Westwood's Search for Its Next Town Administrator is Underway

As of July 26, Molly Fitzpatrick is now serving as Westwood’s interim town administrator, stepping into the role upon the July 25th resignation of Christopher Coleman, who has moved on to become city manager of Milford, Delaware, after five-and-a-half years of managing Town of Westwood staff. Immediately before taking this position, Ms. Fitzpatrick held the position of Westwood's deputy town administrator.

Westwood Select Board at its July meeting unanimously approved Ms. Fitzpatrick to fill the interim town administrator role, until the board appoints a new town administrator.

In the meantime, Select Board has unanimously approved hiring the consulting firm, Community Paradigm, to be its consultant in the search process. According to a description of the firm at Select Board's July meeting, it was Community Paradigm that brought Christopher Coleman to the Town of Westwood as a new hire.

Of five bids that the Town of Westwood received in response an RFP, Community Paradigm was deemed the best option. According to Town Counsel Pat Ahearn, Community Paradigm also turned out to be the second lowest bidder, at $16,000, in a range of proposals with price of service offerings between $12,000 and $36,000.

Select Board has appointed members of a screening committee, which will review potential candidates to fill the town administrator role. The screening committee will be asked to narrow the field and present a group of finalists to the Select Board.

Members of the screening committee - Westwood residents nominated by Select Board - all have significant present and/or past experience in town governance. They are:

• Patrick (Pat) Ahearn, Town Counsel
• William (Bill) Bruce, Westwood Finance and Warrant Committee
• Dorothy (Dori) Parmelee, Westwood School Committee
• Ellen Larkin Rollings, Westwood Planning Board
• Phil Shapiro, Long Range Financial Planning Committee
• Ford Spalding, Westwood resident and former Dover Selectman
• Jack Wiggin, Westwood resident and member of the 2020 Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
• Joan Courtney Murray (ex officio), Westwood resident and former director of Westwood Human Resources

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