Editors note: The headline of a previous version of this story indicated that Diane Ricciardelli was fired from her post as town administrator in Newbury. According to June 10 select board minutes, the town of Newbury entered an “agreement and release” with Ricciardelli, who had earlier been placed on administrative leave. According to Ricciardelli’s lawyers, she resigned from the post. This story has been updated. 

 

Former Newbury Town Administrator Diane Ricciardelli was released from her contract at their June 10 select board meeting after she resigned. 

Ricciardelli, who previously served as Warner’s town administrator, was placed on leave from her Newbury position after an emergency select board meeting in March. 

Newbury Select Board Chair Scott Wheeler gave an update at the June 10 meeting, reading a statement from the town that cited the state’s municipal budget law. 

The town moved $152,500 to the town administrator’s line in the budget to pay out Ricciardelli per the terms of their contract agreement and release. The funds were redistributed from the following budget sections – the town administrator and town office executive section, the website, financial admin bank fees, transfer station funds and police department special duty fund. 

The transfer station funds were budgeted with the intention of hiring a new employee, which had not happened. The policy special duty funds were a new warrant item from Town Meeting and will not be affected, according to the statement. 

The select board would not discuss the matter further, according to the statement, given the fact that it was a personnel matter.

Ricciardelli began her stint in Newbury in October after working for the town of Warner for nearly four years. Her time in Warner began with helping the town navigate the pandemic and ended with two select board members resigning, and then trying to rescind their resignations and fire Ricciardelli. 

The two select board members who resigned cited hostility within the town’s ad ministration and frustrations over a lease negotiation with the local food pantry at that time. 

When Ricciardelli was placed on administrative leave at the end of March it was initially for 21 days.  The select board is responsible for hiring, and firing, a town administrator to carry out their directives for the town. The next Newbury select board meeting is July 8.