NORTH ATTLEBORO — Citing his passion and energy, town council has offered the job of town manager to Rehoboth resident Michael Borg, a retired Army colonel.
If contract negotiations go well, he will be the first town manager in the history of North Attleboro, which recently changed its form of government.
Councilors Tuesday repeatedly cited the personal impression Borg made on them with his enthusiasm, which helped overcome concerns about his lack of experience.
After a long career in the military, Borg, 53, has spent the past five years working for the City of Providence in three different roles. He is currently director of capital improvements.
Part of his job has been working to repair buildings in Providence’s troubled school system.
Borg has never been a town manager or a budget director, but councilors said he shows great potential to grow in the job and is a natural leader.
“His personality is contagious,” Council President Keith Lapointe said.
Councilor JoAnn Cathcart, a former town hall employee, joked she was ready to come out of retirement to work for Borg.
He was unanimously chosen over Christopher Clark, the former Harwich town administrator, who has 30 years experience in municipal government.
Council Vice President Justin Pare said Clark would have been the safe choice while Borg comes with more risk, but Borg has a “higher ceiling.”
A few councilors said Clark would have been “ready on day one” to take over management of town government, but in the long run Borg would be the better leader.
“I am looking for a bit more than qualifications. I’m looking for someone to lead North Attleboro into the next generation,” Councilor John Simmons said in an enthusiastic endorsement of Borg.
“I think he is the leader to build us and build our new government,” Councilor Kathleen Prescott said.
North Attleboro voters adopted a charter last spring that changed the structure of government by creating the town manager and council positions. It eliminated selectmen and representative town meeting.
Former Town Administrator Michael Gallagher has been the acting town manager since July 1. He will continue to work with Borg until June.
Originally, Councilor Adam Scanlon said he favored Clark and Pare said he was undecided. But, after listening to the strong support their colleagues voiced for Borg, they agreed to vote for him.
Scanlon said he changed his position to show unity.
The selection came after a grueling hiring process.
Councilors interviewed the finalists for four hours Monday and for another three hours Tuesday. They then discussed the candidates for 75 minutes before voting.
Previously, a consultant firm and a selection committee screened more than 20 candidates for the job.
Borg served in the Army from 1986 to 2015 and had a number of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to his resume.
At one point, he commanded a brigade of 3,000 soldiers, police and civilians.
After retiring, he joined the City of Providence in 2015 as director of emergency management. He was then moved to director of public works and in 2018 became director of public property and capital improvements.
He has degrees from Metropolitan State College in Denver, American Military University in West Virginia, and the Naval War College in Newport.
Monday night's interviews, discussion by the town council and their vote can be seen through January 16 on North TV's Government Channel: Comcast channel 98 and Verizon channel 23.
Click below to see highlights of Monday's meetings:
