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amherst city hall building
Staff photo/Dan Little
AMHERST — Amherst’s former finance director will be returning to town in the coming months to help officials get through budgeting season.
Sanford “Sandy” Pooler, who served as the City of Amherst’s Finance Director from 2011 to early 2016, regularly served on a part-time basis to assist the City Council, Mayor, and finance team with capital planning, capital projects, and financial forecasting. I plan on returning. Town Manager Paul Bockelman told City Council members Monday that he is aiming for fiscal year 2025.
“We’re really excited to have him join us,” Bockelman said.
Bockelman said Pooler, who left his position as Arlington’s town manager last summer and is a former chief administrative officer for the city of Newton, is one of the most experienced and intelligent financial executives in Massachusetts.
Mr. Pooler will lead the current finance team, which consists of co-interim finance directors Jennifer LaFountain, treasurer and collector, Holly Drake, comptroller, and Athena O’Keefe, secretary to council, who is responsible for coordination and review of the department. We plan to provide additional support to the team. Preparation of budget and final budget documents.
Mr. Bockelman has asked Mr. Pooler to be in charge of budget forecasting and capital improvement programs, creating financial plans for major capital projects, including a new elementary school and renovated Jones School in Fort River that are expected to break ground in the coming weeks. He said he was requesting that. Construction will also begin on the library this spring, as well as a new headquarters for the Department of Public Works and a fire station in South Amherst. Former Finance Director Sean Mangano, who left last summer to work for Holyoke Public Schools, previously co-ordinated financing plans for four capital construction projects.
District 1 City Councilwoman Kathy Schon, a former economist and policy analyst who served as chair of the elementary school construction committee, told Bockelman that Pooler’s appointment was “great news.”
Pooler returned to Amherst City Hall last week to meet with town staff and appear virtually before the Finance Committee. Bockelman said some of Pooler’s work will be done in-person, but other parts can be done remotely by phone or Zoom from his home in eastern Massachusetts.
“We needed high-level support,” Bockelman said.
Pooler’s contract will likely include him working 10 to 15 hours a week through June 30th.
Bockelman said bringing Pooler back to the team continues Amherst’s tradition.
“This town has a history of very strong financial directors,” Bockelman said, dating back to James Lindstrom, Nancy Maglione and John Musante from the 1970s to 2010. Mr. Musante held the position immediately before Mr. Pooler and hired Mr. Pooler early in his tenure. Town administrator. Claire McGinniss and Sonia Aldrich served as co-interim finance directors following Pooler’s departure, with Aldrich holding the sole role until Mangano took over in April 2020.
Contact Scott Merzbach at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
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