Mayor's Request to Designate Attleboro City Employee as Coach Passed

Attleboro City Councilors yesterday voted in favor of a motion from Attleboro Mayor Kevin Dumas to appoint the city's community developer Salvador Pina, as a Special Municipal Employee.

Pina, who runs the city Community Development Block Program, has been selected as one of three girls' basketball coaches.

The request was first brought out for discussion a week after it was placed in the committee (three weeks ago) and many questions were asked by committee members and other councilors. Chair of the Committee, Walter Thibodeau withdrew the motion from discussion stating that he needed to do more homework on the issue, which included speaking to the City Solicitor, Robert Mangiaratti.

Several people went before the committee during Tuesday's meeting to ask about conflict, scheduling and whether the best person was chosen for the position.

Many Attleboro City Councilors asked tough questions of Pina, his supervisor Gary Ayrassian and Mark Houle of the Attleboro High School Athletics Department.

Councilor Peter Blais pushed to get direct answers to his questions from Houle and Ayrassian when he asked about scheduling conflicts and whether Pina would miss practices or games because of his role in the Attleboro Community Development office. Blais said he was also concerned that Pina's role as coach would interfere with his role in boosting development in the City.

"I made it abundantly clear that with a practice if you want to leave at 4:30 to show up late for practice," Ayrassian said. "I don’t want it to interfere with productivity of my office."

Ayrassian went on to say that when Pina accepted the development job with the city he was still coaching girls' basketball at Massasoit College in Brockton and was able to juggle both positions without compromising one or the other.

"I’m listening to you," Blais told Ayrassian. "Whether I believe it or not, I’m listening to you.

"That job is important and carries an important position," he added. "It is well paid and should be a primary responsibility. I personally think this is a conflict. Mr. Houle, I think you should have the best out there for your kids. My objection is you can have all best intentions in the world, but this has to conflict."

Councilor Duff White asked for clarification on information from the State Ethics Commission.White asked if approving the designation would declare all coaches as special municiapl employees. 

Thibodeau said the designation was for that position only.

"All questions that were asked that I didn't have answers for were answered by these gentlemen, Thibodeau said of Pina, Ayrassian and Mark Houle from the

The designation for Pina has been approved by the committee, but will now go before Attleboro City Council. If the Council approves the designation, Pina, like all School employees will undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information background check.