James Shurtleff

James Frederick Shurtleff (July 28, 1910–November 18, 1964) was an American journalist, politician, and city manager.

James Shurtleff
City Manager of Medford, Massachusetts
In office 1950–1956
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	John B. Kennedy
Town Manager of Saugus, Massachusetts
In office 1948–1950
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Patrick Cusick (temporary)
Village Manager of Brookfield, Illinois
In office 1947–1948
Succeeded by	C. Harold Eash
Town Manager of Mansfield, Massachusetts
In office 1943–1947
Personal details
Born	July 28, 1910[1] Middleborough, Massachusetts[1]
Died	November 18, 1964 (aged 54)[1] Medford, Massachusetts[1]
Spouse(s)	Thalia Elizabeth (Forsberg) Shurtleff
Profession	Journalist City Manager

Early life

Shurtleff was born on July 28, 1910 in Middleborough, Massachusetts.[1] He attended Williston Academy and Brown University.[2]

Shurtleff worked as a writer for the Middleborough Journal and The Standard-Times.[2] In 1937, while working for the Journal, Shurtleff was elected to the Middleborough Board of Selectmen.[3]

On August 12, 1938, Shurtleff married Thalia Elizabeth Forsberg. They would go on to have four children together.[1]

During World War II, Shurtleff served as one of Middleborough's three blackout coordinators.[4]

Mansfield, Massachusetts

In 1943, Shurtleff, who had no prior experience in the day-to-day administrative operations of a town, was named Town Manager of Mansfield, Massachusetts.[5]

In 1945, Shurtleff dismissed Police Chief John Haines and named Lawrence Barrows to succeed him. Haines refused to turn over his badge and the keys to the police cruiser and maintained that he was still chief.[6] Two months later, a Special Town Meeting voted to direct the Board of Selectmen to reinstate Haines as Chief.[7] Shurtleff, who accused Haines of 35 counts of misconduct, including fee splitting and insubordination, refused to reinstate the former chief.[8] The dismissal was upheld by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court[9] and the Civil Service Commission.[10]

Brookfield, Illinois

In August 1947, Shurtleff was named village manager of Brookfield, Illinois.[11] Shurtleff left Brookfield after only eight months to become Town Manager in Saugus, Massachusetts.[12]

Saugus, Massachusetts

On February 16, 1948, Shurtleff was unanimously chosen by the Board of Selectmen to become the first Town Manager of Saugus.[12] On February 1, 1950, Shurtleff resigned as Town Manager to accept a similar job in Medford, Massachusetts.[13]

Medford, Massachusetts

In 1950, Shurtleff became Medford's first-ever City Manager.[14]

During his tenure in Medford, Shurtleff clashed with State Tax Commissioner Henry F. Long over who could appoint assessors.[15] The dispute went before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, who ruled in favor of Shurtleff.[16]

On November 20, 1956, the Medford City Council voted 4 to 3 in favor of firing Shurtleff.[17] After his dismissal, Shurtleff was granted a public hearing a second vote on whether or not he should be fired. Once again, the City Council voted in favor of dismissal.[18]

In 1957, Shurtleff ran for and was elected to the Medford City Council.[3] Soon after his election, Shurtleff led the charge to remove his successor as City Manager, John B. Kennedy, from office.[19] On April 8, 1958 the city council voted for to 4 to 3 to fire Kennedy.[20][21][22] Shurtleff was later involved in the effort to remove City Manager John C. Carr, charging that City Councilor John C. Carr, Jr.'s vote for his father was a conflict of interest.[23]

On November 18, 1964, Shurtleff died at his home of a heart attack.[2]

References

1. Benjamin Shurtleff and Roy L. Shurtleff (1976). Descendants of William Shurtleff. Sioux Falls: Pine Hill Press. p. 775. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
2. "J. F. Shurtleff Rites Friday In Medford". Boston Globe. November 19, 1964.
3. Foell, Earl W. (November 14, 1957). "Shurtleff Bobs Up To Win in Medford". Christian Science Monitor.
4. "8000 Practice Real Blackout at Middleboro". Boston Daily Globe. May 22, 1941.
5. "Medford Simplifies Financial Structure". Christian Science Monitor. December 28, 1953.
6. "Mansfield Has Two Police Chiefs; Haines Defies Official Ouster". Boston Daily Globe. September 22, 1945. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
7. "Mansfield Restores Haines as Chief". Boston Daily Globe. November 20, 1945.
8. "Lone Officer Guards Mansfield During Police Chief Hearing". Boston Daily Globe. September 14, 1946.
9. "Mansfield Head Upheld by Court in Police Case". Boston Daily Globe. July 9, 1946.
10. "Ex-Mansfield Police Chief Is Denied Reinstatement". The Christian Science Monitor. September 27, 1946.
11. "Engineer to Sue Brookfield for Rejecting Plans". Chicago Daily Tribune. February 25, 1948.
12. "Saugus Elects Town Manager". Boston Daily Globe. February 17, 1948. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
13. "Saugus Set to Vote Tomorrow on $10,877 for Manager's Office". Boston Daily Globe. May 30, 1950.
14. Carl Seaburg and Alan Seaburg (1980). Medford on the Mystic. Medford, MA: The Medford Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2009-07-07.
15. "Long, Medford Mayor a' Feudin'". Boston Daily Globe. March 20, 1952. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
16. "Long Assessors in Medford Ruled Illegal". Boston Daily Globe. October 30, 1952. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
17. Foell, Earl W. (November 21, 1956). "Medford City Manager Dismissed by Council". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
18. "Shurtleff Fired Again After Medford Hearing". Boston Daily Globe. December 12, 1956. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
19. "Medford City Manager Mulls Request to Resign". The Christian Science Monitor. January 28, 1958.
20. "Kennedy Faces List Of Medford Charges". The Christian Science Monitor. April 2, 1958. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
21. "Medford Manager Kennedy Is Fired, Says Charges 'Lies'". Boston Daily Globe. April 9, 1958. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
22. "Medford Manager Ousted". The Christian Science Monitor. April 9, 1958.
23. "8000 Medford Citizens Demand Carr Sr. Ouster". Boston Globe. April 29, 1961.