Town Manager Praised For 'Moving Framingham Forward' in Annual Review

Framingham Selectmen gave high marks to Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin in his annual review Tuesday night, August 4.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with five being the highest, Halpin received a composite score of more than 4 on every major category, as well as the fiscal year 2015 goals.

A 4 rating means the manager “meets and often exceeds expectations.”

A perfect 5 rating would mean the manager “meets and consistently exceeds expectations.”

Halpin was hired as Framingham’s Town Manager in 2012.

“The town is in extremely capable hands and I am quite confident we will continue the significant progress that has been made as a team under Bob’s leadership during these past three years,” said Framingham Selectman Michael Bower.

“Bob’s tenure and lengthy list of accomplishments is proof positive that when the board selects an individual of Bob Halpin’s caliber, one who brings years of valuable experience as a professional Town Manager to the position, the Town of Framingham and its citizens are very well served,” said Bower.

Selectman Cheryl Tully Stoll congratulated Halpin on “another great year.”

She said Framingham is ”moving in the right direction” under Halpin’s leadership.

She and Selectman Laurie Lee both told Halpin to keep up the good work.

Halpin’s review came on the same night of the final Selectmen’s meeting of Assistant Town Manager Jen Thompson, who will leave Framingham Friday. She will become the Town of Plainville’s new Town Administrator.

Halpin said he posted the Assistant Town Manager position internally this week.

Each of the town’s five Selectmen were asked to rate Halpin on several categories, as well as a handful of fiscal year 2015 goals. The scores were averaged and made public last night.

Below is a part of Halpin’s review, and the comments read by Selectmen Chair Charlie Sisitsky.

Personal Qualities Composite Score = 4.62
“Members of the Board described the Town Manager as being a true professional with excellent management skills and a strong command over town issues and departments. The Board described him as a thoughtful, energetic and dynamic leader who always looks for new challenges and opportunities to improve our community. One Board member acknowledged that this was a challenging year and that Mr. Halpin successfully navigated through some complex political processes and issues. Board members also expressed positive comments relative to Mr. Halpin’s honesty, trustworthiness, judgment, integrity and enthusiasm.”

Community Relations Composite Score = 4.34
“Board members indicated that Mr. Halpin is well known in town and an important part of the community attending many civic events. They commented that Mr. Halpin’s visibility in the community has facilitated a great relationship with the public. They acknowledged that the Town Manager has his hand on the pulse of the community and has added much credibility to the town. The Board also felt that the Town Manager is well respected and that he has hired some real top notch employees for Framingham.”

Leadership and Professional Capability Composite Score = 4.64
“In this particular section the Board described the Town Manager as being a strong and effective leader who has a clear vision for the town and is not afraid to make tough decisions to make Framingham a better place to live, work and play. He was recognized for his ability to navigate from one complex municipal issue to another. Mr. Halpin was praised for delegating authority to Division Heads and encouraging all departments to operate as a team using strong interdepartmental collaboration focused on town-wide goals.”

Negotiation of Contracts with Bargaining Units and Vendors Composite Score = 4.07
“Mr. Halpin was recognized for being able to hold the town side of personnel expenses within a rational and more sustainable range. The Board acknowledged his wealth of experience in this area and noted that his track record here in Framingham has been exemplary. Board members noted that Mr. Halpin has worked hard to bring consistency to the various union contracts and that he has brought “out of the box” thinking to contract negotiations. The Board also commented that Mr. Halpin works closely with Town Counsel to resolve disputes that benefit the Town.”

Communication with the Board of Selectmen Composite Score = 4.15
“The Town Manager received mixed reviews in this particular area. Some Board members felt that Mr. Halpin was a strong and effective communicator who keeps Board members well informed of issues in advance. However, some members did feel that there is room for improvement in this area. A few Board members commented that they would appreciate hearing things directly from Mr. Halpin, including high level personnel changes, before hearing them through the “grapevine.” The majority of Board members did score Mr. Halpin well in this area with some suggestions for improving communications with the Board.”

Staff and Personnel Relationships Composite Score = 4.59
Members of the Board described Mr. Halpin as someone who leads by example and has the respect and support of his department heads and employees. They acknowledged the many employee recognition activities that he has implemented and that they have been very well received by the staff. Mr. Halpin was also recognized for implementing a Leadership Academy demonstrating his forward thinking and value for our employees. Board members commented that he has proven that his management style is excellent.”

Business and Finance Composite Score = 4.46
“The Board of Selectmen described the Town Manager as being an experienced fiscal manager who has a clear understanding of the Board of Selectmen’s priorities regarding the budget and tax rate. They commented that he has worked diligently with the CFO and other Departments to make sure that the fiscal goals of the Board have been met.”

Evaluation of FY15 Specific Goals
Goal # 1: Implementation of 2014 Town Meeting Initiatives: Composite Score = 4.66
Goal # 2: Financial Planning Tools: Composite Score = 4.52
Goal # 3: Leverage Technology: Composite Score = 4.15
Goal # 4: Organizational Leadership: Composite Score = 4.72
Goal # 5: Economic Development, Neighborhood Preservation, Housing & Open Space: Composite Score = 4.31
TOTAL Composite Score for Specific Goals: 4.47

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