CHESHIRE, Mass. — Selectman Edmund St. John IV has resigned from the board to apply for the town administrator position.
The Selectmen read the resignation letter Tuesday from St. John, who was elected to the board in 2017 after representing the town for several years on the Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee.
"I could see where we were doing well and where we needed improvement, and I wanted to be there kind of on the ground leading that charge to improve things in town," St. John said. "I want to be that person to help facilitate what the selectmen want to accomplish."
Town Administrator Mark Webber plans to retire in November.
St. John on Sunday said he contacted the state Ethics Commission and was told that to be able to apply for the position, he would have to be off the board for 30 days before submitting an application.
This means the board will have to function with two members until the annual town election next spring.
An attorney by trade, he said he studied political science in college and received a certificate in public administration. He added that while in college, he interned with Webber in Town Hall.
"I love the workings of government … and I want to be able to put that and my experience on the select board, the school committee and other roles that I have performed to use and help the town," he said.
Currently, the position is part-time and Webber is in town one day a week. St. John said it was often challenging to only have the town administrator in town this single day and as a resident, St. John said he would be more available.
Town meeting agreed to hold the position at part-time but increase the salary from $20,910 to $40,000 to bring the work week from one day to three days and to make the position more competitive.
St. John said Sunday that if hired, one of his goals would be to modernize some of the town’s processes. He added that he would like to expand the Highway Department and focus on sharing services with surrounding communities and the school district.
"I want to pursue this role and hopefully it works out," he said.
