Abington Appoints Interim Town Manager as Lambiase Departs for Kingston
Aggressive Timeline Set for Permanent Hire
ABINGTON - December 3 - The Abington Select Board unanimously approved Mike Maresco as Interim Town Manager Wednesday following the announcement that Town Manager Scott Lambiase will leave for Kingston’s top administrative post. The board established an aggressive search timeline aiming to have a permanent replacement by early February.
The Full Story
Select Board Chair Roger Woods opened the special 10 AM meeting by welcoming newly elected member Nicole Emery and thanking Lambiase for his service before addressing the leadership vacancy. Woods quickly deferred to board member Kevin Donovan, who leveraged his extensive Town Administrator experience to spearhead the interim appointment.
Donovan, who himself recently completed an interim stint in Hanson, explained the limited pool of available candidates. “There are very few people out there, they’re usually former town administrators that have been retired or what have you,” he said. Donovan recruited Mike Maresco, formerly of Marshfield, for the temporary role.
The board approved an employment agreement paying Maresco $91.11 per hour—matching Lambiase’s current rate. Maresco will start December 8, working part-time at 20 hours weekly for at least two weeks alongside Lambiase before transitioning to full-time when Lambiase departs around January 1.
“I want to make sure that there’s an overlap here so Scott can educate Michael as to what the problems are, what the problems we face, the personalities, introduce them to the various department heads,” Donovan said.
Maresco attended the meeting and signed his contract on the spot. “I’m looking forward to having some time to sit down and talk to everyone once I get situated here,” he told the board. “Beautiful facilities. We’ve got some great staff.”
The board then tackled the permanent hire process. Under the town charter, a vacancy requires establishing a seven-member search committee: one school committee member, one finance committee member, and five residents.
Donovan proposed modifying the standard structure to include select board representation—specifically the chair and vice-chair. “Over the course of time, I’ve been on search committees, I’ve been interviewed by search committees, and in all cases there’s been representation from the board of selectmen,” he said. “It makes no sense to me that this wasn’t embodied in the charter.”
State statute prohibits a select board majority on the search committee. Donovan’s approved structure includes Chair Roger Woods, Vice-Chair Suzanne Djusberg, one school committee member, one finance committee member, and three at-large residents.
The three resident positions will be filled through applications due December 15. Donovan emphasized seeking fresh voices, particularly younger residents who haven’t previously served in town government.
“As far as the remaining people that we would appoint, I’m looking for, and I think we have to be mindful in looking to the future of the community to involve people that haven’t been involved before,” Donovan said. He stated he would not vote for current town employees or sitting board members, seeking instead “people on the street.”
The board will appoint the three residents at a special meeting December 23. Town manager applications are due January 5, 2026. The search committee holds its first meeting January 6 at 7 PM and must present three finalists by January 26. The board plans final interviews and selection during the first week of February.
Woods will chair only the initial organizational meeting before the committee selects its own leadership. The gap between the committee’s recommendation and board interviews allows time for background checks and vetting.
The ratified search committee advertisement notes that meetings will likely occur in executive session and may run long during daytime hours on weekdays or weekends.
The town manager job posting describes Abington as a community of 17,062 residents located 20 miles south of Boston with a five-member select board and open town meeting government. The FY26 operating budget totals $71.8 million, and the town carries a AA bond rating.
Candidates must possess at least a bachelor’s degree and five years of full-time managerial experience in public or business administration. They need not live in Abington or Massachusetts but must be U.S. citizens. Anyone who served in elected office in Abington must have been out of that position for 24 months.
The posting acknowledges fiscal headwinds. “Like a great many of Massachusetts’ municipalities, Abington will have a challenging time with the FY27 budget,” the advertisement states. The select board has scheduled a special election for an override vote using a menu approach, allowing voters to approve funding increases for individual departments. The annual town meeting warrant will include contingent appropriations that take effect only if voters approve the override.
Before adjourning, Town Moderator Shawn Reilly announced two vacancies on the nine-member finance committee. “We would greatly appreciate some more residents to step forward and volunteer for that committee,” Reilly said. “It’s going to be a very important committee in the coming months as we set our budget. No experience needed.”
Why It Matters
Town managers serve as chief administrative officers responsible for day-to-day operations, personnel decisions, and implementing select board policy. With acknowledged budget challenges for FY27 and a potential override election ahead, securing experienced leadership will be critical for navigating complex fiscal decisions. The compressed two-month timeline minimizes disruption while the interim arrangement ensures continuity. Having an experienced former town administrator overlap with the departing manager provides crucial institutional knowledge transfer during the transition.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve employment agreement with Mike Maresco as interim town manager at $91.11 per hour, starting December 8, initially part-time (20 hours weekly) for at least two weeks, then full-time. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:04:29)
Motion: Establish seven-member town manager search committee consisting of one school committee member, one finance committee member, Select Board Chair Roger Woods, Vice-Chair Suzanne Djusberg, and three at-large residents to be appointed December 23. Applications due December 15. Town manager applications due January 5, 2026. First meeting January 6, 2026 at 7 PM. Committee reports three finalists by January 26. Board conducts final interviews first week of February. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:17:44)
Motion: Ratify advertisement for search committee positions, noting executive session work and potentially long daytime meetings. Applications due December 15, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:18:43)
Motion: Ratify advertisement for town manager position outlining qualifications (bachelor’s degree, five years managerial experience), FY27 budget challenges, and planned override election. Application deadline January 5, 2026 at 4 PM. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:21:29)
Motion: Adjourn. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:22:53)
Public Comment
Town Moderator Shawn Reilly announced two finance committee vacancies and encouraged residents to volunteer for the nine-member body, emphasizing its importance during upcoming budget deliberations.
What’s Next
Interim Town Manager Mike Maresco begins work Monday, December 8, initially part-time alongside departing Town Manager Scott Lambiase. Search committee applications due Monday, December 15. The select board meets Tuesday, December 23 to appoint the three at-large search committee members. Town manager applications due Monday, January 5, 2026 at 4 PM. The search committee holds its organizational meeting Tuesday, January 6 at 7 PM and must present three finalists by January 26. The select board plans final interviews and selection during the first week of February.
Full meeting available via Abington Community Access and Media.