New Beginning
I want to start my first update for the eNewsletter by letting everyone know how happy and excited I am to be working in Truro. During my 25 years as a resident of the Lower Cape, I have come to appreciate the natural beauty and unique character of Cape Cod’s smallest Town. I promise to work hard to manage the Town in a fiscally responsible manner and to preserve the character that means so much to our residents and visitors. I plan to have an “open door” policy as Town Administrator, and I look forward to meeting and hearing from all of you.
Here is my “To Do” list for the month of October:
1. Meet with the Selectmen to develop FY2012 goals for the Town Administrator. The Selectmen and I agree that having a clearly defined set of goals is the best way to ensure that we are all moving in the same direction with the same objective.
2. Review the Selectmen’s FY2012 goals with the Board and the Staff. It is worth noting that some of the Selectmen’s goals for FY2012 have been accomplished already. The designation of Truro as a Green Community and the timely mailing of the fall tax bills occurred within the first quarter of the fiscal year. I will implement a model whereby teams of Staff will be assigned to implement the other goals for this year. That way, there is clear communication from the “top down” about what the priorities are, and we can measure our success at implementation. We will report back to the Selectmen on a quarterly basis.
3. Meet individually with all department heads. I already know a number of the department heads, but I want to meet the ones I don’t yet know and also have an opportunity to find out what’s happening in their departments and to hear what their short-term and long-term goals are for the department. These meetings will take place during my first week on the job.
4. Prepare for the Special Town Meeting. While I am coming late to the table for the meeting, I want to familiarize myself with all the articles and the background associated with each one. I will rely heavily on the Assistant Town Administrator, Town Accountant, and Town Clerk to bring me up to speed. I also look forward to working with the Town Moderator and Selectmen to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly and efficiently.
5. Continue participation in the reorganization of the Barnstable County Municipal Health Group (BCMHG). Many of you may know that the State legislature recently approved significant changes to the municipal health care system. These changes are intended to provide substantial savings to the cities and towns. At the same time, BCMHG wants to ensure that our employees have options for plans and services that meet their needs and ability to pay. Important decisions will be made over the next several months about the types of plans that will be offered and their costs. We will keep you updated.
6. Continue to participate in regionalization discussion with other Lower Cape towns. The four towns on this side of the rotary continue to meet and discuss possibilities for sharing services and staff. At the State level, we are moving beyond the study phase, and funding is now available to implement some of these ideas. If we have learned anything over the past couple of years, it is that regionalization is complicated and difficult. But we will continue working toward that goal and resolving the obstacles and issues that stand in the way.
My first day in the office will be October 3. Please stop by or feel free to contact me by e-mail or phone. I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful fall weather and fewer cars on Route 6.