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Clarksburg Resumes Search for Town Accountant

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
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CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials are making a second try for a town accountant.

The Select Board on Wednesday interviewed three candidates — all with fairly extensive accounting backgrounds — but felt a key experience was missing for each one: Municipal accounting.

It was a factor that came up during each 20 to 30 minute interview, and an indication of the board's reluctance to entertain any on-the-job training or refreshment courses.

It's not surprising after the small community suffered through several years of fiscal woes, when errors seemed to be multiplying and state forms were not being submitted on time.

"We definitely don't want to go back to where we were before," said board member William Schrade.

The job was reposted on BerkshireJobs.com on Thursday.

The town's finances have been on track for nearly two years, and everything seems to have been going smoothly over the past 18 months with Town Accountant David Fierro Jr.

Fierro, however, indicated in early January his intention to leave the part-time post; the board accepted his resignation "with regret" last week. He is also the city auditor for North Adams.

"It's so important everything is done on time. We've been spoiled," said Chairman Jeffrey Levanos, to one candidate. "You're not coming into a shambles and we don't want to go back into that muck."

Board member Linda Reardon championed one candidate, believing she could easily be brought up to speed on the town's software and needs. Schrade disagreed, saying, "we're looking for someone to be able to walk in this door and get going."

But Reardon pointed out budget season was upon them. "We  don't hire, if we readvertise, would it be another month?" she asked.

Town Administrator Carl McKinney said an extended period without an accountant could affect "the integrity of our data."



"I don't think we're at a crisis stage right now," he added. "I think we have several months before it becomes a critical situation."

McKinney said he had reached out during a recent town managers' meeting on possibly sharing an accountant, but did not get any takers. He said other options were to hire a company to do the accounting work or readvertise requiring municipal experience and hire from a temp agency to fill the post in the meantime.

He thought the lack of candidates could be because of the county's small employment pool, that the post was part time, and that any accountant interested in a part-time job might already be tied up with obligations during tax season.

Board members thought it was important to have an individual rather than a company to ensure the accountant would have hours in Town Hall.

"If we decide to hold off, I'd rather readvertise first before going to a company," said Reardon.

The board on Wednesday also gave final approval to a new compensation and classification plan hammered out last month.

In addition to smoothing out the step process, reclassifying highway jobs, raising rates and changing the one-year employment date, the plan adds a 30-year step and removes the police department. Instead, officers and the sergeant (all part time) will get a flat rate, with no steps, but will accrue cost-of-living raises. The police chief will be a contracted position; the board met in executive session Wednesday night to negotiate that contract.

"We owe this to them," said Reardon of the town's employees. "Last year they got nothing and we told them they would be renumerated. That's a commitment we made."

Schrade and Levanos said they could support it to town meeting.

"Our employees are the lowest paid, our salaries need to be boosted up," said Schrade. "This is cleaner, it has steps that can be followed and starts people off in the right way."


Tags: accounting,   municipal finances,   

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North Adams Regional Reopens With Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz welcomes the gathering to the celebration of the hospital's reopening 10 years to the day it closed. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The joyful celebration on Thursday at North Adams Regional Hospital was a far cry from the scene 10 years ago when protests and tears marked the facility's closing
 
Hospital officials, local leaders, medical staff, residents and elected officials gathered under a tent on the campus to mark the efforts over the past decade to restore NARH and cut the ribbon officially reopening the 136-year-old medical center. 
 
"This hospital under previous ownership closed its doors. It was a day that was full of tears, anger and fear in the Northern Berkshire community about where and how residents would be able to receive what should be a fundamental right for everyone — access to health care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. 
 
"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years. It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated county wide system of care." 
 
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and closed on March 28, 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 
 
BMC was able to reopen the ER as an emergency satellite facility and slowly restored and enhanced medical services including outpatient surgery, imaging, dialysis, pharmacy and physician services. 
 
But it would take a slight tweak in the U.S. Health and Human Services' regulations — thank to U.S. Rep. Richie Neal — to bring back inpatient beds and resurrect North Adams Regional Hospital 
 
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