Southbridge town manager search is 'stuck' in neutral

Southbridge town manager search is 'stuck' in neutral

By Brian Lee TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Brian.Lee@telegram.com

SOUTHBRIDGE — The withdrawal by three candidates for town manager at the semifinalist stage has left the search "stuck," Town Council Vice Chairman Estaban Carrasco Jr. said Tuesday.

To that end, the search committee will talk about possibly "dismantling" the present search, in addition to discussing three other semifinalists, in an executive session planned for 5 p.m. Thursday, Mr. Carrasco said.

The present search began in July. Fifty-two applications were received, with the list winnowed to 14 top-tier candidates in August.

That month, the search committee said its preliminary plan was for the committee — and subsequently town councilors — to conduct final interviews in October.

Town consultant Donald R. Jutton, president of Municipal Resources Inc., will be at Thursday's meeting, Mr. Carrasco said.

In a text message, Council Chairman Shaun M. Moriarty said: "We are engaged in a very deliberate search because we cannot afford to make a bad hire."

In the meantime, the town is employing its second interim manager since the departure in December of Christopher Clark, who resigned and took the administrator's job in Harwich.

Robert T. Reed, Leicester's retired administrator, served as acting town manager from January until June.

Kevin E. Paicos, Foxboro's former town manager, who also served as manager in Winchendon and administrator in Easton, Ashburnham and Hingham, has served as acting town manager since June.

Mr. Paicos' contract stipulates he be paid $65 per hour and work 30 to 37.5 hours per week.

Mr. Paicos, who most recently held interim posts in Northfield and Jamestown, Rhode Island, told Southbridge officials at the time of his hiring that he'd be happy to help out for whatever amount of time would be needed.

The previous search process was suspended in April because of a certified initiative petition that proposed to change the home-rule charter to a selectmen-administrator government. It was defeated at the polls in June.

The town reopened and re-advertised the manager's post in July.

Asked to give a general description of the semifinalists, Mr. Carrasco said they are all "seasoned" managers or administrators. Each candidate is presently employed, and some of the candidates are from out of state.

Contact Brian Lee at brian.lee@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BleeTG