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IPSWICH — Finance Director Catherine Gabriel says she was taken by complete surprise Thursday when interim Town Manager Thomas Younger placed her on administrative leave.
“I don’t really know what actually happened. It was really unexpected,” Gabriel told the Local News on Friday. “I was devastated by what happened. I’ve given my everything over the past two-and-a-half years.”
Gabriel, who was hired in 2023, said Younger’s decision appeared to be “a done deal” when she met with him Thursday morning. She said the meeting lasted about five minutes.
Younger reportedly told her he was “reorganizing” the Finance Department and gave her a choice: resign by Monday, Feb. 23, and accept a two-month severance package, or face immediate termination. No further explanation was provided, Gabriel said.
When she returned to her office after the meeting, Gabriel said she had already been locked out of her town email account. She was also asked to leave Town Hall immediately, a detail she later shared in an email to the Select Board.
“I’ve had no conversations with the town manager about my performance. There’s nothing in my personnel file that indicates there were any problems,” Gabriel said. “I’m devastated right now.”
‘Reevaluating’
Gabriel noted that she had no involvement in the mix-up at last week’s Select Board meeting, when members postponed their first scheduled budget hearing after realizing they had not received the correct budget documents.
“It’s the town manager’s budget,” she said. “His department puts together the [budget] books for the Select Board and Finance Committee. I didn’t even receive a copy of the budget book that was distributed.”
Younger told the Local News on Thursday that the town is “reevaluating” the finance director position. He also emphasized there were no “financial irregularities” or similar concerns that led to Gabriel being placed on leave.
On Friday, Select Board Chair Charles Surpitski cited Section 11 of the Town Charter — “Powers and Duties of the Town Manager” — in reaffirming the board’s support of Younger’s decision.
“The Charter does not grant any power to the Select Board to review, approve, amend, or reject any decision made by the town manager,” Surpitski said in an email. “At this moment, the employee has been presented with a separation agreement proposal by the town manager, which, if accepted, will result in an amicable parting of the ways. We support and encourage this path forward.”
The Local News was unable to reach Younger for additional comment on Friday and Saturday.
Email to the Select Board
In an email to the Select Board on Thursday, Gabriel said she is currently reviewing her rights and the town’s policies regarding personnel actions.
She also asked the board to “review the circumstances of this ultimatum,” arguing the Monday deadline she was given to resign is “insufficient to process the impact of this decision on the town’s financial continuity or my professional career.”
“I have poured my heart into the town of Ipswich, managing the accounting, assessing, town clerk, and treasurer departments. My focus has been on building a professional team and strengthening internal controls to protect the town’s interests,” Gabriel wrote to the Select Board.
“While I have worked to overcome pushback from certain departments, the progress we have made in organization and policy has been recognized by many of my colleagues,” she added.
Since Younger was hired in May of 2025, Gabriel wrote, she has “navigated a complex transition period under interim management.”
“Despite significant existing administrative and personnel challenges within the town manager’s office, I have prioritized the town’s fiscal stability,” she wrote.
Budget criticism
Under Younger’s leadership, Gabriel claimed, the town’s budget process has “deviated from established collaborative standards.”
“While capital and budget packets were compiled and delivered promptly by department heads, subsequent coordination with the town manager’s office has been limited primarily to asynchronous email communication. I consistently reached out without response,” she wrote.
Gabriel went on to criticize Younger’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, saying that it relies on “aggressive revenue projections rather than conservative estimates,” eliminates a “much-needed” procurement and purchasing agent position, and uses “one-time police federal forfeiture funds to cover recurring service agreements.”
The town is reportedly facing an $800,000 deficit as budget season begins.
According to Gabriel, Younger’s proposed budget represents a “fundamental shift” in the town’s fiscal policy by “suggesting the elimination of the capital plan in favor of using free cash to balance the operating budget.”
“This has resulted in a critical delay of the creation of the capital plan,” she wrote to the Select Board. “As free cash is a non-recurring revenue source, [the Massachusetts Department of Revenue] strongly advises against its use for recurring expenses, as this creates a structural deficit.”
“The budget presented by the interim town manager lacks essential long-term perspective. It effectively creates a ‘fiscal cliff’ for the incoming permanent town manager,” Gabriel wrote. “This approach prioritizes immediate appearances over sustainable health, leaving the next administration to inherit a structural deficit.”
The Select Board is actively seeking a permanent town manager to replace Younger. The board’s stated goal is to offer the position to a preferred candidate by the end of March.
‘Without cause’
In her email to the board, Gabriel stressed that she had received “no communication — written or verbal — indicating any concerns” regarding her performance.
“On the contrary, I have worked tirelessly to improve the town’s fiscal standing,” she wrote. “Because [Thursday’s] personnel action was taken without cause and without prior notice, I am formally requesting that the board re-assess the actions taken by the interim town manager and provide me with the reasons for termination.”
In closing, she wrote, “I have a vested interest in the town’s success and wish to continue my service as part of the leadership team that will welcome and support the incoming town manager. Thank you for your assistance with this matter.”