Select Board interviews Blythe Robinson for interim TA

Select Board · Meeting of May 4, 2026

BROOKFIELD — The Brookfield Select Board interviewed a candidate for interim town administrator amid ongoing town hall turmoil. Chair Sarah Campbell and members Richard A. Chaffee and Beth L. Coughlin questioned Blythe Robinson, who has held interim municipal roles in 22 Massachusetts towns since 2022, including nine months as interim town manager in Bridgewater. Robinson said of the hiring climate, "I notice you're looking for a treasurer, and I think about every fifth town is doing the same thing right now." Town Accountant Lori Barkus, who has run Brookfield's budget in the administrator's absence, said the town was in "financial turmoil" when she arrived seven years ago but has since stabilized, aside from a treasurer vacancy covered by an outsourced firm.

The board planned two more interviews before deciding Wednesday, with a town meeting scheduled for June.

In the full story:

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• Brookfield's community access TV: Select Board meeting, May 4, 2026
• The complete report: 740 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of May 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.