Oak Bluffs will soon be on the lookout for a new town administrator. On Tuesday, after returning from executive session, the Oak Bluffs Select Board unanimously approved extending town administrator Deborah Potter’s contract through December 2026.
“Can I change my mind?” Potter said jokingly during the meeting.
Board chair Dion Alley said the contract allows the town to look for a new town administrator “well in advance,” and to have a smooth leadership transition. While it wasn’t outright stated during the meeting, Potter later confirmed to The Times that she will be retiring as town administrator “no later than Dec. 31, 2026.”
“This marks the close of one professional and personal chapter and the beginning of another,” Potter said in an email. “What comes next for me remains open — I may continue to serve the town in a different capacity, whether elected, appointed, part-time, or volunteer, or I may move in a completely new direction.”
Potter said the short-term contract gives the town an opportunity to “focus our efforts and drive the continued success of the town.
“Over the next year, we will work with even greater clarity, determination, and teamwork to accomplish as much as possible to ensure a smooth, efficient, and seamless transition for the town,” Potter said.
During the meeting, the board expressed its “sincere thanks” to Potter for her “continued leadership” and for her “steadfast dedication and exceptional service to the town.”
“Over the past several years, her leadership has brought financial stability, streamlined operations, and a strong, forward-looking vision for a vibrant future,” Alley said during the meeting. He said the board is committed to completing “key projects already underway,” and advancing long-term goals with Potter’s guidance to benefit Oak Bluffs.
Potter was hired as town administrator in 2021. She was appointed as town accountant in 2017 before being selected as town administrator. Prior to joining Oak Bluffs as a municipal employee, Potter served for a short time as airport manager of Martha’s Vineyard Airport. She is also a former air traffic controller, partly during her eight years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps.
She could run a small country.