Orleans Select Board moves to archive outdated personnel policies, revamp performance reviews

ORLEANS — May 6, 2025 — Orleans Select Board workshopped personnel policies and previewed a new community recognition program at its May 6 afternoon session. Chair Kevin Galligan led members Mef Runyon, Michael Herman, and Andrew Shah-Reed through the town's G-series employment policies, with Assistant Town Manager Mark Beel and administrative coordinator Laura St. John Dupuy supporting the session. The board recommended archiving G10 (department backup plans) and G12 (an employee innovation reward citing a fiscal year 2007 budget) while agreeing to significantly revise G9 (performance evaluations) to add mid-year check-ins and dual internal-and-external goal-setting for senior direct reports. Galligan called for a graduated warning system for advisory board members whose conduct or statements stray from committee charges, saying "there has to be a way to say — when you volunteered for an advisory committee you agreed to these things." Town Manager Kim Amato previewed "Make Waves," a new multi-category recognition program featuring a Town Hall art installation by Steve Swain, set for formal presentation at the evening meeting; the board agreed to keep its existing Citizen of the Year award separate but coordinated with the new program. The reviewed policies are to be bundled into a future formal Select Board meeting packet for vote.