http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140730/NEWS02/707309940
Springfield Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris said Tuesday that he had considered applying for the town manager’s position, but decided against it.
Photo: FILE PHOTO Published July 30, 2014 in the Rutland Herald
Morris won’t seek manager’s job in Springfield
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — About 40 people have applied to be Springfield’s next town manager.
But one of those 40 was not the chairman of the Springfield Select Board.
Kristi Morris, 62, said Tuesday that he had considered applying for the manager’s position, but he said a legal opinion stated that according to the Springfield Town Charter he would have to resign his position on the Select Board in order to be considered.
“I ended up not applying,” said Morris.
Morris, who is in his fifth year as chairman of the Select Board, said that he wanted to be strongly involved in working for the town’s future, and the chance that he would resign, and then not be picked to be the manager, was “too big a chance.”
Morris said he received a legal opinion from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, which reviewed the town charter on the issue.
While the charter says that a member of the Select Board cannot also serve as town manager, he said the League’s legal opinion stated that he should not be involved in the selection process if he was a candidate.
Not even taking a leave from the board was an option, he said.
He said his priority was hiring a manager who had management experience “with responsibility, accountability and goal setting.”
Morris, 62, who is manager of engineering at Lovejoy Tool Co. in downtown Springfield, said that it wasn’t that he didn’t have a challenging and interesting job at Lovejoy, where he has worked for more than 30 years. Morris was easily re-elected to his third, three-year term on the Springfield Select Board in March. He is also a volunteer firefighter/EMT for the Springfield Fire Department.
Morris said the deadline for submitting an application to the Vermont League of Cities and Towns for the manager’s job was Monday. He said there were about 40 applicants, and that the league personnel would be ranking the applicants and giving the Select Board packets of information on the candidates by next Monday.
He said the board would handle the interview process, unless the board changes its mind.
Town Manager Robert Forguites, 75, announced in late April he was retiring from the position he had held for 16 years. Forguites, a North Springfield resident and native of Brandon, hopes to start a part-time retirement in September, and then reach full-time retirement in December.
Forguites has since announced plans that he will seek one of Springfield’s two House seats. Rep. Cynthia Martin, D-Springfield, said she was stepping down, and Forguites is expected to run unopposed, along with longtime Rep. Alice Emmons, D-Springfield. Forguites has said he is a Democrat.
While I think Morris has been one of the bright spots on the select board in recent years, how is it news that he isn't seeking the job of town manager anyway? Had he previously expressed interest? Was there a movement to get him to apply? How is it even considered newsworthy that a guy who isn't seeking the job won't seek it? Or is this just a little puff piece for the purposes of dangling the lackluster incumbent's candidacy for state office in front of the readers (assuming they actually read the article all the way to its final paragraph)? I guess we shouldn't expect anything less from the Rutland Herald, where they print "All the news that isn't news!"
ReplyDeleteI think he has a day job already that he enjoys.
DeleteI hope the other 39 applicants have more on the ball then Morris
ReplyDeleteThank god you aren't running; it's "than Morris".
DeleteLike your application?
DeleteHe would be our best choice by far.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Springfield, the leftists at the Vermont League of Cities and Towns will screen the 40 applicants for and spoon feed a mediocre candidate to the Select Board for them to rubber stamp.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sham and what a waste. The town spends $5,000 because they're incapable of reviewing 40 resumes themselves. That's the arrogance of government bureaucracy for you. Since it isn't their money, the board will gladly waste the taxpayers' money by doling out what amounts to $125 a resume to have someone else do the reviews for them.
Nope he wouldn't. He has local interests and I believe at this point the residents, voters and taxpayers need to wise up. What we need is a fresh perspective from someone who is VERY experienced, who has fresh ideas and balls to cut the fat and make the choices that the locals have not been able to do for years and years because of their ties to the community, friends, family and business associates. Obviously, the town leadership hasn't worked with the lackluster ideas and bull**** that year after year happens. NOW we need a hard nosed individual who will help to rebuild and push springfield into reality and the future head first.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is this...we are losing residents day by day and year by year. We have a serious crime and drug problem. We have grossly high taxes and that alone pushes new businesses and residents to other communities. I believe our budgets are gross and negligent both town and school. Im sorry for the reality check but I have lived elsewhere and I do live in the present and not the past days of what springfield once was at the turn of the century. WE NEED LEADERSHIP from someone who has stamina and is not afraid to voice and push and lead the select board to make tough but often unpopular realistic choices.
And do you believe all this change will come at no cost to the tax payer??
DeleteWIth comments like that I'm sure we'll see you running for Selectboard next year. NOT
DeleteHe has done a great job for our town. How many people would stand up and be accountable like he has. I suspect most of us take another path. We have a problem now where a small minority are getting all the bad press. They will be jailed or forced to leave and then we can enjoy our town again. Thanks for all your efforts Mr. Morris.
ReplyDeleteAny role Kristi has pertaining to the town I'm thankful for. I've never met anyone more concerned about others than himself. If he's not with family or working his full time job he's helping others. Firefighter, shriner, selectboard, list goes on. Thank you Kristi for all you do. Your perseverance doesn't go unnoticed.
ReplyDelete