Move revives issues of changing how office, position structured
Stephen J. Gilligan, town treasurer
UPDATED, Jan. 11: After four decades of serving the public in a variety of roles, Stephen J. Gilligan has decided not to seek reelection as treasurer — and, town officials say, that has presented itself as an opportunity.
“… very opportune time for discussion.”
— Joe Curro
The announcement the treasurer is leaving has revived the 2014 discussion about whether the office should be appointed rather than elected and whether the town should create a finance department.
“I’m sad to see him go,” Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine told selectmen Monday, Jan. 9.
Selectman Joseph Curro Jr. calls it a “very opportune time for discussion” about a finance department. “It does make sense to take these issues back to Town Meeting for discussion … knowing what major financing challenges we have going forward.”
And to the voters as well, Selectmen Chair Diane Mahon said. A ballot question on the issue would likely be in April 2018.
Selectman Steve Byrne, who said he was on the committee to study whether to appoint the treasurer, said that change from a treasurer’s office could result in lost institutional knowledge.
Four discuss issue; one absent
The four selectmen present appeared to lean toward making the position appointed, but much discussion must occur. Selectmen Kevin Greeley, who has in the past crossed swords with Gilligan, was absent with an illness.
Listening in the audience was Dean Carman, a longtime Finance Committee member, who is the first to take out nomination papers for treasurer. He did so last Thursday, the day Gilligan’s retirement announcement was published in The Advocate. He has commented about his reasons for seeking a run.
Gilligan wrote Jan. 3: “After much thought and careful consideration. I have decided not to seek reelection as Arlington’s Town Treasurer …. It has been an honor and a privilege to have received the trust and confidence of the community during that time. Now, I look forward to joining my wife, Nancy, in retirement. My heartfelt thanks to my family, friends, neighbors, and the larger Arlington family, all of whom hold a special place in my heart.”
Besides handling the town’s money — and its parking tickets — since 2006, his 40 years has included three terms as a selectmen and key roles in conservation, the arts, human rights, planning, fair housing and historic districts.
Town officials recognized many of those roles in comments Jan. 9.
Gilligan — who was reelected in 2014 after topping Julie Dunn in a close campaign, 2,998 to 2,860 — ran on a platform of “independence”; that is, keeping the treasurer position elected.
Debate about how to handle the treasurer position stems from a 2012 Department of Revenue consultant’s report. Selectman Dan Dunn, who with Mahon have taken out papers for reelection, thanked Gilligan for his years of service and said: “Things have changed since the [2012] consultant’s report. Let’s take this opportunity to move forward.”
Leaving legacy of 40 years of service
In a list requested by YourArlington, Gilligan provided an accounting of his contributions to Arlington, starting in 1977:
Public service:
Treasurer and collector of taxes, elected, 2006 to April 2017
Bylaws crafted as treasurer:
Actively worked and achieved getting a “double-bump” up in Arlington’s credit rating to Triple-A;
Recovered more than $11 Million in unclaimed school construction money for Arlington;
Recovered $1.1 million plus costs, litigating a national financial institution for mismanagement of Town funds;
Established borrowing best-practices to retire 82 percent of Arlington principal debt in 10 years;
Town investments earning an average of 8 percent annually;
Researching and selecting new cutting-edge tax and receivables billing and collection systems for real estate tax, excise tax, water-and-sewer utility billing, parking violations and permitting;
Selected new cash-management system; and
Reorganized treasurer’s office for efficiencies and cost-savings.
Board of Selectmen, elected to three terms (chairman 1992-’93, ’98-99), 1990, 1999
Crafted and led enactment of four bylaws:
All-alcohol restaurant licenses; and
Repairs to private ways.
Human Rights Commission
Cyrus Dallin Museum
Budget & Revenue Task Force, 1990 to 1999 and 2006 to present
Capital Planning Committee, 2006 to present
Long Range Fiscal Planning Committee, 2006 to present
Citizen-of-the-Year Award, Vision 2020 Planning Committee, 1999
Founders’ Award, Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum, 1999
Chairman, Selectmen’s Chief Executive Search Advisory Committee, 1999 to 2000
Neighborhood Appreciation Award, Mt. Gilboa Association, 1997
Arlington Minuteman Trail Safety Team, member, 1995 to 1998
Arlington Local Emergency Planning Committee, member, 1992 to 2000
Fair Housing Advisory Committee, member, 1990 to 1999
Vision 2020 Arlington Town Planning Committee, founder/charter member, 1990 to 1999
Conservation Commission, chairman 1981-’90
Crafted and led enactment of wetlands and flooding bylaw; and
Established project-management protocols for commission.
Historic Districts Commission, 1977 to 1982; chairman, 1979-’81
Created new district(s)
Elected Town Meeting member, Precinct 13, 1977 through 2017
Community service:
Touchdown Club of Arlington, 1990 to present
Rotary International, member, 1990 to 1997, 2007 to present
International Friends of Scouting Rotarians (IFSR), member, 2013 to present
Lions Club, member, 2010 to 2013
St. Agnes Parish Council, member; president, 1993 to 1995; 1993 to 2002 and 2003 to 2009
St. Agnes Parish, religious education instructor, 7th, 8th, 9th grades, 1988 to 1996
Jr. Achievement classroom instructor and corporate event coordinator, 1993 to 1997
Arlington Center for the Arts, Board of Directors, 1991 to 1998
United Way, corporate fund-raising area chairman, 1991 to 1992
Corporator, Symmes Hospital, 1990 to 1998
April 5, 2014: Town election winners: Gilligan, Dan Dunn, Mahon, Susse, Schlichtman, Hayner
This news summary was published Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, and updated Jan. 11, to change a link.
