Hebron selectmen confirm town manager's pick for director of administrative services amid debate over job description

The Hebron Board of Selectmen confirmed the town manager’s appointment of Dorianne (Dori) Wolf as director of administrative services on July 10, voting 3–2 to approve the appointment effective Aug. 16, 2025.

Why it matters: The director of administrative services is a senior operational post that works closely with the town manager and board. Several selectmen said they were concerned about process and transparency because the job description being used for the hiring dates to 2013 and some board members said they had not received a formal up-to-date job analysis before interviews and the appointment.

The motion, read at the meeting, asked that the board “confirm the town manager’s appointment of Dorianne Wolf as director of administrative services effective 08/16/2025.” Selectman Dan Larson supported moving forward, citing the need to maintain staffing continuity and to begin training the incoming director. Selectwoman Tiffany Taylor and Selectman Keith Pettit said they opposed confirming the appointment before the board had reviewed an updated job description and had time to consider whether duties that had been performed “above and beyond” the written job description should be formally included in a revised position description.

Town Manager Andy (first name used at the meeting) and others said the hiring process followed standard practice, that the job description used in the recruitment and interviews matched the version used in recent hiring rounds, and that a four-person panel had recommended candidates to the town manager. The town manager’s office advised that the incoming director would serve a six-month probationary period the board may extend in three-month increments if needed.

Vote and outcome: The roll-call vote recorded Dan Larson, Sean Fitzgerald and Claudia Riley as voting yes; Tiffany Taylor and Keith Pettit voted no. The appointment therefore passed. No amendments to the appointment were made at the meeting.

Discussion and next steps: Several selectmen asked staff to schedule a workshop to examine job descriptions and how duties are assigned across town offices. Members argued both sides: some said delaying the appointment would create operational hardship and loss of continuity; others said the board has a charter duty to review and approve job descriptions and that the optics of approving an internal candidate before that review were poor.

Clarifying details noted at the meeting included that the posted job description dated from 2013; the hiring panel that forwarded candidates to the town manager consisted of four people; the appointee is an internal candidate who has already been carrying out many of the office’s functions alongside the incumbent; and the appointee will be subject to a six-month probationary period that the board may extend in three-month increments.

No formal administrative changes to the job description were adopted at the meeting; selectmen directed staff to arrange further review and workshops and to provide the board with any job analyses and related documents referenced by a prior chair.