Tarr survives vote on contract

PARIS — In a 3-1 vote, selectmen defeated a motion made by Selectwoman Jean Smart to not renew Town Manager Phil Tarr's contract.

The vote occurred during the board's June 11 meeting.

Board Chairman Bob Kirchherr and selectmen Ryan Lorrian and Ted Kurtz voted against Smart in a decision that ended weeks of speculation on the immediate future of Tarr's position in Paris.

The board may still take action on Tarr's contract in a future meeting.

Tarr's contract requires that the board give six months' notice that it intends not to renew, meaning if it decides to, it must act by June 30.

Smart made her motion after Tarr requested that the board deal with the issue in public, rather than in an executive session that was planned for the meeting.

"If you have something to say, let's say it and make it transparent," Tarr told the board.

Smart insisted that, in a previous executive session, the board had decided not to renew Tarr's contract.

Chairman Kirchherr reminded Smart that the board could have no official vote or decision during executive session.

Smart told Kirchherr that she remembers that, nonetheless, the board had made a decision.

"We did not vote, but it was clear and you and I were charged by the others to go to Phil and tell him this," Smart told Kirchherr.

Prior to the vote, Kurtz read a written statement he prepared to the board detailing his criticism of Tarr as well as the board, and the reason he would vote against the motion.

Kurtz said Tarr's performance had been below his expectations and that Tarr had "failed" in some of his duties.

"Most importantly for me, he has not been candid, open and trustworthy in his management of the town's affairs," said Kurtz.

Kurtz also said that responsibility for a decade of dysfunctional town government in Paris could not be laid at the feet of its town managers.

He said that he hoped the board could make a decision on the contract in a more responsible way before June 30.

Following the vote, Smart questioned Tarr's performance, in particular, the goals and objectives the board gave him to complete.

Kirchherr quickly stopped the discussion, informing Smart that the board was considering the contract extension, not Tarr's performance evaluation.

After the vote, Tarr addressed the board about the matter.

"A lot of things have happened since January 2010," Tarr said.

"I think we all share the blame for whatever happened or didn't happen ... if we're here as a group serving the residents of Paris we owe it to [them] to act professionally ... and have frequent and open and honest conversations in the public."

Tarr suggested that the board work with a professional facilitator to improve dialogue. He said that the Paris Planning Board worked with a facilitator and it has improved its work. 

When the board discussed the proposal later in the meeting, Kurtz agreed it was a good idea, but suggested that the board should concentrate on Tarr's contract and what the town expected out of the manager.

If the board does not vote on Tarr's contract by June 30, it will be automatically renewed for two years in December.

If the board decides to remove Tarr after that date, it must do so according to the procedure laid out in Maine law and will need to pay Tarr a severance of nine months' aggregate salary.