It was probably a very uncomfortable session to get through in Phillipston Town Hall the other night when the Selectboard considered a proposal to sack its administrative assistant.
These kinds of situations are never pleasant, with one or more of the Selectboard members unhappy with the person hired to help them run the town’s affairs day-to-day. We’ve seen lots of administrators, executive secretaries and managers in many towns over the years, and when the administrator is capable and gets along well with his or her bosses, life is good. But when the personalities rub the wrong way or other issues are at play, it’s difficult for everyone involved — including the other co-workers in Town Hall.
Sometimes these employee-employer differences get worked out in private, as is standard in the business world, and as is allowed by state law in a town government, provided the employee agrees. But as often as not, we find administrative assistants and other town employees prefer to have it out in public — usually because they feel they will be vindicated in the court of public opinion.
So it was in Phillipston as three complaints were brought against town Administrative Assistant Kevin Flynn by Selectboard Chairman Thomas Brouillet, who wanted to “relieve” Flynn, citing three reasons:
He said Flynn had scheduled on his own authority a meeting between the Town of Templeton and the Phillipston Finance Committee about regional dispatch services for the upcoming fiscal year;
He said Flynn posted a Selectboard meeting agenda item pertaining to contract negotiations with a firefighter, naming the person who had wanted to meet privately with the selectmen;
And Brouillet said Flynn contacted the town’s lawyer for advice without authorization from the Selectboard.
Flynn chose to hold the session in open meeting. Nearly 20 residents, including Town Hall employees, the police chief and another police officer, filled the room in support of Flynn.
During the session, Flynn methodically explained his actions. In some cases his view of what had happened differed from that of his chairman, who at one point noted, “I would like to put it out there that he’s the administrative assistant. Not a selectman.”
In the end, the other two selectmen, Terrence Dymek and John Telepciak, played the peacemakers, with Dymek noting that the chairman’s disagreements with the administrator arose from “ambiguous communication” and that Flynn “wasn’t trying to go behind anyone’s back.”
Ultimately, Dymek said, “I think Kevin did a good job in explaining his actions” and implied the whole matter could have been worked out informally. Dymek and Telepciak voted to drop the matter — to the applause of those town employees and residents in attendance.
We were gratified to see what can often degenerate into ugly, emotional affairs was handled so professionally and openly by the town’s elected leaders. This is how it should be.
And while Brouillet held his ground on the 2-1 vote, he seemed to sound a conciliatory note afterward, saying, “Congratulations, Kevin. You won your case.”
Now the tricky part comes, when the people of Phillipston will get to see what these selectmen and their administrator are made of. Because they need to put any residual animosity behind them, learn from the experience and to find ways to mend fences and work together for the town’s good.