.