Adams Town Administrator Search Attracts 22 Applicants
 The search committee has begun receiving applications for the town administrator post but so far half don't meet the criteria. |
ADAMS, Mass. — Adams has received 22 town administrator applicants so far, the Town Administrator Search Committee reported on Tuesday.
Committee member Carol Corrigan said that of the 22 applicants, so far 10 meet the minimum requirements.
The applicants come from various parts of the country — Texas, Maryland, Minnesota, Colorado, California and Kansas.
Committee member Michael Ouellette said he felt the three-year experience minimum that the committee agreed on could disqualify many candidates.
"We might not want to be too rough on things like that because we might disqualify a good candidate, and I just want to make sure we are all in agreement with this," Ouellette said.
Committee member Erica Girgenti said the three-year minimum is important. The department heads the committee spoke with wanted to make sure Adams did not get a novice town administrator, she noted.
"Do we want to be a training ground for town administrators or do we want to invite someone in that is qualified," she said.
The committee also discussed how it would format the written essay questions for applicants. The four essays represent issues facing the town of Adams such as the Greylock Glen and the town’s elderly population.
They decided the essays should be no more than a page long.
Originally the committee felt 250 words would suffice because it would make the review process more streamlined, however they decided the one-page length would give applicants more of an opportunity to be creative.
"If you are really knowledgeable of something it can be difficult initially, but ultimately easier, to be succinct and concise," Chairman Jeffrey Grandchamp said. "We can tell when someone doesn't have a lot to say about it because they are going to fluff it out."
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