The Selectboard will not pursue another employment agreement with Town Manager Herb Durfee. As a result, Mr. Durfee’s role as the Town Manager for Norwich will end at the end of August, when his current contract expires.
The decision was made at the Selectboard meeting last night, July 28. The video of that meeting is here, with the discussion beginning at about 1:49:25. (Thanks DW.)
The vote was unanimous with Mary Layton abstaining. After the vote, Selectboard Chair Roger Arnold thanked Town Manager Durfee for his service to the Town. The Chair noted that the Town Manager had steered the Town through the July 1, 2017 Storm Event, a global pandemic, and the retirement of all department heads.
Selectboard Vice-Chair Mary Layton, who was on the Board when Mr. Durfee was hired in March 2017, described the atmosphere of the meeting as “somber.” I am “sorry it did not work out,” she added.
The Selectboard also voted to initiate a search for an interim Town Manager through the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.
These are times of upheaval in the administration of government in Norwich. In addition to the pending departure of Mr. Durfee, the Town has an interim Police Chief and the DPW Director is stepping down in a few days. The Finance Director position has been vacant for two years, since the cyber scam. Earlier this week, the Town announced that a Finance Director was hired, with a start date in September.
Columbia Law School, Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity has a white paper on “Fighting Small Town Corruption”
https://web.law.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/microsites/public-integrity/files/fighting_small_town_corruption_-_capi_practitioner_toolkit_-_august_2016.pdf
See page 9 on Transparency.
It has been rumored since February of this year that the SB was not going to renew the TM contract. Why the theatre? If true, 5 months have been lost whereby a search for a new TM could have been in effect.
Sadly, the past 4-5 years have displayed poor governance at several levels in Town. The examples of failures can’t fit in this comment section.
What needs to be done to right the ship?
Chris,
Larry Wiggins is fully retired. He left his post before the clean-up from the recent storm. Hence his crew have been handling things on their own. We are a pretty mess.
As I have said in this column before, it is time to abandon the town manager form of government, and replace is with a town administrator completely answerable to the Selectboard, and the people of the town.
Theoretically I agree with Ernie, however one must have trust and confidence in the SB and especially the Chair. Sadly that doesn’t appear to exist. So giving them the reigns is more worrisome than a poor performing non resident TM.