Town Administrator Mark Andrews has resigned, effective April 16, to accept a similar position in the town of Wenham.

Andrews made the announcement on Saturday following an executive session of the Board of Selectmen, prior to a public meeting with the Finance Committee to discuss the town budget.

"I've accepted a job as a town administrator of Wenham, Mass.," Andrews said. "I'm going to work on a transition plan with this board and all the town departments."

The Hamilton-Wenham Patch has reported that Andrews was Wenham's top pick for an interim town administrator position, has signed a contract through August, and will meet the town's employees next week.

Calls to the Wenham town administrator's office were not immediately returned.

The Daily Item of Lynn reported on Tuesday that Andrews is a finalist for a town administrator's position in Saugus.

A request for further comment from Andrews was not returned.

Board of Selectmen Chair Walter Cruz said after Saturday's meeting that the board had to call the emergency executive session to OK Andrews' release from his contract, which only requires 90 days' notice for a termination or resignation. Cruz declined to comment further.

"I've considered this matter with my family," Andrews said. "This job is closer to home."

Andrews currently lives in Onset. Wenham is a North Shore town with a population of a little more than 5,000 people. Before coming to Wareham, Andrews worked for the City of Lawrence.

He went on: "I've made many friends, and many people have invested in me and with the town . . . My intention is to move step-by-step . . . I've enjoyed working with each and every member of the Finance Committee, the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Of his new town Wenham, he joked: "It's just a couple of vowels off, so we'll take it from there."

WarehamVillageSoup will update this story as more information becomes available.