Town Leadership
The Templeton Town Administrator’s Office
The Town Administrator
James Ryan
When a road goes unplowed or a building permit stalls, the person with the most operational control over the response is appointed, not elected. James Ryan is the Town Administrator, hired by the five elected members of the Select Board 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 oversees the daily operations of the departments, shapes and presents the annual budget, and carries the town’s biggest spending requests to Town Meeting for the final vote. He also serves as the town’s human resources director and procurement officer. Because Templeton 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 Select Board under contract, not elected |
| Office | Town Hall, 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton, MA 01438 |
| Phone | 978-894-2755 |
| Website | templetonma.gov |
What the Town Administrator Does
- Runs the departments. Police, fire, highway, health, senior services, and the rest report up to the Town Administrator, who oversees their daily operations.
- Builds the budget. Each year the Administrator proposes how the town will spend its money, then defends that plan before the Select Board and Town Meeting, which holds the final vote.
- Answers to the board. The Administrator 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 Town Meeting, and in Templeton that means every registered voter who walks in.
The Administration
- Department heads carry out policy, from plowing snow to inspecting restaurants, and report to the Town Administrator.
- The Select Board 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 Select Board, decide questions like zoning, conservation, and licensing.
Contact & Engage
- Town Hall: 160 Patriots Road, East Templeton, MA 01438.
- Town Administrator’s Office: 978-894-2755.
- Report a problem: potholes, broken lights, and snow issues go to the Highway Department.
- Show up: the Select Board 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.