North Andover Planning Director Jean Enright Is Town Employee Of Year

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — The Town of North Andover announced Tuesday that Jean Enright, the town's planning director, has been named North Andover Employee of the Year for 2022.

This is the third year of the Employee of the Year program. Nominations are submitted by Town employees and Town Manager Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues chooses the winner.

According to the Town of North Andover, the winner is selected for being a team player, exhibiting exceptional customer service, going above and beyond expectations in their work, conduct and dedication, and being somebody who embodies the true meaning of being a public servant.

"I am honored to have been recognized by my co-workers and to have received this award," Enright told Patch. "I was born and raised in this town and have been working for the Town for a little over 12 years. Working for the Town has allowed me to be a part of the community in more ways than I ever imagined."

As planning director, it is Enright's job to help businesses and residents navigate local regulations. Enright said she is responsible for reviewing and providing recommendations on development proposals and ensuring they are consistent with community development objectives and town bylaws.

Additionally, the planning director provides administrative and technical assistance to the planning board, coordinating and facilitating the board's meetings. Enright said she also is involved in other short-term and long-term planning efforts.

In recent years, the town's planning department, which Enright oversees, has worked with town officials to update the master plan, affordable housing plan, and watershed plan, while also completing new studies like the Downtown Improvement Master Plan and Rt. 125 Corridor Study.

Clearly, Enright is doing something correctly because Murphy-Rodrigues said she received Employee of the Year nominations for Enright from employees in several town departments.

"Jean is the epitome of what a public servant should be," Murphy-Rodrigues said. "I've seen her interact with business owners who are looking to come to North Andover, business owners who are struggling, residents working to understand bylaws and processes and volunteers who give hours of their time to the community each week, and she treats each and every person with so much respect.

Murphy-Rodrigues continued: "(Enright) is a wealth of knowledge, a champion for what's best for North Andover, and an all-around wonderful person. We are very blessed to have her as part of the team. In the past year, she has worked on countless projects, both big and small, and gives them all her full attention. Her work for the town every day makes a resounding impact on our future generations."

The previous winners of the Employee of the Year award were: Caroline Ibbitson, public health nurse, in 2020, and Toni Wolfenden, health department assistant, and Officer John Wood, lead communications officer, in 2021.