LYNN — Elyse Fannon, who has worked as grants manager for the Lynn Public Schools for more than six years, has been hired as the city’s new treasurer/collector.
Fannon will start her new position on Aug. 5 after the hire, recommended by Chief Financial Officer Michael Bertino, was approved by the City Council on Tuesday night.
“I’m excited and I’m honored,” said Fannon, a Lynn resident and Classical High School graduate. “(I’m) very appreciative of their support.”
Fannon, who has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, will make a salary of $87,596. A master’s degree would have added a 20 percent education incentive and bumped her salary to $105,115, according to Bertino.
As grants manager for the schools, Fannon said her job didn’t entail writing grants — she was responsible for the accounting and finance, which translated to accounting for about $24 million a year in grants, she said.
Fannon said she was interested in applying for the position because she had become comfortable with her job at the schools and was looking for more of a challenge.
Before her time with Lynn Schools, Fannon was a senior audit associate for five years with McGladrey LLP, an audit, tax and consulting firm. What she missed from her auditing job was constantly learning new things, she said.
“I think it’s all going to be a learning experience,” Fannon said. “Everything is going to be a challenge. I’m just looking forward to learning new things, and the tax collector side of things will be a new experience since I haven’t had much experience with collecting taxes, but I’m willing to learn.”
Bertino said Fannon was chosen from about 16 applicants, seven of whom were interviewed over several rounds. What led to her hire, he said, was her good track record, and a strong reputation of getting things done and doing things well.
“I think I met her a couple of times at the school and I was surprised she wanted to apply,” Bertino said. “She’s very particular, a very intelligent woman, so I was happy to make the recommendation.”
Mayor Thomas M. McGee said he was looking forward to working with Fannon.
The position has been vacant since Richard Fortucci retired in April after 18 years as treasurer. He had been serving in the dual role for about a year and the council voted to officially consolidate the positions in March.
Upon his retirement, Fortucci was making a salary of $114,055, which included a 25 percent education incentive for having a master’s degree. In addition, he received a separate longevity check for $9,124, which was 10 percent of his base salary of $91,244, and an annual car allowance of $3,900.
