Barry Fontaine knew when the residents of Cranston elected Steven P. Laffey as their next mayor in November his job could be in jeopardy.
Still, he hoped that his work as the city’s Recreation Director for the last four years would speak for itself and that the new mayor would want him to remain part of the team.
That wouldn’t be the case. Earlier this month Fontaine and 13 other Cranston city staffers were notified by Laffey’s transition team that their services would not be needed in the new administration.
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“It’s never easy,” he said. “At the time when I was told, I was actually working on the budget, trying to save the city some money. When you hear those words you are feeling a gamut of things …. it’s like a knife going through your heart; there were tears.”
Fontaine isn’t alone. With a host of newly elected officials about to take office throughout the state, staffing is up in the air at many of the state’s city and town halls. Providence Mayor-elect David Cicilline has already begun appointing key people in his administration. So far, all of them are new.
“This shouldn’t be a surprise to people,” said Richard Bennett, principal of the Bennett Associates, a Norwell, Mass.-based executive search firm that specializes in government jobs. “It is reasonable to assume that especially in an organization with an elected chief executive, there will be change. Most people know that this is the price of admission to be evolved in the political structure. “
Still there are some that hope for the best. The 38 remaining staffers in Gov. Lincoln Almond’s have all sent their resumes to Governor-elect Don Carcieri’s transition team, according to Joe Pomposelli, business manager for the current administration. He says that the office staff is currently in limbo.
“Most people do realize that we serve at the pleasure of the governor,” he said. “We have had staff meetings recently asking the staff not to anticipate anything, to plan on being dismissed. The new governor has not asked anyone to stay at this point.”
That would create 38 new positions for Carcieri to fill and according to Bennett, successful transitions are as much about hiring as they are about firing.
“Not everyone have a civic mission,” he said. “Sometimes newly-elected officials campaign on the idea that they will bring in new people that don’t have ties to government. It might not be a bad idea, depending on the nature of the job, but not everyone is cut out for public service.”
Ray Votta, chairman of Laffey’s transition team, who notified Cranston employees of their termination, said the team decided early on that they wanted a change at city hall.
“We do know the necessity of getting qualified employees,” he said. “We have worked very hard to recruit individuals. We had quality candidates lined up, so that made it a little bit easier.”
There is still one hurtle that many cities and towns have to jump, Bennett said, and that’s the pay scale. Coupled with the current economic conditions, he said, it might be difficult for the government sector to lure potential workers with pay.
As for the laid-off workers finding employment, Bennett said, most have a Rolodex full of contacts that they call on for help.
In Fontaine’s case, the opportunities seem endless.
“There isn’t a better way to meet people than through recreation,” he said. “I have already gotten calls, and run into people that want to help me. I am definitely not going to act like a bump on a log. It’s just like finding grant funding for one our programs, but only now I am promoting myself.”
