Board Bids Farewell to Marianne Cooley

March 25, 2026
• The longtime board member received well wishes during her final board meeting Tuesday.

After 13 years on the Select Board and a preceding nine years on the School Committee, Marianne Cooley is retiring from her life in public service. Her colleagues, past and present, as well as state legislators recognized her work and impact during the board’s last meeting before the April election. She is not seeking reelection.

In her tenure, Cooley served on a lengthy list of subcommittees and working groups that shaped the town’s bylaws, goals, buildings and citizenry. Throughout her time on town boards, she displayed institutional knowledge, considered contingencies and bestowed thoughtful advice, speakers said.

Cooley also received official citations from state Sen. Becca Rausch and state Rep. Josh Tarsky.

Rausch, who lives in Needham, thanked Cooley for her partnership over the years and her leadership.

“When I was first elected, you were the only woman on this board, and that meant a lot to me,” Rausch said. “And you have been a triumphant leader for women in elected office and politics in particular for the entirety of my tenure, and I am going to miss you very much.”

Cooley championed the board to change its name from Board of Selectmen to Select Board in 2018. Former Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick, who herself retired last year, recalled the discussion around the name change and Cooley’s ability to take a stand on controversial issues.

That goes for the Needham Unite Against Racism Initiative, on which she served and helped craft the town-adopted racial equity statement. Cooley’s “out-of-the-box” thinking also led to the creation of the Center at the Heights, Fitzpatrick said, as she served on an exploratory committee to find a new location.

Cooley’s expertise, combined with real results, taught Fitzpatrick valuable lessons during her time in Needham, she said. The community is also better for all Cooley’s work, she added.

“To me, the Town of Needham has benefited immeasurably from the truly countless hours that Marianne has devoted to its residents, owners and partners. Her wisdom, historical knowledge and pragmatic advice will be missed,” Fitzpatrick said. “Finally, Marianne taught me how to avoid disappointment by reminding me that Hazel’s is closed on Mondays.”

Matt Borrelli, a former Select Board member who stepped down in 2023, said he admired how Cooley connected with the community, her respect for service members and her diplomacy — “she’s so diplomatic that she was able to say positive things about Wellesley, which is something that hadn’t been done in this board or in this town since 1881,” he joked.

As a Wellesley College graduate, Cooley said the school has an unofficial motto: Educate women who will make a difference in the world.

“I believe firmly… that I think you can make the biggest difference close to home,” Cooley said, “and I’ve tried to practice that in what I’ve done for the town here.”

Cooley acted as a consensus-builder, Borrelli said, and someone who balanced the board out.

“Most of my board leaned a bit left, I leaned a bit right, but Marianne was our Goldilocks,” Borelli said. “She was always grounded in what was best for the town, and usually she was right. And by right, I mean correct.”

Cooley currently serves on the Large House Review Study Committee and Quiet Zone Working Group. She admitted that, at times, she’s failed — on a Needham High School performance space, as well as large houses in town several years ago — but that it’s been a learning experience.

At the start of both of their first terms, member Kevin Keane and Vice Chair Cathy Dowd said they were told to take Cooley for her word and follow in her footsteps. Member Josh Levy thanked Cooley for her work on instituting outdoor dining during the pandemic, which supported local businesses.

“You are practicality and collaboration. You do executive-level thinking, but you also roll up your sleeves to do the actual work, and that’s not a combination that you see that often,” Chair Heidi Frail said. “Mostly, you’re an empathetic and supportive colleague, and I will dearly miss you.”

As a parting gift, the board gave Cooley a customized blanket bearing the proposed new town seal, along with an image of Town Hall, the Circle of Peace statue on the Town Common and a quote from former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: “There’s no greater challenge and there is no greater honor than to be in public service.”

Cooley shared a series of “I believe” statements she crafted several years back, including that “Town Meeting has its own wisdom” and “our fireworks are the best.” She departed with words of wisdom, advising people to practice gratitude and “say what you think carefully, gently, and be willing to disagree.”

She concluded by applauding town leadership, and the community responded by applauding her.

“While I am off to my new next, hopefully I’m going to come back to Town Meeting, I’m going to be cheering for all of you,” Cooley said.