Town Manager's Agreement Released

Details of the employment termination agreement between the Board of Selectmen and the current town manager were released Tuesday night during the Selectmen’s weekly meeting.

The release of executive session minutes offered some insight into the process the selectmen went through after determining that they would when it expires at the end of this month.

The major details of the agreement have been published in the media and are a matter of public record. The main points are:

• The town manager will be retained for four months on a full time basis until October 31. During the four month extension of his current contract, Suso will receive his current salary and benefits and will continue to accrue vacation and sick time.
• On Nov. 1, Suso will be paid a stipend of $7,500 for International City/County Management Association accreditation.
• By Oct. 1, the board will notify the Town Manager, if it wishes to extend the agreement an additional two months to December 31.
• If  Selectmen does not extend the town manager’s contract through December, the town will pay its share of Suso’s health and dental insurance for November.
• Upon completion of employment, Suso will be paid for all accrued and unused vacation time.
• Suso has the right to terminate the agreement before its expiration date, after giving the board 30 days written notice.
• The Town Manager waives and releases all claims, known or unknown, against the town.

During the past few months Suso has engaged in a job search and has been in the running for comparable positions in other municipalities, But so far he has not been offered a job in another town.

In March, the Selectmen decided not to renew Suso’s contract. At the time, the selectmen cited a lack of vision on the town manager’s part to lead Framingham to where the selectmen think it should be.

A committee was formed and a consultant hired to expedite the search for a town manager. The Board of Selectmen will meet with the committee and the consultant on July 26. The consultant, the Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston, is expected to present a profile of Framingham and the town manager position at the meeting.

Richard Kobayashi, of the Collins Center, indicated at previous meetings with the Board of Selectmen that the profiles are based on interviews with the selectmen and other stakeholders in town.

The profiles, along with an official job description that needs to be prepared by the town’s personnel committee, will form the basis of advertisements for the town manager vacancy. The Collins Center handles all advertising for the position and it will screen resumes as they come in.