Town Leadership
The Town Administrator’s Office
The Town Administrator
Brendhan Zubricki
When a road goes unplowed or a permit stalls, the person with the most operational control over the response is appointed, not elected. Brendhan Zubricki is the Town Administrator, hired by the three elected members of the Board of Selectmen to run the town day to day, and they can let him go if they lose faith in him. He is the chief administrative officer: he appoints and supervises most department heads, shapes and presents the annual budget, and carries the town’s biggest spending requests to Town Meeting for the final vote. He is appointed by the Board of Selectmen and serves under contract. Because Essex hands the daily machinery to an appointed administrator, the plan to fix a problem usually crosses his desk first, then goes to the board and to Town Meeting.
| Role | Town Administrator (chief administrative officer) |
|---|---|
| Selection | Appointed by the Board of Selectmen under contract, not elected |
| Office | Essex Town Hall, 30 Martin Street, Essex, MA 01929 |
| Phone | 978-768-6531 |
| Website | essexma.org |
What the Town Administrator Does
- Runs the departments. Police, fire, public works, health, and the rest answer to the Town Administrator, who appoints most of their leaders.
- Builds the budget. Each year the Administrator proposes how the town will spend its money for the town and the schools, then defends that plan before the Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting, which holds the final vote.
- Answers to the board. The Administrator serves at the pleasure of the elected Board of Selectmen and carries out the policies it sets.
- Reports to Town Meeting. Major spending and bylaws still need the vote of Town Meeting, and in Essex that means every registered voter who walks in.
The Administration
- Department heads are appointed by the Town Administrator and carry out policy, from plowing snow to inspecting restaurants.
- The Board of Selectmen is the check: it hires and can fire the Administrator, sets policy, and signs the warrants that put questions before Town Meeting.
- Boards and commissions, many of them appointed by the Board of Selectmen, decide questions like zoning, conservation, and licensing.
Contact & Engage
- Town Hall: 30 Martin Street, Essex, MA 01929.
- Town Administrator’s Office: 978-768-6531.
- Report a problem: potholes, broken lights, and missed pickups go to the Board of Public Works at 978-768-6262.
- Show up: the Board of Selectmen meets twice a month on Monday evenings at Town Hall, and the public is welcome.
Want to weigh in on a town decision? Learn how to contact your officials so they actually hear you.