New financial officer proposal moves slowly, steadily
By Doug Grindle Community Reporter

Marlborough - At the Nov. 27 meeting of the Marlborough School Committee, Mayor Nancy Stevens told committee members to go slowly on moves to hire a citywide chief financial officer.

Committee member Joseph Delano had asked for a report from the school district administration on the desirability of creating a chief financial officer (CFO) for Marlborough.

But Stevens said the committee was not the best place to bring the proposal forward. Instead, she said, it ought to move forward in the City Council first.

The City Council is considering a rash of proposals that were originally contained in a December 2006 report from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR), which suggested ways for the city to change how it handles its responsibilities. Creating a new CFO for the city is one of the suggestions.

The DOR report states: "We recommend that Marlborough create a consolidated finance department under the direction of a chief financial officer and combine the treasurer and collector's positions through special legislation."

Delano said the city needs to knit the operation of the city and the school district more closely together.

Currently the financial matters of the city and the district are handled by two separate administrations, although they cooperate closely at budget time, Delano said. The change would make mistakes less likely and improve performance, he added.

Marlborough School Superintendent Barbara McGann said she supported the idea of a citywide CFO.

"I would welcome a concept like this," McGann said.

Delano was recently elected as Ward 1 councilor and said he expects to take up the idea once he is sworn onto the council in next year. He said he expects action on this issue will come from other city officials as well.

"I am thinking it will come down from the mayor," Delano said.

Issues related to union rules and changes to city ordinances would likely need to be resolved, city officials said.

The rate of progress of implementing the DOR report became a campaign issue in the race for mayor this past fall.