The Town of Marion is willing to train Evan Lehrer on the job as its new town administrator, so its citizens can realize his enormous potential as the municipality engages pivotal private and public projects, beginning with the former Lockheed Martin property.
Lehrer, selected in a 2-1 vote over fellow finalists Geoff Gorman and Thomas Guerino on December 5, emerged on the final stage of the interview process due to his experience as Mashpee’s town planner the past five years.
Peppered with questions in his final interview, Lehrer demonstrated extensive knowledge of Mashpee’s development history, focusing on New Seabury as well as Mashpee Commons with regard to ongoing challenges in those locations that specifically relate to the crucial juncture facing Marion.
In discussing Cape Cod and south-coast towns, Lehrer identified common concerns such as attaining and affording housing, water, wastewater and growth.
“You generally end up with two factions, those who are very married to community character, intent on preserving that character, not interested in doing much else,” Lehrer told the Select Board on December 5. “And then there’s the other faction, who is cognizant and recognizes the value that comes with preserving as much seaside, community character as a place like Marion has but understands that, at the same time, growth perspectives need to be positively considered to at least maintain an adequate level of professional services that the taxpayers of this town have come to and expect to receive.”
As a planner, Lehrer said he comes from the school of new urbanism.
“I’ve never been a fan of the either-or strategy. I would recommend a form-based approach that allows multi uses,” he said of Lockheed Martin during his December 5 interview. “Predictability goes a long way for the community getting the maximum advantage for a proper development. Providing yourself with opportunities is the best option.”
Asked about his management style, Lehrer said, “I’m not a micromanager. If you’re looking for a rigid manager, I’m not that. … I don’t like to compel people to do the job one way or another. … People do best when managers trust their skill set to do the job well.”
After the three finalists for the job were interviewed, the Select Board took a lunch break and reconvened. All three members came away with confidence that the town had viable options.
“I think Geoff did a good job, I think he’s capable, there’s no question. Tom, we know, could get in the driver’s seat and more especially, if we were in a position where we had to get something done that we couldn’t really handle – probably a great man for the job. Evan? Evan’s a brilliant young man and I liked him a lot, and he would be my vote,” said Select Board Chairman Randy Parker, who was impressed with Lehrer’s instant recollection of times, dates and financial numbers regarding Mashpee-related matters. “There was no hesitation in his response.”
Parker believes Lehrer undersold his financial experience during the interview process.
“He didn’t pronounce himself as a financial person, he said he was weak in that objective. However, … a lot of the things that he said were financially obligated. In one way or another, he gathered those people up,” said Parker.
“Evan has municipal management on his career plate, at least since college and worked very hard building a resume,” said Select Board member Toby Burr. “He’s extremely well spoken, very personable, and seems very easy to work with and for. I would say both Geoff and Evan would be the two I was leaning more heavily towards and probably would have to give the nod to Evan, just because I think the upside potential there is so great.”
Select Board member Norm Hills cast the lone dissenting vote, preferring Gorman’s experience level.
“I think just the fact that (Lehrer) showed up in this group (of finalists) was what surprised me. He’s certainly capable, he’s certainly knowledgeable and smart, but I just don’t think he has enough experience that we need at this point, to step in and keep going, whereas I think Geoff can do that,” said Hills.
“I agree Geoff would be more productive in the first year, but I think beyond the first year, Evan would learn very quickly and in years two, three and four, Evan would outshine Geoff,” said Burr. “I think they both would be good, but I think … the upside potential of Evan is huge. And quite frankly, I’m not sure that we could hold on to either one of them beyond five years.”
“I would say holding on to Evan will be more difficult,” said Hills.
Contract negotiations with Lehrer, a 33-year-old Sandwich native and father of three, were not completed by press time. The Marion Select Board scheduled a second executive session for Thursday, January 12, at 5:00 pm.
Prior to working for Mashpee, Lehrer, a Tabor Academy and Brown University graduate, also worked a year for Central Falls, Rhode Island, and a year for Brookline. He told the Select Board he was not job searching when he learned of the opening in Marion, but the opportunity excites him.
“Marion is a town that feels a bit like a homecoming for me,” said Lehrer, who graduated from Tabor in 2008. “The memories that I have in Marion are deep and profound, and I’ve always found that I’m most successful working in communities where I have that type of connection.”
He said his mother is now living with his family and that he is looking for a long-term, sustainable career step.
“I knew service, government, (non-government organizations), non-profit-related work was going to be the field I was driven towards because I’m a problem solver. I want to identify community problems offer solutions and work with communities on addressing them,” said Lehrer, who holds a master’s degree in Public Administration. His graduate work includes a master plan for a free-trade zone around the international airport in Quito, Ecuador.
The impending hire of Lehrer harkens back to the 2019 hire of Jay McGrail, also a Sandwich native and first-time town administrator prior to his recent hire as new town manager in Middleborough. McGrail turned out to be a very successful first-time hire, according to numerous stakeholders around Marion.
Since McGrail’s departure, Finance Director Judy Mooney has been serving Marion as interim town administrator.
In addition to his job as Mashpee’s town planner, Lehrer has also been functioning unofficially as the town’s primary grant writer. When Gil Hilario was Marion’s town planner, he functioned in a similar capacity that had since been split between McGrail and Town Planner/Conservation Agent Doug Guey-Lee.
Guerino, a former town administrator in Bourne, and Gorman, a 27-year, retired Navy veteran with several years serving on Mashpee’s School and Finance committees, were interviewed prior to Lehrer on December 5, all three having emerged from a pool of candidates that were interviewed by Marion’s Selection Committee on previous dates.
Parker, who represented the Select Board as a member of the Selection Committee, noted he interviewed each candidate twice. He expressed hope that Hills would cast in favor of Lehrer so the vote could be unanimous, but Hills, while committing his support to the board’s decision, felt it was important that his preference for Gorman was recorded.
The process was guided by Bernie Lynch of Plymouth-based Paradigm Associates. Lynch remained involved in the communications process with the finalists following the December 5 vote.
Marion Select Board
By Mick Colageo