Town Manager

The Town Manager is Billerica's chief appointed executive, serving under the Select Board. The office began as the Executive Secretary to the Board of Selectmen: the 1967 annual town meeting (Article 71) funded the position under Chapter 41, Section 23A of the General Laws, and Francis X. Corliss was appointed the town's first Executive Secretary effective November 6, 1967. He was followed by Daniel P. Melillo (1970-1974) and Edwin G. Beane (from November 25, 1974); an unnamed Acting Executive Secretary served between Melillo's termination on September 24, 1974 and Beane's appointment.

The Billerica Home Rule Charter, approved by the voters on March 3, 1979, expanded the executive secretary's job and gave it the new title of Town Administrator, appointed by the Select Board for an indefinite term from nominees chosen by a screening committee. While the committee searched, Howard J. Ralston served as Acting Executive Secretary from March 5, 1979 and Executive Secretary from April 2, 1979 until November 30, 1979. Paul F. Talbot was appointed the first Town Administrator on July 25, 1979, and Evelyn M. Haines was named Transitional Aide (the charter's successor title for the executive secretary) on December 3, 1979, becoming Assistant Town Administrator.

A charter amendment adopted by the October 10, 1996 town meeting and approved at the annual town election of April 5, 1997 changed the title from Town Administrator to Town Manager. Since then the town has several times relied on acting or interim managers between appointments, notably Town Accountant Paul Watson in 2005 and in 2009-2010 and Chief Assessor Richard Scanlon in 2008.