Plymouth County Commissioners approve new Assistant Administrator position
Six-page job description requires bachelor's degree and includes duties to support commissioners' policies and goals through county administrator.
PLYMOUTH - June 26 - Plymouth County Commissioners unanimously approved the creation of a new Assistant County Administrator position during their June 26 meeting, with County Administrator Frank Basler presenting a comprehensive six-page job description for the role.
The position requires a bachelor's degree, with public administration preferred, and includes a minimum of five years supervisory experience. Commissioners modified the original draft to make the bachelor's degree a firm requirement rather than preferred qualification.
"I realized that I have been a choke point over the last couple of years with the great amount of projects and programs that the county's doing," Basler said. "This is a great investment in the future and being able to offer better regional solutions because it'll give us more horsepower to look at more options and also assist the commissioners in their programs and ideas, bring those to fruition."
The job description outlines specific duties that are "easily bundled and we can manage and measure the assistant administrator's execution on them," according to Basler. The position focuses on supporting the commissioners' policies and goals through reporting to the administrator.
Commissioner Greg Hanley advocated for strengthening the educational requirements, suggesting the minimum should be a bachelor's degree rather than preferred. "I think the minimum requirement should be a bachelor's degree in public administration because that's specialized," Hanley said.
Commissioner Sandra Wright supported adding public administration as a preferred concentration, noting it could help attract higher quality candidates who wouldn't require as much training.
Chair Jared Valanzola agreed with making the bachelor's degree a requirement, saying he wanted "the preferred minimum bachelor's degree" while remaining neutral on adding the public administration specification.
Basler explained his reasoning for initially making the degree preferred rather than required, citing experienced administrators he has encountered who lack formal education but possess strong skill sets. However, he accepted the commissioners' modifications.
The position will be advertised through the Massachusetts Municipal Association marketplace and professional publications until filled. Commissioners expressed urgency in posting the position, with Wright emphasizing the need to get the advertisement out as soon as possible.
"I just would rather get the talent pool out there because other MMA people, other advertisements in the MMA marketplace are" competing for similar candidates, Wright said.
Basler provided his original job description from 10 years ago for comparison, showing how the county's needs have evolved from a one-page position description to the current six-page comprehensive outline.
"That was to show you what you hired me for," Basler said, referring to his original hiring documents. "And now we're hiring a doctorate," he added, highlighting the increased complexity of county operations.
Treasurer Tom O'Brien praised the hiring decision, calling Basler's original appointment "an excellent hire" that "serves the exact purpose."
The commissioners also handled several other significant items during the meeting. They accepted American Rescue Plan Act administrative costs of $38,780 and received updates on ongoing ARPA fund distributions to communities.
Treasurer O'Brien reported that some communities are returning unused ARPA funds, which can be redistributed to other communities through the county's overage obligation system. This mechanism allows the county to avoid returning money to the U.S. Treasury by having pre-approved applications ready for additional funding.
The commissioners approved Byrne Grant check presentations totaling over $180,000 to the City of Brockton and Town of Plymouth for digital radio upgrades and other fire department improvements.
They also authorized acceptance of specialized dredging equipment worth approximately $110,000 from the Central Plymouth County Water District Committee. The equipment includes a hydraulic boat dredge, air-cooled outboard engine, and mobile trailer that will be used in conjunction with the county's existing pond management program.
"It's brand new. It has never been used," Basler said of the dredging equipment. The county will take title and provide insurance while the water district maintains the equipment and provides indemnification through a memorandum of understanding.
Register of Deeds John Buckley reported recording approximately 3,500 more documents than the previous year, with the office coming in about $500,000 higher than estimates. The increase primarily consisted of mortgage refinancing rather than purchase mortgages.
The commissioners approved various personnel changes, including the promotion of Tia Quinn to administrative assistant for accounts payable and human resource information systems, effective Aug. 13. Quinn will replace Tammy Correa, who is retiring after 25 years with the county.
Insurance premiums for the coming fiscal year will increase by 10%, which Basler described as favorable compared to other counties experiencing 15% increases. The county carries a 215% premium surcharge due to recent claims history, including flood damage.
The Plymouth County OPEB Trust continues strong performance with a 3.62% return in May and an annualized five-year return of 10.29%. The trust now holds $3.997 million, with $972,000 representing earnings and interest since the program's inception.
Commissioners canceled their July 17 meeting due to scheduling conflicts and will leave any July meeting subject to the call of the chair. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 14.