The high-stakes search for Cohasset’s next permanent leader reached its final deliberative stage Tuesday afternoon as the Select Board convened at Wilcutt Commons. With the town facing a projected $2.4 million budget gap for FY2027 and a complex infrastructure roadmap, the meeting focused on the vetting of four finalists recommended to succeed the current interim administration.

Chair Ellen Maher opened the session at 4:32 p.m., noting that the hybrid nature of the meeting required specific procedural adjustments. Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the Cohasset Select Board meeting, Maher stated, explaining that because Member Chris Plecs was participating remotely via Zoom, all votes for the duration of the meeting would be conducted by roll call. Vice Chair Paul Grady subsequently led the roll call to formalize the attendance of the board members present in the room, including David Farrag.

The meeting brought together the primary architects of the town’s recruitment strategy, including Tim Davis, Chair of the Town Manager Search Committee, and Suzanne Kesketti Averil. They were joined by Buzz Steppchinsky and Bob Mercier of MRI, the consulting firm hired to manage the national search. The group has spent weeks narrowing a field of 28 applicants down to a final shortlist that includes Interim Town Manager Michelle Leary, Michelle Prebble, and Daniel Rello. Leary, who has been managing the town’s daily operations and the development of the FY2027 budget, was also in attendance as the board prepared to deliberate on the long-term leadership of the community.

The selection of the new manager comes at a critical juncture for Cohasset. The incoming executive will inherit the responsibility of navigating the town through a systemic fiscal crisis and several massive capital endeavors, most notably the $135 million Public Safety Complex project and the MSBA-supported Middle-High School building project. Additionally, the new manager will be tasked with executing the town’s 15-year water infrastructure overhaul and addressing the 11.88 percent budget increase requested by the School Committee.

While the board moved through initial procedural items and the Pledge of Allegiance, the presence of resident Jennifer Chu and the full search committee highlighted the public interest in the appointment. The board had previously signaled its intent to conduct public interviews with the finalists before the end of April, making this session a vital step in ensuring a transition of power before the upcoming Town Meeting cycle and the conclusion of the fiscal year.