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Two director-level leaders are departing their posts in Sudbury this month.
The Monday, December 8 meeting of the Park and Recreation Commission included a long conversation about the resignation of Park and Recreation Director Dennis Mannone. Mannone resigned abruptly and his last day was the Friday prior to their meeting. Assistant Town Manager and Finance Director, Victor Garofalo, told the commissioners that the Town found an interim director in just a matter of days after Mannone resigned.
He voiced confidence that the Town had the resources they needed to maintain consistent operations in the weeks ahead. Garofalo also told the commission that they Town will not be taking action to permanently fill the vacancy until 2026.
Just a couple weeks earlier, Health Director Vivian Zeng informed the Board of Health that she had accepted an enticing position with the Town of Andover and would be moving on at the end of the year. (28:30 below)
Zeng has been with the Town of Sudbury for nearly three years. She quickly developed a reputation as a rockstar Health Director who built a strong team in her department that tirelessly engaged with the community. Members of the Board of Health praised her for her contributions to the community and wished her success in her next position.
The changes come as the Town of Sudbury is forecasting difficult financial conditions in the years ahead. Town Manager Andy Sheehan has made several adjustments to the structure of departments and the nature of hybrid positions in recent years. In total, Town staffing levels have dropped from 183 to 180 total full-time equivalent positions from Fiscal Year 2024 to Fiscal Year 2026. (Page 165)
While two director-level vacancies pose a challenge, Sheehan has emphasized succession planning and creating opportunities for advancement since he joined the Town of Sudbury. That approach appears to be working, as the Town has filled many stubborn vacancies in public safety and other areas over the last year, all while attracting experienced talent to fill vacancies as retirements and departures arise.