Halifax selectmen unanimously approve mutual separation agreement with town administrator

The Halifax Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Thursday to approve a mutual transition and separation agreement with Town Administrator Stephen Sobel Jr.

The board’s chair moved to sign the agreement as presented and enter into the proposed mutual separation and transition agreement; the motion was seconded and the board voted "Aye" three times, yielding a 3-0 vote in favor. The chair said the agreement has been drafted by legal counsel and awaits signatures and verification of a few items before final execution.

Committee members used the floor after the vote to thank the administrator for his service. One committee member said, "I just, I wanna thank Steven for his service here to Halifax. This is a tough gig." The chair and other members noted the administrator’s role in supporting a "much smoother, notably, town meeting" the night before.

The chair told the public the agreement is a public document and that, if a records request is made, it would be available within 10 days under Massachusetts public-records practice. He reiterated that legal counsel advised a short time delay before posting and said the town hopes residents will know the plan "sooner rather than later."

The agreement will be executed after the usual verification and signature steps required by town legal counsel; the board did not state an exact effective date beyond those procedural steps.