POMFRET — For the first time ever, the selectboard has hired a town administrator.
While Mariel Luna, 45, hails all the way from Texas, she’s committed to sticking around in the Upper Valley.
“As far as I’m concerned right now, this is home,” Luna said Monday by phone. “So I’m not planning on going anywhere.”
For the past 265 years, the business of the town government has been delegated to the selectboard, said Chair Ben Brickner. The five-member board manages the town on a volunteer basis, meaning their other jobs and responsibilities can slow things down.
Enter Luna.
“I’m hoping that it’s going to give everybody a bit of a break,” said Luna, who moved to South Strafford about two months ago.
Her last role was as contract coordinator for the Department of Human Services in San Antonio, and her career background includes experience with nonprofits, contract work and organizational development.
Transitioning from city government, Luna most looks forward to helping lead Pomfret, with a population of about 900 people, because she feels residents have more of a voice in a tight-knit community.
“You tend to get lost in bigger cities because you lose the human side of things,” Luna said.
The idea to hire a town administrator has floated around since Brickner joined the selectboard about four years ago, he said.
But the need became especially apparent after a landslide blocked Pomfret Road in May 2025. There wasn’t enough bandwidth to pursue grant opportunities quickly enough, so the grant paperwork wasn’t completed until November.
Amid the fiscal year 2027 budget process, the selectboard added a new line item for a town administrator. Upon approval at Town Meeting Day in March, Pomfret launched its search efforts. Luna shared that her salary is $65,000.
Of the “strong applicant pool” of 12 candidates, Luna stood out because of her versatile experience in municipal government, said Brickner, especially her experience with grant writing and contract approval.
“That skill set was critical for us,” said Brickner, who said grant money could help offset the cost of the new position in town.
Luna’s title is town administrator, which involves working closely with the selectboard, but she’ll also serve as assistant town clerk and assistant treasurer. The amount of time in each department will vary, based on need.
“I’ve got a little bit of a role in each position,” said Luna, who specified her primary role is simply to assist everyone.
While Brickner said they will be defining the role as they go, the goal is to more effectively handle tasks between meetings, respond to residents and ensure a strong workflow.
A town administrator is overseen and directed by the Selectboard, with general control over specific town affairs and departments. In Pomfret specifically, responsibilities can involve record keeping, policy work, assisting with personnel matters, applying for grants and communicating with the public, according to a job description published by the town.
Luna started Aug. 24 and is now in her second week. Still getting oriented, she’s working to get to know everyone, spend time with the clerk and treasurer, and study up on Pomfret’s policies and ordinances.
For Luna, the move was a culture shock, but she’s loving it so far. She wants to get to know the community, she said, and make sure residents know their new town administrator is interested in “who they are, what they do and what’s important to them.”
Luna’s first selectboard meeting as a town employee is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Pomfret town offices, 5218 Pomfret Road
