Publications: Massachusetts Merit System Reporter: Volume 10, issue 2: page 154

News Items

Daniel Harrington Resigns; Marilyn Rollins Re-Appointed; Joseph Trainer Appointed Judge

Commissioner Marilyn Rollins, whose term expired this March, was appointed by the Governor, William Weld, to fill out the unexpired term of Commissioner Harrington, who had resigned in February. Ms. Rollins term now expires in March, 1999.

At the Human Resources Division, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly reported that the Governor, William Weld, nominated Joseph A. Trainer, the Personnel Administrator, to the office of associate justice of the Middlesex County juvenile Court. This nomination will be considered by the Governor's Counsel. This will be the first time the appointment of the Personnel Administrator will be done without nominations from the Commission, because of changed legislation last year, Acts of 1996, Ch.151, Sec.34.

Mary LeClair Appointed to Five Year Term

William Weld, the Governor, has appointed Mary J. LeClair, the Republican Treasurer of Barnstable County' to a term on the Civil Service Commission which expires in 2002. Ms. LeClair is presently an elected Barnstable County Commissioner, for a four-year term ending in 2000. For seventeen years she was the Barnstable County Treasurer, in which capacity she oversaw the county pension system. She held wrongful discharge hearings under G.L. ch.16, Sec.(2)(d), which are similar to just cause hearings under section 43. She also ruled on applications for disability pensions. In 1992 she was the state chairman of the Dole Campaign Committee. Her appointment to the Commission is for a part time position, and she will work three days a week.

Backlog Reduction Program Funded by Appropriation

The Legislature has appropriated a half million dollars to the Commission to retain personnel to work on old cases. This will be a one year project, which will probably involve rehearing some cases where tile Commissioner who heard them is no longer serving in office. In the past this problem has been handled by hiring former Commissioners to come in and work on the cases they heard.