Two Wednesdays a month, Leon Kenison runs the show. Every Monday, he’s a part of it.

Kenison, who has settled into his role as Hopkinton Town Administrator, has been adjusting to a job that differs from his position as chairman for the Bow Board of Selectmen.

“The two are quite different,” he said. “I go from a policy-setting role as a selectman to an administrative and research role to present information to the board, decision-maker to information- provider.”

According to Selectman George Langwasser, Kenison’s experience in both sections of government have been the key to his success.

“He has an understanding and appreciation of what the selectmen need to do their jobs,” Langwasser said. “You ask him a question and he’ll give you an answer. He’s very low key and doesn’t come over robustly.”

After a year of interim town administrators following the departure of Ed Wojnowski, Kenison was hired in late September to fill the role full time.

The town administrator works closely with selectmen and community members. It’s this interaction that Kenison most enjoys about his job.

“You are directly involved,” said Kenison. “This is where the rubber hits the road. You’re dealing directly with the people who own the town. There’s not medium in-between. You look right into the face of the people who want the service.”

Langwasser said the town has switched its approach, as it is now Kenison that department heads report to, rather than the Board of Selectmen.

“By doing that, he stays much closer to the department heads than we do, and he becomes a very valuable source of information to us,” said Langwasser. “This way, they have someone to check with instead of trying to track down a selectman.”

There has been a learning curve for Kenison, who was previously the town administrator in Pittsfield for a year.

“Here, we have different people and a little different set up as well as what the community has for priorities,” said Kenison. “Every day I am learning a bit more and finding more about what things people have for visions for the town.”

With his differing roles in Bow and Hopkinton, Kenison has to keep himself in check at times during his Monday night meetings in Hopkinton.

“I do have to realize that I’m not a selectman here, and it’s not my role to be one,” he said. “I think that when the opportunity rises and I have suggestions, the board is quite willing to listen. I’m certainly not going to play the selectmen’s role.”