MARSHFIELD - June 12, 2026 - The Marshfield Select Board reached a tense political deadlock on Friday afternoon, failing to fill the town administrator position that has now sat vacant for over a year. Board members Rick Smith and Eric Kelley found themselves at an unyielding impasse, clashing sharply over the validity of the application timeline and the professional histories of the final candidates. The gridlock leaves municipal operations in limbo until a third board member can be elected and break the tie.
The Full Story
The meeting opened with urgent appeals from the public during the public comment portion, with residents demanding experienced, transparent leadership. Resident William Early set the tone for the afternoon, calling on the board to move past a year of interim management. “I hope today we’re at a point that we can hire a town administrator,” Early stated. “I think we need to have a champion in Marshfield, not a novice... when you hire an executive, you need somebody with experience. You need somebody with a track record. You need somebody with honesty.” Early, along with resident Peg Davis, strongly endorsed finalist Ted Langill, citing his proven municipal background in Weymouth.
When the board transitioned to its sole agenda item—the appointment of the town administrator—the deep divide between the two sitting members immediately surfaced.
Select Board Member Eric Kelley took the floor first, drawing a firm line regarding the town’s established application timeline. Kelley argued that because the Select Board had previously instituted a hard deadline of March 6th for resumes, candidates who applied after that date should not be considered. According to Kelley, only two finalists met the criteria: Dan Riviello and James Kriedler. Kelley dismissed Riviello as “a little too green right now” for Marshfield’s current challenges, leaving Kriedler as his sole choice.
“I am in favor of Mr. Kreidler moving ahead.” — Eric S. Kelley [00:10:43]
Select Board Chair Rick Smith vigorously contested this procedural view, pushing back against the exclusion of late-received resumes. Smith pointed out that under the town charter, the Select Board holds the ultimate authority to hire executive staff, bypassing or extending search committee functions at will. Smith expressed serious reservations about Kriedler, explicitly highlighting Kriedler’s past forced departures and subsequent financial separation packages from two previous municipal positions. Smith noted that such a history was “hard to not take into consideration” when selecting a permanent leader.
Instead, Smith advocated strongly for Langill or corporate turnaround expert Caruso, praising Langill’s stringent financial oversight, collective bargaining experience, and anti-override budget management. Smith characterized Kriedler’s interview style as defensive, noting that Kriedler had inappropriately attempted to “size the both of us up publicly in an interview”.
