NORTHAMPTON — Executive members of the Hampshire Council of Governments began negotiating a new contract for Executive Director Todd Ford on Thursday amid concerns about turnover and financial pressure.
The preliminary negotiations took place in closed session, and included “a long discussion” about what would and wouldn’t be open to the public, according to Executive Committee Chairman Bill Barnett.
Barnett told members of the full council, which met after the closed session, that since Ford’s contract will soon expire, board members need to first evaluate his performance. Ford’s leadership came under fire earlier this fall when Belchertown leaders penned a fiery letter, ringing the alarm over what they say are high turnover rates within the organization and a lack of accountability.
Beyond announcing the evaluation needed to be done, Barnett was unclear on what he could say in the public meeting on the topic.
“It’s just become complicated,” Barnett said, turning to the council’s attorney, David Lawless. “Would you like to explain this so I don’t violate the law?”
Lawless told the full council, a 16-member board, that executive members began negotiating Ford’s contract.
“That’s an ongoing process at this time,” he said. “Given (negotiations) happened in executive session I believe that’s all that can be said.”
Members of the full council then voted unanimously to extend Ford’s current contract — which was set to expire Jan. 11 — to Jan. 31 of next year to allow for more time for the negotiations.
Meantime, the council voted to table replacing board member Michael Sarsynski, who resigned last week.
Barnett said because Sarsynski, a former member of the executive committee, “up and resigned with no notice,” the council must also contend with replacing him.
Arthur Pichette, a Westhampton councilor, said he would miss Sarsynski’s dissenting voice.
“I did disagree with him on a number of things,” he said. “I’m going to miss him to that degree.”
Sarsynski said Monday that between his work on other community boards, his full-time job and newly married life, serving on the council’s board “became too much.”
Sarsynksi was known for asking tough questions about the HCOG’s direction during his intermittent 20-year tenure.
“Many times I was the odd man out and it became — it wasn’t any fun any more for me,” he said of his resignation.
The Gazette filed a public records request for the written portion of Ford’s evaluation, and Lawless said that’s being processed.
Ford, who attended Thursday’s meeting, previously disputed criticisms from Belchertown leaders that turnover rates are high.
The council is a 15-town consortium, representing mostly rural towns in Hampshire County, that pools regional resources to provide services to its members. Fees vary from town to town, based on population and services.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.