First Selectwoman Wants A Chief Administrative Officer

by Marcia Chambers | June 27, 2006 10:41 PM | | Comments (10)

It turns out that Cheryl Morris, our well-paid Branford First Selectwoman (she earns $86,586 annually as the town’s chief executive) seems all too willing to surrender the responsibilities of the position to which she was elected.

If her new town reorganization plan goes through, she will appoint a full time “professional” Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) who will take over the day-to-day running of the town at a salary as yet undisclosed.
Back in February the RTM gave Mrs. Morris the $25,000 she asked for to hire an efficiency consultant who would make recommendations to streamline town government. She said then that current town government was not set up in the most efficient or accountable way. For one thing, there were 22 departments, all reporting to her. That was too many. So she hired Dr. Lesley DeNardis, an efficiency expert and consultant, to conduct a study. Its aim: to reorganize town hall. DeNardis has done so.
In a related development, even though the Monday Board of Finance’s (BOF) agenda did not include the DeNardis report, Morris unexpectedly presented the plan at the Board’s meeting. Pam Fowler, an RTM member, wrote Morris that many people would have attended this meeting but had not done so because Morris had made “firm statements” to Fowler that as First Selectwoman she would call a special meeting at a later date to discuss the plan because DeNardis was getting married. Instead Morris apparently pulled a fast one, and put the issue before the BOF.
The report is about to be released. Last Friday, Branford’s department heads learned through a power point presentation that under the proposed re-organization 22 departments will be reduced to 11.
Just as significant, according to an outline of the presentation obtained by The Branford Eagle, is the creation of a Chief Administrative Officer position. Mrs. Morris hadn’t mentioned this idea back when she sought funding, several RTM members said.
And guess who the 11 department heads would report to? You might think it would be Mrs. Morris since she found the number 22 unmanageable. No. The 11 remaining department heads would report to the CAO. And what else would this new CAO do? Why, the CAO would manage “the day-to-day operations of the town departments,” the summary says.
We thought the Eagle’s readers might want to know how Dr. DeNardis describes the possible functions of the CAO. We presume she discussed these ideas with Mrs. Morris to get her input just as she discussed with department heads how their offices functioned. We remind you that nothing here is cast in stone—this is not the full report. But the gist of the CAO’s job description, according to DeNardis, is to:
1. “Act as a liaison with the RTM, the town’s legislative body.
2. Oversee and coordinate the operation of town departments.
3. Prepare administrative policy issues.
4. Assist with budget preparation and in the drafting of proposed ordinances and resolutions.
5. Make recommendations for improvements in town policies, procedures and programs.
6. Represent the chief elected officer at briefings involving federal and state agencies.
7. Present and prepare reports on behalf of the Board of Selectman (for?) the town’s boards and commissions.
8. Be responsible for current and future needs of the town.
9. Provide executive leadership to town government in the temporary absence of the First Selectman.
10. Provide other duties as assigned by the First Selectmen and Board of Selectman.”

Sounds to us like the duties Mrs. Morris assumed when she was elected to Branford’s top office in November.
From the DeNardis outline it is not clear if any town employee’s job is in danger. But if this plan goes through, Branford town hall will be reorganized.
“Infrastructure” (how do these folks come up with these titles?) will oversee the current departments of public works, engineering, facilities/capital projects and solid waste. “Community Development” would include the current departments of Economic Development, Planning and Zoning, the Building Inspector, Inland Wetlands, and something called Public Information Grants. We were hoping that Inland Wetlands would be protected from community development rather than included in it, but we don’t want to quibble just yet.
The Finance Department would now include the tax assessor, the tax collector, the accounting and purchasing departments, all of which seem to make some sense. And the Animal Control folks would be deposited under the Police Department, a move that has both pros and cons.
Charter revision, which DeNardis discusses in this reorganization, won’t go anywhere because it was soundly defeated, with the help of Democrats, at a recent RTM meeting.
Whatever merit might be in the reorganization plan, why does it require a new chief administrator to assume the duties of the First Selectwoman? If she had this new chief, what might she be able to do?
Well, she would have more time to attend Chamber of Commerce luncheons or look in on flower shows or cut ribbons here and there or inspect those clam beds in Stony Creek.
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Comments

Posted by: Pam Knapp | June 28, 2006 12:44 AM

Just when I think I have seen it all from the Morris/Marcus regime, they pull out yet another trick! This is simply outrageous. As much as I regret my vote for Cheryl Morris, the people of Branford elected her to govern our town. What's next - a move to change the town of Branford to the "kingdom of Branford" to better suit Morris's desired role as our figurehead queen?

Thank you, Branford Eagle, and Marcia Chambers, for the brilliant reporting - and insight.

Posted by: Upset Resident | June 28, 2006 11:45 AM

Branford residents need to speak out immediately, if Cheryl Morris cannot handle (and she has demonstrated that so far she cannot) the job she was elected to do then she should resign immediately.

To allow this "reorganization" to take place under the premise that this will make town government "more efficient" is a crime.

Branford Residents WAKE UP!! and start shouting otherwise we will have the equivalent of an $80,000+ Walmart greeter in the corner office at town hall and another $80,000+ job for the real first selectman (mind you not elected, appointed) that handles the real workload in the back office.

Posted by: Eliza Cleveland | June 28, 2006 12:06 PM

Given what is going on with the courts looking into the Town's 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 property revaluation, and what may come out of that (Branford paying back the taxes that were paid by people who live in houses fraudulently listed as "custom?" See previous Branford Eagle article.), it is inconceivable that First Selectwoman Morris would incur more expenses by hiring a Chief Administrative Officer. What are we paying her to do? The town is going to be in big trouble financially if we have to pay back property tax monies that were improperly levied. Ms. Morris is spending money hand over fist what with all of the monies going to the Marcus Law firm to sit in on all of the political meetings in town (unnecessarily), and now a new town position. And of course let us not forget charter revision where she wants to pay six council members that would replace our RTM members who volunteer their time. Branford citizens demand fiscal responsibility and accountability!!

Posted by: Michael T. Nardella | June 28, 2006 12:11 PM

When the request for a Consultant came before the Administrative Services Committee I expressed great skepticism as to why it was needed and why the town had not fully utilized the resources of the different organizations around the state – for which we pay to belong to at the tune of about $18,000.00. I made a simple request to CCM and was provided organization charts on about five towns, our size – the information was also sent to First Selectwoman Morris. Additionally there was no scope built into the plan for a Consultant and the $25,000.00 is “just the start� of the potential fees - I am on tape conversing with first Selectwoman Morris regarding this issue.

Responsibility and accountability start at the top by example and a foundation of principle. Putting responsibilities on others does not motivate Department Heads to take on more responsibility – it just builds Bureaucracy.

Michael T. Nardella
Member of Branford RTM – 1st District - Republican

Posted by: Gilbert kelman | June 28, 2006 1:18 PM

Members of the Branford Democratic party and their DTC members,if they want
the party to reflex their values rather than the present Democrat First Select person and want their party to better appeal to the local voters, than they must react to the present Democratic administration by rejecting what there proposals and propose other alternative that they will work to have the voters support their alternatives.

Posted by: Gilbert kelman | June 28, 2006 1:32 PM

Members of the Branford Democratic party and their DTC members,if they want
the party to reflex their values rather than the present Democrat First Select person and want their party to better appeal to the local voters, than they must react to the present Democratic administration by rejecting what they are proposing and propose other alternative that they will work to have the voters support as their alternatives.

Posted by: Gilbert kelman | June 28, 2006 1:32 PM

Members of the Branford Democratic party and their DTC members,if they want
the party to reflex their values rather than the present Democrat First Select person and want their party to better appeal to the local voters, than they must react to the present Democratic administration by rejecting what they are proposing and propose other alternative that they will work to have the voters support as their alternatives.

Posted by: peter Jackson | June 28, 2006 2:40 PM

Marcia Chambers is a treasure. Thanks for chronicling the chaos so well.

In Branford we are living in a climate of total distrust and almost daily that distrust is reinforced. Why have charter revision when it's easier to merely change the structure of the existing government? This empress has no clothes (or principles), but, unlike the children's tale, we all do see, and it's not a pretty sight.

Posted by: The People [TypeKey Profile Page] | June 28, 2006 3:25 PM

I wonder who is going to be "appointed" to run Branford (since Cheryl is unwilling/unable to) as Chief Admin. Officer? Maybe it will be Ed Marcus? Maybe Cheryl's husband, Bruce? Or how about Ed's wife, Jill, or daughter, Shelly? Maybe we should check the lists of donors to her campaign PACs to see which developers she owes. Or even better, how about a couple of Cheryl's super stars (read "suck-ups") on the RTM like Jim Bruno or John Smith? But, the good news there is that if either of them is given the job, he would have to step down off the RTM...at least that's what it says in the Town Charter... We expect that Cheryl will appoint a CAO whose past job experience is at least as appropriate as was Michael Brown's experience with the International Arabian Horse Association when he was given the nod by President Bush to run FEMA. So we wait in great anticipation to see what other special interests or cronies are given the royal nod for this position. Because these days it seems that anything goes down there at Branford Town Hall.

Posted by: Beverly | June 29, 2006 3:01 PM

So !!
Now Branford is learning what 'dirty politics' is available to those who have the intention of having absolute control..remember that saying "POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY" ??

Watch out Branford and remember 'freedom is NOT free".

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