Adams Administrator Search Committee Fields 40 Applicants
 Search committee Chairman Jeffrey Grandchamp, left, and member Michael Ouellette at Thursday's meeting. |
ADAMS, Mass. — The town administrator search committee said they will implement a "soft deadline" when accepting applications.
The seven-member committee charged with finding a new town administrator discussed the Selectmen's recommendation to allow applicants to apply past the Sept. 26 deadline during their Thursday night meeting.
"The Selectman have asked us to have a soft deadline; we passed the deadline that we set in accepting applications, but the selectmen want us to contuse with others as they come in," committee Chairman Jeffrey Grandchamp said. "I say that we see what comes in, and handle it as it comes in."
Committee member Michael Ouellette said he feels applicants who cannot apply on time may not be disciplined enough for the job.
"If they miss the date I think that is an indication," Ouellette said. "You have to be disciplined to get things done on time, and if you can't get your application done on time that could be an indication of things."
Grandchamp said although he does not disagree, he thinks they should go with the Selectmen's recommendation.
He said if bringing in new candidates may throw off the time line, they will talk to the selectmen.
"If we get a candidate that we think we ought to bring into the process but it may throw off our time line we may want to ask them," Grandchamp said.
As of now there are 40 candidates.
The committee also discussed when it was best to perform CORI, or criminal background, checks. Grandchamp said it might be best to wait until they have narrowed down he applicants.
"I don't think we need to do it now because we don’t know the full scope of the applicants, but I would like to keep it on the radar," he said. "Maybe it's the kind of thing we can decide on when we have the interviews."
Committee member and Police Chief Richard Tarsa said it may be beneficial to conduct CORI checks after the interviews to give applicants a chance to confess anything the committee may find.
"With this type of position integrity is everything, and if they don't tell us something regarding their background and we find something, I think that will be sufficient in showing what their integrity is," Tarsa said.
Tags: search committee, town administrator,
