HANSON — Selectmen will interview the four finalists for the Town Administrator position starting at 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 22.
The search committee released the names of the final four — Michael McCue of Mansfield, Gregory Enos of Brockton (currently Whitman’s assistant town administrator), Sarah Smith of East Bridgewater and Chawner Hurd of Plainville — of seven semi-finalists they interviewed Feb. 24 and 25. This second round of the search process attracted 30 applicants. They were listed in no particular order or ranking as to preference.The selectmen’s interviews with finalists are open to the public.
Executive Assistant to the Board of Selectmen Meredith Marini will now forward questions used in past interviews to the selectmen for their review.
Selectman James McGahan also encouraged residents to submit their questions for consideration.
Search Committee Chairman Kenneth McCormick said the increased salary range approved at the October special Town Meeting, along with a revision of the job description, helped attract a better pool of candidates this time.
“You did an excellent job chairing that committee,” said Selectmen Chairman Bruce Young, who served on the search panel.
“I had an absolute blast,” McCormick said. “People that I worked with on the committee were professional and very good at deciphering what we needed to pick and the route we needed to go.”
The committee had worked together to formulate its goals, he said.
“You want to do it right,” he said. “We’ve had some good, but not long-term town administrators in the town, and that [longevity] is one of the things that we want. We want someone who’s going to be vested, outside the box — not your typical town administrator.”
Key considerations included environmental awareness and budget experience.
“I believe we got it right,” McCormick said. “We got the cream of the crop, I think, for [selectmen] to pick from when you do your interviews.”
He thanked selectmen and the town for allowing the committee to start over when it was not felt that the first search attracted enough qualified candidates to present more than two finalists to selectmen after a third withdrew.
The hope this time around is to have a new town administrator in place, and working along side interim Town Administrator Richard LaCamera by the end of April.
“Hopefully you’ll be impressed — because we were — with the candidates,” McCormick said.
McCormick, who had never served on a board before, lauded the dedication and diversity of his committee.
“That’s one of the reasons I picked you,” said Selectman Kenny Mitchell. “I’d never seen your name on any board or any committee.”
McCormick replied he saw the opening and decided to “give it a whirl.”
The Search Committee will meet one more time to approve minutes and dissolve itself.