At its June 29 meeting, the Select Board unanimously appointed Michael Gallagher as Hopedale’s Interim Town Administrator. 

The previous Town Administrator, Mitchell Ruscitti, left the position in June for a similar position in Swansea. 

“Some of these resumes are truly outstanding as far as their breadth of service,” said board member Bernie Stock, regarding the three candidates they interviewed for the position. 

In voicing his support for Gallagher, Stock said, “I like his approach, I think he’s got some strong financial and IT experience that we need right now; we need somebody who’s going to get us over that initial hump.” 

Board member Carole Mullen also supported Gallagher. She said Hopedale needs someone who can help the town get out of “a catastrophic mess” and she believes Gallagher has the “deepest background at their fingertips, and experience, to be able to find the way, working with our team, to find our way out of this.” 

Select Board Chair Glenda Hazard also supported Gallagher, touting his “deep financial background for the moment that can help us decipher the situation that we’re in and get us back on track.” 

In his interview, Gallagher shared his municipal experience with the towns of Norfolk, North Attleborough, Northborough, Somerset, and Weymouth. 

To watch the candidate interviews, visit www.townhallstreams.com.