Hubbardston residents, staff urge budget expertise and transparency in town administrator search

Hubbardston residents and municipal employees told the town's administrative search committee on April 15 that the next town administrator should bring hands‑on municipal experience, strong budgeting skills and an open‑door management style.

At a public listening session convened by the Administrative Search Committee, Peter Walker said he would "like to see somebody with a business degree with a minor in accounting with municipal experience" and stressed "transparency" and "attention to detail." Melody Green, who identified herself as the town clerk, said she values managerial experience and respectful supervision and asked for clearer chain‑of‑command practices so staff can do their jobs without unnecessary internal conflict.

The committee heard similar priorities from other residents and department leaders. Katy Young urged a candidate able to "lead across departments," manage capital projects such as the municipal complex, and work collaboratively with employees and volunteer committees. Department heads noted that candidates must be prepared to multitask in a small town and to support line‑item budgeting so each department can explain needs and trends to residents.

Why it matters: Committee members said Hubbardston faces budget pressure and slow economic growth; several speakers argued that a TA who can identify grant opportunities and explain multi‑year budget trends to voters will help avoid future service cuts. Multiple commenters credited the current interim administrator, Sean, with improving transparency by sending a weekly administrative report and opening line‑item budget files during staff visits.

Screening and timeline: Committee members said they have received about 40 resumes and used an automated screening tool (referred to in the meeting as "Gemini") to triage applicants into tiers; the committee will fact‑check top candidates against full resumes. The application posting was extended so more experienced candidates could apply; members confirmed the new deadline was May 1. The committee scheduled an executive session to finalize interview questions and the top candidates on May 4 and plans to conduct finalist interviews the week of May 11, with a select‑board presentation the week of May 18.

Procedure and evaluation: Members agreed all finalists will be asked the same standardized questions in the same order and recommended including practical or scenario‑based questions (for example, accounts payable exercises, ethics dilemmas, or capital‑project leadership) to test candidates' real skills rather than receive rehearsed answers. Several members emphasized asking about candidates' experience with state law deadlines and municipal reporting requirements.

Formal actions: The committee voted unanimously to approve the minutes during the meeting, and later moved, seconded and approved adjournment at about 6:45 p.m.

What happens next: Committee members will upload applicant materials into a shared drive (OneDrive/SharePoint) as PDFs and cover letters, each reviewer will select top candidates for the May 4 executive session, and the committee expects to interview five to six finalists in mid‑May.

Key quotes: "Somebody with a business degree with a minor in accounting with municipal experience," said Peter Walker. "I like that idea. Keeps me current," said a committee member describing the interim's weekly reports. "Once we have three or four years of this line‑item budget, you can show them the trends," another participant said.

The hearing provided residents and staff a structured opportunity to shape the committee's screening criteria and timeline; the committee will use the input to refine interview questions and select finalists for interviews in mid‑May.