AMHERST — Sean Mangano, Amherst’s finance director from early 2020 until summer 2023, will return to the position later this year from the Holyoke public schools.
At the recommendation of Town Manager Paul Bockelman, the Town Council at a brief, remote special session last Thursday, unanimously approved bringing back Mangano, who served as the Holyoke schools’ executive director of finance and operations.
Bockelman said Amherst is fortunate Mangano applied for the job and has respect from colleagues in municipal and school finance across Massachusetts.
“He has a real dedication to the town of Amherst,” Bockelman said. “He is well regarded throughout the state; he became president of the Government Finance Officers of Massachusetts.”
Mangano replaces Melissa Zawadzki of Williamsburg, who was hired in spring 2024 and departed from the full-time position earlier this year to a job at the University of Massachusetts. Zawadzki, though, has continued to provide consulting assistance to the town.
Mangano’s experience includes being finance director for the Amherst-Pelham Regional, Amherst and Pelham schools for five years, starting in 2014, and earlier being the schools’ budget analyst and accountant.
In a memo, Bockelman wrote, “Sean has unique and specialized knowledge of both the town’s and the school’s budgets. He learned the school and town financial systems from the ground up and has an in-depth understanding of the inner working of both financial systems, most significantly the shared Munis accounting system.”
His start date is not yet known, but with state receivership on Holyoke ending on July 1, he had to give 90-day notice if he was departing, though Bockelman said this can be negotiated.
Aside from the unanimous vote, the only councilor comment came from District 2 Councilor Pat De Angelis when she voted “aye” and then added, “gratefully, that he’s returning.”
Mangano was one of 10 applicants for the position, with a Finance Director Search Committee, made up of Human Resources Director Melissa Loiodice-Walker, Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek, Recreation Director Rey Harp, former Finance Committee member Bernie Kubiak, and Residents’ Advisory Committee member Anastasia Ordonez, interviewing three applicants and forwarding to finalists to Bockelman. After Bockelman interviewed those finalists, Mangano was offered the job, and he accepted.
The position pays between $115,971 and $155,854.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
