The announcement Friday that Marblehead Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin is leaving means the town’s top two budget officials will depart within four months of each other — not long after June’s vote to approve a $17.3 million tax override package to fund school and municipal operations.
Benjamin, who came to Marblehead in 2023, will leave in August after accepting a position as chief financial officer for the town of Nantucket. Her departure comes just weeks after Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer announced he will retire at the end of the year.
“The decision to leave was incredibly difficult and one that I did not make lightly,” Benjamin told the Current on Saturday. “My choice is not a reflection of my commitment to public service or my affection for Marblehead. Rather, it is an opportunity that enables me to better provide for my family while continuing the work I am deeply passionate about in public service.”
In a statement Friday, Kezer praised Benjamin for her impact on the town’s finances.
“Since joining Marblehead, Benjamin has played a pivotal role in modernizing the town’s financial operations and strengthening its long-term financial planning,” Kezer wrote. “Her leadership has helped position the town with stronger financial management tools, greater transparency and improved organizational effectiveness while helping the town successfully navigate a period of significant fiscal challenges.”
Finance Committee Chair Molly Teets also praised Benjamin’s work.
“Under her leadership, the town has made significant strides in improving transparency and modernizing financial processes and technology, and she is leaving the town’s fiscal health stronger than she found it,” Teets wrote to the Current. “Her leadership will be missed, but her departure alongside the town administrator’s now gives us a chance to step back and be thoughtful about how we structure town leadership going forward and to bring in the right team to build on the strong foundation they established.”
Select Board Chair Dan Fox sought to reassure residents about the simultaneous departures.
“Marblehead has a strong foundation of employees and systems that have been solidified over the past few years,” Fox said. “That combination will allow us to continue to operate in an efficient and stable manner. I see this as an opportunity to find new leadership in Marblehead that can come in and build on that strong core and add value in a variety of different areas in our town.”
Kezer said Benjamin will work with town leadership over the coming weeks to ensure a smooth transition. The town will begin recruiting her replacement immediately.
The Select Board has also begun the search for Kezer’s successor.
