Selectboard revisits TA goals, objectives
BELCHERTOWN – Picking up a conversation started at its last meeting, the Selectboard discussed
Town Administrator Steve William’s goals and objectives in the coming year with a heavy focus on personnel and communication.
Williams prioritized communications, personnel and budgets, stating that some of the work is already ongoing.
Selectboard member Lesa Lessard Pearson said she wanted to discuss the organizational structure review within the town.
This would include changes in job description and their relation to the Personnel Board, although the Selectboard haven’t determined what changes should happen with the board moving forward with the Town Manager switch.
She said she wanted to make sure there were updates to municipal employees’ job descriptions that reflected the work they’re currently doing and focus on customer service.
“For people who have a number of responsibilities that are obsolete, that frees them up,” she said. “Does it meet the needs of the customer base? It’s totally customer orientated. The other part of the equation is – are we meeting the needs of the residents of Belchertown?”
Williams said he’s begun having conversations with the HR Department about the matter.
He said he would present a plan once an outside consultant was chosen. Currently there are over 100 job descriptions that will need to be reviewed.
“The first step is going to make sure we have people for those jobs because there may be some that have already been deactivated that we still have on the books,” Williams said. “We’re not going to spend that money and evaluate them if we’re not going to fill those positions.”
Lessard Pearson added that it would also be a good time to see what positions could be added to meet the needs of residents that aren’t currently being met.
Selectboard Chair Ed Boscher suggested that because of her background and interest in the goal, that Lessard Pearson serve as a point person throughout the process of the structural review.
On the topic of communication, Boscher said while Williams referenced the town’s social media policy, the most important aspect of the goal is to get information to residents.
“It’s more about someone taking ownership and getting the news out there,” he said.
“Where’s our digital presence? Where are we going to get a one stop place to go?”
Lessard Pearson mentioned that the communications committee has also expressed interest in having a social media presence.
“They’re focusing on the website because that’s hopefully going to be the hub,” she said. “I met with the chair and vice chair, and they’ve voiced some frustrations.”
Williams said discussions have begun with the IT Director Kevin Hannon about the social media policy, which was approved but not implemented.
Lew Louraine, member of the communications committee and BCTV manager, said the hope is to update the policy and reduce redundancy.
“It’s the idea of: Is it current? Is it legal? What needs to be changed? I was concerned about this overlap between four or five people all working on social media,” he said. “We need to be part of it or take over, your choice, to work on this social media policy.”
Williams said he would be happy if the committee would like to take the matter over.
Hannon was in the crowd at the meeting and said while he doesn’t attend the committee meetings, he works closely with the communications committee.
“We have a monitoring solution in place, and we have eight accounts that are actively being monitored,” he said. “One of the things we will have to do is formalize the process in which we made pages or accounts, etc.”
He added that there are migrations in process from the old website to the new one.
Selectboard member Peg Louraine said she would like to see capital planning included.
“To me that is the more urgent need,” she said.
