Town Admin, former Fire Chief Charles Doody to retire

By Mike Berger

After more than 30 years of dedicated service to the town of Canton, Town Administrator and former Fire Chief Charles E. Doody will retire on April 10.

Transition plans will be announced at the Select Board meeting on March 31. Board Chair JR McCourt said after April 10, Assistant Town Administrator Jen Kemalian will serve as interim Town Administrator until the board picks a new top executive.

Charles Doody

Doody, a lifelong Canton resident, has served as town administrator since 2022. Prior to that, he led the Canton Fire Department as chief from 2009 to 2022. He joined the department in 1995 as a firefighter and emergency medical technician and rose through the ranks to deputy chief before being appointed chief.

During his tenure, Doody also served as director of the Canton Emergency Management Agency, where he played a key role in coordinating the town’s emergency preparedness and response efforts. This included leading Canton through the COVID-19 pandemic by working closely with local and regional partners during an unprecedented period.

As town administrator, Doody served as the town’s chief administrative officer, working closely with the Select Board to oversee municipal operations, including activities and projects, support town departments and guide policy, planning and budgeting efforts.

“My time as Canton’s town administrator and fire chief presented challenges that I could have never predicted,” Doody said. “Although we’re trained to expect the unexpected, these challenges forced me to adapt and grow as a leader. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve this community. It has been a fulfilling experience, and I’m ready to begin the next chapter of my life.”

For Doody, education was also a lifelong mission. Doody holds a Master of Arts in organizational leadership from Waldorf University, a Master of Education from the University of New Hampshire, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Hampshire. He also completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy.

Throughout his career, Doody was active in several professional organizations, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the New England Association of Fire Chiefs, where he served as president in 2022.

“This town will miss the service of Charles E. Doody,” said Canton Select Board Chair John R. McCourt. “Charlie has been a steady and dependable leader for more than three decades. He has helped guide the town through challenges and worked every day to serve our residents. We wish him all the best in retirement.”

McCourt made the announcement at the start of Tuesday’s meeting, and Doody received a loud applause while noting what a privilege it has been to serve the town.

In other personnel news, Finance Director Randy Scollins has also indicated his plans to retire, and the board backed his recommendation to expand the duties of Town Accountant Allyson Podgurski to become the town’s new finance director as of July 1.

In announcing the reorganization of the Finance Department, McCourt said the town will hire a new budget analyst.

In other news from the March 17 meeting:

* Doody announced that the field has been narrowed to two finalists in the search for a new fire chief, including …

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