March 6, 2006

City attorney’s brother top choice for AFN post

By Vickie Aldous
Ashland Daily Tidings

Joseph Franell, brother of Ashland City Attorney Mike Franell, could soon be named to lead the Ashland Fiber Network.

Mayor John Morrison, who appoints city department heads with the confirmation of the Ashland City Council, and Ashland Finance Director Lee Tuneberg, who coordinated the candidate search, have recommended that Franell be appointed to the post.

The city council will take up the matter during a meeting that begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the Ashland Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main St.

Joseph Franell lives in Florida, where he works for a telecommunications company that offers telephone, cable television and Internet service in the southeast, according to Ashland City Councilor Kate Jackson, who helped interview him.

While Mike Franell has a reserved personality, at least in public, several councilors said Joseph Franell is more outgoing.

“He’s very much an outgoing, marketing type of person,” Jackson said. “I could tell from the interviews that he was a skilled manager.”

Councilor David Chapman concurred.

“One of the things that AFN has always needed was a good front person. He’s very confident and outgoing,” Chapman said. “He seemed to present technical ideas very well.”

In a memo to the council, Tuneberg noted that more than 60 people applied for the position of Information Technology Director. The person will lead AFN and manage the city’s internal computer systems.

“Joseph Franell excelled in both interview panels and individual meetings with top management. He has proven to be knowledgeable in the areas addressed in the job announcement and has spent considerable time reviewing Ashland’s history with telecommunications and technology operations,” Tuneberg wrote.

He also noted, “Franell comes well recommended by managers, peers and subordinates.”

Staff writer Vickie Aldous can be reached at 479-8199 or vlaldous@yahoo.com.