The new application deadline is Sept. 30 for the Palmer town manager position.
PALMER – It took nearly 45 minutes, but the Town Council finally decided to immediately reopen the search for a town manager, as it only has two semi-finalists for the position and it wanted at least three.
“I can’t believe the level of debate over reposting an ad,” Town Council President Paul E. Burns said at the council's Tuesday meeting.
The council was presented with a letter from the town manager search committee which stated that it had not yet found the three town manager candidates to present to the council, and asked for the search to be reopened.
Burns, also a member of the search committee, said only four candidates were interviewed for the position out of 26 applicants. Eight were slated to be interviewed, but four withdrew their names.
The only semi-finalists that are still being considered for the job are Carter Terenzini, town administrator in Moultonborough, N.H., and William F. Ketcham, former town administrator in Adams.
William Sheriden, chief administrative officer from Laurel, Mont. and Michael A. Szlosek, Uxbridge town manager and the former town administrator in South Hadley and Ludlow, were not selected after interviews, Burns said.
There was significant debate over the next step in the process, and how to get the word out that Palmer is looking for a town manager.
“We need to make sure we do this right,” At-large Councilor Eric A. Duda said.
Duda, also a search committee member, wanted to table the issue until the council’s Sept. 13 meeting, to give councilors more time to consider it, but only he and councilors Roger R. Duguay Jr. and Karl S. Williams voted in favor, so it failed. Burns and Councilors Barbara A. Barry, Raymond J. Remillard, Philip J. Hebert and William S. Heilman voted against tabling it. Councilor Michael R. Magiera was absent.
“I don’t think we’re getting a large enough pool of enough qualified people. I think we’re not getting out to everyone,” Duda said.
Burns, who said there are at least two potentially qualified candidates, advocated for readvertising as soon as possible, so the town will not lose them to other communities. He said of the four who withdrew their names, three had found other employment.
The council finally voted unanimously to repost the advertisement immediately with a deadline of Sept. 30 for applications. The position will be advertised on the Massachusetts Municipal Association and International City-County Management Association websites, as well as in newspapers, including The Republican.
Matthew S. Streeter was fired by the council in June over concerns about his job performance as town manager. His predecessor, Richard L. Fitzgerald, also ran afoul of the council and was terminated.