ADAMS, Mass. — The town of Adams got two good-news items on Wednesday: it's getting
both a supermarket and a town administrator by the end of the month.
The Selectmen on Wednesday unanimously voted to enter into a three-year contract with Jay Green, an Amtrak manager, after a series of executive session meetings over the past few weeks.
"I am excited and I am ready to participate and help move the town forward and represent the people of the town of Adams," Green said. "This community and the whole Northern Berkshire community is near and dear to my heart so I am ready to go."
Late last month, the Selectmen voted to hire Green, an attorney and former administrative officer for the city of North Adams, as the new town administrator. Although there was a clear consensus among the board, Green still had to accept the job and execute a contract with the town.
Green will be paid a base salary of $90,000. Each year he would be eligible for up to a 5 percent raise of his base salary that would be based on a performance review.
This decision came after the departure of Tony Mazzucco in late 2017. The town hired Community Paradigm Associates to help administrate the process after the original search yielded few results.
The Selectmen also voted to waive the residency requirement.
"I think because of your proximity to Adams and with the technology, we have to be able to communicate back and forth to react to anything I will go along with the waiver," Selectman Joseph Nowak said.
The town's charter allows the Selectmen to determine if the town administrator must live in town. Green is a resident of Pittsfield.
Green will start in his new post on March 25.
"I am grateful to be here. My door will always be open and please be patient with me," he said. "I am rusty from eight years in not being in municipal government but I am looking forward to getting the rust off and digging in"
In other business, the town also ratified the hiring of Pittsfield's building commissioner Gerald Garner.
"I think he brings a lot of experience and we had a number conversations about customer service and being able to respond to people applying for permits," interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan said. "I think we are kindred spirits in liking to have a high level of customer service so I am excited."
Garner had been the town's interim commissioner and took over after Don Torrico left in 2018.
He will start at a $75,284 salary.
"It is is very difficult to find a building inspector and we have been through this process quite a bit and we have had building commissioners come and go," Nowak said. "In order to have someone come on board, you have to offer a good salary."
The Selectmen also ratified the hiring of Kevin Towle as senior planner. Before this Towle, was executive assistant to the town administrator.
