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Duff'em If You've Got'em
 North Adams Regional Hospital went smoke-free Monday — so did all its sister sites, from Sweet Brook to Northern Berkshire Family Practice to the Women's Exchange. No ashtrays, no smoking: No butts about it. |
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Town Administrator Resigns in AdamsBy Tammy Daniels - September 11, 2008
iBerkshires Staff
 | | William F. Ketcham |
ADAMS — The Selectmen voted to accept the resignation of Town Administrator William F. Ketcham after a brief executive session Thursday morning.
Ketcham's position with the town has been the subject of rumors since last week; town officials had sequestered themselves at least three times to discuss the embattled administrator's future.
Selectman Joseph R. Dean Jr. registered his disapproval with the process by breaking with the voting block of Chairman Joseph Solomon and Selectmen Edward MacDonald and Donald Sommer. Selectman Michael Ouellette was absent.
"I didn't like the process from beginning to end," said the longtime selectman afterward. "It was a waste of time and talent."
Neither board members nor Ketcham would comment on the reasons for his resignation nor whether he had been forced out of the job.
Solomon said the board had not received a written resignation letter but confirmed Ketcham's employment with the town ended effective Thursday. Town Counsel Edmund St. John III said, "I don't know you'll see a letter of resignation."
Former Town Administrator William F. Ketcham walks away. |
The board met very briefly in executive session, according to the motion read by Sommer, "to discuss strategy which affects collective bargaining and litigation. Open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the government's bargaining or litigating poitison. And also to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiation of nonunion personnel, to actually conduct collective and contract negotiations with nonunion personnel and to come out in open forum."
After coming out of executive session, they voted to accept Ketcham's resignation and then to appoint Sommer as interim administrator.
Dean voted "no" to going into executive session and abstained on both votes taken after. "I just wanted people to know how I felt about the process," he said.
Ketcham was not in the meeting room. As the board met behind closed doors, he descended the stairs from his former office with a black folio in his hand. He waved to the small group waiting outside the doors and said, "See you around."
Outside Town Hall after the meeting, he declined to say anything about his reasons for resigning, or about what he would do with his newly free time.
"I'm afraid what I'm going to have to do to you is say, 'no comment,'" he said, and walked away.
Solomon said a search committee for a new administrator would be formed Oct. 1. Despite the town's difficulties in the past finding a chief officer, Solomon said he did not anticipate a problem, adding the process does take months.
"I'm actually excited to see who's out there," he said.
No evaluation had been completed on Ketcham's performance to date, though Solomon said it "was in the process."
Dean was unhappy with that lack of a report card and the prospect of months without a full-time administrator to steer the ship. He'd had to step into the position in the past: "Some things just don't get done."
Ketcham's tenure has been rocky at best. The Selectmen had tried to replace him last year after he decided to leave at the end of his three-year contract following a blistering evaluation. But the town found no serious takers and ended up asking Ketcham to stay. He was being paid $85,000 annually.
He had not been in his office for days and had met with the board in executive session on Monday.
Dean said he also could not comment on what had occurred behind closed doors other than to say the goal had been "to separate amicably."
Selectmen and St. John would not comment on whether Ketcham would be compensated for his early departure; he is one year into his second three-year contract.
The executive meeting minutes would not be released, said St. John, adding that that didn't necessarily mean negotiations were under way. "It just means that the entire process is protected by the nature of the confidentiality that arises in that process."
He declined to comment on whether there actually are continuing negotiations. |
| The truth of the matter is that the Adams Town Administrator has nothing to do with the Patriots loss to the Miami Dolphins. It was the poor defense and the loss of quarterback Tom Brady. | | from: The truth | on: 09-23-2008 |
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| Follow the money trail. To pay what ever they did ha d to come from his aproved salary. Now the question is what will be left? When can a new Administrator be hired? Next year . | | from: Kid | on: 09-17-2008 |
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| ...because the truth will hurt. The information is being suppressed for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, the principal reasons - failure of the board to do their jobs, ineffective planning and budgeting, improper training and followup, etc. - will not be discussed or considered during the new selection process - if there is truly going to be one. When Bill resigned the first time, there was a selection committee set up to review the process and set the search criteria on behalf of the board. Don Sommer railroaded the committee, pushed behind the scenes to re-sign Ketchum, the other board members jumped on the bandwagon and that was the end of it. There were a few committee members who learned about this railroading in the press. They weren't even deemed worthy of an up-front courtesy call. This mistake on the part of the board, made because of their lethargy and arrogance, is going to cost the town dearly. The $40k for Bill to walk, plus the cost of the search committee and lost time. Don't be surprised, folks, if there is no search and the board just drops some cronie in off the street. If you want to apply pressure to assist with the information release, just visit the Adams Tammany Hall on Park St and present your protest. Who knows, you may even catch a glimpse of Ed MacDonald or Joe Solomon on site if you're there close enough to 7 o'clock on a Wednesday. The only time they ever turn up. | | from: Amazed | on: 09-17-2008 |
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| resident- if what you say is true- then was dont they tell us the details? The more they leave it to our imagination the worse it gets. They should just come forward and tell us the facts! | | from: wondering | on: 09-17-2008 |
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| I too have seen and heard enough from people who don't know the truth. The selectmen made a decision that they felt was in the best interest of the town. | | from: Resident | on: 09-16-2008 |
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| It's time to shut down this comedy club. Gentlemen, you may take your leave of the board now...all except Mr. Dean...who had the scrupples sufficient to actually take a stand on the ethical high ground. This "FIRING"...he was forced to resign...was ill-timed, ill-advised, and only serving the political grandstanding needs of a bunch of political neophytes who don't deserve the chairs they sit in. Please, please, please...do not run again or you will be held accountable. Mr. MacDonald, please take note, there is enough dirt on you amongst your FORMER supporters...of which I am one, I'm sorry to day....for you to remain silent and in the background for the remainder of your term. Please don't let the door hit you on the way out. Understand that if you choose to hurt my town further, I will be forced to remain silent no longer. I have heard and seen enough. Now please, just go away. | | from: ANGRY AND DONE HERE! | on: 09-16-2008 |
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I'm sorry to say that the foul odor in the Town of Adams is nothing more then the stench of back door politics by McDonald and Company! After all, didn't he say : "Heads are gonna roll if anything but Chevy cruisers are purchased!" Sorry Mr Ketchum but your poor unsuspecting head was the first on the chopping block.
Each televised meeting is nothing more then another episode of a Comdey of Errors. The flopping and fluttering Mr Sommer is now acting Town Adminstrater. The polemical divine Mr McDonald who can be seen sitting there plotting and ploding while absorbing all the power he can channel - whose your next victim? Mr. Solemon why can't you form your own unbiased opinion? Sorry gentlemen but let us form a subcommittee to review why we form subcommittees. Mr Ouellete, sir, why the Houdini act - sign the dirty deed and be off with you!!!
Mr. Dean, our humble gratitude is with you. You are applauded for your stand. The mighty oak of the board will not fall to the ill winds that sweep across the table. Its too bad the others do not listen to your words of experience.
Gentlemen, with the exception of Mr. Dean, please do your town a favor and not seek re-election! You are not representing the best interests of the Town but personal interests of your own. By the way, the ethics laws are very specific - holding court at the Grille after meetings is illegal! | | from: Politically Disgusted | on: 09-15-2008 |
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| BANG!...did you hear that? Disgusted hit the nail right on the head. | | from: Faithful reader | on: 09-14-2008 |
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| Resident, it is not up to Mr. Ketcham to do for the town, he is an employee of the Board of Selectmen. It is up to THEM to set the agenda, his job is to carry it out. He hasn't had a set of goals or real tasks since his first contract. They brought him back, sang his praises and left him to flounder. And before anyone thinks Ed MacDonald is some hero for not signing his contract, let's not forget he voted the raise for him after the review that's mentioned in this article. So you can blame Ketcham for not doing anything for Adams but you'll be wrong, the blame is with the board for failing to do its job by its employee. | | from: Disgusted | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Why are you surprised about Joe Solomon? Joe was very clear about his intentions. This was a step stone. He wanted higher office. Remember how he announced his intention to run for Bosley's seat seven months after he was narrowly elected? I voted for him and regret it. Like MacDonald, it was all about where he could go from here, it was never about the actual work for the town. Am I disappointed in him? Yes. Did I expect more? Yes. Am I surprised? No. His performance over the past two years has been pathetic. | | from: Oh No | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Well, nothing's changed in Adams! Same secretive selectmen who believe citizens don't need to know what's going on, they no better! I would have expected better from Joe Solomon. I thought we were voting in new blood to change this way of doing things? You let us down Joe! I didn't expect any more from Quellette. The position of interim Town Administrator will be a wonderful opportunity for Sommer to further feather his nest. He has a good history of this in town! I guess we are just never going to have good open government in Adams. | | from: Really Disgusted! | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Where are all you critics when election time rolls around, if you want changes then why don't one of you step up to the plate next May and make those changes, get them out of office. | | from: Adams Citizen | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| And as far as the understanding goes, your post alone speaks to the fact that you don't have a clue as to what just went on here. Maybe you're a board member...which of course speaks to the fact that you don't have a clue. We, the citizens, understand more than you realize. We just stay quiet most of the time....but not this time. Just be ready when it all hits the fan. | | from: To Resident | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Yea, funny how time changes things...and how incompetence changes things...and suppression of information....and overall poor board performance, etc. Yea, this time Joe Dean did the right thing and the others screwed up...big time. By the way, the board settled and paid the administrator $40k for anyone who wants to know. Deny it all you want guys, it's good info! Good job...now we pay half his salary for NO service at all. Plus, of course, the cost of a new search. And don't thing Don (3 weeks in Austria coming up) Sommer isn't part of the price we now have to pay for the boards screw up. | | from: Um No | on: 09-12-2008 |
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It seems that the people who answer these forums are typically those that don't understand and find the need to blame whomever makes a change. Think about it - what has Mr. Ketcham done for the town? Wasn't it Joe Dean who said the last time he was reviewed that Bill is a nice guy, but nice guys don't always cut it. Everyone thinks that Joe Dean was the hero this time....funny how time changes everything.
| | from: Resident | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| As town residents and tax payers don't we have the right to know what happened? | | from: Anon | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Three board members is a quorum and if it's within the boundaries of town, it's an illegal meeting! Something else to report to the state ethics commission. Any witnesses out there willing to make the call? | | from: To Adams Citizen | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Interesting. I would hope it's not more than two of them because any more than that and it would constitute a quorum of the board...which would of course require an open meeting law posting. Of course, they've shown that they really don't care about open disclosure so I guess, for them, it wouldn't matter. What's one more illegal action. | | from: Amused | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Just want to clarify to interested bystander that there are only 3 of the 5 selectmen that frequent the Grille after Wednesday night meetings and Joe Dean is not one of them!! If you want to know who they are just drop in and see for yourself! | | from: Adams citizen | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| The town government has been dysfunctional for the last five years. Only when the citizens of Adams stand up and refuse to support Selectmen like Sommers and McDonald and their slash and burn policies will anything change. | | from: pmbakid | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Want to know what really goes on in town? Just stop by the Grille on Wednesday nights after the selectmen's meeting. It's where they all gather afterwards. | | from: interested bystander | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Actually, calls have been made to both the state attorney general's office and the ethics commission. Unfortunately, they move slowly and quietly. The more citizens who call, the better. Understand that supposedly there is a confidentiality agreement attached to this in addition to the payoff. I've heard anywhere from $20-$40k. Where is the money coming from? The taxpayers of Adams of course. I don't care where they extract it from the budget, the money only has one source. Nothing will change, people, until all citizens stand up and speak out. What has happened here is a travesty driven by arrogance and ignorance....a letal combination. Joe Dean did the right thing, Mike Ouellette chickened out and the other three power mongers strutted their stuff. Unbelieveable! | | from: Amused | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| We're off to see the wizard to find our brains, our heart and our courage...of which we have none...signed, Adams Board of Selectmen.... | | from: Here we go again | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| I am simply astounded that nobody has filed an open meeting violation against this board. I understand that they held at least two illegal meetings throughout this unbelievable process and if Ketchum was paid off( and he was) where is the money coming from to pay the next victim? Give me a break | | from: astounded | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Could you have waiting a little longer? Perhaps Christmas or just around his birthday or whenever that is? Mr. Ketchum as a young son just going into high school. The school year just started. This should have been done months, if not over a year ago. But of course, you all voted to take the summer off with no untelevised workshop meetings where you could have taken care of this business without hidden executive sessions. You guys are just absolutely terrible across the table...no brains, no soul and now no heart. Time to resign boys. | | from: Oh My | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Remember Mr. Selectmen...the performance of your underlings is a DIRECT reflection on you. You set no goals, did no performance reviews, have no real plans for the town. All we can wish and hope for is that you all are next. Can we expect an announcement of YOUR resignations.....please....with sugar on it?!!!! | | from: Here We Go Again | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| What I find equally amazing is the fact that the townspeople let the selectmen get away with this kind of back room garbage. To me, this is not about Ketchum's performance. This is about a group of guys thumping chests (not you Mr. Dean, you stood alone) and screaming look at us, we're tough in a vain effort to distract from the ineptitude of their OWN performance these past few years. I used to live in Adams until a few years ago and man, I'm glad I left. | | from: Oh My | on: 09-12-2008 |
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| Our town government has been taken over by the village idiots. I cannot believe they have the power to make something like this happen. Donald Sommer in charge? Could you pick a more ignorant, inexperienced person to fill in? I think its time to sell my home and move out of this community. When these guys are done there will be nothing left. | | from: Disgusted | on: 09-11-2008 |
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| Adams town administration at its best. Good job Joe...at least you showed that you have principles and a moral standard. The way this process has been handled is a mockery and a slap in the face to the people of Adams. I have never bore witness to such arrogant disregard for the people and a town employee as I've seen this past week. Just when I thought the selectmen couldn't degrade themselves or the position any further. I should not have been surprised given past performance. | | from: Amused | on: 09-11-2008 |
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| Well if this doesn't beat all. It's like a game of Hide and Seek with the Adams Board of Selectmen. Behind closed door meetings, Town Counsel saying minutes won't be released so we'll never know how much this cost the taxpayers. And worst of all Don Sommer in charge. And some kind of muzzle put on Bill Ketcham. Where was Michael Ouellette, he was elected to do a job no matter what the schedule, not to be there no excuse. Good for Joe Dean to vote no on this ridiculous process! The entire situation is a disgrace to Adams. | | from: Adams Resident | on: 09-11-2008 |
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