
An article will be on the Town Meeting warrant to change the title of executive assistant to something different. (Photo/Caroline Gordon)
HUDSON – Does the title “Executive Assistant” scream “town leader”?
Former Select Board member John Parent doesn’t think so, and on Jan. 13, he made his case to the Select Board as to why the title of one of the town’s most important positions should be changed to something more appropriate.
The Select Board unanimously placed the issue on the Town Meeting warrant.
Tom Gregory currently serves as the Executive Assistant in Hudson, which is akin to Town Manager and Town Administrator roles in other communities. A former Assistant to the Town Manager in Shrewsbury and Assistant Town Administrator in Walpole, Gregory has broad authority over operations in many departments in Hudson.
However, the title of Executive Assistant may compromise that authority, said Parent.
When working with other communities, past titleholders have had to send a copy of the town charter to prove they had necessary authority to act on behalf of Hudson, Parent said. Questions would arise about why the Executive Assistant was signing something, rather than the oft-expected Town Manager.
Plus, Parent said, Executive Assistant caused confusion in the hiring process, deterring certain qualified candidates from applying and attracting multiple applications from people who assumed the title belonged to a clerk-type role.
“What kind of authority does this person have? That issue came up time and time again … I think if you Google it or ask anybody, the general connotation of the title is an individual who assists an executive. But the duty of our ‘EA’ is to manage all departments of the town, with the exception of the School Department, on a daily basis on a myriad of issues that require little to no oversight,” he said.
“A more appropriate role would be Town Manager,” Parent added.
And Parent was clear — Gregory was not involved in exploring the title change.
“He made it pretty clear to me, without stating an opinion one way or another, that he took the job knowing what the title was, and his only concern is doing the best job he can for the town of Hudson,” said Parent.