Moorecol.12-10-2004 . . . .19 Hed : A closer look at that 4-1 board & an idea By BOB MOORE You may have been startled, as I was, when you read last week that former Selectman John Kahn felt that the present Board of Selectmen was somewhere "between nonfunctional and dysfunctional." After all Kahn, in his effort to improve local government, had been largely responsible for the election of the majority of that 4-1 board that had been coming under fire lately. In an analysis of the present government in last week's Tab, News reporter Craig McCormack let Kahn and others give their opinions. In the caption under a large picture of the board in session, McCormack drew attention to Kahn's assertion found near the end of the story. Well, I just want to report that members, in a long session on Thursday, did nothing to let Kahn down. They were at sea in how to handle discussions with Vanguard, the for-profit hospital, interested in purchasing MetroWest Medical Center from Tenet. And some of the meeting resembled an unseemly street corner brawl [You're another!] between Chairman Christopher Ross and Jim Rizoli, a seeker of some action from the board on illegal immigrants, and a seeker of a selectman's seat in the upcoming April 5 election. Back and forth it went for nearly 10 minutes with Ross unable to find a chairman's way to conclude the spitfire. The rancor hung over the meeting as other objectors pressed selectmen for "action" on the "illegal immigrants question." SOME DOUBT - But it was the joint session with three Natick selectmen that pointed up the board's indecision. Natick selectman Jay Ball read a draft of the position of the two towns which they would present to the State Health Council. That position would then be passed on to the State Department of Health to compare with Vanguard's proposal. Then : a decision to pass or refuse Vanguard's petition. OK. If you'd been watching, it was plain that Ball's reading and his comments showed the difficulty of hammering out details on what this non-profit hospital would provide at the Natick and Framingham campuses. It was also clear that Vanguard - whatever services it might offer - was looking for assurance of sufficient income. But is was clear that some in Framingham were hoping for a Vanguard agreement that would assure "townies" of services they had or thought they had with Tenet. In what was said and not said, it seemed evident from preliminary talks that Vanguard was careful in what it promised. Selectman Esther Hopkins, who served on the two-town committee dickering with Vanguard, felt that protection of the low income and ethnically underprivileged people would be adequately served. Ball and Hopkins were members of that negotiating committee. The payoff of the joint session came when Natick Selectman Charles Hughes held up the draft agreement that had been delicately phrased, and asked, repeatedly, "Are you signing this agreement to pass on to the Health Council or not?" Well. Hard to say. "I came here tonight to sign this agreement," said Selectman Katie Murphy. Suggesting, I guess, that Framingham needed to do something to carry the negotiations further. Until Dec. 21, the towns have time to agree for presentation to the Health Council. The joint meeting had been called to agree on what the towns wanted from Vanguard. You didn't need to be an atomic scientist to see that a negotiating position hadn't been agreed upon. In the Framingham camp there seemed to be an idea that goodwill and not dollars would prevail in dealings with a for-profit hospital. So Hughes repeated: "Are you signing this, or something else?" In the end, a meeting will be held next Monday to work out a position on what they thought they could, or should, get. Ross felt it was time to adjourn the joint session and Natick Selectman Chair John Ciccarelli said, "Well, good luck on the rest of your meeting," as he and Hughes and Ball left the room. This is the first time I had come this close to the hospital negotiations, and I got the impression that a readiness for tough choices had been delicately avoided so far among Framingham participants. Something has to be presented to the Health Council by Dec. 21. Next Monday looks like decision day. But you never can tell. WHAT'S GOING ON? - Just like that. Chief Finance Officer Virginia Cahill is leaving next month, becoming our third CFO to up and quit . . . . after nine months, and we haven't heard a single word about our Fiscal Year 2006 budget - something we have to vote on come late April. Three up; three gone since the office was formed six years ago to add strength to working on financial matters. First, there was Mark Rees who walked to take a similar job in North Andover. After three years. Then there was Robert Adelson, a man with State House experience in dealing with budgets and a strong aide to Town Manager. After two years. Remember how carefully he plotted the reasoning in explaining the groundwork for costs? Gone after two years to a less stressful job in Arlington. For nearly a year, we then went without a CFO. No one applied for the position paying $100,000 year. Then King discovered he had Cahill and raised her from treasurer to CFO. It worked. Now she's taking an offer to be a consultant advising towns on setting up systems, something King is now doing. I recall how grim she looked and remarked that the $100 K job called for "walking barefoot on hot coals." After nine months, gone. Bob Joy, the manager's righthand man in Human Resources, is leaving next month, and there's talk of a resignation coming in the inspection department soon. Joy, a systematic boss who set about reorganizing job descriptions - the man who gave those "Sorry to see you leave" departure talks as the workforce was trimmed in recent years. Heck, is there anyone left? I can't help mentioning that King, in setting up his new contract with the board, made a change this year. Instead of adding another year to his three-year position, he took a raise, a substantial expense account and the right to consult with other towns who wanted to improve their systems. And - if he leaves, he will continue to get his health perks for three years after departure. His contract runs out in June 2006. THAT BOARD - The board is made up of : Chair Christopher Ross, Vice Chair Katie Murphy, former chair Charlie Sisitsky, former chair Esther Hopkins and left out, Ginger Esty. Uh -last week I called Ross, "Chris Ford." Foolish me. Everyone knows Ross as chair - he looks like a man who's breaking in new shoes that are too small. Every time I refer to it as "the 4-1 board," I get a lot of calls. And it seems that phrase has stirred a number of people. Ross and Hopkins are up for re-election April 5. And we all know there are seven, including the incumbents, who want those two spots on the board. Residents upset by the board's singlemindedness realize there is a way to get two new members and a change in attitude. It's even got perennial protester Jim Rizoli to run. Not good. All he wants is to get even; he hasn't the patience needed for the job. He's laughing at Ross. Hmm. Ross welcomes Rizoli's candidacy : The more who run, the less chance there is in beating the incumbents - Ross and Hopkins. As one of the candidates told me, "There really is a way to make your vote count." __________________________________________________________ You can reach Bob Moore 1-508-620-1449 [Let it ring; he's slow.] ,or by edmoore4@aol.com. To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@syslang.net with body unsubscribe frambors (the subject is ignored). Please read the Frequently Asked Questions maintained online at http://frambors.syslang.net/faq/about.html before posting or replying.