By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
Town Manager Michael Borg received high marks across the board in his annual performance review with Town Council members praising his fiscal stewardship, collaborative leadership style and management of several major initiatives during the past year.
At the meeting on Monday, June 22, Council President Justin Paré said Borg’s evaluation covered six areas: service and support to the council, budget preparation and administration, managerial skills, human resources management, public relations and customer service, and goal setting and achievement.
According to Paré, every rating submitted by councilors indicated Borg either met or exceeded expectations, with the vast majority falling into the “exceeds expectations” category.
“Overall reviews reflect strong confidence in Mr. Borg’s leadership and indicate that he exceeded expectations across the evaluation period,” Paré said.
The evaluation followed a year-end presentation in which Borg highlighted accomplishments from the past fiscal year, including completion of the Lenore Paquin Health and Human Services Center, the groundbreaking for the new North Attleborough High School and acceptance into the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC), effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Borg noted that officials certified $6.1 million in free cash, continued building reserve funds and moved money into interest-bearing accounts, while future uses are being considered.
He also pointed to several less-visible initiatives, such as the town’s response to a winter that brought approximately 77 inches of snow, ongoing emergency preparedness efforts and a multi-department cybersecurity response exercise.
The town also received a Massachusetts Municipal Association Community Innovation Award for its partnership with the Hockomock Area YMCA to expand food pantry services.
Councilor John Simmons, who also chairs the Finance Subcommittee, said the town’s strong financial position reflects years of planning and disciplined fiscal policies.
“I try to look at the big picture,” Simmons said. “We have some of the lowest tax rates, lowest utility rates, solid stabilization, written and enforced fiscal policies and always seem to be a little bit ahead of everything.”
Simmons credited Borg with helping position the town ahead of major challenges, citing the transition to the GIC and efforts to address PFAS concerns.
“So it’s really important that people understand that we say yes to Town Manager Borg a lot,” Simmons said. “That’s only because he is executing our vision for the town, while at the same time, keeping us in check for some of the other things we want to do that sometimes we can’t.”
Building a collaborative culture
While councilors repeatedly cited Borg’s financial management, many said his greatest strength has been his ability to foster collaboration throughout town government.
Vice President Keith Lapointe said Borg has helped create an environment where disagreements are handled constructively and elected officials, administrators and staff work toward shared goals.
“I really feel like the environment that’s been built since you’ve joined the town is super collaborative,” Lapointe said. “It always feels like a team environment.”
Lapointe said discussions often evolve through meetings and conversations, allowing issues to be resolved before major decisions are made.
“When something doesn’t go your way, it’s right back to team-first: what’s next, how do we adapt, how do we pivot?” he said.
Councilor Dan Donovan echoed those sentiments.
“We don’t always agree,” Donovan said. “But I always get a response. It might not be, ‘Hey, that’s a great idea,’ but it’s always a response and an explanation, and more often than not it’s, ‘Maybe we can do this.'”
Councilor Mark Gould said he continues to believe the town made the right decision when it selected Borg as North Attleborough’s first town manager under its current form of government.
“I have a lot of respect for him, and he is leading the town in the right direction,” Gould said. “Every day I gain renewed appreciation for what a good decision North Attleborough made.”
Councilor Laura Wagner said North Attleborough’s ability to avoid layoffs while continuing to invest in services and community events stands in contrast to challenges facing many municipalities.
“I do read about other towns,” Wagner said. “It’s heartbreaking. They’re laying off staff and not fixing roads because their budget has been decimated.”
Looking ahead
While the reviews were overwhelmingly positive, councilors identified several areas for continued focus, including expanding public engagement efforts outside Town Hall, setting clearer expectations around goal-completion timelines, maintaining communication with appointed boards and key stakeholders, and continuing transparency surrounding appointments and community priorities.
In his year-end presentation, Borg said the town’s focus over the coming year will include completing collective bargaining negotiations, monitoring health insurance costs, continuing the Webster Mill cleanup, pursuing additional state and federal funding opportunities and advancing construction of the new high school.
The town also plans to continue preparations for its “Celebrating Liberty’s Legacy: 250 Years of Independence” celebration, which Borg said has been in the planning stages for roughly nine months and will feature two nights of fireworks in conjunction with Kids Day festivities.
Borg closed the discussion by directing praise back to town employees, department heads and elected officials.
“Nothing I did was something I individually did,” Borg said. “It was a team effort.”