Fidel Maltez, who has been Reading’s town manager barely a year and a half (since February 2022) is one of four finalists for a City Manager position in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Chelsea’s city council announced the four finalists during their September 20, 2023 Special meeting, which can be viewed at their community cable Facebook page here (see https://www.facebook.com/ChelseaCommunityCable/videos/4053165741576507). Mr. Maltez’s name is read at approximately the 15-minute mark.
According to a Chelsea City Council agenda posted today, Mr. Maltez and the three other finalists will be interviewed on Saturday September 30, 2023 (see agenda here). It is possible that the Chelsea City council could select their final candidate from this pool as soon as next week. The Reading Select Board has scheduled a tentative special meeting for Friday October 5, 2023, if necessary, based on the choice of the Chelsea city council.
In addition to our town manager Fidel Maltez, the other named finalists include, in alphabetical order:
Mr. James Duggan, who was described as having 30 years of public sector experience, including roles as Massachusetts undersecretary of consumer affairs/regulations, town manager of Dracut, chief administrative officer for the city of Boston, director and assistant director, respectively, of community development in Marlboro and Methuen, and as a housing program manager in Lowell. Mr. Duggan’s tenure in Dracut ended with a resignation after significant turmoil, according to a Lowell Sun article here (see https://www.lowellsun.com/2019/10/09/embattled-dracut-town-manager-resigns/ )
Ms. Cheryl Watson Fisher, is currently the city solicitor for the city of Chelsea and she was a finalist in 2022 for the position of city manager of Cambridge. She was described as having over 30 years in public sector, including 20 years as Chelsea city solicitor. She has also had roles as a law firm partner, as assistant city solicitor in Cambridge, assistant regional counsel for the Massachusetts department of social services, and as a field attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, Boston Region.
Mr. Michael McGovern similarly was described as having worked in the public sector for 30 years and has been the town administrator of Shirley, Massachusetts since 2018. According to Google, in the last five years, Mr. McGovern has been a finalist for town manager/administrator types of positions in at least six other different Massachusetts communities, including Middleton in early 2023, as well as in Middleborough (2022), Stoughton (2022), Fall River (2021), Whitman (2020), and Kingston (2020).
In terms of terminating his employment with the Town of Reading, the Town Manager shall give 6 months written notice according to his contract.
