Harwich leadership entered a pivotal phase Monday night as the Select Board convened to finalize the hire of a permanent Town Administrator and interview finalists for new legal representation. The meeting, which moved quickly into a closed-door executive session, marks the culmination of a months-long search to find a successor to Interim Town Manager Kevin Considine and professionalize town management ahead of a looming Charter Commission deadline for "acting" tenures.

Chair Donald Howell opened the session at 6:15 PM, outlining a dense agenda that included deliberations on personnel and legal strategy. We will be going to an executive session after I call us to order, at which point we will deliberate the subjects that are on the agenda and then we will return to the open meeting, Howell said. Motion Made by D. Howell to enter executive session for legal and personnel matters. Motion Passed 5-0.

The board is currently weighing three distinct candidates for the permanent Town Administrator post: Jeffrey Gorman of Marion, James P. Kredler Jr., and James P. McGrael of Middleboro. The choice comes at a critical juncture as the town transitions to a "user-funded" financial model to combat inflation. This strategy includes proposed hikes for beach stickers and a tiered 15% increase for non-resident harbor slip fees, all designed to insulate local taxpayers from rising maintenance costs while maintaining Harwich’s $5.69 tax rate.

In addition to the leadership search, the board met with Attorney John Clifford, Attorney Jamie Kenny, and Partner Caitlyn [Last Name Unknown] of the firm Clifford and Kenny. The firm is one of three finalists being interviewed this month as the board seeks to replace current counsel and reduce annual legal expenses. Finance Director Jennifer Mintz and Assessor Richard [Last Name Unknown] were also in attendance to provide data on the FY2027 budget, which the new administrator will be tasked with executing upon their arrival.

Member Peter Piekarski, who has focused on budget mechanics throughout the search, and Member Mark Kelleher, a vocal advocate for protecting taxpayers through school assessment reform, joined members Anita Doucette and Jeffrey Handler in the deliberations. The eventual hire will face immediate challenges beyond the budget, including a "Flow Neutrality" crisis involving new state Accessory Dwelling Unit laws and a critical shortage of burial plots at Island Pond cemetery.