By North Andover Life Staff
North Andover welcomed one new member and two returning members to its nine-member Finance Committee during a swearing-in ceremony on Aug. 26.
Town Moderator Mark DiSalvo administered the annual ceremony at Town Hall, reappointing Regina Kean and Michelle Nadeau to three-year terms. Justin Dovidio was welcomed as the committee’s newest member.
DiSalvo used the occasion to highlight a committee that plays an important role in town government. He described the Finance Committee as North Andover’s “most important, most consequential and least known committee,” pointing to its responsibility for reviewing financial matters and advising Town Meeting on how taxpayer dollars should be spent.
Kean returns to the committee after serving as chair during what DiSalvo described as a challenging period. A longtime North Andover resident, past president of the Atkinson School PTO and former member of both the Select Board and Planning Board, Kean said part of the committee’s responsibility is helping residents better understand municipal finances.
“I think it’s an important role to help advise the citizens,” said Kean. “We welcome the public to come to our meetings, ask us questions and get engaged.”
Nadeau also has a long history with the committee. DiSalvo recalled that she was the first person he appointed to the Finance Committee 15 years ago. She served for about a year before moving out of town and returned last year as an interim appointee shortly before Town Meeting.
Now back in North Andover, Nadeau said she is grateful for another opportunity to serve.
“I’m grateful to serve a community I really love,” said Nadeau. “I hope I can contribute in a meaningful way to keep it moving forward.”
Joining Kean and Nadeau is Dovidio, a finance and operations professional and founder of RoadmapMetrics Inc. According to information provided by DiSalvo, Dovidio has more than 20 years of experience managing complex global budgets, advising senior executives and strengthening financial systems and decision-making. He holds an MBA focused on corporate finance from Northeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in information management systems from Quinnipiac University.
DiSalvo said he had been speaking with Dovidio for about two years about finding an opportunity for him to serve the town and believed his experience matched the Finance Committee’s current needs.
Before agreeing to take the role, Dovidio studied North Andover’s finances and came away impressed by what he found.
“There’s clearly a long history of financial discipline and sound stewardship,” Dovidio said. “I really hope to bring an independent, objective perspective.”
The ceremony also recognized outgoing Finance Committee member Devenon O’Connell, who chose not to seek reappointment after serving two terms so he could volunteer as a member of the Planning Board.
DiSalvo praised O’Connell for leading the committee through difficult circumstances with “lots of integrity and incredible good humor.”
Following their remarks, Kean, Nadeau and Dovidio took the oath of office as Finance Committee members. They then signed the town’s archival book maintained by the Town Clerk’s office, creating a permanent record of their service to North Andover.
