Plympton Library Director Debbie Batson invites townspeople to visit the library on Saturday morning, Jan. 6, from 10:30 to noon, to greet Plympton’s first Town Administrator, Elizabeth Dennehy at First Saturday Coffee Time.
Stop in, enjoy a cup of hot coffee and a goodie, meet your friends, and say hello to Ms. Dennehy who began her position in Plympton in early December.
Ms. Dennehy has more than 10 years of experience in municipal government, including serving as the Community Development Director in Walpole and as Planning Director and Environmental Affairs Officer in Fall River.
“We are excited to welcome Elizabeth Dennehy as Plympton’s first Town Administrator,” said Christine Joy, Chairman of the Plympton Board of Selectmen. “Her skills, experience, and local knowledge will prove beneficial to the Plympton municipal team and will help us to achieve continued success for the community.”
Ms. Dennehy, of Raynham, was one of two finalists for the position.
“We were highly impressed with the qualifications of both finalists,” Chairman Joy said. “It was a difficult decision for the board.”
There were a total of 38 applicants for the position. The Board of Selectmen were supported in the search by a seven-member Town Administrator Screening Committee and by Community Paradigm Associates.
In Walpole, Ms. Dennehy was responsible for all aspects of the town’s Community and Economic Development Department, including preparation of the annual budget, attracting and negotiating with new businesses, hiring and supervising personnel, providing technical assistance to various boards and commissions, and updating zoning bylaws. Her work in Fall River involved managing all aspects of the city’s Planning Department.
Ms. Dennehy holds both a Master of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth/Environmental Science from Bridgewater State University. She is a Notary Public, and served on the Freetown Cultural Council from 2008 to 2014 and the Freetown Emergency Management Agency from 2005 to 2013.