Marshfield Selects Temporary Leader Following Town Administrator's Departure
Peter Morin, retired municipal veteran, to serve up to four months as interim; Board approves separation agreement with Michael Maresco
MARSHFIELD - April 14 - The Marshfield Select Board has appointed Peter Morin as Interim Town Administrator following the resignation of Michael Maresco. The board voted unanimously Monday night to bring Morin on board for up to four months while the town searches for a permanent replacement.
Morin, a retired municipal administrator with extensive experience in local government, will work 25 to 30 hours per week at an hourly rate between $75 and $100. He will also serve as the town's temporary procurement officer.
"I'd be available tomorrow, and I'd work through your town meeting day to get you in a position where you can have a viable and prudent plan for the town to address town meeting and to address the budget," Morin told the board during his interview.
The board approved a separation agreement with Maresco by a 2-1 vote, with Chair Lynne Fidler and Vice Chair Steve Darcy voting in favor and member Eric Kelley opposed.
Town Counsel Robert Galvin explained that the agreement was negotiated with outside counsel and provides Maresco with his contractual three months of wages, three months of severance, and his phone. The agreement also contains a mutual release and ensures any future inquiries will be handled appropriately by the HR department.
"She actually concluded that it was below average to what someone would pay with his experience, his term of office," Galvin said, referring to the assessment by special outside counsel Kate Feodoroff.
Kelley expressed his opposition to the agreement, stating, "I think if Mike wanted to resign, he should've just resigned and be done with it in my opinion."
He added that he believes the town's current situation stems from "years of neglect of oversight from past Select Boards" rather than Maresco's actions.
Fidler thanked Maresco for his service to the town and expressed pride in how town officials and department heads have rallied during the transition.
"I appreciate the amount of work that has gone into just getting us to today, and we're working hour to hour, day to day, and that's where we're headed in trying to get a path towards the future," she said.
Morin brings significant municipal experience to the interim role. He most recently served as interim chief administrative officer for the town of Phillipston and previously worked as Town Administrator in Norwell from 2015 to 2022.
During his interview, Morin highlighted his experience with budgeting, procurement, and collective bargaining. He noted that in Norwell, he increased free cash from approximately $2 million to $5.5 million, established a capital stabilization account and a special education stabilization account, and maintained a triple-A bond rating.
When asked about the challenges facing Marshfield, Morin identified health insurance, pension assessments, and education costs as major stressors for municipalities.
"I would look at all of the revenue numbers, look at the expense numbers, and then look at where the challenges are, what the gaps are, and see if I could contribute some ideas about how to close them," he said.
Morin emphasized the importance of forecasting and planning for the future. "Identify the gaps that you're facing financially as soon as you can so that you'll have time to look at options to address them rather than react to them, anticipate them," he advised.
The board asked Morin to provide regular updates on his work, similar to what Maresco had done, and to prepare an exit memo with recommendations for the town's operations when his interim period concludes.
Galvin noted that the town charter limits an Interim Town Administrator appointment to four months. He added that the town will soon receive recommendations on how to find a permanent Town Administrator.
"These are not easy positions to fill. And I think we're lucky to be able to find someone with his experience this quickly," Galvin said of Morin.
Morin, who currently serves as a district six town counselor for the town of Braintree, made it clear he is not interested in the permanent position.
"I'm retired. I'm married and I'd like to stay that way," he joked. "My commitment to my 31 years of marriage is more important than any municipality. So if I took a full-time job now, I'd be in a world of trouble."
The Select Board's next meeting is scheduled for April 28, the same day as the annual town meeting. The board is expected to reorganize following the May 3 local election.
In other business, the board approved seasonal beach hires, assistant harbormaster and shellfish constable appointments, and several other routine matters.