Lombardi Receives High Marks At Annual Evaluation

BREWSTER – In his annual evaluation by the select board, Town Manager Peter Lombardi received high marks for his leadership skills, strategic planning and overall performance for the town. 

At the Oct. 6 select board meeting, members discussed Lombardi’s exceptional performance over the last year and reflected on his previous seven in office. Annually, the select board evaluates the town manager with a public-facing report and discussion. Chair Mary Chaffee said his scores are reflective of his merit. 

“I think it certainly paints a portrait of a spectacularly effective professional,” she said. 

The categories for scoring included board support and relations, financial management, community leadership, town operations and infrastructure, leadership, personnel management, professional skills and strategic planning. 

Lombardi received scores of 4.8 across the board (aside from one 4.55) on a scale of one to five. His 4.55 mark was under professional skills with notes acknowledging his “exceptional problem solving” and “high level of competency.” The remarks also noted that his workload can be complex and challenging, especially since the town purchased the Sea Camps properties. 

Aside from evaluating his performance, the board also discussed Lombardi’s goals for the upcoming year. 

Similarly to last year, the goals were broken into four categories: governance, water resources, community infrastructure and Sea Camps. 

The governance goal refers to work within the Brewster and the Nauset school systems. Lombardi was asked to continue to work with other towns in the district on the updated regional school agreement, as well as assisting in the elementary school regionalization and efficiency feasibility study. According to the report, he has already made significant progress co-chairing the initiative with the superintendent and has facilitated the process of choosing a consultant for the request for proposals of the regionalization study. 

Regarding water resources, Lombardi’s major goal was to complete the updates to the integrated water resources management plan. This year he worked with the Brewster Ponds Coalition to incorporate their priorities into the plan’s scope. 

Over his tenure, Lombardi has successfully prioritized infrastructure work around town. This year, he worked to make sure the Millstone Road improvement project was on track and within budget. The project is set to be completed this fall. 

The Sea Camps has been an ongoing project since the town acquired the properties. After the proposed debt exclusion to fund a comprehensive plan for the properties was voted down last December, Lombardi worked with the Sea Camps advisory committee, town staff and outside consultants to craft a new financing and phasing plan that still supported the comprehensive plan approved in May 2024. The plan was just presented to the residents at a community forum last month. 

The select board agreed that continued progress on these goals is what is needed for the upcoming year. 

“Brewster town government is widely admired as effective and innovative — much of that is thanks to Peter Lombardi’s exceptional leadership over the past seven years,” the evaluation reads. “Peter is an extraordinarily effective municipal leader at a time when serving as a town manager is a complex and difficult role.” 

Lombardi also received a merit increase of 2%.