Smithfield police chief in line for Hopkinton town manager job

SMITHFIELD - Although no one is talking for the record, indications are that Police Chief William McGarry will be named Hopkinton's town manager when the Town Council there meets Monday night.

As the announcement neared, those close to the situation in both towns were expecting McGarry's name to emerge from an initial field of more than 25 candidates.

McGarry was known to be one of two finalists under consideration to fill the vacancy created when Hopkinton's previous manager, William DiLibero, was hired away by neighboring Charlestown.

McGarry had also been a finalist for the Charlestown job.

Sylvia Thompson, vice president of the Hopkinton council and a member of its search committee, would confirm only that the council will announce its choice on Monday.

McGarry, 60, has been police chief here for 12 years, signing on after a 24-year career with the state police.

In addition to a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Bryant College, now Bryant University, McGarry holds a masters degree in public administration from the University of Rhode Island.

McGarry, who lives in North Kingstown, has been actively applying for jobs elsewhere over the past few years, especially since the political upheaval of 2007 when he and other department leaders signed a letter to taxpayers criticizing alleged attempts by the then-Democratic administration to fire former Town Manager Stanley Usovicz, who later resigned.

That same year, the town's police union took a 31-5 no confidence vote in McGarry, declining to give specifics but saying it felt he no longer had the capacity to lead the department.

Later, Town Manager Dennis Finlay affirmed his own confidence in the chief, describing McGarry as "a very good department manager and a very good police chief."

Finlay said that while "there are rumors around that he's pretty much got it," nothing official has been announced and that he's awaiting Monday's events.

He cautioned that "sometimes when you get a council together things don't go according to what you thought was the plan."

If McGarry does leave, Finlay said, he will convene a search committee to find a successor.

Under the municipal charter, the town manager appoints the police chief, who serves at his pleasure.

Finlay said he would like a search committee comprising two Town Council members, Human Resources Director Susan Pilkington, at least two experts in the field from out of town, possibly including a police chief, and one or two town residents.

McGarry was on vacation this week and unavailable for comment, but in the past he has declined to discuss reports of possible jobs elsewhere, saying such matters are personal.

Hopkinton advertised the manager's job at a salary range of from $75,000 to $81,900. As chief here, McGarry is earning $91,626.