COHASSET — The select board unanimously voted to appoint Michelle Leary April 28 as town manager after a contracted search firm and citizen committee considered 28 candidates. Leary has served as interim town manager since her predecessor Chris Senior stepped down in November 2025.
Her three-year term will begin after a background review by the search committee.
Leary became the assistant town manager in 2022 and has served as the town’s contracts and procurement manager since 2017, according to the résumé she submitted to the select board.
The town manager is Cohasset’s chief financial officer and is responsible for the administration of the budget, the preparation of yearly operating and capital budget proposals and the supervision of government departments.
In her interview with the select board, Leary identified structural deficits under the tax constraints of Proposition 2½ as a major challenge facing Cohasset.
“The best way to overcome that is to look at a five-year projection of what we have for capital improvement needs, what our workforce looks like, how we can improve our workforce, how we can improve the way we manage certain projects,” she said.
She said that one of her main goals for the beginning of her tenure is creating five- and ten-year financial forecasts and budget proposals.
Select board members praised Leary’s performance as interim town manager during their discussion before the vote.
“She took the budget coming in January and was able to go through every nook and cranny of it," Select Board Member David Farrag said.
The select board focused on Leary’s experience with the town and her style of leadership in its discussion.
“She recognizes the fact that people want to be heard, whether… they're a resident or they're a committee member or a board member or anyone in town,” Select Board Chair Ellen Maher said. “Whether or not you can provide an instant answer, I think that is something very important for our next town manager.”
The select board conducted public interviews with two other finalists: Daniel Riviello, assistant town manager of Provincetown, and Karen Preval, finance director of Carver.
After resigning as the town manager of Cohasset, Senior was sworn in as Winchester’s town manager in January.
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