Massachusetts state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, who is serving his final term on Beacon Hill, has signed on to be the interim town manager of his hometown of Lenox.
The Select Board in Lenox appointed him to the temporary post. The current town manager, Christopher Ketchen, is leaving to take a position with the state.
Earlier this year, Pignatelli announced he was not running for reelection after more than two decades in office.
His current term extends through 2024. But Pignatelli said with formal sessions for the state House slated to wrap up at the end of July, he's confident he can juggle both jobs.
"The problems in, let's say, Great Barrington or Egremont or Sandisfield are really no different than Lenox, so I think I'd be in a dual position to help my constitutes going forward with no conflicts of interest whatsoever," he said.
Pignatelli said he wants to try out the town manager position before considering whether he'd seek it permanently. But he didn't rule the idea out, either.
"If, in a couple or three months, when the screening committee is going through applicants, and if it's something I'm interested in, it probably would be a dream come true," Pignatelli said. "I grew up in Lenox. I love Lenox. Coming into this Town Hall that's now dedicated to my father, I think would be a fabulous capstone to my career if that opportunity arose."
Smitty Pignatelli’s father, John, was a Lenox Select Board member for more than 30 years and was also a longtime member of the former Berkshire County Commission.
The younger Pignatelli will begin serving in his new position July 1.