Winn Davis Mans Helm in Rocky Year for County
By JAMES KINSELLA
More than two years ago, the Dukes County commissioners hired a
Falmouth man, E. Winn Davis, to manage county government.
Mr. Davis, who was then executive secretary for the town of Hanson,
took on a position that had been a revolving door - and often a
controversial one.
In 1995, the county hired its first full-time manager, a position
created under the county charter approved by voters three years earlier.
In the last 10 years, one manager resigned after facing poor
performance reviews. Another left after four weeks because of health
concerns. A third manager unexpectedly took early retirement and drew
scrutiny for a harassment complaint and for cutting checks to herself. A
fourth was hired, but quickly dropped after she could not produce
evidence of a college degree on her resume.
Mr. Davis has not avoided criticism as a county manager, especially
in recent months. But, in contrast to a number of his predecessors, his
tenure has provided a relative measure of stability in county
government.
SRC="http://www.mvgazette.com/news/2005/12/16/content/winn_davis_1_sm.jpg" "Generally speaking, Winn has done a phenomenal job,"
county commissioner Robert Sawyer said. "I don't think we
could have a better county manager. He has a great background, both on
issues and on procedures," he added.
"I think he's done a fine job," agreed county
commissioner Nelson Smith. "He's brought a steady presence
to the management position."
Now, as some Vineyard residents begin to wonder whether county
government should continue on the Island, Mr. Davis, 58, has become more
visible as a point man for that government.
Among other things he has joined county commissioners in attending
selectmen's meetings around the Vineyard, both to hear town
concerns and to share information about county operations.
He also has come under criticism, especially from Tisbury officials,
who faulted him for a late county fuel bid earlier this year. Because
Vineyard towns participate in buying fuel under the bid, any change in
the contract price also affects them. Tisbury town administrator John
Bugbee estimates the late bid will cost Island towns at least $100,000
more than if the bid had been submitted on time.
The county commission has yet to give Mr. Davis an annual
performance review, as specified in his contract. The commission has
approved increases in his salary, even though his contract specifies
that any salary changes should come after a performance review.
The county initially paid Mr. Davis an annual salary of $71,750, and
he is now paid $75,380.
John Alley, chairman of the county commission, said Mr. Davis did
have a performance review after he had been on the job for six months,
and Mr. Alley said another review will be done soon.
"We have tried to the best of our ability to live up to the
terms of the contract," Mr. Alley said.
Commissioner Paul Strauss said the time has come to take a broader
look at the county manager's job.
"Everybody has a view of what that job is, whether or not
it's in the job description," he said.
Commissioner Roger Wey also praised Mr. Davis's performance,
but said: "A concern that I have is that he should be out in the
community more."
Mr. Wey said he pushed for Mr. Davis to meet with town boards to
talk about county initiatives, and to gather feedback from the towns.
Mr. Davis calls his job challenging and exciting and says he is glad
he took it.
When he arrived in the fall of 2003, Mr. Davis said he felt he
needed to calm things down after a long period of turbulence in county
administration, to make county government clear and transparent, and to
operate that as efficiently as possible.
County government, he said, offers the Vineyard an opportunity for
centralized services such as the veterans agent, the county engineer,
and the parking ticket clerk. Dukes County also has taken the initiative
to offer health education, including a pending symposium on Lyme
disease, he said.
In Mr. Davis's eyes, abolishing county government would be a
mistake. Island towns would face additional costs to continue to obtain
the services now provided by the county. He also said the state would
absorb deeds revenue that now is available for county spending, and
would take over county assets, such as the Martha's Vineyard
Airport and government buildings in Edgartown and at the airport.
SRC="http://www.mvgazette.com/news/2005/12/16/content/winn_davis_2_sm.jpg" But some Vineyard residents are getting restless, and a superior
court decision earlier this year that leaves the county exposed to
possible payment of more than $800,000 in damages in a dispute between
the county commission and the airport commission hasn't helped.
Mr. Davis said the county commissioners were relying on the legal
advice of their attorneys when they pursued the case.
As for the fuel bid - initially scheduled to go out last
spring, but finally sent out several months later - Mr. Davis said
the bid may have been overlooked in the midst of medical problems in the
county manager's office.
He said he has been working out a protocol with his new assistant to
ensure that certain annual tasks are performed according to an annual
schedule.
"We're not going to go through another year like we did
this year," Mr. Davis said.
But after two years on the job, Mr. Davis also said he has been
surprised by the divergence among Vineyard towns on Islandwide issues.
"The towns really do have a different view," he said.
He said he has tried to bring more transparency to county
government, both through establishing a county web site and encouraging
videotaping of county commissioner meetings by MVTV, the local cable
access television program.
As for transparency, Mr. Davis stumbled when he delayed the release
of news about the ruling in the county airport case.
But another topic that drew discussion among the county
commissioners at the time Mr. Davis was hired - his residency
off-Island - has apparently become a non-issue.
When they hired Mr. Davis, the county commission exercised its power
under the county charter to allow him to live off-Island. At the time
Mr. Davis cited the expense of paying for the education of his daughter,
who then was halfway through college.
A letter of understanding executed between Mr. Davis and the county
commission noted that he would eventually make a reasonable attempt to
move to the Island.
Mr. Davis's daughter now has graduated and is married.
Citing the higher cost of Vineyard real estate compared with
Falmouth, and his wish to retire without facing mortgage payments, Mr.
Davis said a move to the Island still remains out of reach.
"I would love to if I could make it work," he said.
County commissioners say they are open to the commuting arrangement.
"I don't see that as a problem," said commissioner
Roger Wey. He said Mr. Davis is among a number of commuters from
off-Island contributing to Vineyard life.
"It doesn't bother me one iota," Mr. Smith said.
"Falmouth is not that far away."
Mr. Davis stays on the Vineyard as necessary to do his job.
Two years ago, Mr. Sawyer raised the greatest concern about
residency, abstaining on the otherwise unanimous motion to approve the
off-Island residency letter. He now has come full circle.
"Obviously, given my druthers, I would love to have him live
here on the Island," Mr. Sawyer said. "But I'd rather
have Winn Davis commuting rather than not have Winn Davis at all."
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