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Select Board tables plan to form Town Administrator screening committee
Summary
The Select Board discussed a proposed screening committee for the town administrator search — including suggested membership and interview format — and voted to table the item until the next meeting so the full board and chair can weigh in.
The Select Board reviewed a proposed process for forming a screening committee to prescreen candidates for the town administrator position and tabled the item for further consideration.
Vice Chairwoman Candace Graves presented a draft committee structure she compiled from other towns, proposing five members: one advisory committee member, one public safety representative (police or fire), one department head, one representative of another town board or committee, and one citizen at large. She described the committee’s responsibilities as reviewing applications, conducting first‑round interviews and providing qualified finalists to the Select Board for additional interviews.
Select Board member identified as “Madam Chen” said, “I’m just concerned with public safety that they’re going to be able to attend, simply because of the schedules, that particularly the police department works.” Board members discussed alternatives including replacing a dedicated public safety seat with another department head, advisory member or citizen at large, and the option of publicizing volunteer applications on the town website to fill committee slots.
Board members also noted that many towns conduct prescreening interviews in executive session for applicant privacy and to protect committee members; the group discussed how that practice affects transparency and records. Several members recommended deferring final decisions until the chair can participate in the vote. A motion to table the matter until the next meeting carried; staff were instructed to include the item on the next agenda and circulate the draft committee criteria for further comment.
No formal committee appointments were made at the meeting.
