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Town manager to leave mid‑summer; select board moves ahead with assessment and search committee
Summary
The West Newbury town manager announced a resignation to become Whittier School Committee business manager, with a mid‑to‑late July departure; the Select Board approved an organizational assessment/search committee and began scoping the town manager search and transition process.
The West Newbury town manager announced to the Select Board that they have signed a contract to become the school business manager for the Whittier School Committee and expect to leave town government in mid‑ to late July. "I will be providing my notice," the manager said, adding their contract start date is listed as Aug. 1 and they anticipate an overlap with the incoming Council on Aging director.
The announcement prompted the board to accelerate planning for a search and transition. The Select Board voted to create an organizational assessment and town manager search committee and approved a committee charge that directs members to work with an outside consultant on community engagement, candidate outreach and the search timeline. The board also named five committee members (a mix of officials and residents), saying the committee will help develop a community profile and public forums that feed into the hiring process.
Board members and the manager discussed the timing and staffing implications of the departure. One member noted that presumed candidates from comparable municipal roles often need 60–90 days’ notice to leave their positions, which can lengthen the hiring timeline. The manager and a resident who participates in municipal personnel searches urged posting the job promptly—regional municipal job boards like the Massachusetts Municipal Association post ads immediately—while the committee prepares a detailed community profile.
The board directed staff to circulate an application notice for committee and candidate interest, confirmed plans to coordinate the assessment and search work with the consultant, and agreed to return with specific timelines and candidate‑recruitment steps at upcoming meetings. No interim appointment was announced; the board said it would continue planning for continuity and a smooth handoff.
The board recessed to executive session at the end of its public agenda, saying it would return only for adjournment.
