Despite Earlier Controversy, Selectmen Approve Appointment of Town Manager's Executive Assistant

Selectmen ratified appointment of Dawn Dunbar as Executive Assistant to Town Manager, replacing Patrice Garvin effective Oct. 7. Town Manager Mark Haddad said he met with the Personnel Board earlier in the day, and that they supported the appointment. The Personnel Board had raised their objections at last week's Selectmen's meeting that the process used to fill the position had not been openly posted or advertised for potential applicants.

In addition, the Selectmen ratified the appointment of Land Use Director Michelle Collette to the Insurance Advisory Committee, and Tax Collector/Treasurer Michael Hartnett as Alternate Representative to the Minuteman Nashoba Health Group.

Haddad updated the Board with the close out of the Fitch's Bridge Construction Project which he said "came in under schedule and under price." He said of the $480K budget, $442K was spent and included funds from the Community Preservation Fund and the Stabilization Fund, where he plans to return the unspent funds. "This project is outstanding and it is the best public project I have ever been involved in as town manager."

In other business, Selectmen approved appointment of David Manugian to the Finance Committee to replace long-term member Mike Flynn and to support appointment of a seven-member committee to expand the town's trail system.