Mark Force, who has been facilities manager in the Harvard School District for a decade, has resigned, using his accrued vacation time as his notice period, according to a town official.
Force was reportedly notified in April that he would be let go shortly. His departure was first publicly mentioned at the April 23 School Committee meeting.
Assertions of poor building maintenance played a large part in the recent debate over the need to replace Hildreth Elementary School, but Schools Superintendent Linda Dwight told the Press in an email that Force’s departure was unrelated to that debate.
In a brief interview this week, Dwight said the district has begun seeking candidates to fill the position of school facilities manager, and she expects the new manager to work closely with DPW Director Tim Kilhart and also with the Energy Advisory Committee. She expressed the hope that an experienced facilities person in a nearby school district would serve as a mentor to the new hire, just as newly appointed principals and superintendents go through a mentorship period with support from more seasoned administrators.
