Town Leadership
The Town Manager’s Office
The Town Manager
Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues
When a street goes unplowed or a new development rises near your neighborhood, the person with the most operational control is appointed, not elected. Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues is the Town Manager, hired by the five elected members of the Select Board to run the town day to day, and they can let her go if they lose faith in her. She is the chief administrative officer: she 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. She came to North Andover in 2019 after running the town of Sudbury and, before that, serving as chief of staff and general counsel in the City of Everett. She trained as a lawyer, with a law degree from Northeastern University and a degree from Boston University, and she holds the credentialed manager designation from the International City/County Management Association. Because North Andover hands the daily machinery to an appointed manager, the plan to fix a problem usually crosses her desk first, then goes to the board and to Town Meeting.
| Role | Town Manager (chief administrative officer) |
|---|---|
| In office | Since 2019 |
| Selection | Appointed by the Select Board under contract, not elected |
| Office | Town Hall, 120 Main Street, North Andover, MA 01845 |
| Phone | 978-688-9510 |
| Website | northandoverma.gov |
What the Town Manager Does
- Runs the departments. Police, fire, public works, health, recreation, and the rest answer to the Town Manager, who appoints most of their leaders.
- Builds the budget. Each year the Manager proposes how the town will spend its money, then defends that plan before the Select Board and Town Meeting.
- Answers to the board. The Manager serves at the pleasure of the elected Select Board and carries out the policies it sets.
- Reports to Town Meeting. Major spending and bylaws still need the vote of Open Town Meeting, where any registered voter can take part.
The Administration
- Department heads are appointed by the Town Manager and carry out policy, from plowing snow to inspecting restaurants.
- The Select Board is the check: it hires and can fire the Manager, sets policy, and grants the licenses that shape local business.
- Boards and commissions, many of them appointed by the Select Board, decide questions like zoning, conservation, and licensing.
Contact & Engage
- Town Hall: 120 Main Street, North Andover, MA 01845. Main line 978-688-9500.
- Town Manager’s Office: 978-688-9510.
- Report a problem: service requests like potholes and missed pickups go through the town’s Report a Problem tool at northandoverma.gov.
- Show up: the Select Board meets on Monday evenings at Town Hall, and the public is welcome.
Sources
North Andover government website (northandoverma.gov). Verified July 2026.
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