With a unanimous vote. the Town Council selected Police Chief Terence Delehanty as the next town manager pending successful negotiations.
Council President Ron Vecchia, who nominated Delehanty, said there had been an outside search firm to field qualified applicants for the committee. Shortly after McKenna stepped down as town manager, a search firm was hired and netted 11 candidates with no one being selected. This lack of candidates prompted the committee to restart the search process. Starting in October, the second attempt drew 17 applicants. It was at this time Delehanty informed the Town Manager Search Committee that he was interested in being a candidate.
“He has done a tremendous job,†Vecchia said of Delehanty’s work as interim town manager.
Delehanty was appointed interim town manager in August 2017 after Town Manager James McKenna decided not to renew his contract and finish his final year of the contract, which runs out in May, as a consultant to the town. McKenna had been town manager for nine years, the longest time since the town went to a town manager form of government 12 years ago.
Delehanty is currently being paid his police chief’s salary of $160,000.
Delehanty has not yet stepped down as chief. If he does, there is speculation that Deputy Chief John Goodwin could become the next police chief.
Delehanty holds a law degree from the Massachusetts School of Law. He is also a graduate of North Shore Community College and UMass Boston, with majors in criminal justice. He has a master’s certificate in public administration, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
He’s also been on the police department for the past 26 years and became chief in 2009.
The negotiating team for Delehanty’s contract will be Vecchia, Councilors Heather Engman, Linda Calla, and Michael McDuffee.