Saugus selectmen differ on Bisignani situation

SAUGUS – Saugus Selectman Steve Castinetti said the Board of Selectmen should have discussed Town Manager Andrew Bisignani?s contract long before he was chosen for the Town Administrator job in Nahant on Thursday.?That was the No. 1 issue I had when I was campaigning? ,” said Castinetti. “And I?m not real pleased that we?ve allowed this to get so far without having a meeting with the manager. I think this should have been done long before I was on the board. This has been going on for months and months. How long can we wait?”As a newly elected member of the board, Castinetti said it should have been the “three incumbents” that dealt with negotiations before the Nov. 8 election.?There hasn?t been any discussion at all,” said Castinetti. “Not one word has gone on on this board regarding the manager?s contract and I really didn?t think it was my position to be the one to drive this. I?m newly back on the board, where the three incumbents probably should have dealt with this before I got back on the board.”Castinetti went on to say that “it?s beyond the time where something should be done.”In an interview on Friday, Bisignani reiterated a statement he previously made to the Daily Item, saying, “In the absence of any discussion with the Board of Selectmen to extend my contract, I sought other options,” and added that he doesn?t know “what the mindset of the board is.”?I?m just proceeding with my negotiations in Nahant,” said Bisignani.In a letter sent to Bisignani on Friday, Selectmen Chairman Scott Crabtree requested that he notify the Board of his “employment intentions” in a “formal written communication.”?I as well as some of the other Board members were disappointed to learn through the media that you were actively seeking employment with other communities and have received a job offer without any formal requests or communication to the Board of Selectmen,” said Crabtree in the letter.Crabtree went on to remind Bisignani that his contract ends on July 21, 2012, and that the board has until Jan. 21 to give notice of its intentions.?Please inform the board as to whether you intend to resign and breach the term of your current employment contract or are interested in proposing in writing new terms prior to the Jan. 21, 2012 provision,” said the letter.While Bisignani didn?t definitively say whether or not he would accept the Nahant job, he said he?s looking forward to the contract negotiations that start this week and expects there to be an “orientation period.”?Once the contract is satisfactorily completed, I?m looking forward to a new challenge and getting to know the people,” said Bisignani. “I want to familiarize myself with the Nahant system and I?ll be spending time with the current town administrator.”Selectman Mike Serino wished Bisignani “all the luck in the world” Friday, and said having a town manager leave is nothing new.?I?ve been around 30 years,” said Serino. “I?ve seen town managers come and go. It?s selectmen and Town Meeting members that move Saugus forward. Saugus will always move forward no matter who the town manager is.”While Bisignani?s contract doesn?t officially expire for another eight months, Serino said he?d be willing to let him out of it early.?Other than that I don?t know what?s going on,” said Serino. “I think at some point in time we?re going to have to sit down with him. It?s hard to say where we?re we go from here.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @MattTempesta.