Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter officially introduced herself to the Town Meeting before the evening’s business began.
“I am truly invested in this town,” the 19-year Whitman employee, who most recently served as Treasurer-Collector said. She was hired as town administrator on Feb. 21. “While I started in the middle of the busy budget season, I can certainly say that this year’s budget season [was] the most challenging for everyone – the town of Whitman, the town of Hanson and the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District.”
She said reaching school budget compromise that worked for everyone pleased and relieved her, but that one of her goals is to develop a budget calendar for next year that will include meetings with all the budget stakeholders as early as possible and that she would be reaching out to Hanson Town Administrator Lisa Green and Superintendent of School Jeff Szymaniak, the Finance Committee and town finance team to begin discussions to help prepare the fiscal 2025 budget earlier.
Carter also thanked former Town Administrator Frank Lynam, who came out of retirement to serve as interim during the period in which the Select Board conducted its search for a new administrator.
“Frank has been an integral part of the town’s leadership these past nine months, his many years of experience as town administrator and his willingness to step back into the role – as interim town administrator – when he was needed the most, has been a tremendous benefit to this town,” Carter said. “Today is Frank’s last day, and this evening is Frank’s last Town Meeting as a town official. Frank will be, as I call it, officially re-retiring tonight. I’m personally so thankful, as is the board, that Frank stepped up when the town truly needed him the most.”
The Town Meeting, gave Lynam a standing, ovation, which made him a bit uncomfortable.