AMHERST — Credited with a steady hand in guiding the town’s finances and providing clear and concise fiscal information for the past 3½ years on the annual operating budget, American Rescue Plan Act spending and capital projects like the new elementary school and renovated and expanded Jones Library, Finance Director Sean Mangano will be leaving his position at the end of August.
Mangano, in the role since April 2020, is departing for a school finance leadership position in an unspecified community.
“I am very proud of our accomplishments since I started in 2020,” Mangano said in a statement.
Before taking on the town role, Mangano served as the Amherst public school’s finance chief from 2014 to 2019 and the town’s capital project manager for several months in 2019.
“While I am very sad to say goodbye, I feel a sense of comfort knowing the town is in great hands with a stellar finance team,” Mangano said. Those experts and leaders in their field include Holly Drake as comptroller, Jennifer LaFountain as treasurer and collector and Kim Mew as principal assessor.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said Mangano brought precision and understanding to complex issues, with high- quality work, a strong strategic vision and an ability to listen and adjust based on input. He also rebuilt the finance department with new staff.
“This is a huge loss for the town, for the Town Council, and for me personally,” Bockelman said. “Sean has been a strong, creative leader for the town, and the school district before he came to the town side of government.”
Bockelman said the town will begin recruiting a new finance development director immediately.
