The search for Harwich’s next permanent leader reached its final stage on Saturday as the Select Board conducted public interviews with three finalists vying for the Town Administrator seat. The high-stakes session comes as the town faces a looming Charter Commission deadline that would cap "acting" tenures at 270 days, adding urgency to the board’s efforts to replace Interim Town Administrator Tony Schiavi. Chair Donald Howell opened the session by acknowledging the long road to this point, stating, Whoever it is that winds up winning is only going to be selected because they fit in the best with this town.

Jim Kriedler, a 33-year management veteran who has already secured a lease to live in Harwich, led the interviews with a detailed proposal to overhaul the Monomoy Regional School District assessment formula. Addressing long-standing local concerns regarding Chatham, Kriedler suggested a move toward 50 percent enrollment and 50 percent "ability to pay" (EQV) to protect the town’s coffers. Member Mark Kelleher asked the candidate to elaborate on your experience with shared municipal services and regional schools, specifically regarding the Harwich "double hit" on school choice students. Kriedler responded that the town needs a circuit breaker in the regional agreement to ensure Harwich’s costs do not exceed a 75 percent threshold. On the topic of town management, Kriedler advocated for offsite retreats to align the board with the town charter. When Vice Chair Peter Piekarski asked, How are [the offsites] run? Kriedler described them as informal, conversational sessions meant to bring policy-setting into focus.

Jeff Gorman, the current Town Administrator in Marion and a 27-year military veteran, pitched himself as a candidate looking for a forever job. Gorman emphasized a no secrets management style, telling the board, Bad news does not get better like wine. Interview Committee member Jeffrey Handler asked what attributes create an optimal relationship between a board and its administrator, to which Gorman replied that he focuses on learning the individual cadences of his bosses to operate as a cohesive team. Regarding Harwich’s ongoing wastewater expansion, Gorman drew on his experience in Marion managing heavy debt loads for sewer enterprises. He noted that while debt is not inherently bad, administrators must provide the trade-offs of not spending to the public. When Piekarski asked for his strengths and weaknesses, Gorman admitted he can take things personally but highlighted his professional drive, noting he is not afraid of calling my baby ugly if a municipal plan is failing.

The final candidate, Middleboro Town Manager Jay McGrael, leaned heavily on his identity as a lifelong Cape Coder and his use of modern communication tools, including a podcast and "Java with Jay" community coffee hours. Interview Committee member Anita Doucette asked about his approach to the media, and McGrael pledged an open-door policy, noting, I’m honest and responsive with them. McGrael also detailed a high-profile legal maneuver in Middleboro where he worked with the Lieutenant Governor to find a zoning "grandfathering" path that allowed the town to comply with state mandates without adopting controversial MBTA 3A requirements. On fiscal matters, McGrael advocated for a five-year cycle of zero-based budgeting to keep departments lean and suggested moving free cash into stabilization funds rather than relying on it for operations. I’d rather build levy capacity than just generate free cash, McGrael told the board.

The interviews touched on the town’s vacant Assistant Town Administrator position and the ongoing Local Comprehensive Plan. McGrael described the assistant role as a partner and equal, while Gorman noted he has been successfully managing Marion without such a deputy. As Harwich prepares for its May 4 Annual Town Meeting, the board is expected to weigh these different management philosophies—ranging from Kriedler’s deep Massachusetts tenure to Gorman’s military stability and McGrael’s proactive communication style. Howell noted the board intends to reach a final selection during their Monday night session.