Marblehead offers light job to runner-up

MARBLEHEAD – Four weeks after they voted to offer the post of Municipal Light Department general manager to Virginia plant executive Gregg Paulson, the Municipal Light Commission met Wednesday and voted to offer the job to their second choice, Danvers Director of Engineering Hamid Jaffari.The offer is contingent on successful negotiation of a contract.Jaffari was supported by commission members Calvin Crawford and Wilbur Bassett on the first vote a month ago, while Commissioners Charles Phillips and Walter Homan, and Chairman Philip Sweeney supported Paulson.Philips and Homan were reluctant to offer the job to Jaffari at first, however. Philips said because of Paulson?s decision to drop out after he first accepted the job “We are in a position that?s not very good.” He suggested naming Marblehead Municipal Light Department Chief Engineer Jay Anderson, the third finalist, as interim general manager and re-advertising the vacancy.Philips said he would like to discuss the options in executive session but Sweeney told him the open meeting law does not allow that.?I don?t think four weeks are going to change anything,” Sweeney said. “We have three qualified people.” He said he had a lengthy conversation about Jaffari with Danvers Town Manager Wayne Marquis, who was “more than positive” about Jaffari?s qualifications, and current manager Robert Jolly got “strong positive feedback” about Jaffari from the head of the Danvers light plant.?I think he (Jaffari) is the right choice at this time and I?m willing to take a chance on him,” Sweeney said.Sweeney joined Crawford and Bassett in favor of offering the job to Jaffari, while Phillips and Homan abstained. Once that vote was taken all five commissioners voted to make the offer unanimous.Phillips pointed out that he had reservations about the commission?s position, but no reservations about Jaffari. Following the vote the commission went into executive session to decide the details of the contract offer.