Belmont Asst. Town Admin Hebert Candidate for Topfield's Top Job

Kellie Hebert, Belmont's Assistant Town Administrator who ran the office for more than a year during the search to replace Tom Younger and has been praised for her work creating the town's budget, is one of four finalists for the vacant Town Administrator's position in Topsfield. 

Hebert and the three other candidates – who were selected with the help of consultants from the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts – will be interviewed for the position by Topfield's Board of Selectmen this Wednesday and Friday. 

Besides Hebert, the other candidates are consultant William DiLibero, former town administrator in Charlestown, R.I.; Plaistow, N.H., Town Manager Sean Fitzgerald, a former chief of staff to the Peabody mayor; and Seekonk Town Administrator Pamela Nolan. 

Hebert was hired as assistant Town Administrator in June 2011 after working in human resources for the City of Lowell. She was placed in charge of the office in January, 2012 after interim Town Administrator Richard Kelliher stepped down from his position after only a couple of months on the job. 

Hebert led the town in the fiscal 2013 budget process, winning praise from the Board of Selectmen, Warrant Committee and department heads for her skilled work. Kelliher noted then that Hebert was a "raising star in Massachusetts municipal government." 

She returned to her assistant position when current Town Administrator David Kale was hired by the Selectmen in June 2012. She continued to lead the office in the budget process this past budget cycle.