When the City of Flagler Beach, Florida, needed interim assistance and support for its Finance Department, it turned to Capital Strategic Solutions (CSS). At the center of that engagement is Mary Ellen Kelley, CSS’s Lead Senior Project Manager.
A Career Built on Municipal Finance
Mary Ellen brings more than 30 years of municipal finance, budgeting, and administration experience to the table. She holds an MBA along with specialized certifications in government auditing and municipal management, and her resume reads like a tour through some of Massachusetts’ most complex public finance operations.
She served as Chief Financial Officer for both the City and Town of Framingham, where she managed an annual budget exceeding $450 million, led revenue forecasting, built out the Capital Improvement Plan, and helped steer the city through the rollout of a new charter and the financial demands of the COVID-19 response.
Earlier in her career, she held senior financial roles at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles and the Massachusetts Parole Board, where she managed budgets and oversaw more than a billion dollars in annual revenue collection and reconciliation.
That depth of experience, spanning large-scale municipal budgets, capital planning, grant compliance, and government auditing, is exactly what made her the right fit to lead CSS’s work in Flagler Beach.
The Scope of the Flagler Beach Engagement
The City needed interim assistance and support to ensure continuity of its finance operations. Under the proposal signed in May 2026, CSS stepped in to provide interim, remote Finance Director-level support to Flagler Beach, with Mary Ellen as Lead Senior Project Manager backed by a team of CSS’s municipal finance experts.
The engagement is designed to keep the City’s finance operations running smoothly while addressing complex coastal-community challenges, including:
Day-to-Day Department Leadership
Supervising finance staff, reviewing work products, managing workflow, and running monthly finance team meetings.
Core Financial Operations and Controls
Purchase order approvals, accounts payable, payroll review, credit card reconciliation, and utility billing processes.
Capital Projects and Disaster Recovery Funding
Financial oversight of major initiatives like the City’s pier project, wastewater treatment plant, and hydro-plank work, along with coordinating FEMA and State reimbursement claims, including the Milton claim.
FY27 Budget Development
Working alongside the Assistant Finance Director and department heads to build a balanced, comprehensive budget and presenting quarterly financial reports to the City Commission.
Audit, Compliance, and Systems Support
Audit and compliance support, plus troubleshooting the City’s BS&A finance and utility billing systems.
“The support and expertise provided during my maternity leave helped ensure continuity and progress. I truly appreciated the partnership.”
Why It Matters
Coastal municipalities like Flagler Beach face a particular kind of financial complexity: juggling capital infrastructure projects, disaster recovery funding, and utility operations all at once, often with lean staff. Mary Ellen’s background managing nine-figure budgets and complex capital planning in Framingham, combined with her government auditing expertise, positions her to quickly understand the City’s needs and provide continuity during the interim period.
For Flagler Beach, the engagement means Finance Director-level judgment and oversight during an interim period —without interrupting the operational rhythm the City depends on.
Capital Strategic Solutions (CSS) is a woman-owned, multidisciplinary consulting and operational support firm. We help organizations of all kinds—public, private, and nonprofit—navigate complex challenges, strengthen day-to-day operations, and build the capacity to grow.
Experienced Support for Your Community
Connect with CSS to discuss interim leadership and municipal finance support for your organization.