To interview or not

Bethel meeting dispute over hiring

By FRITZ MAYER

KAUNEONGA LAKE, NY — Everyone agreed that he is a very competent person. The dispute was over whether others who expressed interest in the job should be interviewed at all.

The job is the manager of the Bethel Local Development Corporation (BLDC) and the issue was raised at a meeting of the Bethel Town Board on September 9. Board member Vicky Vassmer-Simpson made a motion that the town board recommend to the BLDC that it hire Alan Scott to be the organization’s new manager when the current manager, Susan Runnells, leaves the post next month.

Scott, who is the CEO of the Industrial Development Corporation, the supervisor of Bethel for 16 years and founded the BLDC during his tenure, seemed a likely choice for the post.

But after the motion was made, board member Denise Frangipane pointed out that at the August board meeting of the BLDC, the board had agreed that the interested candidates, of which there were five including Scott, should all be interviewed. The other candidates reportedly had varied resumes, lived in the community and some would have made good candidates.

Sometime before the town meeting on September 9, Scott had withdrawn his name from consideration for the post. Vassmer-Simpson said she did not know if Scott would accept the offer now if it were presented to him, but she said the town board should move ahead with the resolution.

Frangipane conceded that Scott might well turn out to be the best candidate for the job, but the others should, at least, be interviewed. Resident Gail Rubenfeld sided with Frangipane and asked why the board wouldn’t want to do the interviews.

The answer from Vassmer-Simpson was that she knew that Scott was the best candidate, and both previous managers, who had given good service to the town, had been appointed without interviewing any other candidates.

Supervisor Dan Sturm also expressed the view that Scott would be a very good manager.

The town board passed the resolution four to one, with Frangipane voting no. That vote, which technically was a suggestion to the BLDC board, made the offer essentially a done deal because the BLDC board is comprised of all five members of the town board plus two members of the community.

Scott did not return a call seeking comment on whether he would accept the offer.