New AD takes over, but former stays on as consultant

From the Eagle-Tribune;

New AD takes over, but former stays on as consultant
By Meghan Carey
mcarey@eagletribune.com

PLAISTOW, N.H. — Fall sports programs at Timberlane Regional High School began this week under the leadership of new athletic director Angelo Fantasia. But his predecessor, Dennis "Bucky" Tardif, was right there, too.

Tardif, a Haverhill, Mass., resident, retired on June 30 from the athletic director position after 23 years on the job. On July 1, he began working as a district administrative consultant at the rate of $30 an hour.

Last month, school officials said they could not remember when the decision was made to hire Tardif as a consultant. Superintendent Richard La Salle also said Tardif was a "short-term" consultant without a contract, but couldn't define short term. The decision to hire him in that capacity isn't reflected in any of the School Board minutes.

Tardif said in a phone interview this week he is working for the school district for a year. He's limited to 20 hours per week and 800 hours for the year. He said he is already working extra hours but not billing the district for it.

"I'll probably put 1,500 hours in," Tardif said. "Already this summer, I don't know how many hours I've put in. I just bill the district for 20 (a week)."

Tardif has spent his time serving on committees, helping Fantasia and overseeing the facilities, he said.

The district's decision to have Tardif stay on had little to do with his replacement, he said.

"To help with the transition, that was least on the totem pole," Tardif said. "We got a very good man in Angelo."

Fantasia, of Salem, came from the Nashua School District where he said he oversaw two sets of varsity teams and three middle-school athletic programs. Timberlane has just one set of high and middle school teams, he said.

Fantasia already has implemented some of his techniques from Nashua at Timberlane.

He held a barbecue for coaches earlier this summer and went over their coaches' packets with them while they ate, he said. Fantasia plans to take a similar approach with the parents and student-athletes at an "awareness" night Tuesday. At that session, the school's athletic policies, rules and expectations will be reviewed, he said. Afterward, each team will meet with its coaches to discuss the individual team's rules and expectations.

"That's something that I'm used to doing," Fantasia said. "It sends the right message to start out that way."

Even though Fantasia is running things his way, he said he has appreciated the guidance he's gotten at Timberlane this summer.

"I've been around long enough to know to take help whenever I can and use the resources available to me," Fantasia said.

Six months ago, Tardif said, he sat down with administrators to develop a job description for his replacement. The athletic director's position grew over the years Tardif was at Timberlane. He said he ended up doing many tasks that are uncommon for an athletic director.

Tops on that list was overseeing facility rentals, he said. He also served on most district committees because he was the administrator with the highest seniority, he said.

"Finally, Richard (La Salle) said, 'How about sticking around for a bit?'" Tardif said. "There was no, 'Oh, let's give Bucky Tardif a soft, cushy job.'"

La Salle could not be reached for comment.

Tardif said he only retired because of the statewide retirement panic and planned to get a part-time job anyway. He said he has turned down other opportunities that would have paid better to stay at Timberlane.

"I've literally hired every coach, served on every committee, my son and daughter went there," he said. "It's become a very, very important part of my life. I want to finish jobs that I don't think have been finished yet."

La Salle went to the School Board with a job description for the consultant's position in late May or early June, Tardif said, and board members concurred he could stay.