New Finance Committee members sworn in

Will Broaddus, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·2 min read

Aug. 11—NORTH ANDOVER — One new member of the Finance Committee was sworn in and one was re-appointed Monday in a ceremony at Town Hall. Another new member, who was unable to attend because he was being tested for COVID, will be sworn in privately at a later date.

"This is a highly qualified group of financial and business professionals who possess a wide range of municipal and other public finance, analytical, and operational skills vitally necessary amidst this challenging period of fiscal uncertainty," said Town Moderator Mark DiSalvo in a press release.

The new members include Ken Gray, former mayor of Amesbury, and Keith Chaney, who previously served as Associate Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The returning committee member, Brianna Stetson, is Director of Performance Marketing Strategy at CVS Health.

There are a total of nine members on the Finance Committee, all serving staggered terms of three years. The Committee evaluates every element of the town's budget, which in fiscal year 2023 totals $125 million, and make recommendations on individual articles in the Town Meeting warrant. They also summarize their findings on town finances in a report.

Chaney, a graduate of Boston University, has been owner and president of city Sealcoating, Inc. since 2017. He was previously a vice president at State Street financial services and worked for MassDOT in the administrations of Governors Weld, Cellucci and Swift.

In addition, Chaney is a member of the Lawrence Leads Program and Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, and serves as a board member of the Alliance for Business Leadership.

Gray, who will be sworn in later, served as Amesbury's mayor from 2014 to 2020 and has also chaired the School Committee for Amesbury.

He graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in engineering, and has extensive experience in business. Gray also currently serves on the board of Pettingill House, a regional social service provider, and the Merrimack River Watershed Council.

Town Manager Melissa-Murphy Rodrigues was present at the event along with Select Board Chair Janice Phillips, Select Board members Dick Vaillancourt and Laura Bates, and School Committee Chair Pam Pietrowski. Christine Allen of the Finance Committee thanked outgoing members Ed MacMillan and Jennifer Luz for their years of service.

DiSalvo was first elected as Town Moderator in 2012, and his primary role is to preside over Town Meeting. But the Town Moderator also appoints the members of the Finance Committee, and several members to the School Building Committee.

"The Finance Committee is the most unherladed but consequential appointed committee in town," DiSalvo said. "I have repeatedly stated it is central to the best practices review, operation and fiscal integrity of our community."