Thursday, October 7, 1999 Older Editions

Board asks citizens: Help rate manager

By Neil Fater

Selectmen haven't evaluated Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski since fiscal year 1997, but with his contract due to expire, they now have little choice. Selectmen say they plan to get busy evaluating immediately.

"This is the town manager's fifth year, so we're not just evaluating his work this year, but also whether to renew his contract," says Selectmen Chairman John Hess.

Selectmen agreed on an evaluation form this week, and each selectman will submit his or her opinion by Oct. 18.

But selectmen say they want to hear from residents before they do this. They encourage people to call, write or e-mail them through the town's Web site at www.town.andover.ma.us.

Although Selectman Lori Becker has pushed for anonymous responses, selectmen Mary French and Larry Larsen say people should stand up and be accounted for if they want to offer opinions.

Becker says she felt giving an anonymous option would allow more people to comment including "people who feel it's not in their best interests." In other words, town employees.

"I get mail that isn't signed and I get phone calls where people say, 'I wanted to let you know X, Y, Z,' and they don't leave their names," she says. "Sometimes you don't know if people are as honest as they can be, if they are afraid of repercussions."

Residents can share their attributed opinions online with Selectman Brian Major at bmr@mediaone.net, French at FrenchM@shore.net, Hess at Hess.John@Worldnet.att.net, and Larsen at LarryLLarsen@Compuserve.com. Becker can be reached through regular mail at 26 Washington Ave.

"I'm always open to any comments and usually there's no shortage. Just show up at the bank any morning," says Larsen.

The evaluation form requires selectmen to give an individual overall assessment of the town manager, after rating Stapczynski on a scale of 1 to 5 in the areas of:

o planning, vision and leadership;

o administrative/managerial skills;

o recruitment, selection and supervision of staff;

o budget preparation and administration;

o negotiations;

o board/legislative relations; and

o personal skills and traits.

French will compile these different selectman's opinions by Oct. 25, and selectmen say they plan to discuss the results at their Nov. 8 meeting.

"The intent would be to wrap things up in November, but if we have to go longer we will," says Hess.

Andover's town charter establishes that Andover town managers must have five-year contracts, says Stapczynski.

Although selectmen did individually evaluate the town manager for fiscal year 1998, these evaluations were never compiled into one document, or made public.