City Manager

The City of Milford is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher Coleman as its next City Manager, effective August 4, 2025. Coleman brings over three decades of dedicated service in municipal government, most recently serving as Town Administrator in Westwood, Massachusetts.

Coleman was selected following a thorough nationwide search conducted by MGT recruiting firm. With an impressive 30 years of experience in public administration, Coleman has a well-established track record of leadership, innovation, and community engagement across five Massachusetts municipalities.

Coleman began his public service career as a summer intern in Marblehead, MA, and quickly rose through the ranks, holding positions including Assistant Treasurer/Collector, Treasurer/Collector, Assistant Town Administrator, Director of Human Resources, and Assistant Town Manager. In 2019, he became the Town Administrator for Westwood, Massachusetts—a community of 16,000 residents with a $116 million municipal budget.

During his tenure in Westwood, Coleman led and assisted with major initiatives such as the development of a new elementary school, successful navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, significant collective bargaining achievements, and the advancement of critical infrastructure projects including a proposed new fire headquarters. He also played a key role in securing and managing over $4.9 million in federal ARPA funding to support strategic community improvements.

"I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next City Manager for Milford, and to follow in the footsteps of such a respected leader and individual as Mark Whitfield,” stated Coleman. “The inclusive and thoughtful selection process—which involved the Mayor, City Council, Department Heads, and surrounding municipal managers—left a strong impression on me. It not only gave me a deeper understanding of Milford, but more importantly, allowed me to connect with the dedicated individuals I will have the privilege of working alongside. I am excited to collaborate with Mayor Culotta and the entire City Council in supporting and advancing the City's goals. I look forward to earning my place on this exceptional team and contributing to the work of passionate professionals who genuinely care about their city, their colleagues, and the positive impact they make every day in our community."

Coleman is an ICMA Credentialed City Manager and is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association, and the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting from Clarion University of Pennsylvania.


About the City Manager

The City of Milford is governed under the Council-Manager form of government which is the most popular structure of government in the United States among municipalities with populations of 10,000 or more according to surveys by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). 

The council–manager form is much like a publicly traded corporation in that the elected governing body (city council) is responsible for legislative functions such as establishing policy, passing local ordinances, voting appropriations, and developing an overall vision, similar to a corporate board of directors. The city council appoints a city manager to oversee the administrative operations, implement its policies, and advise it. The city manager position is similar to that of a chief executive officer, providing professional management to the board of directors. The position of mayor present in this type of legislative body is a largely ceremonial title, and is elected, similar to a chairman of the board.