Erin Joyce takes office as Braintree mayor. She's facing a tough challenge

BRAINTREE − Minutes after taking the oath of office as the town's third mayor and the first woman to hold the office, Erin Joyce identified the first major test for her administration.

Joyce said early projections show she must come up with upwards of about $10 million in new revenues or spending cuts to balance the town's next annual budget, which begins July 1. That's more than 6% of the current $160.4 million budget. She said the deficit is due to "fairly negotiated" salary increases for town workers and higher special education costs.

Joyce said the town's financial problems have been growing in recent years, pointing to the use of more than $4 million from the town's free cash reserve to balance the current town budget.

"It's time to fix it, and that starts today," Joyce said.

Joyce, 42, was sworn in by Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll during a ceremony at town hall Tuesday night. Other newly elected members of the town government also took the oath of office, including all nine town councilors and three new members of the school committee.

The mayor said she would work with the school committee and School Superintendent James Lee in the coming months to address budget issues.

Joyce said she would try to find the money in the current town budget to hire an economic development professional to work with the mayor's office and the planning department. She said the town's growth has been sluggish recently.

"Our town has struggled to find the right fit for development," said Joyce, a former chair of the town's planning board.

Joyce plans to develop more housing

Joyce said she would work with the administration of Gov. Maura Healey and Driscoll to develop new housing, especially affordable, senior and workforce housing.

"We want that housing to be the right fit for Braintree," she said.

Joyce's husband, Michael, held a family Bible during the swearing-in. Also attending the ceremony were their three children: Gavin, Finn and Pearson. Her parents, Rocco and Pat Venezia, of Canandaigua, New York, were in the audience as well.

Pat Venezia said she and Rocco are proud of their daughter.

"Erin was always a very driven, smart child," he mother said. "I knew she would one day go above and beyond in some capacity. I do believe she has been called to service."

U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch offered his support during remarks at the ceremony. State Sens. Walter Timilty, D-Milton, and John Keenan, D-Quincy, were in attendance. State Rep. Mark Cusack, D-Braintree, served as the master of ceremonies.

Outgoing Mayor Charles Kokoros and former Mayor Joseph Sullivan were in the audience along with Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch.

Joyce names office staff

Joyce named her administrative team during her speech.

Kara Nyman will be Joyce's chief of staff beginning Jan. 16. Nyman is the assistant town administrator in Holbrook. She is a former spokesman for the Norfolk County Sheriff's Department.

Nyman spent 4½ years as a Rockland selectman and nine months on the Hanover Planning Board. She has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in public administration from Suffolk University.

She was a candidate for state representative in the 5th Plymouth District in 2016, a seat that had been held by her late father, Robert, and her mother, Rhonda.

"She will be a great addition to our team," Joyce told the town council.

Audrey Andronico, who had been Joyce's campaign manager, will be assistant to the mayor. Kate Naughton, who had worked in Kokoros' administration, will remain as director of constituent affairs.

Town council reorganizes, elects Ryan president

After the inaugural, the town council held its reorganization meeting and elected Councilor-at-Large Charles Ryan council president for the next two years.

Ryan has been on the council since its inception 16 years ago and is its last remaining original member. He had been a selectman and a water and sewer commissioner in the old form of government. This will be Ryan's third term as council president.

He said dealing with the town's finances will be his top priority.

"It's going to be a tough fiscal year and we will have to work together to come up with the best budget we can for the people of Braintree," Ryan said in an interview after the meeting.

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Councilor-at-Large David Ringius was elected council vice president.

The town council has two new members: District 4 Town Councilor Ann Quilty and District 6 Town Councilor Peter Morin.

Joyce gave councilors copies of the book "Strong Towns: A Bottom Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity" by Charles Marohn Jr. In the book, Marohn argues that prosperous towns are built by incremental small actions at the local level. Like Joyce, Marohn is an engineer.

The school committee − which includes new members Joseph Fogarty, Rachel Horak and Justin Rollo − will reorganize at its meeting Monday night. Joyce also serves on the school committee.

Reach Fred Hanson at fhanson@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: New Braintree Mayor Erin Joyce takes office