Marblehead has begun paying the bill for replacing its two top financial officials, and none of the money was in this year’s budget.
The Finance Committee voted unanimously Monday to transfer $67,000 out of its reserve fund in two pieces: $41,000 to the Select Board’s department-head line to cover an accrued vacation payout to Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer, who retires Dec. 31, and $26,000 to the board’s other professional and technical line for executive recruiting through the Collins Center. Of that second amount, $16,000 covers the search for Kezer’s successor and $10,000 the search to replace Chief Financial Officer Aleesha Nunley Benjamin, whose last day is Aug. 21.
Both transfers are contingent on Select Board approval. Benjamin told the committee the board was scheduled to take them up Wednesday and had already signaled support. When Eric Knight pressed her on whether the board had at least verbally signed off — transfer requests normally reach the Finance Committee after the originating board has acted — Benjamin said it had, and that the delay came from the Select Board meeting this week rather than last…