By John Barrella

MIDDLEBOROUGH — When Teresa Kelly Farley took over as chair of the Select Board this spring, she inherited a town still reeling from the discovery of a structural budget deficit, a wave of public anger, and an interim town manager trying to hold the ship steady. One hundred days into her tenure, Farley sat down to talk about what she’s learned, what’s changed, and what’s still ahead — from a forensic audit of the town’s finances to the fate of the proposed Schobel Farm surf park.

The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Priorities and Vision

Q: What made you want to serve as chair specifically, rather than just as a board member, at this particular moment for the town?

A: “Honestly, I didn’t fully understand what was really happening until I was already well into it — even before I stepped into the chair role. Having spent time on the Finance Committee and the School Committee gave me a perspective a lot of people don’t have going in. Temperament is what this town needs right now, given everything we’re facing, and I feel grateful I could bring that to the table.”

Q: What would you say has been your top priority in these first 100 days, and has that shifted at all from what you expected coming in?

A: “Making sure our interim manager felt one hundred percent supported in his efforts. I wanted the people of this town to feel heard when they brought their concerns forward. There was a lot of fear based on what had happened — it was hard on everyone, employees, officials, and residents alike.”

Q: How do you personally define success for your time as chair — what would you want to look back on a year from now and point to?

A: “This role doesn’t give me any more authority than any other board member, and I honor all the members of this board equally. I don’t want to be part of a committee where the chair takes control of the meetings. My job as chair is to disseminate information, and that wasn’t happening before I took the role. When I look back, I want the record to show that the important decisions weren’t made by me alone — they were made by the whole board, together, and made in the actual meeting”.

Trust and Transparency

Q: A lot of residents have said publicly that they want better communication and trust between the Select Board and the community. What have you actually changed, procedurally or otherwise, to address that?

A: “If it’s on the agenda, it gets discussed. Important topics go on the agenda. If a resident makes a request, it goes on the agenda — that’s how people feel heard. Things that used to get dismissed in the past aren’t being dismissed now.”

Q: What’s one thing you think the Board could be doing better right now that it isn’t?

A: “I think we’re in a pretty good spot right now. There were some nerves early on — I was still finding my footing as time went on — but the tone has settled into something better than it was, and there’s a level of respect that’s improved. Going forward, my role is to keep that discourse respectful and maintain it.”

Financial Oversight

Q: The town is still working through the aftermath of the structural deficit discovered earlier this year. From your seat as chair, what’s the current status of addressing that, and what should residents expect over the next few months?

A: “I think we’re at a place where things are starting to settle in — where we’re figuring out what our new normal looks like. As for a forensic audit: yes, we plan to bring one forward, one hundred percent — I support it fully. I think there may be a struggle finding a company willing to actually take on that work. I want an RFP put out for a forensic audit, and the board has agreed it will pursue that once the standard audit comes through.”

Q: What safeguards, if any, do you want to see put in place so a discrepancy like that doesn’t go unnoticed again?

A: “Personally, I don’t believe a finance director should hold the kind of unchecked authority we saw. What happened was a breakdown in authority.

McGrail stepped down as town manager in early March, just weeks before the structural deficit came to light. Germain, who chaired the Select Board for much of his tenure, was defeated in his re-election bid that April, losing his seat to newcomer Tracie Craig-McGee.

Town Manager Search

Q: Where does the search for a permanent Town Manager stand?

A: “The search committee has completed its process. The Select Board will be conducting interviews on the 25th.”

Q: What’s the timeline residents should expect for a permanent hire?

A: “That depends on which finalist we ultimately select, but the goal is to have someone in place by the end of the calendar year — hopefully sooner than that.”

Major Pending Decisions

Q: The Planning Board is reviewing a draft article to prohibit high-intensity data centers before any proposal has even arrived. Where do you personally stand on that, and do you see the Select Board taking a position?

A: “Personally, I’m against data centers. I support the ban entirely. That said, the Select Board isn’t part of the building process, and I think it’s important to clear up the public’s perception of what this board’s authority actually covers — and where its limits are.”

Q: The Schobel Farm surf park has drawn significant public concern. What role does the Select Board see itself playing as that process moves forward?

A: “We offered residents the chance to come and be heard, and the public responded — they came out in force with questions. But the Select Board doesn’t have a say in this one. The project has to go through the permitting process, and it has to be passed through that process completely.”

Working Relationship and Governance

Q: How would you describe the working dynamic on the Board right now, especially with two newer members alongside more experienced ones?

A: I think it’s going well now. “I really value that Tracie brings board experience and institutional knowledge, and that she’s not afraid to speak up. I think she is still figuring out what her role is — and honestly, what mine is too.”

Q: Is there a specific policy, bylaw, or process change you’d like to see the Board take up in your remaining time as chair?

A: “I’d like to see the charter opened up by April.”

Closing

Q: What’s something about this job that’s surprised you in the first 100 days — good or bad?

A: “Honestly, how much time it takes. I’m balancing this with a full-time job of my own. And I’ll say — Joseph Perkins has done a good job getting things done.”

Q: What would you want a resident who’s skeptical of Town Hall right now to know about how you’re approaching this role?

A: “If I have concerns about something, I’m not afraid to say so out loud. No one should feel strange or uncomfortable asking for things at a meeting. I respond to calls, emails, all of it. I want people to be confident they won’t be dismissed.”