Michael Yunits, Norton’s new Town Manager, always envisioned being in town government. After serving as Town Administrator in Holbrook for the past five years, Yunitz has brought his talents to Norton.
“My father ingrained in us at an early age to be active in the community,” said Yunits, whose brother Jack was the mayor of Brockton for 10 years.
Yunits, who began his position in Norton a week ago, has been meeting with the various department heads to become familiar with the town.
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“It’s been great meeting people here,” he said. “Everyone’s been helpful. I think it’s going to be a great fit for me.”
The Town Manager position differs from his job in Holbrook.
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“I have more authority in the day to day operations of the town,” Yunits said. “I like the structure of the Town Manager’s position. I think it’s a great opportunity.”
Yunits’ first order of business will be to tackle the town’s budget and follow up on the work done by Jim Purcell, who Yunits replaced.
“I’ll concentrate on the budget,” Yunits said. “I’ve looked at the preliminary budget and it will obviously be another tough year. However, the lower health insurance really helps us out with the budget process. For right now, it looks like it will be a level services budget.
“In this economy, we need to find new ways to grow revenue so we can continue to provide the services that people in the town want. We have to look outside the box.”
One possibility that Yunits will be looking at is a solar farm on the landfill. He also said that building up the industrial park and looking for tenants is another area for growth.
Yunits still lives in Holbrook, where he grew up. He has four children.