Edgartown town administrator Pamela Dolby has announced her retirement after more than 40 years working for the town, including 12 years as town administrator.

At the end of the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, when Mrs. Dolby usually updates the selectmen on budgets, town meetings, and other details of day to day town business, she told the board that she would be retiring around the end of the fiscal year in July.

The selectmen’s meeting room, named for Mrs. Dolby’s father, longtime town selectman Fred B. (Ted) Morgan, had filled with town employees and some of Mrs. Dolby’s family members and friends.

“I’ve enjoyed it, I’ve enjoyed everyone I’ve worked with,” she told the board. “I’m exhausted and the work keeps coming up. Someone newer and younger needs to come in and take the reins."

“I’ve learned a lot. There’s a lot of wonderful people in town...I’ve always said Edgartown has very smart voters who ask the right questions. I love working with them,” she continued. “I’ll miss the people I work with but it’s been a long time coming, our family lost a very close friend, got me to thinking we don’t know how long we have so I want to get my life back enjoy it and do other things.”

Mrs. Dolby said she would be around to help with whoever transitions into her job, and anticipates staying on until about July 15.

An Edgartown native, Mrs. Dolby has worked for the town for 42 years, she said, including as an assistant to the parks department, for the zoning board of appeals, and as an EMT for 11 years. She became town administrator on Nov. 1, 2005.

Selectmen did not discuss the process for replacing Mrs. Dolby, but instead took the time for praise.

“There’s nobody I know who loves Edgartown more than you, Pam,” selectman Art Smadbeck said. “There’s nobody I know who’s given more to this town and there’s nobody I know who has given me more support over the years...I can’t tell you how much I personally, and the town, appreciates you.”

“You have been the perfect person for this position,” selectman Margaret Serpa said. “Because of the way you handle everything, you just get so much done and so professionally...you’re amazing, but you’re right, you need to enjoy your family.” She gestured to Mrs. Dolby’s eight-month-old grandson, Otis, who attended the meeting in the arms of his mother, Linley. “There just aren’t enough words to describe what you’ve done...you will not be easy to replace.”

After the selectmen’s meeting adjourned, several residents approached Mrs. Dolby with well wishes. “We’re gonna miss you,” Susan Shea said.