Norwich — The search for a new city manager has been on hold during the city budget process and likely will take months longer, Mayor Deberey Hinchey told the Board of Public Utilities Commission Tuesday, and city leaders have thus far not considered contributing to acting City Manager John Bilda’s $188,801 salary, now paid by NPU.

Hinchey attended Tuesday’s utilities commission meeting to respond to a letter sent by the commission in April asking several questions about Bilda’s status as acting city manager. Hinchey answered each question individually before engaging in discussion with the commission, promising better direct communication in the months to come.

Commission member Larry Goldman said he felt the City Council’s abrupt action on Feb. 2 to seek former City Manager Alan Bergren’s resignation and appoint Bilda as acting city manager “undermined” the commission’s authority. Goldman complained that city leaders never informed NPU officials ahead of time and should have met with the commission in executive session to discuss the pending action.

“It was not my intention at all to undermine your authority,” Hinchey said.

She said she would take full responsibility for not informing the commission ahead of time, but the abrupt action was taken because city leaders continued to hold the utmost respect for Bergren and wanted to protect his honor by allowing him to resign during the Feb. 2 council meeting. Bergren had served as Norwich city manager for seven years.

“We felt we had to be honorable to a man we thought a lot about,” Hinchey said.

In response to the question about possible salary sharing, Hinchey said there has been no consideration to date about sharing Bilda’s salary during his time as acting city manager. Bilda is spending nearly all of his time at City Hall on city business, at times enlisting NPU support staff at the city manager’s office.

Commission member Grace Jones said the conversation about sharing the salary should begin, especially if the hiring of a new city manager is not imminent. Jones, retired president of Three Rivers Community College, said when state colleges shared staffing during shortages, salaries, too, were shared.

Hinchey offered to attend the commission’s monthly meetings to provide updates on the city manager search. After the meeting, Hinchey said she would leave it up to the commission to formally request salary sharing during Bilda’s time as acting city manager.

Hinchey said the City Council put the city manager search on hold during the difficult city budget process and the discussion of potential charter revisions. “We felt it best to have continuity” during discussion on those issues, Hinchey said.

Hinchey obtained the names of three professional executive search firms, and city Human Resources Director Brigid Marks is researching others. The City Council first will have to select a search firm and then begin the actual search process.

Goldman said the process of researching professional search firms did not have to stop during the budget process, as the city human resources director is removed from that discussion and could review the firms.

Hinchey also addressed questions about whether Bilda’s relationship with city departments and personnel would suffer when he returns to his full-time NPU general manager position now that he has spent time as their supervisor.

Hinchey called it “a terrific question” and tried to allay the concerns. She said she discussed the issue with city staff and has heard resounding approval of Bilda’s time as acting city manager. She said the dual role should help the city and the utility work better together in the future, which she said is critical to attract development and reduce costs for both entities.

Utilities commission Chairman James Sullivan said the open discussion is important for that relationship as well, so the commission can answer ratepayers’ questions about Bilda’s dual role and salary, as well.

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