Chatham Assistant Town Manager Position Re-established; Kathleen Donovan Appointed By Goldsmith

CHATHAM – The position of assistant town manager, originally established in 2002, is being reinstated.

 In an administrative order issued Feb. 4, Town Manager Jill Goldsmith named Director of Community Development Kathleen Donovan to the position. The appointment recognizes that Donovan has served as second in command since 2021, according to Goldsmith.

 Donovan will remain as director of community development, according to a memo accompanying the administrative order.

 According to the town’s home-rule charter, administrative orders issued by the town manager become effective after 30 days or earlier if affirmed by the select board. The board can also vote to reject the order.

 Discussion of the administrative order will be on the board’s Feb. 17 agenda at the request of board member Stuart Smith, Chair Dean Nicastro said in an email.

 Nothing triggered the action, Goldsmith said in an email. “Rather, it reflects an assessment of the town’s evolving operational needs and the value of strengthening executive capacity and continuity as part of the budget and planning process,” she wrote. Having the position will aid in implementing policies and goals set by the select board, she added.

 Timing of the announcement is tied to the ongoing fiscal 2027 budget review and “reflects a broader look at organizational capacity and leadership needs,” she added.

 The assistant town manager position was established by former Town Manager William Hinchey in 2002. At the time, the finance director held the assistant town manager duties. 

 Goldsmith wrote that the new order changes that structure and makes the assistant town manager an “executive and operational position for strategic initiatives, consistent with contemporary municipal management practices and the increasing complexity of town government.” The change is “performance based” and not intended to make the assistant town manager the successor to the town manager, she added.

 Donovan will receive a $5,000 annual stipend that will be incorporated into her base salary, which will be $185,161 for the upcoming fiscal year.

 Goldsmith noted that all 14 Cape towns as well as Nantucket have assistant town or deputy town manager or administrator positions, either combined with a department head position or a stand-alone job.

 Along with serving as acting town manager in Goldsmith’s absence, Donovan has led a number of town-wide initiatives with high levels of community interest and served as interim natural resources director, Goldsmith wrote in her memo. “This cross-departmental background has given her a strong understanding of municipal operations, regulatory process and interdepartmental coordination, all of which are directly relevant to the responsibilities of assistant town manager,” she wrote. Donovan has extensive municipal experience, including planning, zoning, inspectional services, conservation and public works, she added.

 Formalizing the assistant town manager role “improves operational resilience and continuity,” Goldsmith wrote. Having a clearly defined second in command “provides clarity during periods when the town manager is on leave or otherwise unavailable due to other executive demands, reducing reliance on informal or ad hoc arrangements and supporting uninterrupted service delivery.” The assistant town manager also supports policy implementation and facilitation, she added.

 Having an assistant town manager conforms to “current best practices in municipal management, emphasizing leadership depth, continuity and collaboration,” Goldsmith wrote.

 The appointment doesn’t alter existing departmental reporting relationships or the number of officials who report directly to Goldsmith, according to the administrative order. 

 “The proposed structure will be monitored for workload balance and effectiveness and may be adjusted as needed to reflect operational demands,” the order reads. “The town manager remains accountable and responsible to the select board per the town charter.”