A controversial change at the top of the Municipality of Alghero. Municipal Secretary Antonio Ara is leaving the Municipality of Alghero to take up his post in the Municipality of Oristano, starting next Monday. "I would like to thank Dr. Ara for the fruitful collaboration and dedication he has shown during his first year in office," said Mayor Raimondo Cacciotto. "On behalf of myself and the entire Administration, I wish to extend to the Secretary my best wishes for his new role and the continuation of his career."
The secretary began working for the Municipality of Alghero in July 2023, after holding the same position at the joint secretariat of the municipalities of Ozieri and Ittireddu and at the Union of Municipalities of Meilogu. "These have been two intense years of professional growth in one of the most important cities in Sardinia," commented Dr. Ara. "I thank all the employees for their active collaboration and dedication in serving the citizens every day, and I would like this thanks to reach each of them, as I cannot do so personally." In the coming days, Mayor Raimondo Cacciotto will begin the process to select the new secretary general.
Meanwhile, former mayor Mario Conoci noted that "the departure of a senior figure of such importance, honesty, integrity, and professionalism, after just one year, cannot be considered a simple physiological transition or a 'career progression' as the current administration is now portraying it, dismissing the matter with a simple 'thank you and good luck.'" On the contrary, it represents a worrying sign of internal imbalance, especially considering that Dr. Ara, on several occasions, even privately with some councilors, had expressed his desire to remain in Alghero, provided that proper respect for roles was guaranteed and not the constant and invasive dominance of a single manager over all others, including the secretary general."
With Dr. Ara's transfer, the Municipality of Alghero will effectively be in the hands of a single person, "who, in addition to his current duties, will also assume the role of secretary, as the current acting deputy secretary is currently in charge. This is an unprecedented concentration of power, which is particularly alarming," adds former mayor Conoci, "especially given several highly significant matters, under public scrutiny and overseen by the same manager. These include: the tender for the Mariotti field, which was strangely amended after the application deadline; public competitions for personnel; and the sensitive Secal matter, regarding which the manager himself had already expressed his intention to close the subsidiary, with a resolution presented in the first months of this council term."