Braintree council reappoints municipal finance director to Contributory Retirement Board

The Town of Braintree Town Council approved Mayor Joyce’s appointment of Michael Esman to the Braintree Contributory Retirement Board for a three-year term during its Sept. 2 meeting at Town Hall.

The chief of staff told the council the mayor is appointing Michael Esman, the town’s director of municipal finance, and said the nominee’s municipal finance experience would be “indispensable” to the retirement board as it addresses issues ahead. The chief of staff also noted the seat being filled was vacated by Joe Driscoll.

Councilors asked clarifying questions during the discussion. Councilor Bridal asked whether the previous finance director (referred to in the discussion as Mr. Spellman) still served on the retirement board; the chief of staff confirmed Spellman remains on the board and that his term runs through Nov. 9, 2025. The chief of staff said that if the council approves Esman’s appointment, both Spellman and the finance director would serve together on the five-member board.

The chief of staff described the retirement board’s composition for the public: two elected members (active or retired members), two appointed members by the executive authority, and a fifth member appointed by those four. A motion to approve the reappointment citing sections 2-10 and 3-3 of the town charter passed by unanimous voice vote.

Transcript spelling of the nominee’s last name is inconsistent (appears as “Esman” and later as “Espin”/“Espin”); the council identified the nominee as the director of municipal finance. The council did not provide a roll-call tally; the motion passed by unanimous voice vote.