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Select Board debates HR gap analysis and tables consultant decision after contentious exchange
Summary
The Select Board discussed hiring a consultant for an HR gap analysis to update outdated town policies; some members favored a consultant-led gap analysis under $10,000 while others requested input from the town HR director before proceeding, and the item was tabled to Sept. 18 after a heated exchange among board members.
The Select Board debated whether to hire an outside consultant to perform an HR gap analysis and update town personnel policies during its Sept. 4 meeting.
The chair said the board identified HR as a top priority for policy review and proposed contracting a consultant who would report directly to the board under the town charter. One board member proposed a gap analysis that would compare current policies with best practices and deliver draft policy language the town could adopt: “Somebody should come in and say, this is what best practices look like… and then what it should look like,” he said.
Several members argued the HR director (Jocelyn) should be invited to the Select Board meeting to provide input on scope and current status before the board authorizes consultant work. Concerns included scope, cost and jurisdictional reach; the chair suggested an initial engagement of under $10,000 to determine a scope of work.
The discussion became personal and heated as board members exchanged sharp remarks about process and communication; the chair asserted the item was not about individuals but about managing risk and modernizing policies. Following those exchanges, the board agreed to table the matter to the Sept. 18 meeting and directed staff to invite the HR director to discuss the proposed scope and next steps.
Next steps: HR director to be asked to attend the Sept. 18 meeting for a focused discussion about scope and needs; the Select Board will then decide whether to commission a consultant and, if approved, specify a scope of work and budget.
