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Town manager search draws pushback over $225,000 ceiling, committee hears 34 candidates
Summary
Committee members debated a proposed $225,000 ceiling for the town manager recruitment after MRI supplied about 34 candidates; several members said the top figure would be hard to justify to voters, while select board representatives argued a higher ceiling could attract high-caliber candidates.
The committee discussed the ongoing town manager recruitment and whether the advertised top salary — cited by some members as $225,000 — is appropriate for Wolfeboro.
"I'm not gonna support $225,000 for a town manager," the chair said, expressing concern about voter reaction and fiscal optics if the committee recommends a high ceiling. Several members said $225,000 was ‘‘outrageous’’ for the town’s size and fiscal context.
Select board representatives and the recruitment consultant’s input were discussed: committee members were told MRI received about 34 candidates, including some from outside New England. The select board representative said the wide search and a higher advertised ceiling were intended to attract a ‘‘golden’’ candidate with high-level experience; others said most candidates would likely fall in the lower part of the advertised range.
Committee members also discussed the finance director position and typical pay ranges; the interim manager said a finance director market range is roughly $110,000–$140,000. Some members urged the committee to research recent municipal wage studies before finalizing compensation language.
No formal vote on the advertised town manager ceiling occurred at the meeting. The committee directed staff and select board representatives to provide additional benchmarking and candidate-profile information at a future meeting.
