Above: Town Administrator Jean Kitchen (right) talks with Representative Carolyn Dykema and then-Fire Chief John Mauro Jr. during Tropical Storm Irene earlier this year (contributed photo)
Southborough Town Administrator Jean Kitchen told the Board of Selectmen last night that she plans to retire when her contract is up next July.
Kitchen has been Southborough’s town administrator for 5-1/2 years. Prior to that, she served as town administrator in Spencer for four years and in Groton for 16 years.
In accepting Kitchen’s notice, selectmen thanked her for her years of service.
“Your efforts to help me along (when I was first elected) were so heroic it showed me how much you care about this town,” Selectman John Rooney said.
“The amount of effort you put into the job is easily shown,” Selectman Dan Kolenda said.
How selectmen handle Kitchen’s replacement may depend on whether or not voters at Town Meeting in April endorse a proposal to move to a so-called strong town manager form of government. If they do, the town administrator position would be replaced by a town manager one.
Very sad, but best wishes to Jean, she did a wonderful job while she was here and this Southboro resident is very appreciative.