Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan improved in all major job performance categories, according to his annual performance review by the select board, which was accepted with a unanimous, 5-0 vote Monday night.
The select board is required to complete the town manager’s performance review each year. Flanagan’s overall rating was 4.27 out of 5, up from 4.12 in 2021. Flanagan’s highest rating as town manager was in his first review in 2016, when the select board rated him 4.80.
“It’s an incredibly valuable process, not only for myself but for our entire team as we try to guide the direction of the organization,” Flanagan said. “I’m very hopeful we will continue to make progress in all of the areas identified.”
Each board member rated Flanagan on a scale of 1-5 in multiple areas divided into eight categories, with a three meaning he was meeting expectations. A three rating is “if you’re at your job and doing exactly what is expected…So a three is not a bad rating,” Chair Alex Vispoli said. A two, meanwhile, would mean improvement is needed, while ratings of 4 or 5 mean the person being reviewed is exceeding expectations.
| Category | 2022 Rating | 2021 Rating |
| Personal characteristics | 4.80 | 4.21 |
| Professionalism | 4.31 | 4.21 |
| Public relations and communications | 3.95 | 3.75 |
| Board support and relation | 4.36 | 4.00 |
| Community leadership | 4.05 | 3.84 |
| Organizational leadership and personnel management | 4.15 | 3.83 |
| Financial management | 4.70 | 4.57 |
| Planning and organization | 4.03 | 3.93 |
In written comments, select board members praised Flanagan’s financial management and his handling of crises, including the 2018 Merrimack Valley gas explosions, the mass resgination of the staff at Andover Youth Services and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Areas for improvement included better communications, a more consistent schedule for updates to the board and increasing his visibility by engaging with groups and individuals in town, including businesses.
The board also held a closed-door, executive session Monday to negotiate Flanagan’s contract. Earlier in the meeting, the board unanimously approved Flanagan’s proposed goals for 2022-23. The performance review included an evaluation of how he performed in meeting his 2021-22 goals:
| Goal | Rating |
| Administration and finance | 4.40 |
| Citizen response management and engagement | 3.60 |
| Capital investments | 4.20 |
| Downtown Andover | 3.80 |
| River and open space access and sustainability | 3.60 |
| Diversity, equity and inclusion | 4.00 |
| Energy and sustainability | 4.20 |
Vispoli also shared a slide Monday showing the average rating given by each select board member in Flanagan’s 2022 performance review:
| Member | Average Rating |
| Christian Huntress | 4.15 |
| Annie Gilbert | 4.04 |
| Laura Gregory | 4.28 |
| Melissa Danisch | 5.00 |
| Alex Vispoli | 3.93 |