LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen has offered a former Pennsylvania county commissioner the vacant town administrator position.

 

The board conducted its second interview with Joshua Lang at its meeting on Wednesday and unanimously voted at the end to offer him the job, pending finalization of the specifics of his contract. Lang, who conducted his first interview with the board via Zoom on Nov. 3, previously served as a county commissioner in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

 

"There is a tremendous amount of potential that he will grow into," said board member Gordon Hubbard. "Obviously, he will need to learn, as we all do. But I think he's got the gumption, the energy and the drive to do it."

 

At the end of Wednesday's interview, Lang said he was grateful that the board invited him to visit the town in person. He said being considered as one of the finalists for the position meant a lot to him.

 

"I appreciate the opportunity," he said. "I'm very thankful. It's been a very good process. I have definitely enjoyed my myself here. And definitely will be somebody that I think you can invest in, and I want to be here for the long term. So I very much appreciate that opportunity.

 

Lanesborough's interim Town Administrator Robert Markel thought this second interview with Lang was reassuring. He said Lang should have a mentor for his first few months as administrator to help him to adjust to the job and the area.

 

"Coming into a new state. A lot of things happen at once, come at you at once," he said. "We can do a lot of reading, but I think having a mentor that you can call up and say, 'What do I do now with this particular problem,' get a quick answer and be able to address the issue immediately is important. I think that's something that would probably be useful."

 

Lang said he recognized there is a lot that he will need to learn as the town administrator. He said learning on the fly is something he has been successful at in the past.

 

"When I started at [Bedford] County, there was no magic handbook or no job description per se. So I read a lot," he said. "But I don't think the expectation is that you're going to have a full understanding of every single thing every single time, just like the board here, right? You probably learn all the time, new things. And I think you lay your foundation, and you expand on that. It's a constant, evolving process. When you're in elected roles, especially municipal or local government, it's going to be building that foundation and growing from there."

 

When asked why the board should hire him for the position, Lang said his passion and willingness to listen and learn from others would be an asset and allow him to succeed.

 

"I'm somebody that will be passionate, that will be dedicated. I've dedicated my life to public service," he said. "I will go above and beyond the call of duty to help each and every one of the residents here in Lanesborough. I'll be innovative and adaptable. I believe in being an adaptable leader in order to change in the very challenging environment that we live in. And I'm going to be somebody that you will see that we will collectively as a community, through coordination collaboration, move Lanesborough for the forward."

 

The other finalits were Judy Frazier, director of risk management and operations for Rutland, Vt., and Jeffrey Roucoulet, director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Pittsfield and Berkshire County. Lang and Frazier had both been invited back for a second interview but Frazier withdrew. 

 

Lang will replace Kelli Robbins, who left in June after three years with the town. 

 

Lanesborough's town administrator search was conducted by Paradigm Associates, led by consultant Bernard Lynch. Lynch will soon consult for the town of Adams as it plans to review the town charter and governance.