Providence HR director under review after outside hire discovered

PROVIDENCE, RI (WPRI) – Providence’s chief of staff is under scrutiny after the city learned he is currently employed nearly 100 miles away in Massachusetts.

Last May, Mayor Brett Smiley’s office announced Paul Winspeare as the city’s chief human resources officer, saying Winspeare’s hiring would help make Providence “the best city in the country.”

“Winspeare’s years of leadership will be important as the city implements modernized professional development, performance and employee satisfaction strategies to ensure we continue to support and attract talented leaders from near and far to join the team our,” Smiley said in a May 11 press release.

About six months later, Winspeare applied to be the interim personnel director for Georgetown, a small town north of Boston, and he was appointed to the position a few weeks later. His position there was first reported by the website GoLocalProv.

Georgetown City Administrator Orlando Pacheco confirmed to Target 12 by phone Tuesday afternoon that Winspeare is currently employed by the city, describing his position as a “remote, flexible job” that is “task oriented.” in nature.

When the city was looking to hire a part-time human resources and personnel director position last fall, the job posting indicated it was “a new position directed toward an existing or retired professional who requires additional hours.” Specifically, the individual was required to “coordinate and implement the activities of the existing personnel program completed the personnel study.”

Pacheco confirmed that Winspeare was hired to work 10 to 12 hours a week, at a rate of $75 an hour. He said Winspeare is not interacting directly with employees and that he had personally seen him in the building only “four or five times” since December.

Josh Estrella, a spokesman for Smiley, told Target 12 on Tuesday that Winspeare was still employed in Providence, but that a “review of the matter” was currently underway.

“Outsourcing is not prohibited and this role is a part-time, as-needed position that is limited to 10 hours per week,” Estrella said. “That being said, no employee is permitted to conduct other business during scheduled business hours with the City of Providence.”

Estrella confirmed that Winspeare earns $132,567 a year at Providence, but declined to provide more information, saying it was a personnel matter.

During November. The 27th meeting of the Georgetown Board of Selectmen, Winspeare said he lived in Suffield, Connecticut, but was looking to move “this way” and buy a second home. He also revealed that he currently works for the city of Providence, and said he also does consulting work and is an adjunct professor at Westfield State University.

He said he had the ability to travel and told the board that “distance doesn’t bother me.”

Winspeare also told the board that since the semester was ending, he would be able to fit the responsibilities of his Georgetown job into his schedule.

“I like to keep my hands busy,” Winspeare said.

When asked if Winspeare was in compliance with Georgetown’s hiring policies, Pacheco said Winspeare “has done everything he’s been asked to do.” He said Providence city officials had been in contact with him Monday and Tuesday, asking when Winspeare had been in Georgetown on business and what kind of work he had done for them.

In November, the city hinted that there was potential for the interim role to become a full-time HR role serving the city and schools.

That position has not yet been created or posted, according to Pacheco, who oversees human resources, project management and finance.

Before taking the Providence job, Winspeare served as head of HR in Chicopee, Massachusetts.