September 23, 2026 By Carol Britton Meyer
J.R. Frey, a former Hingham town engineer who oversaw and brought to completion many important projects, was introduced by the select board this week as Cohasset’s new DPW director, replacing Brian Joyce.
Frey’s involvement with many Hingham infrastructure, safety, and traffic improvement projects creates a solid foundation for his new position after resigning recently from the Hingham position.
Town Manager Michelle Leary said the town is excited that Frey, a licensed Massachusetts professional engineer, “has joined our team, and we look forward to [experiencing] the expertise he brings to the town.”
Frey, who lives with his family in South Plymouth, is originally from Arizona. “Once I moved out here, I had to learn what a wetland is!” he quipped. “I’m now very familiar with those.”
Frey, who served as Hingham’s town engineer for about six years, won a $1 million construction grant to create a roundabout at the Main/Middle/and Short streets intersection in Hingham Centre and also played a big role in the in-the-works Route 3A improvement project and worked closely with the Hingham DPW on road construction, project planning, and many other initiatives.
Frey has been successful in helping Hingham win other grants as well in the past and hopes to be successful with winning grants for the Town of Cohasset as well.
Frey noted that he’s not here “to upset the apple cart, but as an opportunity for possible change by looking at what the town has been doing and make some decisions about whether or not there might be a better way to do something. It’s a good time to have that conversation.”
Select board member Ellen Maher said since Frey is coming into his new position “with fresh eyes,” she would be interested in him going before the board after his first 90 days on the job “to tell us what you think our challenges are [and other thoughts].”
Chair David Farrag agreed this would be helpful, noting that Frey came highly recommended by Hingham town officials.
In other business at the meeting, the board appointed Marcia Bohinc as the town’s financial consultant. She comes with more than 20 years of municipal experience and 10 years with the Department of Revenue and will be assisting staff with financial forecasting, among other tasks, moving forward.