News

Interim chief poised to take Rockport reins next week

By Jonathan L'Ecuyer
Staff Writer
Published: July 9, 2009

ROCKPORT — Edgar Gadbois will take the reins as Rockport's interim town administrator on Monday.

Yesterday, a pleased Gadbois said he was looking forward to working with selectmen to maintain the quality of government Rockporters deserve and expect.

The agreement outlining the terms of his temporary employment is under review by town counsel, but is expected to be finalized by the end of the week, officials said.

The Falmouth resident said he'll make the roughly 120-mile journey to Town Hall tomorrow to meet with outgoing Town Administrator Michael Racicot and Selectmen Chairman Sandy Jacques.

Jacques was equally pleased with the appointment, saying Gadbois' "extensive experience," "style of management," and his ability and willingness to aid Rockport in its search for a permanent administrator were the qualities that most helped the municipal management veteran land the position. Though nothing precludes the interim administrator from seeking the permanent job, Gadbois said he will not a candidate for the permanent post.

"(Gadbois) is long on experience, has a great personality, and comes highly recommended by the towns that he's served over the years," Jacques said yesterday. "He came across in the interview as a much more mature, experienced, and outward-going person who could be, and told us he'd be able to be, forceful when necessary."

The interim town administrator will fill the position until a permanent town administrator is selected. Officials expect the interim will serve for a period of three to five months.

"This is one major milestone to getting the town on track and on a better track for the future," Jacques said. "He needs to hit the ground running ... we're going to rely on him a lot."

Gadbois, 72, boasts more than 30 years of municipal administration experience, including four years as mayor of Marlborough in the 1970s.

Gadbois will work three days a week in Rockport, fluctuating between Monday through Wednesday and Tuesday through Thursday, he said; however, he will remain in Rockport for a fourth or fifth day if a situation requires more time, he said.

His first order of business next week will be to meet with the town's department heads.

"The first (task) is to quickly gain the confidence of the department heads and players in local government," Gadbois said Tuesday, "because you're a short-timer and they know they don't need me, I need them."

Unlike the other candidates interviewed Tuesday, Gadbois anticipated and answered many of the board's questions in his opening statement during which he discussed his background, management style, and intentions.

"I communicate directly with the (selectmen) chairman, that's who I listen to and contact," Gadbois said Tuesday. "My door is open to the public or any selectman who wants to see me, but I won't take orders from any selectman, it has to go through the chairman."

Gadbois — who quipped that Rockport must have about 90 percent of its population serving on a volunteer committee — said he believes in bringing people together to work through issues, but that talk only gets the town so far and that he is capable of making a decision when one has to be made.

"I'm a believer in consensus building, but once consensus has been established, decisions have to be made," he said, adding he wouldn't take control over matters. "In the form of government in Rockport I've observed so far, it's a consensus building type of town and the selectmen are in charge of local government."

Selectman Charles Clark asked each finalist how they would approach the issues currently facing Rockport, including preparation for fall Town Meeting, the Community House building project, train station renovation project, and ongoing union contract negotiations. Four contracts — AFSME General Unit, AFSME Supervisors, Police Patrolmen, and Police Superior Officers — expired June 30 and the interim administrator is expected to work with town counsel to push those negotiations forward.

Gadbois said he didn't foresee any problems as the issues put forth by Clark are normal fare on a town administrator's crowded plate.

He began his career in education as a teacher and later principal before entering municipal administration. He spent eight years on Marlborough's City Council before serving two terms as the city's mayor.

With four children to support, Gadbois said he opted against running for a third term as mayor in order to enter the more "stable" career path of a town administrator. "I thought being a town administrator would be more stable, boy was it an eye opener," Gadbois said during his interview Tuesday, inciting laughter from selectmen and residents alike.

He served as town manager of Northfield, Vt., for 10 years and as an administrator in Rindge, N.H. for six years before accepting the town administrator position in Framingham where he would retire after eight years of service.

Since retiring, Gadbois has served as interim town administrator in several communities including Douglas, Wellfleet, and, last year, as acting town manager in Great Barrington.

Gadbois beat out Robert F. Canevazzi of Plymouth, who most recently served as town administrator in the Cape Cod town of Dennis, and William F. Ketcham of Adams, who served twice as city manager in Newburgh, N.Y., and worked four years as town administrator in Adams.

Meanwhile, Racicot will complete his final day in Rockport tomorrow after nearly eight years on the job. The 58-year-old Beverly resident will begin serving as interim town administrator in Sturbridge next week.

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

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