June 19 marked the first Town Council meeting for new Town Manager Michelle Benivegna. The council members took time to welcome her and thank departing interim Town Manager Richard Brown.

Last month, the Clinton Town Council announced it had hired Michelle Benivegna to be Clinton’s second-ever full-time Town Manager. Her first day was June 10.

On June 19, Benivegna attended her first regular Town Council meeting, where she was welcomed by the council members and then gave an update about what she’s been doing since officially starting in Clinton.

Benivegna said she has spent a lot of time meeting with the different departments in town as well as department heads.

“You have amazing department heads and amazing employees, and I’m looking forward to meeting all of them,” Benivegna said during the meeting. “It’s been a busy eight days so far, but I’m very excited to be here.”

As town manager, Benivegna is tasked with running the town’s day-to-day operations. Per a job description, “The town manager shall see that all policies set by the Town Council, along with the laws and ordinances governing the town, are faithfully executed. He or she will prepare the Town budget for the Town Council’s approval, prepare an annual report, and provide advice to the Town Council on municipal projects and the financial condition of the Town. The town manager serves as the personnel director/human resources director for the Town.”

Later in the meeting council member Brian Roccapriore suggested the council schedule a workshop with Benivegna soon to discuss goals and the town’s fund balance over the next year.

A Fond Farewell

The Town Council meeting on June 5 was the final meeting for Interim Town Manager Richard Brown. At that meeting Town Council Chairperson Carrie Allen took time to thank Brown for the work he did in Clinton.

Brown worked in Clinton from mid-February until early June while the town conducted a search for a full-time manager. When Brown came to Clinton it was the thick of budget season and the town was without a finance director or a town manager. However, the town was able to successfully pass a budget without major controversy and has since hired a new finance director in addition to Benivegna.

Reflecting on the help Brown gave the council, Allen said on June 5, “He was able to come to us at a time we very much needed somebody and I for one, and I’m sure the rest of us thank him for giving us that sense of security when we really needed it.”