Note: Having interviewed all four finalists, the Town Council is expected to make a decision tonight on which of those candidates will be Wakefield’s next Town Administrator. Liz Hartsgrove and Ann McGonigle Santos were interviewed by the board last Thursday.
One of the finalists is anticipated to replace Stephen P. Maio, who retired as Town Administrator on July 3.
Liz Hartsgrove, Assistant Town Administrator, Bourne
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — Liz Hartsgrove earned a master’s degree in public administration in 2022 from Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School. Her resume includes working as Assistant Town Administrator for the town of Bourne for nearly three years. She also held a number of administrative positions with the town of Barnstable over more than eight years, from 2014 to 2022.
When Town Councilor Doug Butler noted that historically, Wakefield had never had a Town Administrator who did not live in town, Hartsgrove responded by assuring the board that she “plans to be here and be present,” adding that her family was in full support of her pursuing the Wakefield position.
Town Councilor Brian Fox asked Hartsgrove to comment on the fact that former Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio had 21 staff members reporting direct to him.
Hartsgrove said that she did not necessarily see that number of direct reports as a problem but would have to see how it worked. She added that in her current position in Bourne she has eight people reporting to her directly, but in Barnstable she had over 20.
Councilor John Crisley asked how she has worked with different constituencies with conflicting agendas.
Hartsgrove said that she viewed differences of opinion as a positive thing that in the end produces better results.
Councilor Jonathan Chines asked Hartsgrove to talk about her performance management process.
Hartsgrove said that she would meet with department heads every other week and hold full team meetings once a month. She said that she is goal-oriented and tends to follow up on assigned tasks through regular check-ins.
Asked by Butler to discuss her approach to updating and modernizing systems, Hartsgrove said that it would be her job to look for ways to improve things for the next generation. She described herself as a “well-organized” person who is good at strategic planning and getting things streamlined.
Councilor John Carney asked Hartsgrove to comment on the Town Charter’s description of the Town Administrator as an “ombudsman,” balancing policy vs. dealing with the public.
Hartsgrove said that she is no stranger to having negativity spewed at her but would not tolerate it directed at her employees. She said that it is important for the public to understand how a given policy was developed.
Council Chair Mehreen Butt asked how Hartsgrove would introduce herself to the community.
Hartsgrove said that she knows how to acclimate herself to the culture of a community. She said that her first few months would be spent “listening and assessing and getting things aligned to goals.”
Chines asked Hartsgrove to talk about a time when she’s had to challenge the status quo.
She stressed the importance of understanding how change impacts people. Habit and tradition need to be respected, she said, but not at the expense of hindering growth.
Ann McGonigle Santos, Suffolk U. Dean of Law, Graduate Student Affairs
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — Ann McGonigle Santos received a BA from Brown University in 1988 and earned her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law in 1992.
From 1997 to the present, she has worked at Suffolk University and Suffolk University School of Law. For 16 years, she was an Associate Professor of Legal Writing. She served as Associate Dean of Students at the law school for more than nine years and Interim Dean of Students for 16 months. For the last two years, Santos has served as Dean of Law and Graduate Student Affairs at Suffolk University.
Santos was elected three times to the Wakefield Board of Selectmen/Town Council, serving on the board from 2013-2022. She is a 1984 graduate of Wakefield Memorial High School.
At her interview last week, Santos told the board that she is very happy in her present job and was not looking to change until the Town Administrator’s position opened up.
“I have been vested in this community since I was a youth,” she said. “It’s a town I feel strongly about.” She said that she could bring her outside experience to the job and insisted that her time on the Town Council would inform her skills as Town Administrator.
Santos was asked about making sure that polices and initiatives like the Housing Production Plan, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and the Economic Development are followed and implemented.
Santos said that some of those plans fall under different departments but that a small group of people could be assigned to monitor followup.
Councilor Brian Fox noted that the Town Charter specifically calls for the the Town Administrator to have previous experience in municipal management. He asked Santo how her experience related to that.
Santos pointed out that the Charter also allows for comparable experience. She said that as an attorney, she is trained to look at contracts, and working in a district attorney’s office requires the ability to negotiate with people.
As a Town Councilor, she met with department heads and worked on nine municipal budgets, she said. She added that she has been involved with budgeting and crisis management in her current job at Suffolk University.
She insisted that she feels “very comfortable” in a managerial role.
In response to a question from Doug Butler, Santos said that some town departments need to be updated in terms of technology. She said that she would approach improving the downtown in smaller steps rather than one “grand plan.”
Councilor Stacy Constas asked about residents’ concerns that their small town is changing.
Santos said that she understood the concern, but added that growth and diversity are good things. She talked about a need to bring “the loudest voices” to the table.
Council Chair Mehreen Butt asked about Santos’ budgeting priorities.
Without hesitation Santos cited the Police and Fire departments. “If you don’t fund those well, you pay for it in spades,” she said.
She added that it was important to look at real budgetary needs vs. things that are just nice to have. She hoped that if budgetary cuts have to be made, it would not come from personnel.
In response to another question, Santos said that she could see holding the job of Wakefield Town Administrator for 10 years. She maintained that living in town would make her more available.
Butler asked Santos about any public backlash if her hiring were viewed in terms of her being an “inside candidate.”
Santos said that she’s heard a lot of enthusiasm about her potential and did not consider herself an “inside candidate.”
“I have been successful at every position I’ve had,” she said.