Reporter’s Notebook: TA search underway, Pearson named to Disabilities Commission
Editor’s note: Greetings Grafton readers! A family emergency caused a little bit of a news interruption but, rest assured, the one-woman news show is back in business. Thank you for your patience.
“Things have probably changed since you hired your last town administrator,” said Bernard Lynch, principal and manager of Community Paradigm Associates, charged with finding Grafton’s next town administrator. “You probably have other needs.”
It’s been a little over a decade since the search that ended at Tim McInerney, the now-former town administrator. Lynch on Tuesday outlined the process to the Select Board, none of whom were on board during the last search.
Questions the board needs to answer:
The Town Administrator Screening Committee will meet for the first time Monday, 6 p.m. on Zoom. The membership includes:
- Karen Ceppetelli, Library Board of Trustees
- Mark Haddad, Finance Committee
- Heather McCue, Finance Committee
- Dave Robbins, Planning Board
- Liz Spinney, School Committee
- Ed Prisby, Select Board
- Stephen Burke, Member at Large
- Chris LeMay, Member at Large
- Jim Sullivan, Member at Large
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Jennifer Pearson was the unanimous choice of the Select Board for a vacated seat on the Disabilities Commission.
A novice on the Grafton political scene, Pearson, a mother of five children, spent 11 years navigating the role of a parent of children with disabilities. She has worked as a substance abuse counselor and was recently diagnosed herself with a neurodevelopment disorder.
Select Board members liked her enthusiasm and the fact that she highlighted the lack of accessibility on the town’s website.
The second candidate was Teri Turgeon, who spent 10 years on the School Committee, as worked as a teacher and administrator with special needs students and has advocated on behalf of her daughter, who is blind.
“Teri, please don’t go anywhere,” Select Board member Doreen DeFazio said.
