SalemNews.com, Salem, MA

Local News

Discussion

The Salem News has a real-name policy for commenting. Users may sign in using the Facebook Connect tool above the comments field. Once your first comment is posted by a moderator, all future comments will post automatically. If you prefer not to use Facebook, send an e-mail with your comments user name (which must be the same as your real name), city or town, street address and daytime phone number to comments@salemnews.com. A staff member will contact you directly to confirm your identity. It may take a day or two before you can post comments. Only your user name will be public. All users are required to follow our rules for commenting, which can be found here.

comments powered by Disqus
January 1, 2013

Wenham hires firm to develop budget

By Jonathan Phelps Staff writer

WENHAM — After receiving only one bid, selectmen last week unanimously voted to hire a private financial firm to run the Finance Department on a temporary basis.

Selectmen Chairwoman Molly Martins said Baystate Municipal Services Group Inc. has been contracted by the town until July 31.

“We are confident that they will do a good job for us in providing the services we need on a temporary basis,” she said.

The firm’s hiring is part of a transition plan to get the town through the budget process after Finance Director Paula Bartlett resigned earlier this month to accept a job from a former employer.

Several other companies expressed interest in the contract but either didn’t have the staffing or experience with the town’s accounting software, according to interim Town Administrator Mark Andrews.

Martins said the board will discuss at future meetings how to fill Bartlett’s position.

Bartlett, who was promoted to the job permanently this summer after serving as the department’s interim director, is the third director to leave Town Hall in three years. Her salary was $78,000.

Martins said the board spent a fair amount of time checking references and doing research on Baystate Municipal Services before hiring the firm.

“When we took up the vote, nobody had concerns that were unanswered,” she said.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News

AP Video
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media Wave of Attacks Kills Scores in Iraq Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings Commuters Face Delays After Conn. Train Accident Raw: Swarm of Tornadoes Slams Plains Raw: Fierce Bombing in Qusair, Syria RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado Raw: Accused US Spy Reportedly Leaves Russia AP CEO: Records Seizure 'Unconstitutional' Fatal Hot Air Balloon Accident in Turkey Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest 'Babyland': Camp Lejeune's Toxic Legacy? Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Comments Tracker