DANVERS — The new town manager is in.
Jill Cahill officially became Danvers’ new town manager after being sworn in by the Select Board last week.
Cahill, who has a long record in public service and municipal leadership, was praised by town officials for bringing with her extensive experience, a collaborative leadership style, and a strong commitment to community engagement.
She was selected by unanimous vote March 18 as one of two finalists to replace Steve Bartha, who had accepted the position of town manager in Lexington last fall.
Cahill has more than 20 years of experience in local and state government. For the past four years, she has been chief administrative officer for the city of Gloucester, where she previously served as the community development director.
Earlier in her career, she was the chief of staff to now Senate President Karen E. Spilka and the executive director of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jill Cahill to Danvers,” Select Board Chair Dan Bennett said. “Her leadership style, collaborative approach and deep understanding of municipal operations make her the ideal person to guide our community. We are confident she will build on our strengths and help us continue to thrive as a community.”
Cahill said she is committed to fostering a positive workplace culture and place a strong emphasis on employee morale and open communication.
“I’m honored to join the Danvers community and lead an organization with such a strong foundation,” she told the Select Board. “My top priorities are listening to our residents and employees, building a culture of trust and respect, and ensuring that Danvers continues to be a place where people want to live, work and get engaged.
“Strong teams and a connected community are the heart of any successful town government, and I’m excited to begin that work here,” she said.
As part of a commitment to transparency and accessibility, Cahill plans to hold a series of community roundtables throughout the summer to hear directly from residents about their priorities, ideas and concerns. Times and details will be posted on the town website and social media platforms in the coming week.
During her first week on the job, she began with meeting with staff across departments and preparing for Annual Town Meeting on May 19.
Cahill has also expressed interest in attending local events as a way to better understand the community’s character and build lasting relationships with residents.
In a farewell to Cahill, Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga said in a Facebook post: “I want to take a moment to recognize Jill Cahill for her incredible dedication and leadership during her time with us …from CAO (Chief Administrative Officer) to Community Development Director, we have been fortunate to accomplish so much together, and Danvers is lucky to have her join their team.”
One of Cahill’s accomplishments, she told the Gloucester Daily Times, included the rollout of a beach parking reservation system for out-of-town vehicles.
The system significantly cut traffic on streets leading to Good Harbor and Wingaersheek beaches by people headed there early to get a parking spot.
Before it was implemented, Cahill said, summer meetings would be dominated by beach traffic talk.
She also said she was proud of infrastructure projects such as water and sewer improvements that, while not high-profile, makes a difference in residents’ lives. Other accomplishments included oversight on a new harbormaster building and visitor boating center, renovation of the police station and district court complex, as well as a new elementary school and related softball field and park project.
“Danvers is lucky to be getting someone like Jill,” former Gloucester CAO Jim Destino said. “We worked very well together when I was CAO and she was community development director. I think she will do great things for Danvers.”
Staff writer Ethan Forman contributed to this report.