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Select Board offers Townsend town administrator post to interim Kieran Mian
Summary
After interviewing two finalists, the Townsend Select Board voted June 3 to offer the town administrator position to interim TA Kieran Mian, subject to successful contract negotiations and a conditional written offer. The board cited Mian’s institutional knowledge during a difficult budget year.
The Townsend Select Board voted June 3 to offer the town administrator position to interim town administrator Kieran Mian, the board said after interviewing two finalists and holding a deliberation session.
Mian, who has served as Townsend’s interim town administrator since late 2025, told the board during a 5 p.m. interview that he has municipal experience ranging from grant work to personnel oversight. ‘‘I was your interim town administrator since about the end of December, start of January,’’ Mian said, adding that he recently completed a grant application to design and permit a Brooklyn Street pedestrian bridge worth ‘‘about $300,000.’’
Board members said Mian’s six months on the job gave him familiarity with the town’s immediate operational and budgetary challenges. In deliberations before the vote, several members said that continuity and existing working relationships with department heads weighed in Mian’s favor, while they praised the second finalist, Alexander Lauder, for broader project and regional experience.
Lauder, the town planner and economic-development lead in another community, described experience implementing online permitting and cross-departmental event coordination. ‘‘I transitioned into economic development so I could be the first person businesses reached out to,’’ Lauder said during his interview.
The board’s motion to offer the position to Mian was moved by Laura Shiffren and seconded by Sarah Logan. The board completed a call vote and then entered executive session to begin contract negotiations. The offer is conditional and subject to a formal contract, signature and any required background or reference follow-up, the board said.
Why it matters: Townsend faces a tight fiscal year and several pending negotiations that the board described as requiring a steady chief administrator. Candidates were asked how they would stabilize operations, improve communications with residents, and manage union and nonunion personnel under the state’s 2.5 percent levy limit.
What candidates emphasized: Mian stressed consistent communication, staff-first management, and incremental outreach such as TA office hours and short informational videos. Lauder emphasized interdepartmental coordination, online permitting (OpenGov) and regional cooperation to share specialized services.
Next steps: The board said it would complete contract negotiations in executive session and return to public session with any required formal notices. The conditional offer will become final only after successful negotiations and signature.
Attribution: Quotes and paraphrases are drawn from candidates’ interview remarks and the Select Board’s public deliberations on June 3, 2026.
