Raise your hand if you knew that Weston has a new Assistant to the Town Manager/Public Information Officer? Okay, let’s start with the basics, Weston, do you know our Town Manager is Leon Gaumond? Do you know we have a Town Manager? What about information? Are you aware that Weston has a public communications officer? Of course you are! Who do you think posts agendas and actual factual information about the town? Ain’t going to find it here. Also better grammar not here.

Please welcome Anthony Senesi to the best W town west of Boston, and yes, that includes Worcester which he recently left. I am not taking on Winthrop as I have never been there. Seems nice. Anthony has been working stealthily (how come our town does not officially communicate new members of Town Hall? Seems like a job for…a new Public Information Officer! ) since early December and you might not have seen him unless you like to attend Select Board and other committee meetings, which I occasionally do.

The Owl met Anthony last Friday on a flyer through Town Hall. Masked and distanced of course, hence the courtesy photo. First things first which is yes, the Owl did give him some feedback that our town prefers “Resident Shredding” to the newly-titled “Document Shredding” at the Weston Police Department. So many residents to shred, so little time–we really must preserve our town rituals.

Officially, Anthony is the Assistant to the Town Manager and Public Information Coordinator. I do not know what is the difference is between an “officer” and a “coordinator” so please don’t ask me. He is in charge of the Town website, direct communications to residents, as well as the Town’s social media sites. Anthony also supports all Select Board meetings, the newly-formed Town Center Party Patrol (Celebrations Committee), and the Memorial Day Committee. In my diligent note-taking, I also wrote “stacks of them” but I have no idea what that means. Stacks of meetings. Dunno. You may have also seen Anthony on other committee zooms as he learns about all of the committees and commissions in town.

Before Weston, Anthony worked for the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) in Worcester in a similar role of information dissemination to those who needed it, in that case to Worcester and Central Mass folks. This is his first time working for a municipal organization–before CMRPC, he was an assistant dean for admissions at Wesleyan (Yay, Nutmeg State!). He is a Clark University alum. In a sense, Anthony is coming home…he is an Arlington native. I think I’ve been to Arlington once–a nice Trader Joe’s is there and maybe some other stuff. Way outside my W and L town perimeter.

“One of my goals is to really make sure that residents know what Weston can offer them and why they should care,” said Anthony. “One of the ways to do that is communicating about what we’re doing in Town Hall and how that supports our residents.”

Anthony sees the role as also being one a “conduit” between internal departments, connecting dots and people.

“One of the seemingly obvious things but one that we don’t always do well is breaking down acronyms into meanings and “why I should care” communications.” The Owl has no idea what the ATM/PIO working at the TH and with the DPW and COA about the MAPC is talking about there.

“The best part of working here is that every day is different–different issues, deadlines, people asking questions,” said Anthony. “What I can’t wait for is when the pandemic recedes and we can really meet in person again.”

In his free time, Anthony loves live music (Covid-permitting of course)–he particularly enjoys folk, indie and some rock music. He also enjoys Improv and sketch comedy–mostly watching but has been known to put on a skit or two during Select Board meetings (no, not really but wouldn’t that liven things up?)

Anthony says he’s been delighted with the level of support and collegiality around Town Hall and elsewhere in Weston. On that note, make sure you send him a note of welcome or feel free to call with any questions or concerns. You can reach him best by email at senesi.a@westonma.gov.

Welcome to Weston, Anthony, where we only shred residents and not town employees. Most days.