DeFazio’s statement on McInerney’s separation agreement

EDITOR’S NOTE: Select Board member Doreen DeFazio read the following statement at Tuesday’s Select Board meeting in response to the separation agreement entered between the Select Board and former Town Administrator Tim McInerney. Due to computer issues during the power outage, I offered to print it in full.

With the departure of the TA and the understandable confusion and questions that have followed, I want to take a few minutes to read a statement that will hopefully offer some clarification. The Town is entitled to know my opinion, without revealing details and within the guidelines of the NDA, and my reasoning is so the Town can move on with some level of satisfaction.

I am incredibly disappointed and disagree on the process of how this Board made the decision to enter into a separation agreement. I do not believe the process or how this matter was handled was in the best interest of the Town.

Executive Session is typically used to discuss legal matters that could harm the Town’s interest if made public. It can also be used to discuss legal or confidential matters regarding personnel to protect their reputation and/or privacy. But holding an Executive Session to shield the public and an employee from facts pertaining to a contract without cause only leaves the community with questions and assumptions. This lack of transparency conveniently enabled this Board to make the decision without any public input.

I am ashamed that this Board can “nickel and dime” staff raises, begin a school year full of unknowns and unpredictable expenses, pass an override during a pandemic and an economic downturn all while conveying to the community that this was the only way to level services, but somehow also make the conscious decision, at this time, that terminating a very important and very expensive position, again without cause, is best for the community.

Timing is everything. Process is important.

I am furious that municipal staff were completely blindsided. Many, after working with our TA for over 12 years, had no communication or warning until the information went public on Friday. There was no immediate transition plan or ability for staff to ask questions. To put town staff through so much uncertainty is wrong.

I am disappointed in Board members who felt, rightly so, that they could NOT evaluate the TA’s performance within such a short time frame of being elected but COULD vote to decide to terminate a contract for this same TA. I find that troubling.

I am the only member of this Board who happens to work in municipal government as a career. I bring this up because I have a perspective and knowledge of the ins and outs of many communities in Massachusetts and beyond – and that information, I deem valuable.

I do not regret the decision to try to retain a seasoned manager through severance and an early contract extension. We couldn’t offer him the competitive salary to stay, so we offered him security. The fault of the money spent is on the decision to execute the contract clause by terminating without cause, not on the decision to retain the TA by offering security.

The Town is at a crossroads. We are a five-member Board. I intend to continue to offer my input and perspective as one member of this Board. There has been a rumor that I am resigning from my seat this evening, and to set that record straight, it’s quite this opposite. I will continue to constructively challenge my fellow Board members when I disagree but will not impede future actions. We have a Goals meeting next week. We have a lot of extremely important future items to vote on.

That being said, social media slamming and is not a good look for Grafton. The community deserves better.

Lastly, I would like to wish the best of luck to Tim. He was one of my motivations for going back to school and getting my master’s degree in Public Administration. His passion for local government is contagious, and I am grateful for all he has given to Grafton. I have known and worked with Tim in different capacities for the entire 12.5 years he managed our town. As a part time municipal staff member, on many different boards and committees, as a member of MMA (Massachusetts Municipal Association), a member of ICMA (International City Managers Association), and as an elected official. I have witnessed Tim lead with professionalism. He always had a vision to make the Town better for future generations.

I appreciate all he has accomplished and will expect us as the Select Board to choose wisely who will follow in his footsteps.

Thank you all for your time.

Doreen DeFazio