The Department that Connects the Town – The Town Administration Staff

If you think of a town's various departments as the human body, the Town Administration Staff surely has to be the mouth. The four women that communicate the importances' of every other town office and make up the Town Administration Staff (under Town Administrator, Robert Mercier and Assistant Town Administrator, Thomas Hickey) are: Executive Assistant to the Town Manager, Janis Critch, Principal Clerks, Pauline Gillingham and Sandra Madigan, and Senior Clerk, Jean Gallant. These four wonderful women make sure all the other town departments can communicate naturally and makes sure everyone is on the same page for important Selectmen and other meetings, along with dealing with concerns from the public.

“We put info together from meeting to meeting, draft the agendas, get the chairman of various boards approval, and deal with residents issues,” stated Critch, detailing the generalities of the job.

One major issue the Town Administration Staff deals with is the town's annual report. Gillingham heads this endeavor which she describes as, “basic fundamentals about every department in town and reports of town meeting minutes. It's everything you need to know about Burlington.”

The Town Administration Staff books the bi-monthly selectmen meetings and the tri-annual town meetings. Explained Critch: “Bylaws that want to be looked at have deadlines that are submitted through us. The law requires we post meeting schedules and agendas two week before and I tell you, it can be trying to get all important members on board at the same time.”

As far as communication with residents go, Senior Clerk Gallant is the first line of defense in helping concerned citizens with a problem. Gallant mentioned: “Communication with residents is a big part of our job. Ninety-nine percent of the time we can help and find out what's really going on.”

Gallant explained that it's not uncommon at any point during the day to have a few people on hold, even with Gillingham and Madigan backing her up. However, the Town Administration Staff refuses to use automated service message because they feel it's unfair to town residents looking to call up and speak with an actual person who will immediately respond to their query.

Moving on to budgetary concerns, Madigan handles these, becoming known around the office as “The Negotiator” for her shrewd business tactics that has saved the town a good amount of funds during her tenure.

“If I get an invoice I don't like,” details Madigan, “I'll call and negotiate a better price, one I think is more appealing to the town. I never take the first answer if I think I can do better. Like last year, their was an overcharge on shipping fees on Christmas decorations for the town. I spent a while talking to several different people in the company, but they were just unfair. Eventually, I had them drop the fees.”

Recently, the Town Administration Staff helped organize Student Government Day in which high school students shadowed various town officials for the day and had a mock town meeting. The event climaxed with a dinner at with town officials and the students.

Sadly, Patch's meeting with the Town Administration Staff was somewhat bitter sweet. Executive Assistant, Janis Critch, will be retiring after 15 years of service in the upcoming weeks. Taking her place with be the 13 year veteran, Gillingham. To replace Gillingham, new recruit Vanessa Ranieri will be transferred from the Town Clerk's office.

Gallant summed up the Town Administration Staff and why it functions so wonderfully when she stated, “this office runs the way it does because we all really want to be here. We look forward to coming to work. Out of all the departments in town hall, we seem to be the happiest.”

If you have a concern with the town or want some information on the various departments, give the Town Administration Staff a call at (781) 270-1600.