Новый администратор Шеффилда Дуг Ньютон взял на себя управление городом с наследием десятилетнего руководства

SHEFFIELD — Ever since Doug Newton visited Bartholomew's Cobble as a little kid, he's wanted to live in the Berkshires. Now, he’s the town administrator of Sheffield, where that lifelong fascination began. "I've had really a lifelong fascination and love for the Berkshires," said Newton, who officially stepped into the town's top position on July 6. The previous town administrator, Rhonda LaBombard, had been in the role for more than a decade and left the town in a strong financial position, town officials say. LaBombard has stayed on as a consultant to help with the transition, something Newton said he's grateful for as he learns to navigate the challenges of working in a small town, from clearing large stretches of roadway to managing a difficult school budget. Newton grew up in Marshfield and graduated from the University of Maine in 2019 with a bachelor's in political science. He recently got his master of public administration from Suffolk University. After working as a legislative aide in the state Senate, Newton spent nearly three years as a municipal policy analyst for Watertown. The work gave him experience working with an elected municipal government. “I like the direct accountability that comes with this role and the decision-making power that comes with this role," he said, adding that he also enjoys collaborating with the different boards and committees that help run the town. Outside of municipal government, he described himself as a huge baseball fan who loves the Red Sox and road trips. He also called himself a family man and “avid, albeit amateur” wildlife photographer. He’s currently looking for bears and moose to photograph along with all the “amazing” wildlife in the Berkshires. Becoming a town administrator had been a long-term goal for Newton, who was drawn to the ability to make decisions that have a direct impact on a community. “There's some positions where they're very important, but you're one actor out of many,” Newton said. “I worked in the Statehouse for a little while, and you're one staffer out of many for one elected official out of hundreds.” The first month on the job has been “wall-to-wall action each day,” he said. He’s learned a lot about what makes Sheffield different from other communities, including its unique needs and advantages. The School Committee has been a topic of conversation for residents the last few months following a contentious budget season. He said he’s met with the committee chair multiple times and will meet with the superintendent soon to discuss ways to restructure the budget process so it allows for better communication and “makes more financial sense.” Another “built-in advantage” is the strong teams employed by the town, he said, pointing to the highway department. Sheffield has some of the highest total road mileage to maintain, but by population, it’s one of the smaller communities, just a few thousand. So state funding through Chapter 90 comes up short, he said. “It puts an enormous strain on our highway department,” Newton said. “We can't afford to fund a massive highway department, yet we have a lot of highway for them to work on." The biggest difference between Watertown and Sheffield, aside from the lifestyle, is the amount of staff in town hall, he said. “In Watertown, relative to here, it's true to say they've got a staffer for everything,” he said. “And in Sheffield, we have a staffer for 30 things at once, so in many ways it's harder actually. But we have a really good team. It just speaks to the importance of having that team." Communication and transparency are important to him. He said he is proactive in getting residents information. “Transparency to me means not just that the information is there, but that it's immediately available and easy to access,” Newton said. “Something can be public, but if you have to file a public records request to get it, and then you get stonewalled when you do. That's not real transparency.” He said he wants to take what’s already being done and maintain it while looking for places for growth that align with town needs. “This is a community that understands the importance of growth, but also wants to retain its character,” Newton said. “And I also want it to retain its character. I moved out here for a reason.”