Marblehead picks new Municipal Light Dept. GM

MARBLEHEAD – The next general manager of the Municipal Light Department will be the department?s current Chief Engineer Jay Anderson.The Municipal Light Commission voted Thursday to offer Anderson, the third of three finalists for the post, a three-year contract at a starting salary of $130,000 and Anderson accepted. He will begin his new duties Monday, April 16.The other finalists for the post both had high-level administrative experience. Commission Chairman Philip Sweeney said Monday that the commission was unable to negotiate a contract with Danvers Director of Engineering Hamid Jaffari, the second of the finalists, after they voted to offer the job to Jaffari on March 14.They originally offered the job to the first choice, Virginia plant executive Gregg Paulson, who eventually turned them down in favor of a private sector post.?We?ve said all three finalists were capable,” Sweeney said. In fact, commissioners considered appointing Anderson as interim manager March 14 and starting a second search, but decided against it because at that time Jolly was scheduled to leave this month.Sweeney said that Jolly is now scheduled to leave April 13 and will be available on a per diem basis after that date if Anderson needs his advice.Anderson lives in Lynn and has 22 years experience in the public and private sector. In his interview he said municipal power companies keep accountability local. “You have to answer to your customers,” he said, telling the commissioners that customer service and accountability are the basis of his management philosophy.Anderson appeared to know Marblehead?s situation the best of the candidates, discussing the need for new computers for the office and a $1 million-$3 million renovation of the municipal light building, which he said could be phased in over a period of three years.