MARLBOROUGH – With less than one month before the city welcomes a new administration, the incoming mayor has announced his transition program.
On Nov. 29, Mayor-elect J. Christian Dumais announced the formation of his 25-member transition team.
The team will serve as an all-volunteer advisory body for the mayor-elect in a wide variety of areas affecting the city, including community outreach, economic development, housing, recreational and green space, education and senior issues.
The transition team will be made up of a diverse group of volunteers who are Marlborough residents and business owners. Each member will represent different segments of the population. The team will include representatives from the senior community; parents and parent-teacher organizations; Brazilian and Hispanic communities; business owners; veterans; public library users; nonprofit leaders; local clergy; a west side fire station committee member; the disability community; and several at-large community representatives.
“The goal of our transition team is to ensure individuals from all walks of life have the opportunity to make their voice heard when discussing Marlborough’s future. We are transitioning from the longest-serving administration in Marlborough’s history. It is time we reflect on what we have done well, what can be done better, and what can be done different. I want to thank those who are willing to serve on the team for their commitment and time,” said Dumais.
Marlborough resident and former Ward 5 City Councilor Maura Navin was named as chair of the transition team by Dumais. In addition to her time on the City Council, Navin held previous professional roles at the American Heart Association and WhippleHill Inc. For the last eight years she has been the CEO and founder of LillaBlu Strategies, a holistic marketing company that assists small businesses and entrepreneurs. Navin also serves on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of MetroWest and as vice chair of the AMSA board of directors.
“Maura brings a diverse background in marketing, communications and public service that will be invaluable to leading the committee in a variety of areas. In addition to her strong professional background, she is a resident who has a deep passion for the city and its success. I am extremely grateful to her service leading the transition team, and look forward to working with her,” said Dumais.
While not members of the formal transition team, former Mayor Nancy Stevens and incoming Chief of Staff Ryan Egan will be assisting the team over the coming weeks.
Egan will be serving as transition manager as well as chief of staff. He served as campaign manager for the mayor-elect’s election campaign.
For the last six years, Egan has served as a town councilor for the town of Randolph. He previously worked in the office of two mayors; most recently in the Office of Mayor Charlie Sisitsky in Framingham, and in the Office of Mayor Arthur Vigeant prior to that.
“I am confident that Ryan’s background in municipal government coupled with his familiarity of Marlborough will serve the office and residents extremely well,” said Dumais.
Egan’s work will include assisting the mayor with day-to-day city operations; managing initiatives and projects across city departments; coordinating media relations for the mayor, and providing guidance to the mayor on a wide variety of topics facing the city.
“It is my immense privilege to be asked to serve Mayor-elect Dumais and the residents of Marlborough,” Egan said. “I greatly look forward to assisting the mayor-elect in making sure Marlborough remains the top place in the Commonwealth to live, work and play.”
Since election night, both Dumais and Egan have been working on a productive transition with Mayor Arthur Vigeant and his staff.
Website and community survey
Dumais also announced the launch of his official transition website. This site will provide updates on the transition; information about the inauguration; his transition staff and team; forms for scheduling and press requests; and a community survey for the public.
The purpose of the survey would be to solicit feedback from residents and business owners in Marlborough about the issues facing the city. There are a few pointed questions, as well as an open-ended field where participants can share their thoughts on any issues they wish.
“I am extremely excited to announce both the transition website and community survey,” said Dumais. “Too often, residents and business owners not only feel left in the dark but have no outlet to share their concerns and ideas. Our website and community survey aims to solve both of those issues.”
Constituent services issues (specific potholes, individual cases, etc.) have their own section of the website. These types of issues should not be included within the survey.
Residents can visit the transition website and fill out the survey at www.MayorChristianDumais.com.
Dumais will be sworn into office on Monday, Jan. 1, at 10 a.m. at Whitcomb Middle School, 25 Union St. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
